Closed Itsy Bitsy

[Kage]

winter 1 124

Kage walked through the forest with Fluffy trailing close behind him. He was on a hunt for a special kind of plant that could be used to speak through, play music, etc. All one needed was to bind to it and use magic to bend it to their will. Kage wanted it badly. It wasn't very difficult to find if he was willing to ask for help. He generally did just that, but he was feeling like spending some time away from aelves for a little while and so he had gone out to the forest to find some in their natural habitat.

He thought back to the argument he'd just had. He'd somehow ended up disagreeing with the exact happenings of something that had happened thousands of years ago. It hadn't mattered in the slightest but alas foul words were exchanged and Kage ended up stalking off.

"Master, are you still upset?" Fluffy asked gently.

"Eh," Kage said dismissively, "I'm too focused to be upset. Have you seen the plant or not?"

"N...no master," she replied. "You know if you're stressed we could always take a break. I can make you feel better."

"Not now," Kage said, though he appreciated how she was ready to assist if needed.

He cleared some brush and looked out at the mountains where his loyal servants were hard at work with their mining. They were basically slaves, working for absolutely nothing and fueled only by his relentless ambition to gain as much as possible. He had a certain item he wanted crafted and he could only do it with a massive quantity. It would probably take years to get enough, but he was patient and could live much longer than a human.

He temporarily abandoned his search and made his way over to collect what had been made recently. He then turned around and saw the exact plant he was after! He bound to it (binding to haerpsi) then continued walking through the forest until his mood improved.

His mood didn't lighten, however. He just ended up stewing in his thoughts and wishing he had something to take these bad thoughts away. He ended up thinking of Abraia and wondering what she'd been up to recently.

"Where the hell does she live anyways?" he asked himself absent mindedly.

"Abraia? We would need to travel quite a ways, I think." Fluffy had never liked the woman so it was no surprise that she didn't really want to go over to see her.

"That's true…"

 

[Shadow]

This is such a wonderful forest walk! Unfiltered sunlight filters through the canopy hit the ground with happy patches of gold. What could possibly go wrong in such a pretty place?

But oh, what's this? As Kage and Fluffy continue, the mood changes just a little bit. There is an eerie, almost inaudible skittering sound and the birds are silent, their song replaced. Something is starting to come out from behind a gnarled old tree. It's a shadow, then a shape, then a creature!

It's a spider. No, not any old spider. It's the size of a large dog, and this eight legged nightmare has a body covered in a patchwork of glistening black and iridescent green. So many eyes, so vicious and it had so much malevolent energy about it.

Its legs tap the forest floor with precise steps as if counting down toward something... something ending.

And what's that on its back? Something that etched into the land, almost too clean and crisp...the patterning, too, almost like a skull in stark white. Could it be a warning? A decoration? Or maybe it was just nature being fabulously dramatic? Regardless, this spider doesn't seem like it's here to chat. Its fangs glint menacingly, a small drop of something.

The spider stops, crouching low, as if debating to pounce or just take a look being here. Its movements are strangely rhythmic, almost hypnotic rhythms of slightly side to side swaying. Is it sizing them up? Trying to communicate? Or maybe it really likes interpretive dance. Who knows!

Oh, but there's more! Now the air itself grew heavy with tension, and the forest itself seemed that it held its breath. The leaves stir softly on a breeze, stirring against a most faint metallic scent, surely it is blood. No, maybe it's just sap. Yes, let's go with sap. That's far less terrifying.

Yet the spider doesn't come any closer. Instead, its head or what passes for a head tilts ever so slightly, as if it waits. For what? A reaction? A misstep? Or maybe it's just letting Kage and Fluffy have a moment to appreciate the creepy magnificence. How polite!

 

[Kage]

Fluffy panicked for a moment but quickly strengthened her resolve. She stepped out in front of Kage and held out her arm that turned into a large octopus tentacle that she flung like a whip at the spider to try slapping it away.

"Master, look out!" she shouted. She started to speak to the spider in a chant that she knew that usually worked well for calming animals.

"Be calm forest spider, we are merely passing through," she said in near perfect animal speak. She had calmed much larger and dangerous looking foes than this, but looks could be deceiving. She tried to get a feel of how large the spider was. Was it towering over them? Or something much smaller?

Kage was a little apprehensive at first. A spider brave enough to step out in front of an aelf wasn't exactly something he appreciated. His people were the apex predators of this world and ought to be feared. Still, he couldn't say that he could put a finger on the name of this particular species. He wasn't the type to care about that sort of thing.

He couldn't understand what Fluffy was saying. It had been so many years since he'd needed to try making peace with an animal and he had Fluffy to take care of that for him. If a creature ever tried to take him on, he had plenty of other ways to get rid of them. He had half a mind to just take care of the spider right here and now, but he was curious as to how it would react to their presence. Was it going to stand there and look pretty? Or did it see them as a tasty snack? Kage had no intention of being eaten, but he would find it amusing if Fluffy ended up in some dire circumstance. She had been living care free for far too long.

 

[Shadow]

Not only was the spider clearly unimpressed with Fluffy's valiant offering, but it stayed put like a good forest denizen, and didn't skitter away at all. No, it had other plans, plans that were far more sinister and sticky.

Fluffy's octopus-arm whip lashed out with a satisfying whoosh and landed smack on the spider's glossy abdomen. The spider, though oh, the spider's many eyes gleamed with something that could only roughly be described as delighted wickedness. It didn't flee. It didn't cower. The thing lunged straight forward at him with startling speed.

The spider bit into Fluffy's tentacle arm with a chomp that was almost playful (but definitely not) and held it firm. Oh, the audacity! The grip was enough to stop her mid chant, but the venom didn't seem to be the immediate, paralyzing kind. The spider pulled a little, as it started to test its prize. The creature wrapped Fluffy in silken threads, faster than one might think possible, and then formed a cocoon out of them, a glistening mass of horrifying art.

 

[Kage]

A smirk pulled at the side of his lips as he looked at the scene before him.

"Master! Help me!" Through the layers of silk, Fluffy's muffled voice barely came through. She began to struggle and the cocoon wriggled violently. "Please, Master! Don't just stand there!"

His amusement deepened, and Kage raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Fluffy, look what you've done to yourself?" He took a step closer, all the while examining the cocoon with a detached sort of curious curiosity. "To be honest, I still have to admit that the craftsmanship of this spider... Look at the symmetry. Truly an artist."

"Master, this isn't funny!" Her voice broke as she shrieked, fluffy. "I can't move! I can't breathe! Please, get me out of here!"

A chuckle escaped Kage's dark eyes dotted clouds of mischief. "Fluffy, you're breathing just fine. I hear you screaming loud and clear. Moving, though... I think this could be a good problem solving exercise for you."

"Exercise? Problem-solving?" Her voice was rising to a near hysterical pitch. "I'm going to die in here!"

"Relax, Fluffy. You're not going to die. You're too resourceful for that."

"Master, I'm begging you!" Now Fluffy's Wails were desperate.

"You can become so many interesting shapes. Maybe this is the best time to try out that skill."

"What? What are you talking about?"

Kage casually said, "Turn into something else. There's got to be a form you can take to get out of this mess. A snake, maybe? Or a porcupine? There was something sharp enough to cut through those threads."

Fluffy hesitated for a moment. "You think that'll work?"

Kage leaned against a nearby tree, "It's worth a try. Also, it's a lot more fun than me just letting you go."

 

[Shadow]

Then, just as quickly as it had begun, the spider stopped. It turned its many eyed gaze back to Kage, tilting its head, or whatever spiders tilt, in a way that could only be described as... innocent? Yes, innocent! As if to say, What? Me? I'm just a forest spider, doing my job. No need to get upset!

Fluffy dangled very slightly, swaying in the breeze like some bizarre ornament cocooned. The spider bounced, just a little, as if proud of its work. But then it seemed no longer interested. Its posture was oddly relaxed now as if it thought to itself that Fluffy was no longer an issue.

Nonchalant was the spider's body language. It even poked up a front leg and wagged it a little, either in a wave or a taunt. Was it mocking Kage? Oh, surely not! That was far too innocent looking for that. Right?

 

[Kage]

The cocoon shimmered faintly and paused. Suddenly the shimmering grew brighter and with a burst of energy the cocoon bulged and shifted as her form changed inside of it.

Kage heard the sound of flapping wings and said, "oh, Fluffy. A bird? Really? You thought that would help?" Kage shook his head, "You've only made yourself smaller. You're even more helpless now. That is why I tell you to think things through before you act."

Finally Kage pushed off the tree and moved closer to the spider. A faint glow began to emanate from his palm as he raised a hand.

"You've had your fun, little spider. Before I kill you, release her."

Fluffy wasn't doing nothing, however. She had finally managed to finish canting to the spider. With any luck she would be able to tell it to calm down, given how it hadn't paid her much attention after it had wrapped her up.

Kage did a quick swipe of his fingers as he lazily released a thin blade of energy through some nearby branch to cleanly through the silken threads of the cocoon. The spider's masterpiece unwound and released its captive with a snap. From the sticky confines fluffy tumbled out and with a dull thud landed on the forest floor in her usual form. Clinging to her like a second skin, the remnants of the spider's webbing made it hard to move even though she was technically free.

Fluffy tried hard to take control of her emotions. At last she managed to say, "I thank you for freeing me. I... I was going to be eaten."

He crossed his arms a few paces away and smirked. Fluffy scrambled to her knees. "I failed, Master. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you any trouble. Her hands were hurried and frantic as she began brushing the sticky remnants of the cocoon from her arms.

Kage waved a hand offhandedly. "Trouble? Hardly. At least it was entertaining. It certainly livened up my walk watching you flail around like that."

Fluffy blushed with shame.

The smirk on Kage's lips deepened and he stepped closer, dropping into a crouch and staring her in the eyes. "And yet, here you are. Alive. Unharmed. Maybe a little sticky, but none the worse for wear. Have you learned something today?"

Her brow furrowed - she hesitated at his words. "I... I suppose so, Master."

Kage's tone was light, for what it was, but he had an edge of authority. "Self-reliance, Fluffy. That's what you have to work on. I can't always be there to swoop in and save the day. What if I wasn't here? Then what would you have done?"

She bowed her head lower and spoke softly. "I would have died, Master."

Kage straightened up and brushed an imaginary speck of dust off his sleeve, "Exactly. That's why this little lesson was so important. Now, get up. You look pathetic down there."

She winced slightly as she brushed the last of the webbing from her hair then Fluffy scrambled to her feet. "Yes, Master. Thank you for teaching me."

 

[Shadow]

Off it scuttled, much faster than expected, its too many legs clicking as it vanished. The peace was short lived.

A loud, unmistakable rustling came from the trees above getting closer by the second. The branches shook violently, like something that was large and heavy moved through them with purpose.

And then, there it was: a leg. No, two legs. No, eight legs! From the canopy a massive, hulking form appeared, much larger than the first spider.

The mama spider had arrived.

The mama spider didn't attack immediately, but it had been informed that there was food here and it was the type to eat even if it wasn't hungry.

 

[Kage]

The loud rustling above caught Fluffy's eyes and she looked up. The mama spider's enormous, eerie legs and many caught her breath.

"Master…" Fluffy's voice quivered. There was no time for panic. She curled her hands between them as her fingers trembled and she began to cant, their words spoken in the lilting cadence of animal speak. "Please, be calm. Let us pass in peace."

Her words continued to chant, weaving a melody that would soothe the creature's instincts, and tell it what they wanted. It was about respect for the forest, that they wanted to leave without conflict. Meanwhile Kage watched her. "She's persistent, at least," he grumbled to himself. He jumped back into the trees where he thought he'd be safe.

"Let's see if you've learned something from your little dance with the smaller one."

Fluffy's canting grew more fervent below. Now her words were desperate, and she chanted as hard as she could. Her hands would move to slightly emphasize what she was talking about. She tried to sound calm, when nothing about what she was thinking was even remotely in any way calm. Nothing was, because she realized she was at the entrance of a tarantula den.

Kage adjusted slightly, and found a more comfortable spot on the branch. He could intervene if things went south, but for now he was happy to watch. He wasn't going to rob her of the opportunity to prove she could handle a situation like this. He figured he would have to help anyways, even though he really wanted Fluffy to figure things out on her own.

Kage watched as someone else came to the scene. They moved slowly and meticulously as he examined the new massive spider. What Fluffy would never understand in a situation like this was that focus was more important than bravado. He crouched low to the ground and balanced himself before taking a deep breath. His fingers spread wide as his hands hovered over the stone forest floor.

His silent command was answered by the forest. He called out to the roots and vines beneath the soil. He coaxed them forth with a subtle gesture and the earth trembled faintly then the vines started twisting and writhing as though they were alive.

The spider's legs were his main focus as he guided the first set of vines toward them. A second gesture sent out yet another cascade of vines.

Kage frowned, thinking that this would interrupt Fluffy's attempt at soothing the creature. And yet, the newcomer continued.

 

[Shadow]

The hulking mass of a spider seemed quite still because it had been successfully entranced. It couldn't move either because of the vines. The forest breathed the collective sigh of relief as the immediate danger seemed to recede.

The newcomer finally stepped into view from the edge of the clearing. He blended with the trees like a with a cloak that looked to merge into the forest

He glanced at Fluffy. He gestured towards the spider, 'You've got quite a talent there. You should be more careful around these parts. The creatures here aren't always so cooperative.'

The spider moved slightly, testing the vines' hold, but didn't try to fight. The newcomer tilted his head with a curious, yet cautious look on to the creature. 'It's rare to see one of these this close to the ground. They tend to stay in the treetops."

 

[Kage]

Kage finally dropped down from the branch and walked towards them. He said calmly, "you should've let things play out." He enjoyed seeing Fluffy squirm from time to time and this guy had ruined some of his fun, even if he had helped a little.

The reply he got was "and what if she had failed? Would you have just watched?"

"Success is as much a teacher as failure." He stopped, and his face relaxed slightly. "Your timing was impeccable, I'll admit. For that, I thank you."

The man nodded, apparently satisfied with the acknowledgment, but said no more. They both turned their eyes to Fluffy. Her eyes moved from the huge spider carcass to Kage.

"Fluffy, you want to bind to the spider?"

Her nose wrinkled and she looked at the spider's subdued form. "I… I don't know. I'm afraid of spiders."

Kage smiled then said, "fear is natural."

She looked back to the spider and bit her lip. She squared her shoulders after a moment and there was a flicker of determination in her eyes. She said slowly, "I think I can bind to it," then she reached out her hand.

Fluffy made a cut into the spider's exoskeleton. She pulled out a small piece of the creature's flesh. It was dark and rubbery and not at all appetizing. She whispered to herself, "this should be enough." She then held the piece to her lips and swallowed it without hesitation, momentarily wincing with disgust. She shuddered, but quickly made herself straight, standing and brushing her hands against her pants.

Kage nodded in his usual fashion, his voice taking on a note of approval.

The newcomer glanced at him and said, "you should get moving unless you want to deal with more spiders. Staying here will just bring more unwanted attention."

"True," Kage admitted, "but our business is not quite done. We have the spider here and subdued, we might as well make it a familiar."

Fluffy inclined her head and put her hand back on the spider. She started chanting again and had a conversation with the spider. She coaxed it into joining her and becoming part of her team. She told it of all the other animals she had under her control and slowly convinced it to see her point of view. The spider was quite simple minded compared to most creatures of its size. It had only gotten this large by having a plentiful food supply.

The process was not a quick one and Kage mostly left Fluffy to her own devices. She was much more experienced than he when it came to this sort of thing. He had a conversation with the stranger while she worked.

 

[Shadow]

"Quite a pet you have there. You wouldn't believe how quickly these spiders can overrun a house. One moment, it's quiet. Next, it's webs and its venom across everywhere. It makes humans panic. It's worse than the spiders themselves."

He shifted his weight. "I've been tracking this nest for weeks now, I tell you, They are adorable. Keeping them contained, setting them up boundaries, etc makes it all worth it.'"

"Also, they're smarter than you'd think. Considering what I do, you'd think I'd hate them. But I don't. But they're only doing what they're supposed to do."

A short, almost laugh, came out of his lungs. "It's funny, really. I've watched and studied them, spent so much time. I do think sometimes that I understand them better than people."

 

[Kage]

A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips, and Kage crossed his arms. "You've got an admirable perspective on them."

He looked at the webbing far away. "Survive and expand, sounds like the motto of all living things, doesn't it? But it's true, humans panic and almost always in a way to make things worse. You're certainly doing fine balancing things together."

He nodded to the man and straightened. "Keep it up. The world needs more people like you."

At last, the newcomer spoke. "So what's next? Another giant spider? Or something even worse?"

"We'll be heading back the way we came. I think we've had enough adventure for the time being. We should camp for the night."

Kage and Fluffy headed to a nearby clearing and Fluffy got to work setting up a campfire and other essentials. When she was done she started talking to the spider. She even tried messing around with it and making it do tricks.

"You're not seriously thinking of playing with that thing, are you? What happened to being scared of spiders?"

Fluffy grinned. "I changed my mind."

Kage sighed but didn't stop her. "Don't bring it over here," he said. "I'd rather not wake up with spider bits in my face."

"Yes, master… but look at these legs! They're so strong. It could have crushed a boulder if it'd wanted to, I bet." She commanded one of the legs to lift experimentally, marveling at the sheer weight of it. She then spotted a strand of the spider's silk and grabbed it before swinging it like a lasso. She giggled as she caught on a branch and then pulled herself upward, dangling a moment and then falling back to the ground.

"She'll either end up a legend or get herself killed doing something like that," Kage shook his head.

Kage decided to let Fluffy have her fun while he prepared some food. A warm aroma of toasting herbs and meat started wafting throuhg the air which was a nice change from smelling spider guts.

Meanwhile, Fluffy had gotten bolder. She made the spider drape its legs about herself like a grotesque scarf. "Behold! It am the Spider Queen!"

Kage snorted. "Spider Queen or not, guess what you're having for dinner tonight."

Flopping onto the ground with exaggerated sigh, she said, "Sometimes you're no fun, Master."

He turned with that faint smile spreading to his lips. "Fun isn't going to keep you alive out here."

 

[Shadow]

A dead hog being was behind the stranger as he approached the camp. He swiped his brow with the back of his hand, looking his eyes over the campfire, and finally on Kage and Fluffy.

"Oh, oh. Appears I found the both of you again," he smiled. "I got myself a bit of dinner here and it seemed like you'd be looking for some company." He gestured to the hog. "If you let me use your fire for it, I can cook it up real quick."

He put the hog down and got it ready. The hog dropped with a thud and the heavy carcass made a dull sound as it landed. It was as if he had done this a hundred times before. Taking a practiced flick of the wrist, he made a clean incision down the belly of the hog working with safe planning so as not to go too deep.

The stranger's eyes stayed on his task as it fell from his hands and as he worked. The skin was peeling back in neat sections as he made quick work of it. The air was filled with the smell of fresh meat.

He worked, speaking in a low, even voice. You don't want to be surprised how soon a hog spoils if you don't work with it. There's no room for mistakes out here. You gotta be quick, gotta be clean," he said.

 

[Kage]

This stranger went to work and Kage sat back against a rock with his arms folded across his chest. He didn't like the intrusion or the way this man had appeared out of nowhere just to jump in and ruin their peace. It wasn't that he hated company, but he wanted to enjoy some downtime alone with his thoughts. He rarely found himself in a location where he could relax away from home, where the unending burden and pressure of responsibility could call him to action.

But here he was, tonight with a fire crackling and a stranger cooking a hog in front of him. That intrusion still irked him, but he couldn't deny the smell of roasting meat was tempting. In truth, it didn't help that the stranger spoke so casually.

Kage, however, wasn't one for making a scene over something so little. Instead of making a fuss, he reached into his pack and took out a little weathered journal and flipped through the pages until he found a page that wasn't filled yet.

"Stay if you must. The more the merrier, they say."

He drew out a pen and started writing notes for a while. Meanwhile, the random stranger did not seem to faze Fluffy. The large spider had set up camp into their camp and Fluffy was focusing all her time on it. Kage had first thought the spider was dead at one point, but it wasn't – its master had told it to play dead and it'd followed the instructions.

 

[Shadow]

After he paused, glancing up at Kage and Fluffy for a moment. "I don't think you two had any seasoning or spices, do you? I just need a little."

He didn't pause for an answer, and continued to carve the meat with practiced elegance. It was skin coming off in strips, exposing the flesh beneath. Carefully setting it aside he made sure not to waste even an inch of it. The hog was stripped of his bones and in minutes he was ready to be roasted.

With an extra grunt of effort, the stranger set the meat on a spit, and mounted it over the fire. "Ready in no time" he said, wiping his hands on his pants one more time. "Hope you're both hungry."

 

[Kage]

They handed Kage a piece of the pork as it was ready. "Here you go. He grinned and passed over the makeshift plate, "I hope it's all worth the trouble."

Kage took it with a curt nod. "Thanks. Smells good."

He chewed slowly on the meat. It was tender and smoky. He nodded slightly in approval. "Not bad. You've done well."

The stranger laughed, sat back, and took a bite of his own portion. "Plenty of times. Be out here long enough and you either learn or stave. Glad you're enjoying it."

He didn't reply for a bit, taking another bite. While he wasn't in the mood for chat, his taste buds couldn't deny it anyway - the man was born to cook.

Fluffy stirred nearby, half sleep as she mumbled something incoherent.

He nodded to her. "She's out cold. Apparently she trusts that creepy little buddy of hers to take care of her."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Useful, huh? That's one way to put it. I've never, never seen someone like that cozy up to a spider before."

"She's different," Kage said neutrally.

The stranger chuckled again. "Aren't we all?" He reached forward to nudge the fire and a few sparks rose.

The next morning sat up and glanced around. The spot by the fire was empty, the stranger was gone. Any trace of the hog and spit had been removed, save for the slightest hint of cooked pig in the air.

The spider watched him almost hungrily but was unaggressive while Fluffy tended to cleaning up the camp. She yawned groggily, "morning Master."

Kage stood and brushed off his cloak. "That stranger is gone."

Fluffy stretched and yawned again while nodding.

Kage slung his pack over his shoulder, and adjusted his gear. "Doesn't matter. To the nearest town, you're leading us."

Fluffy took a look over her shoulder as they set down the trail. "You think we'd meet him again? He was nice enough. And that pork was amazing."

Kage admitted that it was, though no matter how good the cooking was he hadn't enjoyed the company.

 

[Kage]

Thread Title: itsy bitsy

Thread Summary: fluffy and kage go meet a spider

Expected Rewards: 33xp for Kage +bind to haerpsi, +CR4 spider familiar and imprint for fluffy
14 xp for Shadow

Thread Link: https://antarok.net/threads/itsy-bitsy.453/#post-2381
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