A-Hunting

[mordredeschain]

 *It's a nice day for a hunting trip. Mordred is still in human form, but his mind is reaching out to look for prey like the creepiest of spiders. Somewhere not far off there are deer, birds, other hunters . . .*

(So, what shall we catch today? There are humans near, I'm sure at least one of them deserves to die.)

Comments

[wordsofwater]

The hunters, the ones that are still alive that is, are feeling scared witless. She stands over one, without remorse. "What's the matter, don't you like the taste of your own medicine?" He blinks up at her, fearfully, casting the look between her and the giant spider.

"What are you?"

[mordredeschain]

(I be of the line o' the Crimson Empress who be Queen o' Spiders. My friend be kin ta water nymphs. You be either today's dinner or tomorrow's, I've yet ta decide.) *Mordred creeps closer, mandibles clicking.* (I hope ya don't mind if I place ya in my web, do ya? Don't want ya gettin' away while I'm eatin' thy friends, now do I?)

[wordsofwater]

The clicking sounds would be pretty, if you didn't know what was causing them, and wasn't on the menu.

"No, no. Please don't eat me," begs the man pitifully.
She tilts her head on one side. "If you didn't want to be part of the hunt you shouldn't have come out hunting today."

Then she looks about for somewhere to sit while Mordred plays with his food.

"I don't suppose you could make me a swing could you?"

[mordredeschain]

*He nods to his friend, then quickly makes her a little swing and turns back to his meal. He tastes one of the corpses before sinking his fangs in with a small, pleased sound.*

(You'd have killed an' eaten thy prey, sai. Why should I not do the same? 'Tis only fair, say true.) *He takes several gulps of blood from his current meal.* (Your fellow hunter is really quite delicious, ya ken--I hope you'll be as tasty when your turn comes.)

[wordsofwater]

The swing is magnificent. She wraps a hand around each down strand and pushes off, moving her legs back and forth to pick up momentum.

"I love this." she tells him, "It's so much fun."

[mordredeschain]

(Just the swing, or the huntin' too?)

*When the human appears to be too terrified to respond, Mordred pokes him with a leg.* (Talk, hume. The longer ya amuse me the longer ya live.)

[wordsofwater]

"Everything!" she declares, leaning back on the swing as if she hasn't a care in the world.

The human on the other hand has a lot of cares and is keen to take up the offer of talking, thinking perhaps he can talk his way out of this.

"Let me go. I've got a family, kids. They'll be worrying where I am. Just let me go. Please. I won't tell anyone."

[mordredeschain]

(They'll learn ta live without thee. Perhaps they'll even learn that huntin' be a bad idea, though my hopes aren't high.

(What's it like in cocoon, if I may ask? Confinin', I imagine, but I've never been in one. I do so hope the silk is comfortable, sai, ya might be in there for a day or so.)

[wordsofwater]

"A bit like being in the womb I should imagine, cosy." she interjects. The silk thread in her hands feels luxurious, strong yet smooth.

"I wouldn't worry about your little ones," she tells the man.
"I'm a father, you can't do this to me. To them. I have responsibilities."
"Hold on a minute. Does that mean that I am expendable? Just because I don't have children then your life is more important than mine?"

[mordredeschain]

(Like bein' wrapped in blankets, mayhaps.

(Aye, that would be the implication. I've no children either, sai, but I'm worth ten million o' thee.

(Ah, I'm afraid thy friend has been drunk dry.) *The unfortunate hunter he'd been feeding on is ineed crumbling to dust now.*

[wordsofwater]

"I think you'd better shut up now before I kill you myself."

She swings herself higher.

"How are you feeling now, after your feast?" she asks Mordred. "Nicely full and content I hope. they do say that fresh food is the best for you and you can't get much fresher than this. "

[mordredeschain]

*The spider becomes a youth again, so he can smile properly at her.* Quite content indeed. Our poor friends here are probably less content, o' course, but that be okay. They'll only be scared for the rest o' their lives, aye?

*He laughs as the poor prey starts to struggle.* Hush, silly humes. You've got no way out an' no way down. I'll be eatin' thee tomorrow no matter how ya scream an' beg.

[wordsofwater]

"Nobody can hear you anyway, so there's no point in wasting your energy."

She admires the way the silk threads, far from being silkily slippery, seem to tighten as the prey strugles, getting more caught on themselves and making the cocoon neat.

"Perhaps you should hide the cocoons so that if anyone comes looking for the missing hunters they won't find your lunch and try to steal it."

[mordredeschain]

Mmm, true. One moment.

*He'll just be hanging them upside-down from a treetop, then, so no one will be able to reach them in a hurry even if they are found.*

[wordsofwater]

Her head tilts back as she watches. "The speed with which you can scale the tree is impressive."

[mordredeschain]

I be a spider, climbin' be what I do.

[wordsofwater]

"And you don't suffer from vertigo up there?"

[mordredeschain]

I can change iffen I must. It gives me a sense o' safety.

[wordsofwater]

it must be nice knowing that you can spin a safety net too, quite literally, if you need it

[mordredeschain]

Precisely. *The almost-human lad returns to ground cheerfully enough.* What shall we do now that I've a full belly? Sleep, perhaps, an' eat them in the mornin'?

[wordsofwater]

"Okay." She takes one last look at the cocoons securely tied up in the tree before letting go of the swing just as it reaches the front. She glides through the air and lands neatly on her feet a few metres away.

[mordredeschain]

Where would ya like ta sleep tonight?

[wordsofwater]

"Somewhere warm? I don't know, What are the options?"

[mordredeschain]

Well I could always make us hammocks, if ya like.

[wordsofwater]

"Sleep outside you mean? I guess that could be fun, as long as the weather holds. Not here though, I don't want to be kept awake by your breakfast."