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The high grasses to either side of the kimeti rustled softly in the breeze. That alone was enough to make Wood Spider reconsider this course of action, because if she brushed against them with flank or leg, their sawtooth edges cut right through her fur, as sharp as crocodile teeth; there was a reason she'd heard this called tooth-grass. She had already sustained a cut across her nose, and she was fairly certain that the protective charm that she'd tied around her tail had fallen off about half a mile ago. Now she had to be careful not to attract ghosts... but it'd be worth it if she managed to catch what was in front of her.

In the middle of a web that glistened in midair, woven between two huge cypress knees, was a fat spider which glistened like a jewel, all blue-green and violet. Wood Spider had heard, somewhere (or she'd made it up) that spiders were good luck, and their shells could be used for jewelry that would stop flies from biting. It'd be worth it, if she could just make it through the sucking mud and tooth-grass and actually get to it. She grunted with the effort of lifting a hoof out of the muck and took one more careful step forward. So far, the spider hadn't noticed a thing...

Not struggling anymore -- Spider had managed to get all four feet out of the sticky mud and on more stable ground, and had been just about to make a lunge for the spider when the crane swoops in and eats it! Spider recoils in shock, back hooves sinking into the mud again, but manages to ignore it -- the spider, the one she'd found that would have been perfect, has just been eaten by a crane. Ignoring the fact that cranes are a rarity in the Swamp and a sign unto themselves (they bring good luck! they bring blessings and advice!), she snorts in disgust and says, quite distinctly, as if the crane can talk, "I was going to use that. Now I'm going to be itchy all the way home."

Wood Spider stared the crane down, not blinking; that spider had been a pretty one, and it would have made perfect jewelry! And she'd eaten it? Of all things to do -- her look went from irritated to indignant, but quieted, fascinated, when the Swamp itself seemed to speak to her. Why would the Swamp speak to her about charms and itching...?

Her face was puzzled, but she stood up straight and prim and managed to sound polite and questioning as she asked, "All spiders ease itching. You should know, you made them! The spiders and the mud and the flies!"

Come to think of it, the doe was a little rounder around the belly than she had been, a little softer; even had she been successful in pouncing that spider, she might not have made it. Clumsy to begin with, Wood Spider was now carrying a few extra pounds from her young. She hadn't paid it much thought, but it was visible in her belly, especially as she moved. In a few days, however, it would become much more noticeable.

She glanced off to the copse of trees to the side, the shimmer having caught her eye; the sun was beginning to set, however, and this was the time will-o-the-wisps came out to play; such things as shimmers and spangled light weren't that uncommon... but talking cranes were. No doubt there were legends about them that she just, well, hadn't paid attention to; she didn't know any remedies or charms using crane feathers, either, but now was not the time to ask the crane whether it knew.

She turned her attention back to the crane, so as not to be rude. "You know, I have never spoken to a crane before. My name's Wood Spider." Feeling rather out of her league, a little discombobulated as things got stranger by degrees, Spider decided to play along and run with it. She shifted her weight in the mud; she'd been feeling a little odd lately. "It's nice to meet you. This really is quite a lovely part of the swamp. Especially at sunset."

Wood Spider was too polite to gape; instead, she stood for a moment, shifting her weight again. Suddenly it made sense, in a way that was just a little embarassing (her ears drooped) -- no wonder she'd felt a little off lately, bigger than normal, slightly clumsier; of course she was pregnant. Things happened when you spent time with a handsome young buck. Suddenly warmth flooded through her, spreading from her belly out.

She was carrying young! That opened up a whole new realm of possibilities, a whole new list of things she would have to search for in the Swamp -- but now she took a step forward, then two, until she could feel the soft brush of the crane's wingtips against her chest.

Spider stands as still as she can, struck with the news; not only is she with young, but this kimeti is one of the ones she's heard about, those chosen and blessed by the Motherfather, who have a piece of the Swamp within them. She stands with her hooves together, regarding Webweave intently -- and then nods, once, her understanding. Her look goes from somewhat distracted and spacey to intent, respectful, and slightly awestruck.

The flutters make her shiver, made her eyes slip shut -- she can feel them dancing all over her body, as fine as spider's legs, as gentle as the brush of willow leaves against her coat. When the other kimeti leaves, after merging back into her actual shape, Wood Spider nods at her, still feeling those flutters dance over her.