Swish Swish Swish*
The Rippers that scattered around the entire Forest began to look for any signs of Biological Life. Thankfully the Norn Queen made enough to search from every direction with the cave as the starting point.
One might think that Rippers are tiny mouse sized Tyranids, easily squished underfoot. But when they actually see one they'd die on the spot because Rippers are 1 meter long, serpentine swarm of teeth and claws.
The Norn Queen is holding out in the cave waiting for the Rippers to find suitable Biomass to consume and return to make more Rippers so they repeat the process.
While also gaining enough Biomass to grow to adulthood standing at 6 meters tall or more. This made Anna frustrated as the current Norn Queen is still small, even compared to some of the higher tierd Tyranid Bioforms.
"Hmm, first I'll get the Norn Queen to evolve then I'll make more Rippers, even if some of them die I'll just reuse them to make new Rippers. But that will make a net neutral to Biomass gain. Hmmm. Haa~ I said I'd not mow down the Forest but I need more Tyranids, I'll just mow down 5 square kilometers.
I'll use that space to make Reclamation Pools and make Capillary Towers to Space and make a Hive Ship in Orbit. Yes I'm such a genius!"
Anna gave herself a phantom pat on her nonexistent shoulder.
"Alright! Norn Queen start the operation after you get the first Tree down make Rippers to do the rest."
Indeed, unlike trees from Terra these one are giant and that's an understatement. They are 6 metters in diameter with some reaching 10.
Quite absurd but also a boon for Anna.
The Norn Queen made is move nearing the closest tree and began to bite at it while using its claws to tear chunks of its base.
Soon the tree fell and the Queen became to consume it. It then returned to the cave to make Rippers.
Anna then decided to shut down her senses to relax for the first time since she came to this world.
While that happened the Norn Queen detected that the Rippers have found more Rats. Being self-awarene it orderd the entire swarm to halt and move to the location of the Rats.
A wave of Rippers can be seen moving as high speeds crushing all vegetation in their path as they move to the location of the Rats.
The Norn Queen saw through the Rippers eyes that this is not just some Rats but an entire colony of them, a great find. It decided to make the Ripper who found them to evolve it into a Lictor after it has enough Biomass. A great addition to the Swarm.
Now they need a strategy. Can't rush in, they're not enough Rippers and guessing by the density of the Rats in th area just outside of the cave like structure there's about 200 or more of them. The Norn Queen decided to halt the attack and wait for the newly born Rippers to clear out the 5 square kilometers so more Rippers are made.
Then will they attack. By then there will be 50 Ripper for each Rat. And the amount of the Rodents is enough to evolve itself and make higher tier Tyranids. If it decided to sacrifice the Rats for the making of a very high Tyranid it may be enough to make a Carnifex. But for that it needs the Hive Minds opinion.
"SCREEE!!"
The newly born Rippers began to swarm the Forest and devour the 5 square kilometers of vegetation. Not much later all returned full with Biomass.
The Norn Queen then orderd them to make Reclamation Pools within the Area.
That task took some time but not more than a day. Tyranid sense of time is wacky as for them time is irrelevant unless they face a crisis.
Once the Pools are done the Rippers went in and dissolved alongside the Biomass. The Norn Queen then used set Biomass that came from the Rippers to make more Rippers.
Satisfied, the Queen then sent out all Ripper to the Rat colony where the rest of the Rippers are waiting.
Just on time when Anna woke up again.
"Ahh~ didn't know I could still sleep albeit in a sense. Hmm? Oh nice the Norn Queen did everything while I slept! Totally forgot they are self-awarene! The Rippers even found an entire Rat Colony. Hehehe, time for the Swarm to feast."
As the New Rippers joined the Old Rippers Anna gave the go to swarm.
Swish Swish Swish Swish Swish!!!*
"SCREEEE!!!"
The Rats at the entrance couldn't do anything as they got torn to bits by the Rippers and eaten. It didn't slow them down as they went in a coordinated advance and systematically slaughtered the Rats.
One Rat squished a Ripper only for ten more to pounce on it and tear it apart.
As the Rippers went deeper into the cave they meet more resistance but that didn't slow them for they outnumbered them and because Tyranids have no since of fear.
Squish
Squach
Spurt
But unlike the Tyranids, Rats have survival instincts so once they knew its hopeless to fight they ran deeper into the cave.
It went on for kilometers deep as the atmosphere became hot but Rippers dont care and have resistance against such environments.
Soon a Rat came to view, one twice as big as the rest. Anna deems it to the some sort of Rat King.
"Hmm hierarchy within Rats. Funny, Rippers go on, show this oversized Rodent the might of the Swarm."
The Swarm then came on the Rat King only for to be squished but there's to many.
The Rat King clawed and bit every Ripper but there still too many eventually exhausting itself. Which lead to the Swarm overwhelming it and being torn to bits.
That's the advantage of the Tyranid Swarm. An Enemy that's too strong for the individual Tyranid? Swarm it and exhaust it. Such an enemy has good genetic makeup and the dead Tyranids will be used to make new ones. It's always a net plus in Biomass.
"Good, very good! With this Rat Kings genes the new Rippers that will be born will be even stronger! The Swarm benefits from storng opponents. I think this Rat alone will push the Norn Queens evolution to adulthood, no need to use the rest."
The Swarm will copy the genes of the Rat King and then use the Biomass of the Rat itself to evolve the Norn Queen.
"Hmm what's this, a hole? The cave Goin in deeper?"
Anna noticed that the end of the cave has a hole in the sealing. Big enough to fit a Helicopter in. Definitely not natural occurring. Needs to be investigated. Lucky the entire swarm of Rippers is here.
Anna orderd the Rippers to get in the hole and see what's there. The Rippers are divided, some get the Biomass after the battle to the Reclamation Pools some look in the hole.
As the Rippers entered they saw nothing. After a bit the adaptation kicked in and they saw everything inside. The entire Exended Cave is filled with Ka-52 sized Bats. Making Anna's nonexistent heart pound.
"Alllllright, Bats. Why Bats and why here? Wait of course this is a Fantasy World! These Rats evolved into these Bats! Lucky the Bats are asleep, must be some sleep cycle to not make up from the battle."
She then realized. These are Bats! More Biomass and with the wings of these Bats she can make a template for Gargoyles!
Not just that she can even make more Flying Tyranids from this wing temple as Gargoyles are just Flying Gaunts.
First she orders the Rippers that carry the Biomass to the Reclamation Pools. Well calling it Reclamation Pools is a bit of an overstatement. There more of a Hive Node.
Hive Nodes are the Factory of the Hive but the current ones are incomplete. As this is will become a True Reclamation Pool one day so she order the Norn Queen to make Gaunts and Warriors from all the Biomass gained from the Rats after it evolves.
Soon the Norn Queen began the evolution. It wasn't some grand spectator view. After the evolution the Norn Queen set out to make Hive Nodes, Spore Mines, Raveners, Biovores, many Gaunt and Warrior subspecies.
But as Anna realized, she does not have enough Biomass to make more Tyranids.
She had plans to make more kinds of Tyranid such as a Hive Guard and more.
So as soon as the Gaunts and Warriors spawned alongside some Raveners she orderd the attack on the Bats.
-At the Bat cave-
The newly formed Swarm enterd the cave and got to positions. They can't leave a single one flee.
Soon the order came and the Swarm attacked.
"RAAAAAAAHH!!"
A Warrior with two Boneswords scremed out and charged in right at the Bats followed by the rest of the Swarm.
"Hmm this one can become a Hive Tyrant, bold one."
"Squeak!!"
The Bats went into a frenzy and flied around in panic only to be shot down by Termagants.
Anna sighed, she thought the Bats would fight and be stronger than the Rats but she realized that there's nothing to worry about.
"Squeak!!"
A Bat passed all Tyranids and flew right outside followed by some more.
"Squea-ackcht!!"
The Bat celebrated to early as a Venom blast hit it completely dissolving it.
From the Forest came Biovores and shot Spore Mines followed by Termagants shooting parasites right inside the Bats.
"Squeak Squeak!!"
One Bat flew a different direction. As it thought it was clear it relaxed.
"Squea-Boom!"
"ROOOAAAAAARRR!!!"
A massive claw hit it and squashed it.
The creature that did this came in view. It was a Carnifex.
"ROOAAAAAARRR!!!"
It screamed loudly.
How did Anna have a Carnifex?
She did the unthinkable, she cut down more of the Forest and unearth the ground below to use the nutrients.
Anna now realized that she can't limit herself, it's adapt, evolve or die. She choose to be the one who adapts and kills.
"Hehehe, soon I'll have Flying Tyranids and then I can explore this world! Soon I'll be free from the clutches of the earth and rise to the skies."
Anna got a good haul. Soon she will expand her reach.