Verdigris Ravine Enter: Spider-Goddess

qiao’s ears turned as a spate of coughing rustled the reeds. this hapless woman, choking on her own spit! 

her gaze followed arachne; her tongue may be still but her face conveyed clearly every thought that crossed her mind as she watched the spiderling scale the red cliffs and then land in a heap at its bottom. 

her gaze was humorless and hard. i saw it all. still, she made no motion to break camp alongside the river.