Leaving no remains behind, the rock bug went on to consume the eggs within, now left guardian less and defenseless. Unbeknownst to the rock bug however, there is another on the hunt within the area. The larvae, as quietly as possible, approached, inch by inch, striving to sneak up on the distracted stone insect juvenile. It soon slinked up the rock bug's jagged back, before latching on with its mandibles. The young rock bug has no clue, for its still developing nerves hadn't made it to its rocky carapace yet.
The rock bug chitters as it finishes its meal, before its head curls to its belly, and continues its long trek, only this time with an uninvited guest upon its back. The hairs on the larvae are pushed back as it had never traveled so fast in its short life. The willful breeze on its senses, the feel of moisture in the atmosphere, and best of all, the amazing salty taste of the rock bug. The creature pauses as an alien feeling of agitation assaults its mind. Is it that time already? The ancestors said this itchy feeling would be something the rock bug had to deal with, but it didn't expect it to happen so soon.
As the larvae was enjoying its meal, the rock bug suddenly threw dirt upon its back, having uncurled to solve the itchy feeling. Though caught by surprise the larvae still stood strong, stopping its meal to latch on. The dirt stormed upon the rock bugs back for some time before it stopped. The rock bug chitters once more as it continues forward, like a tank on treads, its goal nowhere in sight.
This cycle continued for 3 weeks, with the biting of the larvae, the dirt tossing rock bug, and the scraping thunks of the spindly legs covered in a stoney shell. The larvae's growth had progressed smoothly thanks to the blood of the rock bug. From being the size of a golf ball to becoming a bloated grape fruit, The larvae could feel that its second molt was close on its way. Suddenly, the rock bug began to shake. Over the weeks, it had felt itself becoming noticeably heavier. It had thought at the time it was merely growing, with its carapace toughening up. Yet it begun to notice that it wasn't becoming faster or stronger. If anything it was actually getting weaker! Then it felt it. The larvae had bitten a little to hard on its most recent feed, the mandibles piercing deeper than usual.
The alarm bells immediately rang in the rock bug's head as it became aware of the invader on its back. Fortunately for the larvae rock bugs aren't known for the flexibility, otherwise it would have been flung off and then engulfed by the mineralistic growths on the rock bugs belly. The cameo boulder shrieked as it swayed like mad, trying to get the parasite off of its back. Existence now exposed, the larvae dug its mandibles all the way into the flesh of the rock bug, chipping them in the process. A howl of agony escaped the rock bug as it redoubled its efforts.
The larvae felt disorientated as its body flew in the air, yet it still held on, knowing that there won't be a second chance if it were to let go. 'Can't...release. must...live!' The time stampeded on as the first ever bug rodeo within the primative world took place. The rock bug was the first to give, as it's legs began to buckle under the combined weight of the larvae and the rock shell that once helped it. With an exhausted cry, the rock bug juvenile plummeted to the ground, dust kicking into the air.
The larvae soon released its death grip, dropping to the ground beside the fallen gem trap. Bile hurtled to the ground as the larvae's insides felt like mush. Multiple tremors soon assaulted its hairs, an army heading towards this location. 'Leave...now.' The larvae burrowed underground, preparing for its second molting. As for the rock bug, The ants that had come to investigate carve and escort the dead creature back to their ant hill. If only they hadn't went straight back home could they have avoided what is yet to come.