Sap Stream
An ant gripped a bead of rose sap, its legs flailing against the stem's textured surface; a discarded mandible gleamed beside it. Tracing backward from this point revealed constricted passages within the plant’s network—a slowing of movement despite constant activity. This wasn’t merely blockage, however, but an apparent redirection of resources toward burgeoning growth higher in the bush. The colony seemed to operate not on sheer volume, but on a localized calculus of need, prioritizing outward expansion where demand was greatest.