I wanted to check my [System] notifications, but my better judgment demanded that instead I begin asserting my dominance over the swarm. Stepping forward, I began to address the swarm as they fell into silence at my beckoning.

"As you have heard, I am Ashlani, your new Alpha. I do not have any immediate commands for the swarm but these: 1. Do not incite unrest. I will forcefully quell any immediate resistance. 2. For now, my Beta is Took," I gestured for her to come forward, "and my Gamma is Sybil. They will retain those positions until I, in the near future, open the positions to any challengers. Until then, follow their commands as mine; any insubordination and disobedience to their commands will be counted as treason and will result in immediate and unconditional execution. Finally, 3. Prepare to march. We will assault the humans' home tomorrow. All of us."

My initial words had brought a complete stillness over my audience, but my last command was answered with murmurs of approval as I brought my address to its conclusion, consciously pushing my [True Dominance] and Sonilphon-driven charisma to their peak:

"They wanted to destroy our home! Murder our young! Smash our eggs! Kill us to the last! WE WILL RETURN THIS AGGRESSION IN KIND! WE WILL KILL THE YOUNG, THE ELDERLY, AND THE STRONG, AND WE WILL TAKE THEIR STRENGTH INTO OUR OWN!!"

At my final, screaming call to action, the swarm began thronging together, shrieking battlecries and promising destruction on any and all who opposed us. With a victorious smile, I gestured for Took, Sybil, and Rulac to approach. Vefir also approached of his own volition and the comfortable waves of healing began to wash over me as I felt my flesh knit back together in my thigh and the numbness fade from everywhere else.

"Rulac, you've located the human's nest, right?" He nodded with his characteristic grin. "I need you to take whoever you think necessary to loop around to the far side to ensure that there aren't any humans who escape our assault tomorrow. Our lives will become particularly difficult if a Windspeaker is able to convey information about our existence to the rest of humankind." Rulac nodded, and I continued, "You will additionally serve as the secondary line of defense tomorrow, since Took will lead a strike force from that same side to send them into a panic. Any questions?"

Rulac shook his head, then grinned. "It's a pity you got to this point so quick. You would have been an amazing Alqat."

I shrugged, smiling in response. "By the way, just in case you were planning otherwise, you can't take Wisterl or Second. I need them here to help Sybil." Rulac shrugged and jogged off, saying, "I guess now that you're in charge you can make demands like that." I turned to Took.

"You need to prepare that strike team. At most, you can select one fifth of the total swarm for your strike force." Took looked at me, slightly confused. "One fifth?" I internally rolled my eyes at myself. "One out of five. For every one you take, leave behind at least four." Took nodded in understanding and looked to me quizzically. "That's all, but tomorrow, I want you to let loose and really show the swarm that they don't want to challenge you for Beta." She smiled in a frankly carnivorous fashion and stalked off.

Finally, I turned to Sybil, but before I could speak, she smiled and chimed in herself, "You need me to establish domestic control over the swarm. Second will accompany me as the brains and Wisterl as the brawn. Is that correct?"

I shook my head ruefully. "You're too damned clever for your own good."

"Or, I just know my strengths and recognize that you know how to and are willing to use me."

"Fair enough. Any questions or requests?"

"No, but I do have something to report: something has changed in my magic recently, and I wanted your permission to begin using this new effect constantly."

I looked at her, curious, "What change might that be?"

"Well, that might be easier to show than to tell."

I had felt the influence of Sybil's magic previously. It caused a slight feeling of goodwill towards her, and slightly more reception to her suggestions, so I was excited to see how it had changed. Now, the compulsion was stronger, almost compelling acquiescence to her requests. It almost felt like the influence of [True Dominance], but almost… pleasantly created positive feelings towards her. After the briefest touch of the magic on my senses, a [System] message flashed before my eyes:

[Magic [Compel Sympathy] is being exerted on you. Due to your higher evolutionary level, magic is resisted. However, it is advised that you leave the influence of the magic [Compel Sympathy] as soon as safely possible.]

A brief yet intense flash of an undefinable emotion that was mostly rage but partially pride and excitement surged through me. I stepped forward, close enough for my chest to make contact with Sybil's as I hissed into her ear, "Impressive… but if I catch you using that magic on me again, you won't survive the hour." For a brief moment, I thought I felt Sybil tense up in surprise, but she immediately pulled closer to me and murmured in my ear, "I wouldn't dream of it… unless you asked me to." The briefest hint of her pheromones hit me and I looked down at her as I attempted to growl back, "Ever the opportunist, are we?" I couldn't keep the chuckle out of my voice at the end, and realized that my "Superior Blood" had acted up again, but also that Sybil seemed to have liked it, given that she had flirted back and twisted her tail at me as she had walked away. So, I wasn't too upset about how things had turned out.

I looked out at the thronging swarm, MY thronging swarm, and grinned. This had come sooner than expected, but I would make sure to take every advantage that I could from this. Finally, I looked again at the still flashing [System] notification: [Status updated. Racial evolutionary requirements met.]