NOVEL NEXT Chapter 49: Home
Caelum emerged from the forest, his body still humming with the energy of his recent level-ups. As he approached the glowing tree, he saw Aurelia waiting for him outside their burrow, her antennae twitching with curiosity. She crawled over to meet him, her eyes bright as she noticed his return.
“You’ve been busy,” she remarked through their telepathic link, sensing the change in his aura. “Leveling up on your own?”
Caelum nodded. “Yeah. I thought I’d take the chance to push myself a bit. I managed to reach Level 11.”
Aurelia’s eyes widened in surprise. “That’s impressive! Although you should’ve taken me too!”
Caelum smiled, feeling a sense of pride at her words and kind of sorry he didn’t take her. But now that the urgency of leveling had subsided, they turned their attention back to the small burrow they had claimed. The glowing tree still cast its gentle light over the clearing, but the burrow itself was nothing more than a hollow hole.
“We should make this place a proper home,” Aurelia said thoughtfully. “Something more than just a hiding spot.”
Caelum agreed. They were going to be spending time here, and it only made sense to create a space that felt safe and welcoming. But how exactly did two larvae go about making a burrow feel more like home?
“We’ll need to get creative,” Caelum said. “We might not be human anymore, but we can still add some personal touches to make this place comfortable.”
They crawled over to the entrance of the burrow, peering inside. The smooth dirt walls and the small chamber provided decent shelter, but it was plain—nothing more than a hole in the ground. They needed to fix that.
“First things first,” Aurelia began, “we should gather some leaves to line the floor. It'll make it softer, and it’ll feel less like we’re sleeping directly on the dirt.”
Caelum nodded in agreement. “Good idea. Let’s start by collecting some of the larger leaves nearby.”
They both ventured out into the surrounding area, searching for leaves that could serve as a sort of bedding. The forest was rich with thick, broad leaves, and they quickly found several suitable ones that were soft and pliable. Using their mandibles, they carefully carried the leaves back to the burrow, one by one, placing them in the chamber.
Once they had enough, they spread the leaves across the floor, creating a soft, leafy carpet. Caelum tested it by crawling across the surface, and he immediately felt the difference. The floor was far more comfortable now, the leaves acting as a cushion between them and the hard-packed dirt.
“This is already much better,” Caelum said, settling down for a moment. “It almost feels like a bed.”
Aurelia chuckled. “We’re larvae, so I guess this is as close to a bed as we’re going to get. But you’re right—it’s much nicer.”
Next, they turned their attention to the walls. The burrow was well hidden, but they wanted to make sure it was even more secure. They used small sticks and stones from the nearby underbrush to reinforce the entrance, weaving the sticks together to create a kind of natural barrier that would deter small predators from wandering inside.
“This should make it harder for anything to sneak in while we’re resting,” Aurelia commented, inspecting their work.
Caelum agreed. “We could even use some mud to seal gaps in the sticks, kind of like how humans would use mortar between bricks. It’ll make the barrier more solid.”
They worked together, using their mandibles and legs to scoop small amounts of mud from the damp forest floor, applying it carefully between the sticks. Once they were done, the entrance had a sturdy, almost rustic look to it—a small but effective barrier that made them feel safer.
“Not bad for two larvae,” Caelum said with a small smile, admiring their handiwork.
Aurelia beamed with pride. “We’re getting good at this survival thing.”
With the basic structure secure, they decided to add a few more touches to make the space feel more homely. Aurelia suggested using some of the smaller, colorful petals from nearby flowers to decorate the interior. They gathered bright yellow and soft pink petals, spreading them around the chamber’s edges, giving the burrow a touch of color. It wasn’t much, but it brought a bit of warmth to the otherwise brown and green environment.
“This looks nice,” Caelum said, admiring the colorful accents. “It makes the place feel... cozier.”
Aurelia nodded. “Yeah. It’s strange, but even as larvae, it’s nice to have something that feels like ours, something that reminds us of beauty.”
They continued adding small touches here and there. Caelum found a few smooth pebbles and placed them near the entrance, creating a kind of makeshift step or pathway into the burrow. It gave the area a sense of purpose, as though the burrow wasn’t just a random hole but a small home they had crafted together.
Aurelia, meanwhile, found a few larger flower petals and draped them over some of the leaves in the chamber, almost like tiny blankets. She laughed softly, realizing how silly it seemed to be worried about such details, but it made the burrow feel more lived-in, more like a place where they could truly rest and feel safe.
“It’s almost like we’re nesting,” Aurelia said with a smile. “I never thought I’d enjoy something like this, but it feels... right.”
Caelum nodded, feeling a deep sense of contentment. “Yeah. I guess we’re adapting to this world in more ways than one.”
As they finished their work, they both crawled back into the burrow, testing out their new space. The leaves provided a soft cushion beneath them, the flower petals adding a splash of color, and the reinforced entrance gave them peace of mind. It wasn’t much, but it was theirs. A little sanctuary in the middle of a dangerous world.
Caelum settled down, his body relaxing against the leaf-strewn floor. He glanced over at Aurelia, who was doing the same.
“It’s not bad,” he said, his voice soft and content. “It’s actually kind of... nice.”
Aurelia nodded, her antennae twitching in agreement. “Yeah. It feels like home.”
And as they lay there, side by side, safe within their little burrow, they both realized that even in this strange and dangerous world, they could find moments of peace—moments that reminded them of the life they had once known.