The first thing that he heard was the sound of soft, steady beating. It was warm, comfortable, and dark in here, he felt safe and secure. He knew nothing else, only the safety of the place where he was now, the rythmic, comforting beat always around him. His thoughts were lacking though, they weren't whole, his mind wasn't all there. All that he knew where his basic, primal instincts, and right now they told him that he was safe in here, that he needed to stay. 

Then...something changed. He felt something stir inside of him, at first it was nothing, but it grew. A new concept crossed his mind, this place that he was in, this safe place, could he ever get out of it? Was he trapped here? Suddenly it didn't feel so secure, in fact, it started to feel quite the opposite, it felt claustrophobic, tight around him. He lashed out, trying to get out of this dark, tight, cramped place...nothing happened. He lashed again, biting this time. A loud, panicked sound pierced through him from the outside, he panicked, lashing out even more. 

The steady beat that had been with him, comforting him ever since he first became aware was now irregular, it stuttered every time he heard it. He let out a terrified screech, he had to get out of here. In desperation, he began to bite and tear his way through the soft walls that held him, frantically ramming his head against the hard barrier that was beyond the soft flesh. The sounds grew louder, the beating more irregular. In a frenzied fit of fear, anger, and panic, he rammed himself hard enough against the wall that it finally gave way. 

He poked his head out now, looking at what lay beyond the now scary place that he had just burst free of. His small, pinkish white body was covered in deep blue blood. He let out a shrill screech, crying out and wriggling his worm like body free. He looked back, the creature from which he had hatched lay motionless, clutched in the arms of a creature that looked much more familiar. He looked around the new place he was in. He let out a churring sound when he felt something touch his mind, a warm, caring presence. 

The Matriarch soothed the upset burster, cooing out to him with her strong, yet gentle mind. She could sense that his consciousness was little more than animalistic instinct, run by raw emotions and desires. She had planned all of this, she had chosen an embryo that she knew would only be instinctual, she had chosen one that she could infuse with the thoughts and memories of another. 

The thoughts and memories of the one who had just died were preserved in her vast consciousness, she had saved them. She kept her mental link with the young burster, and began to place those thoughts and memories in it's mind. His primitive thoughts were not erased, but merged with the influx of memories that were suddenly appearing in his head. He curled up, motionless as it all happened, his thoughts changing, the instinctual, emotional driven consciousness changing into one that was higher, more intelligent, yet still retaining the instincts that were there in the beginning. It was all too much for the young creature, he gave an almost cute squeak, and passed out curled up on the hive floor, his mind working hard as it combined with that of the other. The drone, Y'thnam'sss walked over and tenderly picked him up, and cradled him against her chest, waiting for him to wake with the memories and thoughts of the one she cared for.