Transformers Animated: Little Spider

Chapter 5

Kelly slept soundly on her silk bed, clutching onto her rag doll.

Awhile after Arachnia noticed the incoming storm, she gently ushered Kelly inside, the latter glancing warily up at the sky. The two sat within the shelter and watched as the rain came, the sound of cascading raindrops reverberating through the cave. The rain started out subtle at first, before the winds picked up and soon the same raging storm as the previous night was upon them, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling. Thankfully, Kelly had fallen asleep before the real storm had come. Arachnia doubted the child would have been able to find sleep if she had still been awake to witness the hostile storm, even in the safety of the caves the weather seemed violent, almost screaming winds, harsh pounding rain and the trees being trashed about without mercy.

Arachnia worked silently in the darkness of the cave, having turned off the lights to allow Kelly to sleep. Occasionally, lightning would flash outside and illuminate the inside of the cave, casting eerie and deformed shadows along the cave walls. The darkness didn't bother Arachnia, and neither did the thunder and lightning.

Suddenly, a loud, monstrous, clap of thunder boomed outside, and a cry of fear was heard. Arachnia looked up from the corner she had been working at and saw Kelly, sitting up awake. The human child looked to the cave entrance with fear.
Another ominous flash of lightning came followed by a loud inimical clap of thunder.
Kelly screamed and scurried back until her back was pressed against the wall. She curled into a ball, knees pulled to her chest, face buried in her knees as she shivered furiously. Arachnia stopped what she had been doing and quickly came to the girl's side. She gently shook Kelly's shoulder with a digit. "Kid?" She called softly.

The girl jumped at the contact and reluctantly looked up, lightning flashing again, allowing Arachnia to see her scared, tear stained face. Arachnia was unsure of what to do for a moment, but she did know seeing the child like this made her spark ache in a way. She reached out to Kelly, the girl having resumed her sobbing as her shoulders trembled. "Kid," Arachnia gently called again, gaining the girl's attention as she sniffled.

"I'll be good...I promise..." Kelly whimpered.

Arachnia frowned. What was the girl talking about? The techno organic was indeed bewildered by the girl's plea. She furrowed her brows then cupped her servos together, and placed them down in front of the girl. Kelly looked with watery eyes at Arachnia's servos placed in front of her then looked back up to Arachnia. The techno organic simply nodded her helm, urging the human to climb on. Sniffling and wiping her eye with a balled fist, Kelly crawled onto Arachnia's awaiting servos. Arachnia waited until she climbed aboard before lifting Kelly up, bringing her close to her chassis and cradling the child against her spark chamber. Kelly instantly calmed, her shivering seizing as she relaxed and snuggled close to Arachnia's chassis that radiated soothing warmth. A soft smile graced Arachnia's dermas as she gently stroked the girl's head with two digits, being careful so as to not hurt the human because of her larger size. "Kelly, what are you talking about?" She asked softly, this time using her name.

Kelly flinched and immediately stop asking, making Arachnia instantly regretted asking. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Arachnia quickly said. "I can just...hold you...like this...if you want," she added awkwardly.

Kelly's tear stained face smiled gratefully as she nodded, resting her head against Arachnia's chassis, curling up into a little ball. "Thank you...miss Blackarachnia," she whispered, her words almost snatched away by the storm outside but with Arachnia's advanced audio receptors, she heard it.

Arachnia furrowed her brows, sitting down on the dirt, still holding Kelly close to her. "Don't mention it kid. And you don't have to be afraid, there are no monsters here. Well...other than me..." she muttered with self loathing.