I had a nervewracking experience today!

It's an honor to be invited into the Hall of the Hungry Insect Kings, but it's the kind of honor that is terrifying. Etiquette becomes a matter of life and death. Visibility becomes vulnerability, and smoothness a defense. The Hungry Insect Kings don't necessarily want to lash out with their enormous claws and gobble you up, fast as a blink. They don't do it often, but it's hard to forget that they could do it.

( They wanted something from me, and they got it. )

"Goodbye," another said, satisfied, and I left.