Trout's Landing.

Jeb groaned and stretched as he awoke from his long sleep. He lifted his heavy eyelids and looked at the wonderful sight in front of him. A sleeping little red lizard snoozing right beside him. He smiled and kissed the end of her snoot gently, causing her to smile and shift as she tried to snuggle up closer to him.

"Mornin'." Jeb whispered as she tried to bury herself into his chest.

"Morning. Did you enjoy your rest?"

"I did. Though now I feel lazy having slept for so long." Jeb said as he shifted in the now rather cramped sleeping bag.

"After everything, you needed a day of rest." Ruby muttered as she stayed close to Jeb's warmth.

"Did you say, a day?!" Jeb asked as he looked outside the window and could see the kobolds up and about and doing stuff that they had started yesterday.

"Well now I actually do feel lazy." He muttered as he shifted into a sitting position. Knocking six new additions to the sleeping bag that he wasn't aware of.

He raised a brow and parted the fabric to reveal six black eggs that sat comfortably between him and Ruby, who stirred awake at the sound. Jeb looked down in shock.

"Are those?"

Ruby nodded and smiled as she gathered up the six baseball sized onyx ovals for Jeb to see them properly.

"They're our eggs."

Jeb just stared dumbly at them. Sure he knew she was pregnant, but now he had his children right here before him. HIS children, he thought as the brunt of that fact smacked him flat in the face. He was a father now, he thought as he put forth a shaky hand and placed it on one of the eggs.

He jolted back like he was shocked when he felt the little heartbeat within. He just stared between the eggs and his own hand. Unsure what to do exactly. Ruby gently grabbed his hand and slowly brought it back to the egg. Placing and holding it there, where the two of them felt the little rapid heartbeat of the life that lay within.

Jeb sniffed.

"I'm a dad."

Ruby smiled and snuggled against him.

"And I'm a mother."

He still couldn't quite believe it even after saying it aloud and touching their children. Even as he continued to feel the little heartbeat did he still not quite process it.

"Uhm, why didn't anyone wake me for it?" Jeb asked, more to help distract himself than for an actual answer.

Ruby blushed a little.

"You needed your rest, and it was for the best your weren't there."

"Why?"

"Because otherwise I would've-" She was interrupted as a knock came from the door.

"Master Jeb? Den Mother? Are you awake?" Came the voice of the Chief from the other side.

"Yeah!" Jeb called as he shifted and gingerly climbed over their eggs and made his way over to the door to set aside the chair lock.

The door fell open more than he opened it himself, but before him was the Chief, the Trap Master, and many other kobolds that were either the skirmishers or the rest of the tribe as they tried to peek in to see Ruby's eggs. Jeb kept the door closed enough for Ruby and the eggs to get some privacy from the onlookers.

"What is it?" Jeb asked.

"Well, we have gotten started on our new home in your absence, as I'm sure you are aware of now."

"Yeah."

"While things have been peaceful for now, we have a slight issue that may need your attention."

"What issue?"

"Spiders. Giant ones." The Trap Master stated.

"Are we talking spiders that are larger than usual or?"

"Spiders that could carry off a cow."

Yeesh, Jeb shuddered at that thought. He turned back towards Ruby as she replaced the firewood before gathering up the eggs and moving them over to the heat. Ruby looked up and saw Jeb's concerned face.

"We'll be fine. It's my duty to tend to the eggs anyway. Now I'm just doing it with ours."

Jeb still wasn't sure. On one hand he didn't want to be away from his just born, laid, kids. Even if they were still in a shell. On the other, if the kobolds were coming to him that meant they weren't sure of dealing with it themselves. What was the point of promising them safety and protection if he picked and chose when?

"Are you sure? I don't wanna feel like I'm leavin' you alone."

"I'm fine Jeb. Though I'm sure I'll have the better time than you will dealing with giant spiders." Ruby said as she shifted and rotated the eggs so they got an equal share of warmth from the fire.

"That's... a good point. Still, are you sure?"

"Yes Jeb, we'll be alright." Ruby said with a bit more force.

"Alright! Just wantin' to make sure is all!" Jeb said as he threw his hands up in surrender and left Ruby alone with their eggs, though not for long as several kobolds wandered in to see the eggs she had laid.

Jeb followed the Chief, the Trap Master, and the skirmishers out of the admin building, looking around the place all the while as they walked. This place is a dump, he thought. Though that wasn't unexpected, he still hated the idea he slept a day away when he could've been up and at least cleaning his new home.

He followed them all to the Game Warden's cabin where their guns were now being stored at. A kobold ran over to Jeb and offered him a freshly cooked catfish. He looked at the offering strangely at first, but nodded and thanked the kobold as his stomach growled and grumbled. He pulled the fatty flesh from it and ate while the Trap Master explained roughly where they were going to.

"It looks like they made their nest a few miles north in a bear den. We don't expect too much trouble and would do it ourselves, but we are being slowed down from the weather and would like your assistance so we can avoid as many losses possible."

"Of course! I'll be glad to help you guys smoosh some spiders!" Jeb said around a mouthful of catfish.

The Trap Master nodded and he and the skirmishers got ready as the Chief took Jeb aside.

"I will remain here and see to things while you and the Trap Master are away, while my magic may not be as... effective, as it once was. I should still be able to help defend our home should something happen while you are away."

"Thanks, but it's just some spiders. How hard should they be?" Jeb said as he retrieved a shogun after giving what was left of his breakfast to a begging salamander that had followed the kobold that had offered it to him in the first place.

So Jeb, the Trap Master, and the skirmishers made their way along the mountain as they followed those that had spotted the nest of webs. No salamanders had accompanied them, the rather slothful creatures were more content to lounge by the river and snack more than they wanted to trek out into the woods for spiders. But Jeb was assured that should anything threaten their home they will rally to its defense.

Thankfully as the sun rose more and more, the kobolds got a bit more pep in their step from the warmth even though much of the forest was thick and dark still. Which was probably the only reason they asked for his help, Jeb thought. If it had been warmer they probably would've done it themselves. But with how cold it was getting it was really starting to slow them down. Especially as he had to slow his pace as the kobolds lagged behind him.

Eventually they began to reach the area the giant spiders were in. It was obvious by the thick cords of web that reminded Jeb of the fake Halloween webs sold at stores. Except these ones were real and had spiders the size of his hand crawling across them, feasting on insects, small rodents, and birds.

Jeb grimaced and retrieved a few ready made torches and set them alight. He gave them to the kobolds while he kept one for himself, the kobolds welcomed the warmth and he welcomed the flame in his hand as he swept it across the thick webs, sending the spiders hissing and skittering away as the webs burned up within seconds.

Thankfully it was damp in the area either from an earlier rainfall or the proximity to the river he wasn't sure. So he could swing his torch without worrying about setting the whole place ablaze. They moved from tree to tree, webs burning and spiders fleeing. Some of the kobolds took a moment to snap up those that lingered behind. Their exoskeletons crunching as the lizardfolk snacked on them. Crispy from the flame or raw didn't matter to them as they enjoyed the warmth of the torches and flashes of heat from burning the web as they munched on spiders along their way to the den.

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Which after many minutes they arrived at. The entire thing was webbed up with thick cords, some were thicker than Jeb was! He turned to the kobolds.

"So how do you wanna do this?"

"Why don't we just burn it and leave?" One of the skirmishers asked.

"Because they might have another entrance and flee, making today's big problem tomorrow's bigger problem." The Trap Master stated.

"So we'll have to go in and clear it out the old fashioned way and burn what's left?" Jeb asked as he eyed the dark webbed hole.

"I don't like it either, but I'm not letting this problem grow until it becomes one that we can't deal with."

Jeb sighed and looked around the webbed den. For giant spiders he expected some to be out and about, or even just lurking near the entrance. Something about this didn't stick right with him.

"Alright, but stay close and watch your backs." Jeb said as he secured his shotgun and begin to move towards and into the den, turning on the light on his gun, and his boots sticking to the web as he did. The Trap Master and most of the skirmishers followed close behind, with a small group left outside to guard the entrance or to run back and warn the tribe if anything happened, they produced a small fire to keep warm and any possible spiders away from the torches they made.

Jeb walked deeper into the den. If it was a black bear den it was rather deep one, he thought as the light on his barrel illuminated the way in place of the burning torch. The kobolds did the same, pale lights causing the webs to sparkle and glisten as they kept going deeper and deeper into the dark.

"Bear dens aren't supposed to be this deep." Jeb whispered. Sure they've been known to hold up in old mine shafts on occasion, but this was getting too deep. Something about the way the den moved felt unnatural to him, something the kobolds picked up on.

"Something else dug out the den further. Something big." The Trap Master whispered as they continued on their way down the widening tunnels that got bigger and bigger.

"Where are they? Shouldn't we have run into some by now?" One of the skirmishers whispered as they looked around the webbed tunnel as they went.

Jeb sighed.

"I really wish you didn't say that."

A bit of motion to his left caused him to raise and pull the trigger on his shotgun. The wall erupted in shredded webbing and remains of the spider that lurked within. As if a gun went off, because it did, the rest of the tunnel exploded with action as the walls, floor, and even ceiling came to life as dozens of spiders ranging from as small as his hand to as large as a small car flooded out of their hidey holes!

The kobolds didn't even get to line up shots as they just began to fire wildly at the flood of spindly bodies. Fortunately for the small party of kobolds, the dead spiders hindered the living ones and helped to keep them funneled and the gunfire helped disorient the spiders in the enclosed space. Keeping them from snatching away any of the kobolds, though some came uncomfortably close for their liking. The kobolds kept close to one another so as to assist each other. If one managed to get snagged then the others could help before they got dragged off too far.

But it also had the unfortunate side effect of separating and blocking off the kobolds from Jeb! He kept firing as hissing spiders came in from every which way imaginable! Blowing out legs on one, crunching another under his heel, slamming the butt of his gun and popping the eyes of another.

The tunnel was deafening with the combined sounds of spiders dying and gunfire. A sound that grew lesser and lesser as the kobolds were driven back towards the entrance. Keeping them separated from Jeb, who was left alone to fend off the horde of spiders with nothing but rapidly depleting shells and a single light to aid him.

He grunted and roared as he shot and smashed and bashed all that got close to him. A large tarantula the size of a car skittered towards him and gripped the barrel in its jaws as it and Jeb wrestled for it for a moment before Jeb pulled the trigger, blasting apart the spider and sending hairy limbs and spider ichor over the rest that skittered towards him.

He aimed and pulled the trigger of his gun again, only to hear it click as the last shell signaled its empty chamber. He growled and turned the gun into a makeshift club and used it to batter back the spiders. Breaking legs and slamming it on patches of eyes or into the fanged jaws.

Even when the gun gave out and shattered against the leg of another spider, Jeb just snapped off the leg of one and used it to stab and bash all that challenged him. In this frenzied state he didn't even care as he beat and bashed the spiders with his own hands, or thrusting his fist into their exposed jaws and rending their insides as he wrenched them out!

He roared and yelled in the dark as he fought and brutalized any spider unfortunate enough to skitter towards him. Stomping, smashing, slashing, bashing, it didn't matter. He even slammed his boot into a spider's jaws and TORE the things thorax apart with his hands! Viscera and ichor going everywhere! He continued to fight as he went deeper and deeper into the nest.

Even when the spiders bit him he just roared and used their close proximity to wreck havoc upon them. If the venom was supposed to do something, it wasn't having much, if any, effect on Jeb as his swings and kicks continued. If anything they sped up as he entered a maddened frenzy that demanded the death of those that fought against him! Until nothing stood before him but the dark webbed tunnel, and countless dead spiders of all sizes and variations. Orb weaver, huntsman, black widow, and some he didn't recognize. All dead at his feet. Legs twitching was all the movement he could see in the pale blue light that illuminated the tunnel. He turned to the source expecting to find the light on his gun. Only to find nothing but death wherever he looked. He moved his hand in front of his eyes and found that the source of light WAS his eyes!

"That's new." His voice panted with exertion and echoed in the tunnel.

He looked around once more at the death he had wrought. He glanced at the scratches, slashes, and puncture wounds he had from the spiders with a bit of worry. He wasn't sure how venom-proof he was, but he would rather get this done with and return home before he found out the hard way in some dark spider nest.

So he moved on, his eyes glowing an ethereal blue that shone the way deeper. The only sounds he could here was his feet stepping on the rock floor, slightly muted by the sticky webs, and the sounds of skittering from nearby. His muscles tensed as he waited for another wave of spiders to show up. But none did as he continued deeper. Deeper and deeper he went, his nerves as tight as ripcords. Ready for the slightest bit of movement. As he rounded a corner he came face to face with a large cocoon! It growled and wriggled as he neared it.

It sounds like a bear, Jeb thought as he looked at what was probably the former occupant of the den before the spiders arrived. He was tempted to walk away, but he couldn't stand the thought of leaving the poor beast here. So he sighed and searched around for a sharp stone. He found one buried under the web and moved to free the poor beast.

Jeb used the stone to cut away at the surprisingly, yet worryingly, strong cords of web. With a cry, the cocoon split open and the form of a black bear slumped out and shook the ground as it fell. It groaned and growled as it looked around, it peered up at Jeb with eyes sluggish from venom and promptly turned and fled towards the entrance.

"You're welcome." Jeb muttered as he watched the poor beast flee. Hopefully it's more focused on running and not starting a fight with the kobolds up there, Jeb thought as he left the webbed remains of the cocoon and continued on.

-----

The Broodmother watched from many eyes as the human walked along her tunnels. She skittered along the many tunnels that mirrored the one he walked as she watched the marvel of bloodshed he left in his wake. Not a normal human, she thought as her and her brood moved through the miles of tunnels as they followed him. She had caught glimpses of something while he fought her brood. Some sort of shape-changer or druid perhaps?

Despite no light, he still cast a delightfully eerie glow as he went. But every time she tried to see the source, he would either kill the spider who's vision she borrowed from, or he would turn away as he glanced around at her wonderous domain. Passing bones from many races and creatures that her brood has feasted upon.

But his journey would soon come to an end, she thought as he neared a large chamber that was pockmarked with hundreds of holes hidden by a layer of web that blended in with the rock around it for her brood to swarm from, and the home of a burrower that lurked under a false floor in the center. Ready to snatch up the human should he somehow survive her swarm.

He stared in awe at the chamber when he finally came to it! As he should, she had it made just for him after all. Such a human that has enthralled a tribe of kobolds demands a measure of decorum. All around him were threads of bones and gold and other jewels that glittered beautifully along with the gossamer webs they clung to, even the floor was covered in thick strands that would slow and hamper him.

The light he had gave the room such a wondrously haunting look, she thought as she moved to a position just above him. If he somehow manages to best the swarm AND her burrower, well. He'll fall prey to her before he could even think that he had won like so many before him. As he moved his head back and forth, her brood awaited her call. The burrower stirred and rumbled anxiously as the human neared the edge of its trap. But she wanted to see what was making that beautiful light that refracted off the shiny droplets on the webs and glinting off the bits of gems and metals! She would rather not have to carve it out of one of her brood to retrieve whatever it might be.

"Why can't I get a good look!" She hissed.

The sound was enough for her to get her desire, and she almost fell from her hiding spot as two orbs of ghostly blue flame zeroed in on where she was. She gasped and stared at the orbs that sat within the eye sockets of the human that sent a thrilling chill up her spine and into her very core.

She saw what this human truly was as she stared into the orbs. Not some mere mortal magician conjuring a magelight, but a GOD! One that has yet to fully awaken, but one none the less! In-between the dancing baleflame her specially attuned sight caught glimpses of thorned flesh, bleached bone, and dark antlers as he turned his head to search for where the sound she made had come from. Such a magnificently macabre god he would become, she thought as she stretched out her delicate pale blue hand towards him like a moth to the flame.

"Jeb?!" A voice came from the tunnel he came from.

She hissed from her hiding place and retracted her hand as she retreated deeper into her hidey hole. She turned her many eyes to the source and saw the kobolds running down, pale light illuminating their way as they reached the chamber he was in. The beautiful ghostly light fading away as the pale imitations took its place in lighting the chamber.

"Jeb?!" One of them called to the dark being before her.

"Are you lot alright?"

"Yes, we got separated but managed to keep them from snatching any of us. We were forced back up to the surface though and we regrouped and headed back in to find you. Almost got trampled by a bear on our way back down." One of them said as they and the other kobolds looked around warily at the chamber as they walked cautiously along the heavily webbed floor, eyeing every shadow and divot.

Jeb, such a insultingly simple name the kobolds have given him, she thought. Such a being deserved something more grand and fitting. She watched as he and the kobolds continued to search the area. She called back her swarm, and forced the burrower deeper into its nest. Things have changed, she thought as she watched the being evermore.

"Is this the end?" The same kobold asked foolishly. If only he knew, the Broodmother thought as she recalled the miles of tunnels, chambers, and false rooms like this that they had yet to explore and delve.

"I think so, I can't see a way forward at least." The being said, though he must be lying. He had seen her and could no doubt see or sense her brood nearby, he must know there is more than the foolish lizards can see.

"Then let's burn it and go." The same kobold stated.

The being looked around at the unnaturally smooth floor that was covered in several inches of sticky web. What was he looking for, she wondered. Did he also sense the burrower? He sighed and looked down at his hand. She watched from above as he got a look of concentration on his face before a small ember of ghostfire formed on a finger!

"How did you do that?" The same kobold asked.

"Same way I did the food. Just thought of fire instead. Thought it'd be bigger though." The being explained to the ignorant kobold. As if the lizard thought conjuring flame was some extraordinary feat!

She should kill them just for their ignorance and annoying presence alone, but suppressed a hiss when she felt a pressure smash against her like a stone wall! A presence that radiated hostile intent. She turned her gaze towards the being and found him looking around more, searching for the one that invoked such power from him!

"What's wrong?" The kobold asked.

"I don't know, just feel on edge is all. Well, MORE on edge." The being stated.

When she moved such thoughts of the kobolds away did the pressure relent. A master must protect what is his, she thought obviously. If any of her rivals ever thought to harm or take what was hers she would execute them without thought or mercy. A burgeoning god was no different.

"All the more reason to be done." The kobold insisted.

The being nodded and played with the dancing balefire for a moment, shifting it between his fingers before finally flicking the pale flame onto the gossamer webbing. Within seconds the room was writhing with shadows from the pale light. The kobolds beat a hasty retreat, but the being stopped at the entrance to the chamber and looked around one last time, before casting a gaze up at her.

She hissed in excitement as she watched him leave the chamber to burn with witchfire. Many of her brood that she called for this endeavor were trapped within their dens as they screamed and shrieked as their hidey holes became their tombs. Even the great burrower wasn't safe as spiritflame found its way beneath the false lid and quickly scorched it alive, trapping it within its own trap.

She ordered the rest of her brood to seal off the area to prevent the fire from spreading further into the nest and to abandon the area, the being has laid claim to the kobolds and the land around them and she would honor such an alluring show of force. Not like she didn't have miles of tunnels and mountains to hunt and feed her brood.

She retreated deeper into her nest, the shrieks of her brood echoing around the tunnels even as they were collapsed and sealed shut as she and the few that were quick enough to escape the ghost flames carried themselves deeper within their labyrinthian home, her thoughts remained on the being of thorn, death, and balefire. Thoughts of embarrassment as she had played a poor hostess to such a being, she would prepare a proper and more appropriate introduction the next time they met.

Then they turned sensual at the thought of their next meeting. Thoughts of claiming such a being as a mate and the brood she would birth with him! Such power at her side, in her arms, and in her bed, was a delicious thought indeed, she thought as she bit her deep blue lip in excitement as courtship filled her Arachne head and she ran her delicate fleshy arms along her body, pale blue elven torso and black spider lower body both, as she imagined all the things they would do, to others and to one another.

-----

"Are you alright?" The Trap Master asked as they made their way back home.

"Yeah, just kept gettin' the constant feelin' of bein' watched back there. Did you?"

"No more than expected when dealing with spider nests. Why?"

"I don't know, just got a weird feelin' back there. Like I was bein' checked out."

"Checked out?"

"Like someone was eyein' me up to be their next boyfriend." Jeb explained.

"You think one of the spiders were considering you as a potential mate?" The Trap Master asked with a curious cock of his brow ridge.

"I don't know! It just felt weird is all!" Jeb explained as they left the woods and entered their home.

"Thanks for your aid all the same Jeb." The Trap Master thanked Jeb.

"No problem. Glad to be of use. I do need a nap though, and to see if the lodge's first aid has any anti-venom that might still be good."

The Trap Master nodded and went back to his duties as Jeb left to find a first-aid kit, check on Ruby and see his eggs. Then take a nap. Hopefully one that DIDN'T last an entire day! As well as a shower, he thought as he remembered he was covered in spider guts still. He wondered if the plumbing worked or if he would have to take a dip in the freezing river. Either way, he was just glad he wouldn't have to deal with anymore spiders.