The Clever Ant

There once was a clever ant. She lived in the backyard of the Mason family's house, with her colony.

The backyard was a good source of food during the sunny seasons, but in autumn, the ants grew hungry.

The clever ant climbed onto the windowsill of the Masons' living room. There, she saw them eating fruits, and nuts, and cheese. The clever ant got an idea.

She circled the house once. Twice. Three times. Her plan was sound. She went to the cherry tree on the far side of the backyard. It was shedding its summer coat, and the ground around it was littered with colorful leaves. She picked one up, and carried it across the backyard, past the flower pots, all the way to the entrance to one of the house’s air vents. Her fellow ants glanced at her oddly. What was she doing? This didn’t make any sense. The clever ant picked up another leaf, and stashed it in the vent. And again. And again. Back and forth, til darkness fell.

After the vent was full of leaves, the ant moved on to the next one. Which she also filled with leaves. Then the next one. And the next. And when she was done, she went to sit by the tree next to her colony’s hill. And she rested. The other ants glared at her and called her lazy. But she smiled at them and told them to wait and see. It was a very warm day. And sure enough, after a few hours, the windows opened one by one. The clever ant made pheromone trails to each one of them. Then she went to the hill, to call her family to battle.