All Spiders, Not Just Cats

We'll show it to Gaius, says Markus. Get his opinion.

Soon they arrive at the poncho.

Gaius is just standing up, having thought that he ought to.

He has been sitting too long on the poncho, writing notes.

He is looking around for Arthur, who is nowhere in sight, when Raoul appears, brandishing the half open date ball packet.

Look! says Raoul. We think it might be a new species! I found it.

Well done! says Gaius. Set it down.

Markus and Shu arrive seconds later.

Raoul tips out the tiny hairy sad spider, whose name is not, and may never be, Maratus raoul.

He already has a name, which he never divulges.

All spiders do.

Not just cats.

He doesn't like the look of the poncho, which is what he sees first.

It is one of those plastic yellow ones.

Moreover there is, lying on it, legs up, a dead cousin (the maratus cristatus).

But Gaius looks kindly.

He looks at the markings on the abdomen of the tiny hairy sad spider.

Hum, says Gaius. Most unusual markings. Like hieroglyphs, or perhaps, Chinese characters.

Let me see, says Shu. Why yes, so they could be.

What do they say? asks Raoul.

This is ridiculous, thinks the tiny hairy sad spider. As if I would have writing plastered all over my back. They'll come up with a word in a minute. And then they'll call me by that name. But I already have a name. It's a secret and will remain so.

He is thinking these thoughts.

Baby Pierre rides up on his newly spoked bicycle.

Woo! says Baby Pierre. I thought you were Felix for a minute.

Felix! The tiny hairy sad spider experiences a bad moment.

But no. This rider thought he was Felix for a minute. That doesn't mean now.

The minute is over.

Now who? asks the tiny hairy sad spider.

Don't know, says Baby Pierre. Who are you?

I might be.... Ar-Lu-Lun, says the spider.

Gaius has partly overheard this, although it was private.

Lu-Lun? asks Gaius.

Quite possibly, says Shu.

Raoul looks disappointed.

Just at this moment Elodie and Lavender return with a box full of females.

It's the rolled wafer tin, formerly smelling of eggs and vanilla, more lately of salmon, but washed with the ordinary water that Arthur and Sprocket obtained.

The female spiders can still sense these things though.

They are glad when Elodie opens the box and tips them onto the poncho.

Less glad when they see the dead cousin, and the live Ar-Lu-Lun.