This was no place for a fight.
One misstep, one misplaced throw, and she would wound up food for any one of the many beasts who called the Deep Wood their home.
Her assailants eyed her from directly ahead on the trail, snarling and clicking and hissing.
They think they’ve found easy prey, Valkyrie thought, They’re in for a nasty surprise.
The spiders that dwelled in these woods were known to be quite intelligent. More so than some ponies she knew. They knew how to lay traps, and how to use rudimentary tools, and they had a complex language that only they could understand. But smart and strong as they were, this was no true threat.
Val’s companions seemed to lack her confidence. Val was not certain of the thief’s competence, and Cassandra was most definitely useless. She was not sure why the High Council had insisted the fanatical zealot join them to begin with; Val would have gotten far more use out of another swordspony or a sorceress rather than a priestess.
Valkyrie, the bastard pegasus daughter of the famed warrior Vambrace, had a coat of pale green and a long, wavy mane of bluish-black. Her outfit was made of thin green leather straps, which she had taken off the corpse of her first defeated foe, during a gladiatorial match across the sea in Nautilus. She never knew her mother, instead spending her time in the company of her beloved father, traveling the world, adventuring, and battling foes. At the Sorceresses’ Academy of the Quiet Spring, Val became ferociously competitive, rising to the top of her class, challenging anypony and everypony until she was the Academy’s reigning tourney champion. As an upperclass pony, Val took on the mantles of Head of Security, Head Witchhunter, Chief Instructor of Melee Combat, and a spot on the Academy’s High Council. Her fellow councilors were wary of Princess Vanderpool’s safety traveling west to Foaledo, and had insisted that Val accompany her. It was Val who had put together this company, selecting the Academy’s best and brightest. For the most part, at least. Cassandra had been stuck in the company in order to appease Foaledo ponies, who, like Cassandra, worshiped the sun goddess of the Equestrians. Val thought of little of Celestia as she did of the Augustans’ own gods. Lies made up to keep ponies in line. Val would scoff at the thought. The only force that moves the world is sharp steel and strong arms, not gods.
Cassandra was born a unicorn to a family of merchants from the west. She was a quiet child, who took refuge from the business of the world in her local temple, where she developed an unnatural obsession with the Equestrian faith. At the Sorceresses’ Academy, Cassandra studied theology and eventually became the Academy’s High Priestess. In the hopes of winning over Equestria’s support, the Academy had begun encouraging a transition into worshiping the gods of Equestria, rather than the old gods of Augusta, a change that did not sit well with many. Cassandra, who had a reputation for her unyielding faith and commitment to the redemption of all ponies, was selected to be the leader of this movement. While Val found her insufferable, Cassandra's eagerness to befriend and support the students of the Academy had earned her the respect of many of her colleagues.
Cassandra has a coat of fair orange and a long, brownish, burnt-orange mane tied up in the back. She wore a white and gold robe-dress, with ribbons of silky fabric stretched tightly across her chest. She also carried a spiked war mace that she was not too familiar with, a gift from a tribespony she had converted to the faith. She did not know many combat spells, though this did not concern her; she considered violence to be a disease, after all.
Val had recruited the thief, called Cat Claw, when the company had passed through New Nightshade. They found the girl trapped in the town’s stockade, covered in feces and rotten fruit, a punishment for pick-pocketing jewelry. Val saw potential in Cat, however, who claimed she had knowledge of the Deep Wood and could help them evade the bandits who roamed there. Val freed the girl and allowed her to make her case, and a few drinks later, Cat had been contracted as the tenth member of the company. A cutthroat and a thief she might have been, but the girl knew which roads to avoid and what traps to look out for, which would prove integral if they were to get out of this forest alive. Cat was a skinny young mare with a pale lavender coat and a curly red-orange mane cut halfway down her neck. She wore a purple tunic-dress with a brown belt that held her beloved dagger.
Of all the ponies in the company, Val naturally trusted these two the least. A delusional fanatic who cowered at the first sight of blood, and a treacherous thief who would run at the first sign of trouble; Val decided to keep these two close to her, to keep an eye on both of them.
For the first hour of their journey, the woods were calm and quiet, and while Val kept a watchful eye, Cassandra and Cat exchanged tales of their travels all over the world. Val gritted her teeth. Cassandra made friends easily, something that Val did not have in common. Friendship was the way of the Equestrians, but Val was a warrior of Augusta. Her only friend was her sword.
Cat had made note of some old traps laid by woodland outlaws, many of which seemed to have been exposed and abandoned for some time now.
“The bandits have all left,” Val suspected.
“Not by choice,” Cat said, “They had a good gig here, they wouldn't throw it away without good reason. They were driven away, most likely.”
“By what?” Cassandra asked.
Val’s eyes darted over to Cat.
“What else do you know about this place?” Val demanded, “What have you been keeping from us?”
“I told you everything,” Cat insisted, defensively, laughing at Val’s irritability, “No need to be so paranoid. It's possible they went somewhere else to do their thievery. Not much left in New Nightshade to rob, anyhow. I saw to that."
"Stealing is wrong," Cassandra said, as if she was the first pony to ever say such a thing, "When we return to the Academy you should come with me to the temple, to confess your sins."
Cat giggled and began wolfing down an apple she had picked off a tree half-a-mile earlier.
"We'd be there all day," Cat laughed, "I've never done nothing that wasn't for a good reason, I told your commander that."
"Cutthroats like you always say that," Val muttered, "How else could you manage to sleep at night?"
"I may be a thief, but I'm not a murderer. Can you say the same, Commander?" Cat taunted.
"What I do, I do to protect the Academy and our lands from those who would destroy it," Val said, "I fight so that ponies can live free and happy lives, only to watch ponies like you squander it all and live a selfish life where you prey upon the weak."
"I'm the one helping the weak," Cat insisted, "Me and my friends are the ones who live in the gutters you piss into, the ones who live off the scraps you throw off the walls of your Academy. You really think I'm some monster because I unburden some rich schmuck from their fortieth jewel-encrusted bracelet, to sell for food and supplies that ponies at the bottom need? There's plenty worse than me out there."
"I know," Val agreed, "But that doesn't mean that your crimes will go unpunished."
"Working for you is punishment enough," Cat laughed, "I signed a contract, remember? Once I do this, I go free."
"Yes," Val said, "But we'll be keeping a close eye on you when this is all over, and the next time you get caught it won't be the New Nightshade deputies who hold you accountable. It will be me."
"Oh, don't try to frighten her, Commander," Cassandra said, "Cat, you know it's never too late for a pony to turn their life around. Don't you wish you could have a fresh start? The Academy would welcome you, I'd make sure of it."
"That's sweet of you, I mean it," Cat said, "But I don't think I'd fit in much."
"Everypony thinks that when they first get there," Cassandra said, "But eventually ponies find their own way to fit in. Right Commander?"
Val glared at her.
"Listen, thief, this is the only second chance you’re ever gonna get," Val said, "A contract is a contract. You finish this job and avoid getting on my nerves, and we’ll see what we can do to help you and your friends."
"Since when does the Academy care about ponies like me?" Cat asked, suspiciously.
"Our order is charged to help ponies. So be good, thief, and that’s what we’ll do,” Val said.
Cassandra smiled, while Cat suddenly found a skip in her step, eager to finish this job.
Val narrowed her eyes and turned around to continue down the trail. Not much further ahead, Val had first caught a glimpse of those black, spindly, hairy legs buckling about the canopy.
Each spider, a breed of the Magna Arenei, were a foot taller than the tallest mare at the Academy, and three times as heavy. But they had not attacked yet; likely they were still sizing the group up from the safety of the trees, searching for weaknesses.
And they found one, when Cassandra was snagged from behind by a third, unseen beast.
“Help!” the priestess cried at the top of her lungs. The other two spiders took action as well, charging the group.
“Thief, help the idiot,” Valkyrie commanded, “I’ll handle these two.”
Cat Claw, the thief, nodded her head, sprinting over toward Cassandra with her dagger drawn.
Val took flight and held her sword with her two forehooves, on guard high above her head. One of the spiders sprayed a cone of webbing toward her, which she easily dodged, prancing to the side. When the beast was upon her, Val slashed downward with a false swing, before reversing the blade to maneuver to the right to sever both of its right legs. The hairy legs flopped onto the ground as green blood gushed out from the wounds. The spider hissed in pain and grabbed Val by the shoulder, foreleg, and hip with its remaining legs. But Val was quicker, releasing her sword with her left foreleg, rearing back, and plunging the blade right between the beast’s mandibles. She frowned as she dug the blade deeper, staring into its eyes as it hissed and choked and bled to death. She pulled the blade free, watching as it drooled thick blood and fell to the ground, dead. Grey brain matter scattered across the forest floor with a flick of her sword.
There was little time for celebration before the other was upon her. From its spinneret, the beast sprayed out a sheet of warm, sticky liquid webbing, instantly immobilizing her legs. The transparent white silk layered itself like a fabric, coating her hind thighs and knees. The beast lunged over her to tackle her to the ground. She threw her blade up as she fell backwards.
The impact was devastating; she felt as though an ox had landed right on her chest. The spider had stopped wrestling, however; it lay still. She struggled to push the beast off of her, and saw that it had impaled itself through the chest on her blade.
Once wriggling free, Val ripped the spray of silk from her legs, and stood up to go help the others. Surely, the two of them could have handled the remaining beast.
Glancing up, Val let out a sigh as she took in the situation. The beast was spinning Cat Claw in its arms; her body was already wrapped in silk, and the beast had just finished sealing her forelegs to her chest. Cat Claw was desperately trying to break free, but was practically petrified with fear. Cassandra lay on the ground nearby, wrapped from head to toe in webbing, save for one eye and a large part of her chest. She was groaning in spite of her predicament, struggling futilely.
Pathetic.
“Here! Over here!” Val called out, catching her breath and cleaning her sword of blood against the corpse of the second spider she killed.
The spider turned to face her, before finishing its work on Cat Claw, wrapping her face several times to silence her screams before tossing her roughly to the ground.
Val took on a defensive posture, watching the spider step to the side, searching for an opening to strike at. Poor Cat Claw had her entire face wrapped, and had no gaps in her cocoon; the only giveaway was a lock of red-orange mane sticking out from the wrapping on her head. This would not be their final fate, Val thought. I will see to tha-
Her thought was interrupted when a stream of silk landed directly on her face. The world went dark as the silk completely covered her eyes. She held onto her sword, but immediately began tugging on the mass of webbing with her foreleg, as she kept hovering in the air. Just as she managed to rip it off, the spider had a hold of her.
The beast wrenched the sword from her hooves, tossing it to the ground.
“Let go!” Val roared. I don’t need a sword to end you.
As if to respond, the spider began to spin her around. Val felt a warm liquid make impact with her stomach, and then felt the silk wrap around her midsection. She fought with all her strength, and managed to slow the beast’s progress, but it was much stronger than she was, and had four free limbs to deal with her.
“You won’t make a meal out of me!” Val yelled as she kicked at it, but the beast took the hits with no issue. I need my sword.
The beast, who was called Ka’Shaza in its own tongue, eyed her hungrily. The others might feed her well for a week or so, but as for this one … Gorgo would want her.
Ka’Shaza pulled her away from itself, tightening the slack of the strand emanating from its spinneret. As she spun her prey, the silk layered on extremely tightly, causing Val to gasp for air as it squeezed her chest. She quickly wrapped up Val’s hind legs, hips, stomach, and chest, before sealing Val’s forelegs to her sides.
Ka’Shaza hissed. This one fought hard for a pony.
Val gave it one last kick before it sealed Val’s hind legs together and wrapped up her hooves. The silk steamed as it layered onto her body.
“Don’t you know who I am?” Val barked, “I’ll kill you, I swear to - mmmmmmph!”
The beast took its time to wrap up her face, and then examined her in its grasp. Val would make it a wonderful meal, and Ka’Shaza briefly considered devouring her right then and there.
How can this be? Val was furious. How could this creature best me?
The cocoon rendered her unable to speak, and as it cooled, it became harder and harder to see anything. The spider wrapped her in two full layers before it finally stopped.
Val noticed something through the thick fabric of the silk. Through the silk, she could just barely make out the shine of her sword. The blade had fallen down and ended up lodged in a log with its blade up, and was only three feet away.
Val might have laughed, if she could move her mouth at all.
Ka’Shaza eyed Val, searching for any thin spots in the cocoon that she would need to augment.
Ponies made excellent meals, especially the mares. All that juicy fat and flesh and muscle would be turned into a tasty smoothie for the beast to suck out and feast upon. Ka’Shaza’s eyes darted up across the woods, and she noticed one of the other mares nearby was trying to cut herself free against a sharp rock. Val saw the beast glance away from her.
Now or never.
Val used every ounce of her remaining strength and bucked forwards, headbutting the spider in its mouth. It did little to phase the beast, who did what Val assumed was the closest its species could do to laugh, a low clicking sound. The world around her began to fade as the cocoon silk cooled more and more. Shapes blurred and colors faded, until there was nothing left but white.
Ka’Shaza was pleased. She had a bountiful catch, and now no friends to share it with. Gorgo would be pleased to receive her offering, and may even let her have better hunting grounds. The beast turned to set the cocooned Val down, but lost her balance as her foot landed in a rabbit hole.
Val felt her world turn around, before suffering a massive blow to her entire body as she landed hard and fast on the ground. Ka’Shaza had fallen beside her, before letting loose a horrible scream, and falling limp, still, and silent. She felt a warm liquid seeping into her cocoon from the ground.
The idiot lost its balance, Val realized, It fell right on the blade.
She let out a triumphant “MMMMMMMPH!” and continued trying to escape from her silky prison.
She tried to locate where the sword had pierced up through the beast, and rub herself against its blade, but ended up rolling off the spider, ending up face down in the dirt. She was able to roll and kick her legs, but not much else.
Celestia was on their side. Cassandra knew it. The sun goddess saw to it that her faithful servants were protected.
Thank you Goddess. Praise Celestia!
With her one free eye, Cassandra had been able to locate a jagged rock, and had been rubbing her right foreleg and hoof against it for what seemed like hours. The silk was strong, every bit as strong as good leather, but stretchy and sticky besides. Back and forth, she managed to rip a small hole after repetitive motions finally wore an opening a full ten minutes later. Exhausted, she managed to poke her hoof out of the cocoon, and started to shuffle her way towards Cat.
Cat’s dagger was lying in the dirt, and only two minutes away. It took a whole minute for Cassandra to slowly drag herself towards the blade.
Knife in hoof, Cassandra began slicing at her other foreleg, which was sealed to her side. She cut and cut, but the knife kept getting stuck in the silk. Cassandra never once confessed her frustration, focusing on the task at hand.
Celestia protects us. Celestia protects us.
She finally freed her other foreleg after another five minutes or so, and took a break.
She looked around and saw the others were having no such luck. Cat was lying still nearby, having given up long ago. Val had ended up squirming into a nearby web, and was stuck to it like an insect. Her body was buckling wildly, and she didn’t look like she was slowing down. Ka’Shaza lay nearby in a pool of dark green blood.
After a brief rest, Cassandra managed to free her upper body, peeling the tight, sticky silk away. She managed to remove it from her clothes, and then sat in the dirt, wrapped from the hips down, essentially a merpony out of water for a moment while she caught her breath again. Composing herself, she went to work and finally freed her legs. Her body was sore from all that effort, and her skin was tingling from the overwhelming tightness of the cocoon. The entire ordeal had taken over ninety minutes.
There was still more work to do, and she needed to be quick about it. Cassandra opted to free Val first. After another thirty minutes, all three mares were free.
Val felt the sting of defeat. She had not only been bested, but humiliated too. I slayed a full-grown wyvern. Ogres twice the size of a carriage, and more ponies than all of the Academy put together. Her first real defeat had come from some measly giant spider; she had been packaged up like some dimwit village girl to make a late night snack. And worst of all, it was Cassandra who had rescued her. The priestess had worn a repulsive smirk when she cut Val’s cocoon open, babbling on her nonsense about her sun goddess. The gods of Equestria aren’t our gods, and none of them watch over us, anyway.
But Val did not have the energy to snap at Cassandra. She took a moment to collect herself. She would have to train harder, she thought. Clearly she had gotten sloppy ever since she took up all those office duties. They could not rest for long, the others could be in trouble.
"We have to go find everypony else, make sure they're safe," Val said.
Val glanced at Cat, who had hardly spoken a word since being free. She wants to get out of here. Who could blame her? Damn the gold, damn the company, damn the spiders most of all.
“Don’t even think about running, thief,” Val warned, “I will find you.”
Cat only smiled.
“A contract is a contract,” Cat replied, bowing her head. But her eyes said otherwise; she only needed the right moment.