CHAPTER 159

Bigfoot shook his head. "You remember those documentaries about sharks? They have those fish that follow them around and eat their leftovers. Well, some of the creatures in the woods are like those fish. They didn't follow him here for altruistic reasons. Even the owl believes that a bunch of the Nirumbi still seek his favor."

"Dumbasses." She contemplated the buck. "I don't feel like taking this to go. If you want to head back now, I'll follow when I'm done."

He crossed his arms. "Not gonna happen. If I didn't know any better, I'd wonder if you were trying to get rid of me."

"Why would I want to do that?" She bit the deer again. "I just know you hate watching this."

"I've had decades to get used to it." He sat down on the ground. "I've gotten used to lots of things I never thought I would."

"Mmhmm." Velvet tried to come up with a different excuse to go home without him. With any luck, maybe Abella would be on patrol. She already had a great spot for the egg picked out in her room.

Bigfoot chatted with her as she consumed her meal. He was feeling nostalgic, but all Velvet could think about was her egg. It had been smaller than the rest with a very faint blue sheen to it, and could easily fit inside a pocket. She was hoping to stash it away until she could talk to Eulalie about what to do next.

It wasn't just the issue of the survival of her species. She recalled plenty of conversations with her mother about what the Arachne were and how it would probably be best that they never return. It had been a moot point for the most part because her desire to breed hadn't kicked in until she met Mike. But now she felt as though her mother had been a massive hypocrite in expecting her own children not to pursue the life that she had.

If her parents had made raising a child work, perhaps she could make it work with Mike? Sure, it would be difficult at times. Arachne children were their own kind of trouble, and it had taken both of her parents and Bigfoot to keep them in line. A child living in a magic house would probably sneak away every chance she got.

Would the others help, too? Abella probably wouldn't. Thinking of her made Velvet's stomach clench into knots. The tenuous understanding they seemed to have now would likely be over. And what would happen if her daughter tried to eat someone? It wasn't like they could just move out.

The cabin would probably be the safest place for her daughter. Even with the newest immigrants, it would probably be okay. But what about Mike? He had his own responsibilities and probably wouldn't live with her full time if she stayed in Oregon.

"You okay, fluffball?" Bigfoot stared at her. "You aren't eating."

"Yeah, I'm fine." She resumed her meal, but only out of habit. There was no telling when she would find something else to eat.

Once she was done, she tossed aside the shriveled husk and used her legs to dig a hole. The remains were buried beneath the earth, and she made sure to say a small prayer of thanks to the forest. It was something her mother taught her, a way to remember and appreciate that an Arachne's life could only continue at the cost of another's.

Maybe that would be something she taught her daughter. A bunch of things would come instinctually, but morality? That was something she would have to make sure was instilled early on. She had a good feeling about her daughter, but there was no telling what her actual strengths and weaknesses would be. Eulalie could probably help in areas where Velvet was weak.

She fought back a sigh. Eulalie would probably be mad that she had done this. It wasn't as though she had any control over it. Being horny from time to time was a far cry from becoming obsessed with procreating, and now that the deed was done, she was experiencing what the internet called 'post-nut clarity.'

Sex with Mike had been fantastic, but now that she had an egg to worry about, all she felt was some intense feelings for him. If they were to fuck, she probably wouldn't lay any more eggs for a bit. Her body needed time to produce more, and she simply wasn't ready for it. In fact, she was now worried that she wasn't ready for motherhood in general.

A small grin crossed her lips. The fear of being a bad parent was the human part of her talking. She remembered snooping on many conversations between her parents where her father had expressed those same concerns. Her mother had always been supportive, but she was largely a creature of instinct and didn't have the same concerns he did. Or if she did, she didn't express them.

Done with the buck, she allowed Bigfoot to lead her home. All around her, she could hear the spiders chattering anxiously. Spring was on its way, and they were eager to wake up and go about their simple little lives. None of them had to worry about devils, and falling in love, or angry stone women who would want to cave in their skulls.

Abella. There was a thousand-pound problem she had no answer to. Having her destroy the clutch was hard, but necessary. She had been too caught up in the emotions of the moment to do the deed herself, and she was ashamed.

She would have to tell her, and soon. Though the gargoyle was made of stone, Velvet sensed that she had a good heart. If she explained that the egg was good, maybe she could get the gargoyle to forgive her. The longer she waited, the heavier her betrayal would become.

"I hate human problems," she muttered. If she was a regular Arachne, she would just say nothing and hide the egg away until it hatched, then disappear. If she really wanted to, maybe that could be an option.

But where would they hide?

"You've got an awful lot on your mind," Bigfoot said, interrupting her thoughts. "And don't bother lying to me about it, I can tell something's up."