Step one: find a prey.

A month passed since Thyrst planted his seeds into a far grove. Into each tree. The Unfallen sapling got what he needed: a network of two hundred sprouted seeds scanning the area through the infested host plants. 

“Infestation? “Integration into Oecumene,” they say. Parasitic propagation? “Enlightenment,” they say.” The sapling enjoyed thinking about his kin with a big whit of irony.

Step two: pacify the prey.

A grassdog was joyfully approaching a delicious bait. Thyrst transmitted a bit of methane from his freeze gland to several oldest leaves and flames slightly flashed, diffusing neurotoxic smoke. 

With first inhales the creature could just fondly watch its fate coming closer. Thyrst could swear it was smiling at the moment his rootlimbs pierced flesh.

Step three: feast.

The sapling was enjoying warm blood of the creature.

“What a stupid mammal! No surprise all those attempts to develop sentient meatlings are fruitless.” Thyrst never understood why many Elders objected to hunting. It was so easy and rewarding.

At that very moment a shooting star crossed the sky and landed in front of Ferst, the progenitor of Oecumene.

Conjoined twins, Ryght and Lepht, were born of two seeds implanted into one trunk. Due to their long individual sleep cycles, Lepht went into hibernation soon after the Twins had disappeared a decade ago. Now, they (or rather Ryght) were stumping out of an artificial red-and-white spaceship, a phenomenon only known to few Unfallen from the progenitor.

"I don't know why you went missing, but I don't like your return. Do you want our hideout be disclosed to Enslavers?" Ferst was speaking at non-focused infrared frequencies so that everyone heard.

"Progenitor! Brethren! The Enslavers are no more." Ryght's words drew noises from the gathered crowd at various wave-lengths, "It's time to strike roots into other Soils".

Ryght told them about things even the progenitor had been unaware of: young species launching their first vessels into Outsoil in pursuit of dust, knowledge, conquest.

"They will reach our Soil sooner or later and then it will witness the last pyre of our people. We should act: expand Oecumene, make allies, plant seeds into every wood."

"Enough! Go away and take your lies with yourself." Ferst had invested too much into the current balance to trust the returnee.

A despair...

In the heat of passion, Ryght split himself from his brother with a horrific crack and pressed all the methane to leafage. 

Orange flame of instaneous self-ignition... The highest, long forgotten exploit became his last proof of honesty.

Those present could only watch smoke spreading and shining in a stream of sunlight with a gold-like glitter. Dust.

And they beheld with the first inhale - they saw what he had seen, they felt what he had felt. Finally, Ferst bitterly pronounced:

"Elders! We will do as the Hero bequeathed. Expand Oecumene, make allies, implant seeds."

The progenitor was heaving out solar sails, Lepht was awakening, Thyrst was smiling to himself.

“Step one: find a prey.”