Arachne

 

We clean the meat and the mushrooms in the little underground river that travels through the nest.

Conveniently, it's right next to the kitchen.
A bit of a concession to it being a fire hazard.
Naturally, I'm trying to keep my distance a bit, but they have the net with the meat, so I can't really abandon them.
The big advantage now would be that the meat starts looking palatable after the majority of the blood got washed off.
Less like the result of savage violence and more like something that can actually be used for cooking.
The same should go for the kitchen.
Last time we were able to produce some halfway-decent tea, so I guess heating up water should be possible.

I take stock of the kitchen.
Fortunately, it's too small for all my familiars to follow me, so most wait at the entrance and the others aren't really coming in.
Albeit a bit rustic, I think that it should be usable for what I have in mind.
After our tea time, Akasia asked me what items would normally be in a kitchen and had it added to the room, so there’s now a large pot under the counter.
Also, I notice that there are still some darkleaves left.
I think I can work with this.

If I want to make stew, first I'll need some water.
The issue is that I lack buckets for that purpose.
Promptly, some of my bigger familiars enter the kitchen.
I can just jump away before they're too close and might've touched me.
However, they ignore me, head to the other side of the room, and carry the pot out.
They might've caught on to my problem.

Seriously, do I really have to mind even my own thoughts?
It seems so, as these mind-reading spiders start to even follow up on my unfinished ideas.
Now they're transporting it to the river, dunk it once, and bring the whole thing back here.

Okay, I can't deny that they were nothing but supportive.
Maybe they do some things wrong or are overeager, also naturally still creepy and scary, but they're supportive.
I can barely stand to look in their direction, but it's hard to treat them harshly just for this reason.

 

"Th-thank you, I guess." (N)

 

Now I got a kettle with water.
The next thing I need to do would be to chop the ingredients.
Especially the strips of meat my familiars ripped away somewhat crudely require more delicate care.
Also, there are still organs mixed in.

At this part, my familiars feel a bit lost regarding how to help me.
Their claws might be sharp, but they're more for piercing than making accurate cuts.
This, and they're trying to hold the pieces with their fangs.
Which is simply no way to handle food.
Which doesn't keep them from trying anyway.

Sigh.
Still, we somehow get through that part after another thorough cleaning session at the river.
Now I need to put everything into the water and then ignite the fire.
Sadly, all I have for a fire are dry webs that were stacked there as burn material.
And I need a whole lot of them if it's supposed to be enough to heat the big kettle.
It's a bit weird to use them like this, but they do the job.
The main problem is all the smoke here underground.

It's still manageable, but a little hard to breathe.
My familiars don't like it the slightest bit.

 

"Screeech!"

 

What the fuck is going on!?!
This is the loudest and most-terrifying sound I ever heard since I came here.
And it sounded disturbingly much like a spider hiss.
What is...

 

"Splop"

 

Before I can finish that thought, I find a wet, white clump of something gluing to my side.
The next thing I feel is a quick tug before being yanked out of the only entrance of the small kitchen.

There...

There's simply too much at once to catch up with.
I'm getting hauled in, I think, but every coherent thought stops once I learn where I'm being dragged to.

A spider.
A black spider.
THE LARGEST BLACK SPIDER I’VE EVER SEEN!!!

 

"Waaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"

 

It's pulling me in!
This one is so much bigger than any I’ve seen!
So much larger!
There's no hair on it, it has completely black eyes, and such stupidly long legs that I can't even begin to compare them to anything that would make sense!
Those it uses to pull on the string that attaches me to it, as I now see.
It's gonna catch me!
It's gonna eat me!!!

 

"No, no, please no! Waahhh!" (N)

 

With quick movement I'm pulled in, then some quick turns and I'm already wrapped up in silk, unable to even twitch.
I fastens me to its body and starts off at the speed of the wind.
We're so fast that even my familiars don't have a chance to get in its way.

I can't think straight.
I'm screaming in panic, breathing rigid, acidic tears streaming down my face, burning holes into my clothes.
This is just too much, too sudden!

Only a while after we crossed the underground river, does the giant looming creature slow down.
I feel how I get lowered down, but my weak, bundled-up legs immediately give way.
But before I hit the ground, two strong arms wrap around me, keeping me from falling.

 

"Don't worry, Nerysi! I got you!" (T)

 

Wh-what?!
Talisa!?

I'm too perplexed to even mind that she's currently naked.
Just where did she come from?
And where did the enormous spider go?

Wait... I'm here in the spider den.
Arachnae are giant spiders.
Talisa is a giant spider!
Oh my god, Talisa just abducted me!

I'm still so much on edge, but I think I need to somehow get this question out.

 

"W-wh-wh-why? Wh-why d-did y-you d-do t-th-this?" (N)

"To save you from the fire, of course!" (T)

 

Fire?
What fire?
There was only a bit of smoke.

I feel right now reminded of a joke my mother made after I had a small mishap in the kitchen.

 

"Talisa! There you are!" (A)

"You rushed away so quickly that we couldn't even talk to you!" (M)

"What was there to talk about?! You know, for a fact, that fire is such a threat in the sanctuary, and you would've wasted precious seconds leaving Nerysi in such peril?" (T)

 

Never mind the name, but I was only cooking!
I'm not that bad at it!

 

"But we told you that we built a place where Nerysi could cook. We even were careful to establish it outside the sanctuary, where there are not as many webs that could catch fire." (A)

"You never said anything about fire!!" (T)

 

It seems like Talisa has her own phobia to deal with.
Seeing the oh-so-great weaver like this would be almost funny enough to laugh out loud if I wouldn't be so terrified at the moment.
Also, a naked lady embracing me sets a difficult mood.

 

"There you are! My familiars reported everything to me that happened. I think you went too far, Talisa." (E)

"But it's fascinating how she directly went to take Nerysi, despite her known apprehension of fire. She seems to be fully committed to protecting Nerysi. This is interesting, as I never planned for such an effect for her transformation." (K)

 

Now the last two are joining in as well.

Wait, did Kyroki just say I'm bewitching people... Errh, giant spider monsters?

 

"The most important thing is that Nerysi had permission to use that room for its purpose. If she wants to make food as she likes it, this is her decision!" (M)

 

Masiabi can be extremely supportive at times.

 

"She made food!?" (A)

"Yes, what else? She told me she wouldn't like the usual which we made with the humans." (M)

"Shouldn't we address this issue? It sounds like a problem that has to be remedied." (E)

 

Remedied?!
No, I'm not going to eat people!
Never!

 

"There are things that can be remedied and others not. In this case, I'm sure that Nerysi's opinion wouldn't change, no matter how much we'd pressure her. Personal preferences can't be changed so easily." (T)

 

If even Talisa is on my side here, then I don't think I have to worry about it.

 

"Yes, yes, whatever. But what about this Nerysi-made food that was mentioned?" (A)

 

Oh no, she clearly wants it for herself.
There's quite a lot I made, but I need at least enough for myself.

 

"Isn't it obvious that it should be still in this kitchen room?" (K)

"That's right! You're so smart Kyroki!" (A)

"I know it's yours, Nerysi, but could we join?" (M)

"I know that her familiars worked together with her on this. I want to see the result!" (E)

"I wouldn't mind." (K)

"Sigh, if you all insist on it." (T)

"Please, sister! Please!" (A)

 

Just one look at those giant pleading eyes suffices to make me forget my own purpose.
So it happens that our whole group begins moving back towards the kitchen.
Partway there, we run into my familiars who aren’t all that happy with my earlier abduction, and I spend quite a long, awkward while calming them down.
When we finally get inside the kitchen, Masiabi's gaze instantly falls onto the pile with the remains of the forest creatures.

 

"Oh, it seems like you had a really good hunt!" (M)

"I, I didn't really hunt." (N)

"Well, your familiars surely did." (M)

 

I can't deny that they did most of the job.
The smoke got better while we were gone and the kettle now smells like real food.

 

"I, I think it's done." (N)

"What you're waiting for?! Gimme, gimme!" (M)

 

Fortunately, there are even some smaller bowls here that should serve well.
It doesn't even look all that bad.
So I start handing it out.

 

"Human cuisine! How fancy!" (A)

"I guess it's nice." (E)

 

Akasia is the first to dig in.

 

"Hm, this is not like my acid meals. It's entirely different. But I wouldn't say it's bad." (A)

"If she likes it, then there's no reason to stop her. Though, I doubt it has the same nutritional value." (T)

"Ah, on that matter, Nerysi, you don't need to worry. I'll prepare a bit of our usual liquid for you without humans." (A)

"Uh, thank you." (N)

 

This really helps me with my concerns.

 

"Hey, while we're speaking about it, would it be possible to put some of the food in here?" (M)

 

Ehm, is that a liquid pouch?
She wants me to make transportable soup!

 

"I, I guess this should be possible." (N)

"Yay! We have our own little cook!" (M)

"Seems like you found something you can do, Nerysi. That is good." (T)

 

That kinda figures.
Cook for giant spiders.
That's just my life.

 

"Now that this is established, what about recipes for cooking humans?" (E)

 

I stare in utter trepidation at her suggestion.

 

"What?! We still have some of the corpses!" (E)

 

Announcement By the way, I'm thinking about changing the name of Neri's country from Ceranis to Cerulia. Any thoughts on that matter?