Edeltraud was a long way from home. She always found herself drifting to tunnels, though. They were smaller, they felt tighter. The caves themselves were too open for her. Frightening. This newest tunnel, with its encroaching walls, she found especially comforting. Edeltraud padded about the soft celadon grasses of Pegasus' entrance. This particular patch easily grew up to her head, but she enjoyed the concealment that it brought, and the flickering yellow fairy lights soothed her. Edeltraud trampled a warm patch of grass with her hooves, her leather satchel swaying about her side. Once satisfied with her spot, she flicked her tail about to clear her of any upturned earth. Perfect. Edeltraud sighed and settled in the grass daintily, her wool settling around her in such a way that she looked not dissimilar to a loaf of warm bread. An extremely moldy one.

Edeltraud tucked her head close to her satchel, eyes closed, and let the scents flow in. As she lay there, some prey part of her that desired awareness crept into her subconscious. She could not see very far in it, after all. Edeltraud stretched out her non-physical senses and let her magicka flow.

Tendrils of her magicka dug into the mycellium beneath her. It did not stretch far, digging only into the soil immediately around her. But there, five or six feet away, she could feel strange dots of pressure grow and then leave the mycelium in spots. Edeltraud raised her head, blinking bright doe-like eyes in the direction she sensed. Given it was high as she was, she didn't see anything. But whatever it was, it was...around her size, she guessed. Perhaps smaller? Edeltraud stood, cautiously trotting her way over. She saw one of its legs weave through the grass. A...spider? A white and red fuzzy one. She didn't often notice the creatures smaller than her. The larger ones were much easier to spot, and scarier. Granted...this one was quite large itself. Not quite her size though. It still made her feel a strange sense of comradery. "Are you here alone too...?" She asked it, taking another soft step forward.

The spitting bug raised its back, flashing bright red hairs in what she was sure was supposed to be a threatening display. But she only felt pity for it. The thing was around her size, and out here alone. How sad. But it didn't seem like it would let her help it. Not yet, at least. Even now it was trying to slip away. Edeltraud's heart pounded at the idea of being alone. No, she needed to calm it. Keep it by her.

Edeltraud turned to her side. A litany of soft white puffballs bloomed and then split in her wool. It was a spray with little direction--she was still stretching her muscles, learning to use spells. Most puffed harmlessly into random directions, but by sheer luck some managed to land on the spitting bug. Its abdomen remained raised, but it seemed...unfocused. A spray of venom surely meant for her was aimed off--scattering in the grass near her, rather than at her. The results still were unsavory. It wasn't friendly enough. Edeltraud frowned. She felt her own lids begin to lower. Edeltraud shook her tail to wake herself up.

"What a fluke," she muttered. Edeltraud trotted a few paces away. Before it could once again try to flee into the grass, Edeltraud tried once again to bloom the puffballs.

The puffballs bloomed once again, but this time Edeltraud knew how to control them. She aimed them for the spider, and pale chalky spores launched in its direction. It was bound to have gotten more than a slight taste. The spores should have flooded its system by now. There--now that was much better! The spider wobbled. With the combination of both doses it toppled. It still squirmed, trying to bring its legs under itself. Another jet of that paralytic poison shot out. Well, more dripped. Its muscles were too relaxed for it to actually hit her.

Edeltraud smiled. A soft, dainty thing full of genuine joy. "There--now isn't that much better? Sit still now--I'll keep you nice and calm." But how to do that? Edeltraud knew how to reach out with her magic. To make spores to dull the senses. But to befriend? Edeltraud hummed a soft melody to herself, skipping as she paced about the spider. She stopped on her third lap of the spider, bouncing up with a burst of joy. An idea! Edeltraud leaned her head down to touch the spider on a leg, the creature too far gone to give much fight.

"Here--I'll try this."

Edeltraud frowned. The magicka bloomed inside her, but nothing happened. It did not come to her. She felt fungus blossom along her front hooves instead, dying within seconds. Edeltraud reared her head back to frown at her feet. She'd channeled it wrong, it seems. But, luckily enough, the spider was still struggling to move. She'd still have some time before it was able to run or try to hurt her. Her heart beat harder.

How exciting--a time limit! The prey fear melded with her prey need to be surrounded by a flock. It was a strange emotion. But it was addicting. Adrenaline and serotonin raced through her at once, both conflicting and harmonious. What a rush! Edeltraud laughed softly under her breath. This was a feeling she could get used to. Edeltraud turned her attention back to the spitting bug.

"Ill try once more, hmm? Thank you for sitting so still."

Once again, the fungus did not bloom on the spider as she wished. A litany of strange, malformed shapes took root in the grass around her. It was oddly similar to how her last attempt had gone. To only add to her urgency, the spider had begun to writhe further, its mandibles twitching. "Drat." She still had a little more time to practice. Just a little more. "Patience," she whispered, both to herself and to the spider, high pitched. Her body shook with the overwhelming excitement. "You'll be free soon enough."

Edeltraud squinted, closing her eyes. She needed to concentrate. Force out the shapes she needed.

Her magic came stronger that time, yet it still was not enough. She was, perhaps, toying with forces she could not quite control yet. It would take longer to master. Edeltraud frowned. It began trying to regain its footing. Edeltraud backed away. She had to stop it.

"Sleep more for me," she said sadly. If she could get it down again, she guessed it would be down long enough for her to practice with without much fuss.

Her spore magic was more responsive at least. Spores rained upon the half conscious spider, and this was enough to finally drag it into unconsciousness. The spider collapsed, a writhe slowly dying. Soon, not a single one of its limbs twitched. Edeltraud still stood where she was with bated breath. When the seconds dragged on without any sign of movement, she at last let out a sigh of relief. She had done it! A smile wormed its way onto her face again.

She had plenty enough time to practice with it now. Edeltraud approached it without fear, pressing her black snout into a spot above its eyes. Another try, then. "Soon, dear," she whispered to the unconscious spider.

Now, with her practice in mind, Edeltraud knew what to do. It came to her easily. The fungus she wanted was long and upright, it would spread through this spider's body. Change the structure of its mind. A spark of her magic, of this fungus, budded inside of the spitting bug's head. It spread weakly, it spread slowly, but it was there. She could feel it already begin to change the spitting bug's brain structure. Register her as friend, aquaintance, rather than enemy. Edeltraud laughed, launching into a series of overjoyed pronks. She'd done it!

And Edeltraud could push it further--further her friendship with it. She would not have to fear wandering the caves alone. Edeltraud trotted over to the spitting bug once more. "Here, dolly. Let me help you a bit more," she said. The word doll came to her. It felt right. It was small, fragile. It fit with the word. Yes, it was one of her dolls now. Part of her flock. Edeltraud touched the part of her magicka that spread fungi. Reaching for it, she touched the spitting bug's head again, willing this fungus to overtake the spider quicker.

No--Edeltraud had pushed her magicka too far. She was far more exhausted than she felt. Rather than the rapid spread of her cordyceps, Edeltraud collapsed onto her side, unconscious immediately. She fell into a deep sleep. But it was not one of nightmares.

When Edeltraud next woke, she way laying on her side in the grasses. Alone. Edeltraud shot up. The memories of her previous adventures crawled into the forefront of her mind. Edeltraud shook herself out. Had the spider remained near? A glance about gave her nothing. "Doll? Are you near?" Edeltraud called out. Silence extended for much longer than she wanted, but she heard the rustle of blade on blade as the grass parted for the spider. It worked its chelicerae as it watched her, and Edeltraud couldn't help the sweet smile that split her lips.

"Ah, what a relief! Give me a minute, I need to make sure you're mine." Edeltraud said. She hummed as she activated her magic. It came to her easier this time, and at last she stretched out her nose to touch the spitting bug.