The Stray

2-40: Every Witch Way

The Case of the Fluff Tipper and The Case of The Blood Drugrunner (V's names) were the biggest adventures he had that week, but there was plenty more work to be done before the town hall meeting. In a way, the pace of Timothy's life hadn't changed a bit; he'da been scampering all over the forest trying to scrounge enough food for the winter normally, and now he was scampering all over Fresa trying to be as visible as he could.

"I mean, uh, trying to help as many people as I can." Timothy corrected himself sheepishly. V just chuckled. There was something nice about having someone who knew exactly the flavor of bastard you were. "Yep."

"Hey, if we're doing hero shit, we're doing hero shit. If it helps you scheme or whatever, so much the better, right?"

If there was one thing the forest and this town had in common, it's that there were so, so much to be done, and he had only so much energy and time...

++++++

So much energy and time to spend arguing with the MLL, for example.

<<Look, I get it, but you really ought to just focus on what's already there.>> Timothy groaned. <<I keep tellin' ya, this is gonna be a hard enough sell without tacking on more frass.>>

Ekkhei scowled with all six eyes. <<We have been denied a witch for five years! We deserve compensation!>>

<<It'd be nice, but come on now.>> The wolf shook his head. <<Payback ain't in the contract, and you probably don't wanna mess with it when you're already strugglin' uphill." Frankly, Timothy didn't know enough about contract language to suggest anythin' without it getting them in more problems. The one Myrtle'd helped with was a thing of beauty, far as he could tell. It was all there in simple terms: the people of Fresa, through their Town Witch, agreed not to set any insect traps that weren't spider-safe. Any place they shunned was fair game for the spiders to web up and nest in, and the townsfolk wouldn't swipe them away for it's own sake. They weren't to attack a spider without two clear warnings.

In return, though, the spiders were obligated not to bite people unless cornered, and were to hunt and trap all manner of dangerous pests for the townsfolk. Burner ants, pesterines, meta-roaches, even more esoteric stuff like corn dupes. Not only that, but at the Town Witch's discretion, they could be called upon to "answer the toll of the Steading Bell in time of greatest need..." Whatever that meant. The spiders didn't know, and he wasn't sure who to ask.

Other than that, it was a pretty clear, easy contract, right?

Well...

<<They owe us!>> Ekkhei snarled. <<We have continued our end of the bargain, even as they forget theirs!>>

<<I ain't disputing that! But if you ever want them to pay up, you need to give them time. Y'all being a goin' concern is already gonna push some of their ken to its limit.>> Timothy shook his head. <<It's gonna be a tough enough sell getting y'all a witch of your own as it is.>>

<<He has a point, Ekkhei.>> Alarikh said, moving to bump against her. <<We really ought to keep it simple.>> The lead spider grumbled and skittered away from the contact.

<<Well, you'd better do a damn good job arguing, then!>>

Timothy pursed his lips. <<That's why you're paying me. Now, about that spiderweb integrity clause...>>

<<You'll have that from my cold, dead mandibles!>>

Brrrrong!

"Not you, Mandy..."