Silent Vanguard

A disciplined supply convoy had taken over the mortar seam along the garden brick border. Crouching low on one boot, I watched a steady column of black ants marching in single file, each hauling a pale seed or dried husk twice its size. There was no hesitation or wasted motion in their ranks. Curious to see how their vanguard handled a sudden roadblock, I set a slender dry twig across the mortar trench. The point scout didn't panic; it tapped the bark with its antennae, cut a clean pivot around the wooden flank, and the entire line followed without breaking stride. Honest field discipline always earns my respect.