Four days of food. An injured scout barely alive, whispering about “rolling thieves.” The tunnels sealed. And a maintenance passage just barely wide enough for three young ants.

In this episode, hunger grips the Fire Ant Kingdom. An injured scout is carried in — Harper Blackwood, missing two legs, gasping a warning before losing consciousness. Captain Selwick seals the tunnels and declares a colony-wide emergency. That evening Cinder makes his final argument. Thistle and Blaze say yes. They make a pact to leave at dawn.

Colony in Danger is a serialized adventure audiobook for boys ages 8–14 and families.

Start from Episode 1. New episodes weekly.

📖 Buy the full Colony in Danger Part 1 audiobook: Coming Soon!
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The stakes reach their highest point inside the colony. Three days of rationing have
changed the mood from anxiety to fear. Harper Blackwood’s warning about “rolling thieves” gives the pill bug theory a name. The tunnels are sealed. And Cinder, Blaze, and Thistle make the decision that will change everything. This episode’s ant biology focus: real fire ant emergency responses to food scarcity, including tunnel sealing and colony lockdown behaviors documented in fire ant research.

Question: The point of no return. What would you sacrifice to save your colony?

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I am the author of serialized fiction books for kids, teens, tweens and young adults, including:

- Brickhaven: A Bricks Fan Fiction Adventure

- Colony In Danger: A Fire Ant Adventure

- Eagle's Edge: A Story of Rome, Gaul and the Making of a Soldier

- Treasure Island: A Classic Adaptation

- Iron Rails & Ruin: A Novel of Steam, Sorcery and the Lawless Montana Territory

📚 All five books -- are now available on Amazon: https://us.amazon.com/stores/Reed-Sterling/author/B0H2ZM86WQ

📖 Wanna check out all five series for yourself? Get all five Chapter 1s free: https://compass-codex.kit.com/middle-school-reader-group

Thank you for listening! This is Reed Sterling. Remember: Never stop exploring unknown worlds.