Chapter 2.3 – The Burglar
I'd consumed a kilo or two of the delicious soup when there was a disturbance just out of sight. A subtle thrum along the interconnected webs sent several spiders rushing to see what it was. What they brought back made me lose my appetite. Tangled in webbing but not yet fully cocooned was what appeared to be a small child. Was it possible that the soup I was enjoying was made from human flesh?
"What is it, what is it?" they asked, poking at the squirming bundle.
'Thank god, it's the first one they've caught. Most humans would know better than to wander into a forest like this.'
"Is it prey?" asked a dog-sized spider. A larger one responded, "It struggles nicely. Juicy flesh, smells so sweet. Methinks it will be good to eat."
I held back a giggle at hearing a giant spider speak in rhyme. I had to be serious here. If I didn't intervene quickly the child could end up like whatever furry woodland creatures occupied the first thirteen cocoons. "Hold on you two. You can finish off my meal. I'll be taking this little one with me for later." They seemed disappointed to miss out on a taste of a new flavor of prey but accepted the consolation meal eagerly enough.
"Grandmother, you're leaving?" another asked, the rest looking at me intently.
"For a little while," I replied, realizing as I said it that I truly meant it. Regardless of the risks, this meeting would not be a one time thing. "I'll return as soon as I'm able. Thank you for the meal."
Rather than respond verbally, the entire cluster of spider stopped eating to bow to me as I awkwardly made my leave, struggling bundle hefted in one hand. I heard muffled shouting or screaming from the boy as I made my way down, but it stopped once we reached the ground. I considered unwrapping him but he'd already proven foolish enough to run into a dark forest once, I couldn't let him run off again. Being wrapped in webbing for another hour or two was better than getting eaten by whatever else might lurk in this forest.
It was a slow slog back out of the woods. The barest glimmer of the rising sun was all I had to navigate by. I eventually had to take to the trees for the final few miles. On the way in nothing had bothered me, either because I didn't smell like prey or I was just moving too fast, but the kid was attracting a lot of unwanted attention. Some giant scorpion-looking thing took three stunner bolts to be dissuaded.
I emerged onto the plains some twenty miles south of the portal judging by a familiar looking willow tree by the river bank. Settling beneath its branches I gratefully set down the package, arms long grown sore from carrying it. It was only at that moment that I noticed the child didn't smell human. 'Since when have I known what humans smell like?' Or perhaps the better question was how long had it been since I'd been away from their stink. Like someone who hadn't showered for days, I'd been surrounded by the smell for so long that I must have gotten used to it. It was only here in Arda that I could get a breath of truly fresh air.
Curious as to what the creature could be I began to delicately slice away the webbing with my claws. I uncovered the face firs. Despite the small stature it appeared to be a man's face, albeit with pointed ears. Part-goblin perhaps, like Flitwick? Then again, with it being another world it could be foolish to try and compare physical similarities.
Something shiny tumbled from its pocket as it thrashed. "Calm down, I'm not going to eat you." Wait, was I still speaking spider? Now I knew how Harry must feel with his parselmouth ability. I reached for the glint of gold in the grass, pulling back a pure gold ring. I intended to slide it back into his shirt pocket but hesitated halfway. There was something about the ring, something that drew the eye – but there was something else I should have been watching.
Black blood spattered my face as the humanoid's sword sliced through the remaining webbing and half my leg. "You vissssciousss little monkey!" I could already tell it would be useless to try and reason with it. The goblin-man-thing was foaming at the mouth, repeating something over and over again about its 'precious.' How could such a creature have such a nice ring? It didn't seem smart enough or sane enough to create one or wealthy enough to buy one. No, it was more likely some type of burglar.
I drew my wand to stun it, but I was too slow. It swung at me wildly but I danced out of the way, my uninjured foreleg striking out on instinct with all my strength. The humanoid went flying out into the river, the rapids at its center swiftly carrying it away. Later I'd probably worry if it could swim, but right now I just wanted it as far away from me as possible.
"Good riddansse."