They had been waiting in silence since they first caught scent of the human young. Ambush was a spider’s game and this large breed was no exception. It was one of their own who’d seen the girls first enter the forest and a small group of them had come to see for themselves.

Things were still a little strange in the forest. While the acromantulas worked to rebuild their colony, boundaries needed re-establishing. There was unrest among the trees and prey was taking its own time to return as well.

Blast that mist and the dark creature that had slithered within it. Now the acromantulas were hungry. These days, they felt hungrier than anyone had a right to while they waited for normalcy to return. A pair of little humans would serve them well. But drat there was a next human, an older one and he’d brought barking snacks. They would not let their careful game be for nothing.

“NOW!” The leader of the hunt bellowed and suddenly the dark forest came alive as several acromantulas sprang into view. Three stood between the man and the girls, pincers snapping in anticipation. This was their meal and no one would ruin it.