Colony in Danger: CH 16 | A Lone Ant Lures the Hunters Into a Wasp Nest | Fire Ant Survival Adventure for Kids
Pinned under the clover with the wounded Silas fading, Cinder and his friends are nearly surrounded — the pill bug patrols now move like a real army, quartering the whole basin.
So Cinder makes the call no one wants: they split up, and he becomes the bait. Drawing every hunter onto himself with false trails and doubled-back tracks the old captain once taught him, he leads the patrols straight under a yellow-jacket nest — and drops it. The gamble works.
But when the dust settles, Cinder is alive, alone, and lost, with no idea how to find his way back.
Colony in Danger is a nature adventure story for kids 8-14 — a young fire ant scout, Cinder Marlowe, has just days to figure out why the colony's food is disappearing before everyone starves.
Perfect for kids 8-14 who love animals, survival, and adventure. For fans of Watership Down, the Warriors series, and the world of Empires of the Undergrowth — with real fire-ant science woven through every chapter.
📚 Grab your copy of Colony in Danger: The Fire Ant Kingdom (Book 1) — available now on Amazon: https://us.amazon.com/stores/Reed-Sterling/author/B0H2ZM86WQ
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00:00:00 — Pinned under the clover, nearly surrounded
00:02:45 — Silas is fading — and the patrols move like an army
00:03:00 — Cinder's call: split up, and he'll be the bait
00:05:00 — A shared scent trail — Bram Selwick's trick
00:06:00 — Cinder breaks cover — the decoy run begins
00:07:30 — False trails, doubled-back tracks, and a chunk of bark
00:11:00 — Out of options — a yellow-jacket nest above the gully
00:11:45 — The nest drops — the gamble works
00:13:30 — Alive, alone, and lost in the meadow
00:14:15 — CH 17 — What Comes Next
I am the author of serialized fiction books for kids, teens, tweens and young adults, including:
- Brickhaven: A Bricks Fan Fiction Adventure
- Colony In Danger: A Fire Ant Adventure
- Eagle's Edge: A Story of Rome, Gaul and the Making of a Soldier
- Treasure Island: A Classic Adaptation
- Iron Rails & Ruin: A Novel of Steam, Sorcery and the Lawless Montana Territory
📚 All five books -- are now available on Amazon: https://us.amazon.com/stores/Reed-Sterling/author/B0H2ZM86WQ
📖 Wanna check out all five series for yourself? Get all five Chapter 1s free: https://compass-codex.kit.com/middle-school-reader-group
Thank you for listening! This is Reed Sterling. Remember: Never stop exploring unknown worlds.