Come home

it’s official: Spider’s brain has gone to mush. these babies have made it so. “i don’t have enough hands,” they wail, and though it’s mostly exaggerated for comedic effect, a part of them is dismayed by their lack of extra extremities. how else are they supposed to cuddle all their siblings at once?? setting Cit aside, Spider scoops the next up and the next after that, marvelling at their tiny little faces, their perfect little feet. they’re absolute miracles, every single one.

when it comes to Jamie, Spider is extra gentle with her, shifting their grip to ensure they’re not holding her too tight. still, they notice Ignita’s discomfort, the flash of fear across her face; in that regard, their answer to Bas is easy. “I think…this one.” they glance from parent to parent, looking for approval. “she looks like she could use a mighty dagger of her own.” after snuggling their remaining two brothers, the bear, inevitably, brings Spider up a little short. “o-oh.” they’ve seen a bear cub this close before, let alone one snuggled in amidst the others. and that familiar blue marking…

“he sure is a cutie,” they contend, nodding. so what if he’s a bear; he’s suitably small and suitably fluffy and clearly quite taken with the pups. the more the merrier, Spider muses to themselves. “they’re really beautiful, you two.” Spider grins at Bas, then offers a smaller, shyer smile to Ignita. it’s maybe, perhaps, the first real step towards reconciliation. “congratulations.”

"Araneae Fatalis"