After a moderately short period of screaming, I can finally manage to calm down again about the fact that all my familiars came for me.

It didn't help that they formed a ring around my person to protect me from whatever is currently upsetting me so much.

Fortunately, they soon realized, that it might be better to grant me a bit more space and expand their encirclement a bit

As I have successfully overcome this fit, I can now start introducing them to my plan as I originally intended to.

"Ehm, I wanted to go out today. But the others say I can only go if there's someone to protect me from monsters and stuff. Would, would you do that?" (N)

"Scrcheeeehhhhh"

Maybe I spoke a bit quietly, but the hisses I hear in response, which chill my blood, sound very enthusiastic about it. A bit too enthusiastic in a certain sense.

"B-but please, please avoid killing as much as you can." (N)

I don't want them to eradicate everything in the vicinity and they felt to me like they would do just that given the chance.

Also, Masiabi told me once that there are peaceful animals in this part of the forest, which come here so they won't be hunted as much.

In a sense, it's basically working like a farm.

A big, foresty one.

Yet it would defeat the purpose if my familiars would go on an all-around killing spree.

However, at least it's no difficulty to convince them to accompany me.

They're just all too eager to do so.

Yet before I can go anywhere, there's an important matter to address.

"Pl-please, can you give me a bit of space? You-you're too close." (N)

That dampened their excited mood, but they comply nonetheless.

It doesn't make me completely relaxed, but it's barely enough to not freak out anymore and be able to breathe again.

This enables me to finally get on my way to the surface.

I try following the path I was shown before that should lead me safely to the outside, aided by some of my familiars in front of me which guide the way.

Yet the whole time I'm walking, I have a crawling shiver on my back because they're also directly behind me.

However, even if there shouldn't be so many along the line, the inevitable happens, and I encounter the brood of the other sisters.

I can't help but panic a little and immediately my familiars catch on to this distress and engage.

"Skcchhhh"

They start hissing at the ones present, ready to start a fight.

Yet none of the other spiders seems inclined to this.

Instead, they give way, while my familiars aggressively push forward to clear a path for me.

Well, at least that means there are no other spiders I have to deal with.

There's also another advantage.

The thing is, I don't know the way through the tunnels that well, but they do.

So I only need to follow them.

I mostly use the inner link instead of sight to orientate myself here.

For obvious reasons.

Eventually, we reach the surface.

Once again, I need a moment to adjust, but the light is not as harsh anymore as the first time.

Now I need to start foraging for food.

We lived next to the forest, so I know a bit about what kind of stuff is edible, yet it's still the forest and no farm, so there's a decrease in the variety of ingredients I'm familiar with enough to cook.

For today, I think I should keep it simple.

In this sense, a mushroom soup or stew should be fine.

I only need the mushrooms and some additions.

As before, every little step I make is accompanied by hundreds of eight-legged ones behind me.

Just to mention it, this isn't great for my focus.

It would help if they wouldn't always stalk directly behind me.

"Pl-please. You don't need to always be so close. I'm looking for food and can't concentrate that well with all of you around." (N)

Once again, it seems like I underestimated my control over my familiars, as they comply without hesitance.

Some even move directly out of the close range where I'm completely aware of them, probably to do their own thing.

At a longer distance, I can still make out their position, but I don't hear every single thought if I don't concentrate on the specific ones.

Which I'd rather abstain from.

So I continue looking for mushrooms for a while.

Then something unusual happens.

Suddenly, I perceive something like a call from some of my familiars.

It feels urgent, so I reluctantly follow it to the source.

There I find several spiders gathered around a spot.

Did something happen there?

I can’t really see past them.

Immediately after I think this, they shift aside and make room, revealing what made them gather here in the first place.

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Mushrooms.

That means they must've watched me, determined what I was doing, and decided to help me with this task.

Oh my, they must really be as smart as Masiabi told me they are.

I'm not the slightest bit sure if supersmart spiders make this in any way better for me.

Obviously, I'm still scared.

However, they did something for me.

It would be simply wrong not to honor that.

"Ehm... thank you." (N)

Once again I become distressed when they happily celebrate my praise.

Those jumping around are the worst of the bunch.

I politely distance myself a bit, before I start gathering the mushrooms in my bag.

At this point, I'm already quite strained mentally and hope there won't be more events like this.

Yet apparently this hope was for naught.

Because soon I again feel the presence of my approaching familiars and the moment I turn around I see them gathering in front of me.

They brought mushrooms.

A bundle wrapped up in silk that one of the bigger ones got bound to its leg.

They bite through the connecting strand with their fangs and spread the contents on the ground in front of me, before backing away.

With the awkwardness that comes from the terror I experience looking at them together with receiving this present, I am troubled to know how to react.

I guess I should take it?

I mean, the spider silk on them is a bit of an issue, but it's not like I can't clean them and it's well-meant.

You can't be mean if someone tries being nice, as much as they frighten you.

However, there's another issue.

"Th-thank you. But this is too much. I can't eat such an amount by myself." (N)

That's more like a family-sized meal and I would probably not even count for a full portion.

However, it would be a waste to throw them away.

When I look closer, I see that not all mushrooms the spiders brought are edible.

So I rummage through the lot and have to sort those out that are poisonous.

I'm not even sure if that poison would have any effect on me at this point, but it's not like I intend to test it.

The dare if I can solely subsist on mushrooms is already good as it is.

The spiders feel dejected that I reject some of their gifts, which is reason enough for me to apologize, as some of them are really big and intimidating.

"I-I'm sorry. But I can only use certain kinds." (N)

It doesn't seem to be very appreciated. I guess the respective familiars are sulking.

At least, they rush off.

Which is nothing I will complain about.

Now I need to clean the mushrooms I got at that one water trail.

If I would just remember where it was.

"Ehm, e-excuse me. Do any of you know where I could find water?" (N)

I was told that there are webs to guide the way, but I would lie if I'd say I understand the system.

So I'd be utterly lost on my own in this forest.

For this reason, I require help from my familiars.

It seems like they understand everything all too well and directly respond to my request, moving in front of me in a way that I ought to follow.

This distresses me deeply, but being lost with spiders around wouldn't really be better.

So we eventually reach the small waterway.

Now I need to wash the mushrooms, make a fire, fill the kettle with water, and cook everything.

Sounds easy enough.

I start carefully cleaning the mushrooms.

I'm somewhat confident in my skill, so this should be easy enough.

But then something unexpected happens.

The spiders that earlier went sulking further away are returning.

Yeah, I can somehow tell them apart.

And they're bringing... More mushrooms.

This time only the ones I told them I could use.

Didn't they listen before when I said this is too much?!

I think they wanted to prove that they can do it right.

This is how it feels to me.

What am I supposed to do now?

I will never be able to eat that many.

Not to speak of preparing them here in the open.

If I remember it right, the kitchen Akasia and Masiabi established for me had a bigger kettle.

That should work better.

I continue cleaning the mushrooms to stuff them later into my bag when once more something happens.

The ones which separated before when I told them I need a bit more space for myself return.

Once they're closer, I feel like they're somewhat elated about something I can't really make out.

However, it becomes apparent once they're here.

They brought a deer, proudly presenting it to me.

The thought I receive feels a bit like "here, food".

Because I told them I'm looking for food before!

Those thought they're especially smart and directly went to bring what they perceive as food.

Namely, a deer.

Then some more trickle in with smaller rodents, or bunnies, putting them on an increasingly growing pile.

They apparently feel my apprehension and send something in return that roughly translates to: "not enough?"

"No, no, no, no, no! Please, don't bring me more animals!" (N)

Now they're confused.

"I-I said to avoid killing..." (N)

And now they feel like they think that this is still within the limits.

There’s also a sense of amusement coming from them, as if I said something silly.

What am I supposed to answer to this?!

They still want me to take their gift.

"I, I don't even really know how to take apart animals for meat." (N)

I shouldn't have said this.

I really shouldn't have said this!

My spiders start biting into the corpses, ripping and clawing them apart.

They separate skin, fur, flesh, and organs in a most messy way.

It's a traumatizing horror show of blood and gore.

The only thing keeping me from running away is the fact that there are more directly behind me and I'm simply too terrified to move.

Eventually, they are done and somehow managed to pile up a small hill of meat.

Yet at this point, I'm not so sure if I still feel like eating.

Rather, I'm a bit nauseous.

On the other side, I just know too well that after that wears off I'll be just as hungry as I'm now.

Also, Masiabi said that the food might for some days consist of humans.

I should think ahead and make a bit more to last me some time.

But I didn’t come prepared to make this much, and I have no idea how to transport this literal mess my familiars created.

"Ehm, would any of you help me with the transport? I only need the meat." (N)

Those terrific nightmare creatures don't waste any time and start... making silk?

Okay, they have now some strands laid out.

Those smaller spiders weave together and soon, there's a net that is big enough to fit the entire meat hill.

That one quickly gets shoved on the makeshift net and then fastened to the bigger spiders.

Is it just me or are my familiars vastly outpacing me in practical thinking and coordination?

"Uh, good job?" (N)

They're so proud of it.

If the bleeding pile they're transporting would just not awaken so many distressing associations.

But now I think this was enough for a day.

Not like I'd be mentally able to endure another of those interactions with my familiars.

I don't want to speak ill of their efforts, but it doesn't change that this little adventure had some pretty terrifying events.

So our whole group walks back to the nest.

At least, my familiars seem to know the way.