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Ithad worked withMr.Bigglesworthand it worked with the enormous spider-cat too.Itcame skittering over to her, it’s long, hairy legs working and its mouth open in a hissing-purr.
Celiatried not to shudder as she reached for it.
Justconcentrate on the face—don’t look at the legs,she ordered herself.Theface is cute—look at the face.
Butshe couldn’t seem to take her own advice.Asshe began stroking the long, silky white fur on the creature’s abdomen, her eyes kept wandering to the many-jointed, chitinous legs which all ended in horrible claw-like feet.Also, the silky-looking fur felt greasy under her fingertips.Shedidn’t enjoy petting the enormous spider-cat as she used to enjoy petting her own cat before he went over to the rainbow bridge.Theswollen abdomen was nothing likeMr.Bigglesworth’ssleek back and sides and the hissing-purr just soundedweird.
Thespider-cat didn’t seem to like the way she was stroking it, either.Aftera moment, it turned its head and glared atCelia, giving her a deep, angry hiss that had no purr in it at all and showing long, lethal looking fangs.Also, it hadn’t produced even an inch of silk from its quivering, bulbous abdomen.
Meanwhile,Sess’ely’sspider-cat had already produced two whole baskets of silk and was working on a third.
“Hey—what amIdoing wrong?”Celiaasked her friend. “She, uh, doesn’t seem to like me,” she added, nodding at her hissing spider-cat.
“Oh, some of them can be socranky.”Sess’elyshook her head. “Look—here comes theMistressofSilksnow.Maybeshe can help.”Sheraised her voice and called, “Excuseme?Mistress?Canyou help us?”
“Yes, girls—what is it?”TheMistressofSilksswept over, wearing an elaborate gold silk dress that prominently displayed her bright blue nipples.
“Oh,Mistress—Celia’sholy spider isn’t making any silk.”Sess’elynodded at the hissing spider-cat whichCeliawas still petting—though extremely warily since it seemed pissed-off.
“Ohdear.”TheMistressofSilksshook her head and looked atCelia. “Doyou not have an affinity for animals, my dear?”
“Ithink she just got a cranky one,”Sess’elysaid helpfully. “Wegot here first, butItook her to see the dying vats and when we came back she was frightened and didn’t get to pick her spider.”
“That’sa great shame.”TheMistressofSilksshook her head. “Butas this holy spider doesn’t seem to like you and there are no others available at the moment,I’mafraid you’ll have to come along and work in the vats today.”
“Oh, does shehaveto?Wewere just getting to be friends—Iwas hoping we could work together today.”Sess’elylooked heartbroken butCeliawas perfectly okay with the new assignment.Shehad no interest in petting any more of the huge, hairy spider-cats.
“That’sokay,” she said quickly. “I’mjust not as good at, uh, petting holy spiders as you are.Idon’t mind working at the dye vats.Andwe can always sit together at lunch,” she added.
“Well…okay.”Sess’elysighed, then brightened. “Iheard from someone we gettingafruit for lunch—you’re going to love it!”
“I’msureIwill.”Celiasmiled at her.Butthen again, her new friend had been sure she would love petting the spider-cats too and look howthathad turned out.Shewas reserving judgment on thetingafruit until she actually tried it. “Well,I’dbetter get going,” she said.
“Comeright this way, my dear,” said theMistressofSilks, nodding at her. “I’llshow you what to do and leave you to it.Imust go back to mind the silk shop onBranchOne.”
ShetookCeliaback to the huge vats and showed her how to dump a basketful of fresh white holy spider silk into a dye vat, stir it around with the paddle for a while, and then fish it out and leave it on one of the broad, purple leaves to dry.Therewas a leaf for each of the colored dyes and it was important not to mix them up.
“Becertain you keep the colors separate,” theMistressofSilkscautioned her. “Andthere’s really not much else to it.I’mafraid you’ll be working alone today, though,” she added, looking around. “Allthe other girls are petting the holy spiders.”
“Oh,Idon’t mind,”Celiaassured her. “I’llmanage just fine on my own.”
“Ohgood, thank you my dear.”TheMistressofSilksglanced at her breasts and shook her head. “It’ssuch a shame your nipples haven’t turned blue yet!You’dbe such an asset to ourSilkProduction—I’msureof it.”
Meaningthat unless her nipples turned blue pretty quickly, she was going to get fed to theMotherTree,Celiathought, feeling that icy cold fear in the pit of her stomach again.Shereally had to do something about that!Butwhat?
Theanswer presented itself when she went to dump a fresh basket of silk into the “PleasureBlue” dye.Thesilk landed with a splat and a droplet of the dye flew up and landed on the back ofCelia’shand.
Itwasn’t hot, despite the way the liquid was steaming, but itdidleave a little blue freckle on her skin, no matter how she tried to wipe it off.
Celiafrowned.
“Well, apparently this stuff dyes skin too,” she muttered to herself. “GuessI’llhave to be more careful from now on.”Andthen a light bulb went off in her head. “Waita minute, if it dyes skin…”
Lookingaround to make sure no one was looking, she opened the slits in the front of her red silk dress as wide as possible.Then, holding her right breast in both hands, she bent over the vat ofPleasureBluedye and dipped her right nipple directly into it.
Shewas careful not to let the dye go past her areola and also careful not to let it drip down the underside of her breast.Whenshe came up from the warm dye vat, she blotted her nipple on a bundle of undyed silk and made sure it was completely dry before she stood upright again.
“Hmm…not bad,” she muttered to herself, looking down.Herformerly pinkish brown nipple was now brilliant blue—the same color as the other women’s nipples in theSisterhood.
