Little One leaned against the Elder, as they gazed at the glowing embers of their campfire. "Is it Question Time yet, Grandmother?" the Little One asked.
"Yes, it is Question Time.", Grandmother replied, drawing the child up onto her lap. Little One snuggled in, making sure her ear was against Grandmother's chest, so she could listen to the steady beat of her heart, and how Grandmothers voice resonated from deep within. It was cold in spite of the fire, and Grandmother pulled the ragged quilt up over both of them.
"When can we go home, Grandmother?", Little one asked, fighting the tears gathering right behind her eyes. She was so lonesome. She missed her house and her friends and her brothers and sisters and playmates and her dog and her kitties and her room and her comfy bed and her books.
Grandmother hugged her closer and began to gently rock, but said nothing for a long time. Wise of years, she knew the tears needed to fall, and then they did, making wet trails down the Little Ones face that reflected the firelight, breaking through the dams, a river of grief that badly needed free flow to wash away some of the pain..
Sobs became snuffles, then sniffs, then stopped. Grandmother pointed to a low hanging pine bough close to them and said "Look closely, Little One. Tell me what you see?"
Little One looked a long time, because she was learning how to see layers below the surface of things. Finally she said, "Oh! There's a beautiful spider web! Look Grandmother, how it shines in the firelight!"
"I see!", said Grandmother. "I wonder who lives there?"
"A SPIDER lives there, of course!" said Little One, who was very, very smart. Let's watch. Maybe we'll see her!", and sure enough, many-moments-later, there she was: a big beautiful many legged spider gracefully traversing her web to just the right spot, attaching herself, settling in for a rest. Grandmother and Little One were quiet, caught up in the long magic moment of spider rest.
The web swayed gently in the night breeze. Grandmother asked the Little One, "What do you think would happen if a big wind came along?" A small frown came on the Little Ones face, as she said.."It might blow away the spiders web!"
"Yes," agreed Grandmother, "that could certainly happen. And then the spider would not have a home. What in the world do you think she would do then?"
Little One thought a long time, then suddenly pointed at a higher shorter, safer bough higher up in the old pine. "I think she would go up there and make another web that couldn't blow away in the wind.", she said.
Grandmother smiled. "I think you're absolutely right, Little One. Spiders are very wise and very brave. They know that sometimes winds can blow down their homes, and they know how to build themselves a brand new home wherever they land. Aren't they amazing?"
As they watched the sleeping spider being rocked in her shiny web, Little Ones eyes grew heavier and heavier. Grandmother carried her tenderly into their shelter and lay down beside her, under the soft warm quilt. "Sleep well, Little One," she whispered, planting a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Just like the spider, Grandmother?" murmured the sleepy Little One.
"Yes, my Dear Little One, just like the spider."