Being Wasp's apprentice was easier said than done.

"Chin up! Tail on the ground!" Wasp growled in a bossy way like Polyplax was doing everything wrong.Maybe because he was? "We're not stabbing anyone unless they disagree with you! Now pretend I'm a citizen. I want a sandwich"

"Umm...I give them a sandwich?" Polyplax suggested.

"NO! YOU FEED THEM TO THE SLAVES!! HiveWings are WARRIORS! We can't afford any sluggish, lazy, broken, loser..." The list went on and on. It went on for so long that the list started to say "Yadda yadda blah blah worms..."

"Umm...Remind me why I can't give them a sandwich?"

Wasp stared at him blankly then slapped her forehead. "Training ends for today. You will be sitting next to me while I attend the citizens. Watch and learn." Polyplax's training continued for days. His loyalty to Queen Wasp became more like friendship, though clearly Wasp was the superior one. She made him eat these leaves with black stuff in them then stab his tail in some eggs in the hatchery. He wasn't told why but he obeyed. He didn't want to end up like Earwig.

The day went pretty smooth from there, only two deaths from Queen Wasp. He wasn't entirely sure why Wasp didn't just throw them in the dungeon. At times he gave her a puzzled look, one time she caught him doing it and scowled at him.

A young dragonet bounded up to Wasp and quivered in fear. She was bright yellow and a deep black, making her scales light up in the sunlight.

"Well? What do you need?" Wasp sounded somewhat annoyed and tiresome. The dragonet didn't notice this; instead, she straightened up and smiled.

"I just wanted to say hi!" The dragonet said cheerfully.

"To who?"

"Why, you of course!" The dragonet gave Wasp a puzzled look.

"Stop wasting my time! Where are your parents?"

The dragonet looked even more confused. "I-they--"

"Nevermind that!" Wasp's eyes started rolling to the back of her head.

The dragonet stood there with a look of horror on her face. Polyplax was about to shove Wasp and yell at her to stop it, except the dragonet's eyes didn't move. They were stuck on Wasp's terrifying face. Suddenly the Queen's eyes went back to normal.

"What's your name, dragonet?" She tried to sweeten up her voice.

"I-it's Cricket."

"Well, Cricket, go home now. Thank you for visiting me." Wasp tried to manage a smile.

"Um...thank you, Your Majesty." Cricket did an awkward bow and bounded out the throne room.

"Wow." Polyplax breathed.

"What?" Wasp snapped.

"It's just-you didn't-" Polyplax was cut off by a yellow and blue dragon. She had SilkWing wings and antennae but wasn't entirely...SilkWing. She had a HiveWing yellow on her scales. She burst through the doors, glanced around quickly, and ran toward a window. Polyplax grabbed her tail before she was about to leap. She whipped around and hissed at Polyplax, then at Wasp. She suddenly jumped at Polyplax, pinned him down and screamed something in his ear.

"LET ME GO!!! ARE YOUR GUARDS DEAF!?!? I'VE BEEN SCREAMING TO LET ME GO!!!!"

"ACK!! I WILL BE IF YOU KEEP YELLING!!!" Polyplax yelled back. He was double the size of the dragon, so it was easy to get her off of him. He slammed her into a wall and whipped his tail around and pointed it at the dragon's face.

"You wouldn't dare-" the dragon said, with a hint of doubt in her voice.

"Oh, he would." Wasp's voice sounded agitated. "You see, he's my apprentice. Very loyal, I daresay."

The dragon glared harshly at Polyplax. "Another one of her minions, eh?"

"I am no one's minion, thank you very much." He glanced at Wasp.

"Oh, she just says that." While Polyplax was distracted, she shoved him into a wall. A moment later his chest was burning. He looked down and saw a flaming silk. So that's why she was locked up.

The dragon launched at Wasp, growling. In the air, Polyplax slammed himself into the dragon. She flew to a silk wall and broke the webbing, plummeting to the ground. Her wings were bound and was flailing hopelessly.

"CATCH THAT DRAGON!!!" Wasp shrieked.

Polyplax dove out the opening as fast as he could. He tucked his wings in and chased after. He overshot her and was plummeting to a market stall.