It only took a few seconds to determine it did.
River Coyote studied the scene, and came to understand the pair must have fallen in the swollen river and been swept downstream. The Spider People’s territory lay more than a day’s travel to the north, so she must have clung to some log or branch while the spider hung on to her. Considering the state of the river, they were both lucky to be alive…assuming the woman still lived.
After a while the woman settled the question herself as she began to stir. She groaned and rolled over, careful to avoid pinning her protector beneath her.
River Coyote tensed in his spot in the tree as she climbed to her feet, then moved in his direction. But he saw that she almost stumbled with every step, and her destination was a fallen log halfway between them. She sank down on the log with a weary sigh, and the spider crawled up on the wood beside her. The hunter relaxed a little as he realized she was exhausted, and would most likely fall asleep again in the warming sun.
‘And if I do fall asleep? What then, Dog Warrior?’ the woman called in a tired voice. “Will I wake to see the world again, or will my throat be cut while I slumber?’
River Coyote almost fell out of the tree in surprise. He knew about veneno and that the Spider People could sense the minds of others, but he hadn’t expected her to read him from quite so far away.”
“I assume,” Olivia changed to a pedantic tone from the one she used while storytelling, “at this time in our history we had not yet figured out the difference between talents and second generation talents, and from the description this woman was obviously the latter.” Then she returned to her storytelling cadence.
“But even surprised, the brave still had his pride and the suggestion made by the woman offended him.
‘I am River Coyote, hunter of the southern tribes,’ he retorted as he dropped from the tree, ‘and I do not murder women in their sleep. Not even the women of my enemies. You are welcome to come sleep in the shelter of the tree, and I will keep watch to see you are safe. But I do not trust the beast you keep with you. What of him?’
‘Then I thank you for your hospitality, River Coyote,’ she acknowledged with a tired nod. ‘I am Dawn Meadow, spirit singer of the Spider Tribe, and I accept your offer of shade and protection. I will send my companion up into the tree to make webs and hunt birds. She will not trouble you further.’
So she picked up the spider and joined him at the tree. Wary of the large creature, River Coyote kept his distance. But the woman did as she said and placed her companion on the trunk of the tree, where it climbed and disappeared into the branches above. Then she practically collapsed in the shade, and soon fell asleep.
River Coyote watched her from just outside the cover of the leaves, not trusting the unseen spider enough to be under it. But he could now see that beneath the dirt and dishevelment caused by her misadventure, she was a young woman several years short of twenty summers. So he squatted in the grass near the tree and stood watch until the woman woke again.
But when Dawn Meadow woke again, she trembled with fever and could barely stir. Returning to her people that day was out of the question, and in her weakened condition the hunter wondered if the woman would even survive the illness.
So River Coyote found himself in the role of nursemaid. He brought her water from the river in a reed, and set snares to catch rabbits. For two days he tended to her, talked with her, and listened to her tell stories of her life and people. And in all that time the spider never showed itself.
Then, on the third day, she recovered enough to insist she begin her journey back to her people. She summoned down her companion, and started to thank River Coyote for his care, but he would have none of it. He could see she remained far too weak to make the journey back in a day, let alone unescorted.
So for three more days they moved north…stopping, resting, and starting again as she recovered her strength. During those days they talked more, and River Coyote told of his own life and adventures. During this time, Dawn Meadow had also convinced him enough of her control over the spider to coax him into resting his hand on the creature. So the couple became ever more at ease as they traveled, and by the end of the third day they reached the border of the Spider Tribe’s land.
But now that Dawn Meadow had safely reached her people’s lands, the pair discovered that another problem faced them.
They had fallen in love.
River Coyote begged her to come back to his tribe, as it was not unknown for people to move within the Karankawa tribes due to marriage and the like. He also swore he would personally slay the first man to offer violence to either her or her spider. But Dawn Meadow tearfully refused, explaining her companion could only survive for so long away from its home.
So faced with having to say goodbye to the woman he now loved, River Coyote did the unheard of…he asked if he could be accepted into the Spider Tribe as her spouse instead.
Dawn Meadow did not know if this could be done, but she told him if he would remain here on the edge of their territory, she would go ask permission of her clan. She promised she would be the one to return with the answer, so if it was ‘no’ she could at least see him one more time and say goodbye. She said the Spider People were already aware of their presence on the edge of their territory, and he would be safe until her return.
River Coyote agreed, and with a heavy heart watched her walk away. He built a small fire, and settled down to wait. For two nights he waited, and the hunter began to wonder if something had gone wrong and Dawn Meadow was not being allowed to return. But on the third morning, he awoke to see her approaching with a look of determined hope on her face.
‘I have talked with the Elders,’ the young woman announced, ‘and they have debated long. They were not eager to allow this, but my pleas reached the attention of the Great Mother herself and she has chosen to intervene. She wishes to meet you and judge for herself if you will be allowed to stay.’
‘The Great Mother?’ River Coyote asked.
‘Yes,’ Dawn Meadow answered solemnly. ‘The Great Mother Spider whose web connects us all. She has offered you safe passage to meet her. But I also remember how my companion made you nervous, and I must warn you she is far larger and more powerful. No man could stand against her for a second. And though she only wishes to meet you, you may find her fearsome to behold. Many prisoners have fainted dead away at the sight of her.’
And River Coyote was afraid, for he had heard terrible tales about what our tribe called the Matriarch. But one look at Dawn Meadow firmed his resolve, and he told her he would face anything only so long as they could stay together.
So Dawn Meadow led him into the land of the Spider Tribe. Much of it was forested, and they went deep into the trees. Several times he saw spiders, some almost half the size as the one clinging to the woman’s shoulder, but they hung in webs away from the trail. Finally he arrived at the village of the Spider People.
The legend does not recount precisely what he saw there, but mentions there were several sights that would make a man’s blood run cold. Then it says that after passing through the village, he was brought to a space where two pine trees towered over a great fire pit across from the huts.
And between those two trees stood a woman.
The tribe all showed obeisance to the woman, so River Coyote did the same. She was obviously Karankawa, but wore the leather dress and moccasins of the Wacos. He also noticed the style of huts were similar in some ways to the Wacos as well, which is not surprising since they lived near the lands of the Wichita sub-tribe.
‘Greetings River Coyote,’ the woman addressed him, ‘I have no name as you know them, but I am known to my people as the Great Mother.’”
“Waitaminute,” Adam interjected. “A woman?”
“Indeed,” Olivia held up a hushing finger, so Adam fell silent, “and River Coyote was equally confused.
‘Greetings, Great One’ he replied, ‘It is an honor to speak to you. But I…’
‘Y
ou were expecting something different,’ the woman smiled. ‘And you should. I am something different, River Coyote. I chose this form simply because it makes communication more natural. But it is a lie…a lie that I will let you pierce for a moment so you may see the truth.’
As she said this, the woman vanished. For a second, River Coyote stared in astonishment at the empty space she had occupied. But then his focus widened and it took all his courage to keep from falling backwards.
An enormous spider, a true leviathan, hung between the pine trees. From the tips of her lower legs, to where the ends of her rear appendages reached was a distance the equal of six tall men. It towered over him, and the village behind. Its great yellow and black form seemed to glare down on them all.
Then it was gone, and the woman stood where she had vanished a mere moment before.
‘So now you have looked upon me, River Coyote. Am I equal to the stories you have been told?’
‘Even more than equal,’ the hunter gasped.
‘And yet you would be willing to live in that grass hut, not a child’s spear-cast from me?’
River Coyote looked at the nearby hut, and then over at Dawn Meadow. When he saw the hope in her eyes, his heart rallied and he turned to face the woman again. She now stood only a few feet from him, and he noticed the rest of the Spider People moving back. For a second, their retreat confused him…then he understood.
‘Yes, hunter,” she spoke, ‘I am now before you in life, exactly as the illusion is. At this moment you stand eyes to eyes with me, almost between my very fangs. Do you wish to see this in reality?’
Although he saw nothing but the woman, he believed what she said without a single doubt. Fear wrapped him so tight, he found it hard to speak…but speak he did.
‘If it pleases you, Great One…and if it will convince you my heart for Dawn Meadow is true…then do as you will.’
The woman who wasn’t there stared at him for a few seconds longer, then nodded her head in affirmation.
‘I am satisfied,’ she stated. ‘You are welcome to join us, River Coyote, and I approve your joining with Dawn Meadow. But understand this, you will be a member of the Spider People. You will obey our laws and be loyal to only us. We will be your family from that point on. All of us…both two-legged and eight. Do you understand?’
‘I understand, Great One. I only ask one favor.’
‘And that is?’
‘Allow me to return to my current family so I may say goodbye and they will know what has become of me. I do not wish them to wait in vain hope, and eventually mourn me in ignorance. I will be there and back before the full moon.’
The Matriarch considered him for a moment, then agreed.
‘The choice is yours. We will await you, and there will be a feast in celebration for you and Dawn Meadow once you have returned. And the hut I indicated will be yours and hers to share.’
So River Coyote bade the Matriarch and Dawn Meadow goodbye and headed south.
He traveled several days, covering much territory, but his heart was heavy. He loved Dawn Meadow, yet would miss his own tribe. Finally, he came to the great coastal lagoons where our people were camping.
Our tribe spent that time of the year there, digging and subsisting on the cattail roots crowding along the shore. It was a poor diet, enough to keep us alive but the addition of any meat was always a welcome occurrence. So at first, the sight of River Coyote was a cause of much joy.
They crowded and congratulated him as he threw down a deer he had shot on the way back. Then once he sat in the hut of his family, he told his father and brothers the story of his adventure. And that tale of the Matriarch has been handed down from generation to generation by our people ever since.”
Olivia stared at her steepled hands, a faraway look in her eyes, and Adam sensed the story really didn’t end there.
“And they all lived happily ever after?” he pressed gently.
For a second, he got the impression she wasn’t going to answer. She continued to stare at the point where her index fingers met. Then she took a small breath and her calm green eyes rose to meet his.
“No, Adam,” she replied softly. “That very night, River Coyote was slain by his father and brothers. And ever after, when the story is told to children, he is presented as our greatest traitor. You might say he is our version of Benedict Arnold.”
Adam almost winced, but fought back the impulse.
It’s a story by a nation at war, he reminded himself, a tribe nearly wiped out by the other tribe. And people who put their own feelings before those of their tribe aren’t going to be remembered fondly in those situations. Still…ouch!
“So,” he recovered, “then this Matriarch can do what Grandma Lilah does. She can project images into your head.”
“If that part of the story is true,” Olivia replied. “I have no other data to support or dismiss that aspect of it. But I now know she is intelligent and powerfully psionic. I’m confident it was her who recognized the totem after seeing it in the minds of her people, and had them stop shooting at you and Uncle Antonio.”
Adam considered the import of that for a moment, then realized the implications of them using the totem in the first place.
“Which is what you were counting on, wasn’t it,” he whispered in awe. “You saw David’s photograph, then combined it with elements of old legends…and in a matter of hours you came up with a whole new theory of your enemy, while working out the probable capabilities of something you only recently learned existed, and then formulated a plan based on what you deduced about her mental makeup. My God, I’m scared to think of the difficulty level you must have your computer chess program set to.”
She lifted an eyebrow and gave him a cryptic look.
“I’ll take that as a compliment, but it’s not quite as impressive as you are making it. I had been toying with the theory of the Matriarch’s existence for some time…in a non-serious ‘what if’ sort of way…and had even bandied scenarios with Uncle Antonio a couple of times of what could be done if it ever turned out to be the case. He was the one who remembered those conversations in the Elder’s meeting and proposed this mission. Then he passed the planning and research back to me, and I guess you could say the rest is history.”
Adam shook his head in wonder.
“It just means you already had this stuff figured out and didn’t even know it yet. Whatever Antonio pays you, it probably ain’t enough.”
“Indeed,” came her dry reply. “And speaking of that, I have a mountain of work to do regarding other projects and administrative matters. As always, duty calls.”
“Time for me to go, eh?”
“I’m afraid so.” She picked up her tablet, yet held up an interrupting finger as Adam started to open the door to leave. “But I did bring my chess set. So if you would like to come back this evening…seven o’clock perhaps…we’ll see if you have learned anything.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CARPE DIEM, CARPE CORPUS
Adam spent the rest of the day in different stages of rumination, calculation, and simple frustration.
He brooded over this morning’s new information while putting it into context with his experience of the past couple of weeks. Not like there was much else to do. He could do that or try to find something on the few channels offered by the hotel TV. And since his only companion was of the arachnid persuasion, conversation didn’t appear to be much of an option either.
“You can’t talk, right?” Adam growled at the spider. Hell, after hearing about the Matriarch and watching this creature’s performance with the boy from the Spider tribe this morning, it seemed like a reasonable question.
If so, Charlotte seemed content to merely continue her role as disinterested observer from her totem in the corner while he paced the room.
Even worse, his thoughts were torn between assessing his situation and a certain green-eyed woman who somehow managed to be both right next door and a million miles away.
> “Christ! It isn’t bad enough I’m stuck in a B-grade monster movie, but apparently I’m a hormonal teenager stuck in a B-grade monster movie!”
Remembering the surveillance video, Adam pulled back the curtains to peer out the window. After a quick visual search, he spotted the car belonging to their watcher from the other tribe. If Antonio was to be believed, the boy had been patiently watching and waiting for around forty eight hours.
“Nix that,” he muttered, “even the hormonal teenagers have their crap together better than me.”
So now what?
For a second he debated taking the long walk to the hotel lobby, just for the change in scenery. But then he wondered if he should be leaving his room, which brought up a whole new issue.
What exactly was his status here? Was he a prisoner? Was he allowed to leave the room? And what if he did? Was Olivia going to come flying out of her room to force him to return at gunpoint? Somehow, that didn’t seem likely. Hell, come to think of it, what was to keep him from simply going out and striking up a chat with the kid watching him from across the street?
Okay, scratch that last idea. Too much chance of getting shot or gobbled up by big spiders.
So now what?
“Okay, fine!” Adam snapped aloud in exasperation. “I’ll just take a walk to the lobby and we’ll see, won’t we Charlotte!”
Charlotte munched on a bug, but otherwise kept her own counsel.
Five minutes later, Adam stood in the hotel lobby feeling nine kinds of fool. No interference from Olivia, no ambush by the Spider Tribe kid, and no lightning from the heavens. Nothing but him standing in a hotel lobby with an elderly lady looking askance at him from behind her desk.
He muttered something unintelligible, spied a rack of brochures, and grabbed a bunch before returning to his room.
Apparently nobody cared where he went…probably because there was nowhere to go.
He spent the afternoon alternately watching TV, reading brochures about historical attractions, and talking to Charlotte. None of it did much to stem the rising frustration. The occasional peek out the curtains always showed the kid from the Spider Tribe to still be unmoved across the street. Nothing new there. No noise issued from Olivia’s room next door, but then he knew she would be buried in her computers and working.
Spiderstalk Page 32
