Hopper's Narrative
In a flight of instinct mixed with terror, when I saw the chance when the Finch dug her beak into it with a quick jolt. I heard the Princess's scream, which led me to the right spot. Once the hole was made, I bolted as fast as I could. I snagged a thorn, looked forward and once when I saw Molt tied down with the two ants before this gigantic monstrosity, I landed directly over her captives. Out of feirce anger seeing my brother treated as such, I tore through those webs quickly with the thorn. I looked Molt in the eye and I told him to take the two ants and fly. As far as he could and fast! I was going to deal with all this accordingly… even if I would die trying.

When I gave Molt the chance, I then stood tall with wings still ready. I was in the fire, as it were. There was Blade beside this one who was twice as big and twice as nasty. The Queen of the Hive. There was a streak of fear in Blade's gold eyes but the Queen shrugged it off.

"I will deal with you later… And you, why I have been waiting for this day."

Meanwhile, the distraction of the large bird had distracted a great number of hornets, having them chase her while she kept damaging walls and stores. As big as she was, she defensively flew in different directions with the help of her partner. Flaps. He guided her as best he could as more soldiers chased them. As for the recluse. He was thrown onto the old trunk. After some persuasion that I needed his web, he neared the shattered way into the throne chamber.

I admitted it. I was terrified. I did know that the Queen was powerful but God… What was I alone compared to something like her?

"Must be hard for you, Hopper." the Queen smiled, gleaming at the sight of my scar. The trophy she desperately wanted. "To use your wings for useless reasons. Did you really think you could help them?"

I was outraged, watching her pace around me as I did the same. She was going to attack me. I listened for the recluse, as closely as I could.

"You dare ask me that question when you ordered hummingbirds to die. You started with me. Now I'm ending it." I hissed, my voice down to a low growl.

She laughed and waved to her soldiers to spread out. "That was your brother…" she spectacularly changed the subject. "…wasn't he?"

"This is between you and me. Enough games…" I told her outright. I heard the recluse outside, right at the opening above. "You know what I want."

She knew I loved the Island. She knew where my heart was set… We both had similar ideas, that we wanted each other dead. I honed my legs and stood still while spotting where the soldiers stood seconds before they were ready to shoot at me. She waved and the soldiers were off! Prepared, I instantly took a jump as they took chase. Seeing the fight start, the Recluse stood over the shattered opening and just shot lines of web into the chamber as I jumped and dodged in a circular manner. All the while, my mind was whirling. My whole life basically flashed before my eyes…. I lost Flitter. Then I almost lost the last I had. If I had, I would have done myself in ages ago. I turned back before it got worse… I hurt him so much that I didn't deserve what he gave me. Yet if I never came upon that Island, he would have died. There was just one last thing to do. Webs began to litter the chamber, trapping frantic hornets in their snags.

Blade bellowed orders at trapped soldiers before he even realized what happened. Out of a fit of rage, he ripped a piece of web that almost had his wings.

"STING HIM, BRING HIM DOWN!" the Queen ordered, finally going in for the kill.

Taking some of the stringy web, she had it stuck around her claw before she whipped a line which then snagged my right side, taping my wing flap and my leg. The old injury came back and the pull made me yell in pain. With that, I was forced down.

"TAKE HIM!" Blade roared. "BEWARE OF THE SPIDER!"

"He's mine…" The Queen uttered, eyeing me down like I was fresh dinner. "I'll take your head and eat you through… slowly."

I glared at her through pained eyes, fighting all this pain. I wasn't focusing on her though, but on the web that had me downed. My claw was caught as well, but I flexed my wrist while she and Blade came close enough. I beared with it all and clenched my teeth as I whipped the line up at the two. It hurt so much, I nearly yelled out. With all the strength I had, I whipped it as quick and high as I could muster, striking the two with it. There was a slew of hornets barrelling out of the walls to attack the birds, much to my horror. As much as I wanted to, I had to stick to what I planned in the first place by taking these two out once and for all. What I feared was starting to unfold behind the scenes when the swarm began to form under the sun. That orange finch was going high, diving and using that weapon of a beak to snap as long as they kept charging. Using her huge wings, she as able to keep them at bay long enough. She used her tail to swipe them aside before any stinger could even get through her thick sunlight feathers.

Do not mess with me! In no way are you going to harm my chicks on their hatching day!
Flaps was able to understand her angered remark while he had to be careful. Yet, lack of nectar was proving a problem for him. He had a whole group to deal with himself, so he took to the brush to lose them in it. Gladly, the spider they kidnapped was able to tangle this area with web, just enough to capture several idiots who dared to follow the determined hummer.

When I heard the roar of the finch, I tensed my arm, seeing that the Queen was caught with Blade. With my free wings, I jumped up to reach the opening, carrying these wastes of air with me. I was done at this point. I wanted this to be over…

Molt's POV
Hopper's words echoed in his mind so loudly that it directed his heart to follow the sun. He held Flik and Princess Atta close with all four of his arms. Even though his flaps were covered in web, he was able to fly fast. He couldn't go back to Island. At least not yet. Who knew what the Queen wanted with him, but he knew the truth. Hopper was alive and that he did exactly what he had promised. His trust used to be fickle but now he realized how strong it became over the course of traveling and making new friends. The friends he carried with him right now and Summer… Summer! He had to get back to her!

The two he carried began to notice just how anxious he was by the mere look on his face. Atta hugged him, feeling so sorry that he had to go through and see everything back there… Flik squeezed his claw a little. They were far away now and they didn't want their brave friend to drive himself to exhaustion.

"Molt! Molt!" Flik tried to call over the tense beating of Molt's wings. "We've lost them!"

"I-I don't—" the panicked locust shook his head, focusing on the horizon. "No! No, I can't!"

He was shocked and full of fear by the sound of it. Atta gave it a try.

"Molt, please! You're going too fast! You'll hurt yourself! Please!"

He certainly didn't succumb right away, but he fought the instinct to keep going. In a way, it was painful to fight it, but eventually he got himself to land. There was chewed hole in the bark of a piece of stray wood with new green sprouts around it and the poor locust chose to hide there, setting the two ants down. Just then, he felt the pain from his wings… and he had to rest for a moment. Upon seeing him almost collapse, Atta stayed by his side. She looked at Flik, growing tearful at the fact that they were free, but others were probably not as fortunate. Not like them.

"Atta… Molt ~ oh! Are you okay?" Flik worried for both of them.

"I need to go back —" Molt spoke, despite how tired he was. "Hop's back there…"

"Molt… He freed us. He told you to go as far as you can…" Atta tried to calm him.

"He-he came back. I knew it. I knew he would come… but, he'll die. He's all I got."

"Not true, Molt… You have a whole colony." Atta told him. "… there's a way."

From where they were, the three were able to listen to the buzzing and the roars of that giant, angry bird. As soon as he was sure no one was following him, Flaps tried to locate the rescued trio. He worried if Molt was hurt by how they treated him. He was lucky though when he saw a bloom hiding among a patch that looked like specks of new grass. His hunger was too much to ignore so he hovered down to it for a drink. He stuck his beak into the little flower, finding the precious cocktail within. There was a bit inside and it felt so good as it trickled down his throat and tickled his nostrils with its irresistable aroma. He was so hungry. Little did he know, as his head felt free from fog, that the ones he was searching for were right nearby. Molt recognized those wings. He had to crawl out of the small hole before feeling the wing beats of a hummingbird. How amazed he was to see one, finally after so long. But something stuck out to him… This bird seemed so familiar to him. Despite the dispute of the two ants of him leaving, he did it anyway. The hummer was about to leave before a flash of golden brown caught his eye. He smiled before he hovered over him. Molt was jumpy and naturally ducked down before the bird perched.

Flaps didn't intend to frighten his friend, but it hurt him to see him so unsure.

"You didn't forget me. Did you, Molt?" he addressed him, keeping his voice low.

"I think I know that voice." Molt replied, feeling slightly more confident.

Though times were tough and the last time he saw him, he barely had much color and he was branching at the time. Flaps couldn't blame him, but it was such a relief to see him again.

"Flaps? I can't believe it — Is it really you?" Molt was stunned when he realized.

"The one and only."

"You've gotten so big!"

"You're not hurt, are you?" Flaps softly prodded at Molt's wings.

"No, I'm okay… but what about Hopper?"

"We know him. He's not stopping until he's finished… He dived in as soon as he got the chance. He told me to keep afar because the whole hive is a mess."

"He got us out of there…but ya mean he could still be kicking?"

"It wouldn't surprise me, but you need to get back to the colony. All of you." Flaps said, gesturing to the ants.

As much as he wanted to return, he couldn't find it within himself to leave his brother behind.

"Molt. It's best that we do what he says…" Atta spoke, completely drained and being realistic.

Molt's gaze was hardened and lost in thought. Many times before he was respectful to Hopper yet he had the habit of keeping his distance. His older brother changed so much over the seasons… So much so that he trusted him again. They were brothers again, and he couldn't risk losing it now that he had it. He looked at the Princess and then to Flik.

"Take 'em back, Flaps. I'm going back for Hopper." he decided, confidently.

They all blinked, horrified for him. "Molt, no! It's a war zone. You can get killed!"

Hurting, he passed her a knowing look before he took off flying, without a spoken word. Flaps was pained to see this. On the ant's behalf, he flew to stop him.

"Hold it!"

The grasshopper flew passed the hummer, leaving them entirely defeated. All they could do was hope, though the hummer was not going to let this slide.

Hopper's Narrative
It all came down to this…
I was dragging so much weight that I was hounded down by the others. I felt something snap and soon I found that I couldn't feel one of my smaller appendages when the Queen yanked so strongly. I couldn't stop and look. I had to get out of there. When she took a chance to come toward me with her stinger, I did what any insect would do and just jumped. I opened my wings and just stared at the sunlight. I've gotten used to pain and I was so full of adrenaline… I pushed myself with everything I had left.

Before they knew it, they were lifted but I was only able to take one for a ride. I felt another rip and higher I went, ripping through loose rubble. Protecting my head with my arm, I glanced to see the swarm harassing the bird who found it hard to get a good aim at to drop the heart of the hive. I would die as well, if it was fit, but there had to be a way to get this bastard subdued. The Queen had broken free and she almost made it out before the Finch kept her inside, threaten to eat her with each strike into the chamber as it began to fall apart. Dodging through and over blades and rocks, there was a distant dry tree where I had to lighten the screaming load from my beaten body. I zipped around one of the branches, tangling the line which caused a whiplash.

Blade cried when he struck the bark, getting even more tied up. I landed not far off, using the bark to free myself before aiming all my hate on this useless creature. I took a piece of sharp bark and marched right up to him. With one of my strong arms, I held it back before delivering a nasty backhand into his jaw before he could look up. With my other claw I gripped his throat tightly, glaring him straight in the eye. I had him pinned, but with that bark, I stabbed him. I jammed through his abdomen with it.

His eyes widened with shock and pain before he realized that I was tearing his stinger off. He yelled out in sudden anguish and tried to squirm. I pulled that thing out without tearing my eyes off his before throwing him down. Now, I was fueling my anger. I may have lost an arm, but I was far from done.

"You're done! It's over!" I growled, throwing that poisonous stick aside as fluid drenched my claw.

"You… you stabbed me…." Blade panted, still in blunt shock.

"This world is better without you."

"My… what have you done…?" Blade uttered, spotting his fatal injury. He was bleeding out.

"Good luck dying, you waste. You're on my turf now. This is for everyone you've killed."

Little did I know at the time was that Molt had come back. On that same tree, he landed and saw what I had done. The hornet that killed loved ones of many, not only ours, was dying. He went slack-jawed before I noticed he was even there.

"H-hop…?" he squeaked.

I finally noticed him, at first I felt so afraid and it was before I began to feel all the pain come rushing back. My lower right side burned and I finally looked that my smaller appendage was entirely ripped out and gone. Then my wing. Half of my right wing and its flap was entirely pulled and ripped as well when I flew with the web still attached to me. I growled, holding back a cry but I felt my brother's presence at my side.

"I-I'm here, Hop! Hang on!" I heard him.

I was so close to passing out. "Stay- stay with me! Please!"