Find Your Wings

A Pact with a Widow

Molt's POV

Molt had a mind to keep close to Emerald ever since Hopper told him that he had to leave with them. Yet there was something heavy that was bothering him. First of all, it was the fact that Flitter was dead ...

He knew Hopper cared about her as well, and her babies.

At this point, when the flock had come upon the black river to cross, Molt instantly picked up on his brother's familiar scent. Thinking that he was close... Molt strayed away just a little bit to see if he could locate him, which brought him a lot of trouble. Molt found himself all alone, rather quickly. Which made the poor grasshopper panic. Although he knew this was due to his own mistake, Molt did what he knew best and went to search for water. Little did he know that there were insects in these parts who hungered for others, in the shape of webs.

"O-o-oh gosh! This was a bad idea!" he trembled.

As soon after he landed, something was spat at his leg and he found that he was trapped by a net of silky white webs. He shook and tried to back away from the sticky substance, but he knew he was in grave danger. The birds were gone... and so was Hopper.

"Look over there now... A little snack for me." spoke a disembodied, soothing, tender voice of a female.

Molt gasped when he saw a six legged black widow. Simply dark and beautiful, she seemed to float down and looked through the net of her own web. Her green eyes lit up with glee.

"My patience has paid off." she chuckled.

"NO-no! Please! Please! I-I didn't mean t-"

"Don't you worry, little grasshopper. This won't hurt a bit."

"PLEASE! Please — I was just looking for my brother!"

"Oh? There are more of you?"

"No, no, um!"

He had to think quickly.

"Th-there's a bird! A bird, yeah! Ya shouldn't eat me. Nope. Ya shouldn't!"

"I think I should, dear. I've been waiting for a catch like you. I can't pass this one up, you know."

"Y-yeah, yeah I understand but ya wouldn't want me... because look!"

As a demonstration and out of desperation, he began to pick and rip off bits of his own molting skin.

"See? Ya see? Haha... I'm not that healthy... And there are birds out there who know me. Ya don't wanna -O-o-oh no, I am going to die..." he trailed off, seeing that his rambling wasn't working.

As he backed up against the tall grass, he was able to spot a small opening nearby. He had a lot he wanted to live for. Hopper made a promise and who knew what would happen if he found out he was dead.... Flitter would want him to try. His captor saw the approaching tears in his eyes. Sensing her prey's broken spirit, she inched closer.

"Oh, my dear. You've truly been through something, haven't you? Don't you worry, it will be all over very soon."

The widow shot a claw at him to grab him.

"Whah!!" he yelped, making a direct leap through that narrow escape.

She nearly got his leg, but he slipped away and immediately started flying again. Free, he perched and held onto a tall weed limb. Panting, he dared to look down at where he almost met his death. The widow peered up at him, dismayed. Molt felt his heart beginning to break all over again, that the widow acted like she cared. But he was only a meal to her. It made him wonder if he was really, truly alone .... The widow watched her missed meal fly away as she slunk back into her little burrow behind the net of web she tried to trap him with.