Zherosha Chronicles: At the end of the Day
"Okay, I got it." Anias had his forehead against the glass. "It is big, but it is not red. It is a hunter, but also hunted." He looked at Amnika who sat on the floor with her back up against the wall.
Amnika paused to think. "Natisiens are big, but their hair makes them look like they're red. They hunt, but no one hunts them."
"That's correct." Anias sat next to her. "So you know it's not Natisiens."
The adults walked out of the room. Amnika looked at Anias. "Scants." Her eyes widened. "Big scary scants."
"Natisiens will keep us safe from scants," Zeth said. Amnika looked up to Zeth, already standing over her. He looked at the setting sun. "Looks like the market is closed."
Upon seeing the nearly empty marketplace, Amnika sighed. "Mother may miss dinner anyway. Lessons always run late." She stood up and took her father's hand.
"Not always." Zeth thanked Anias and then took Amnika home.
When they get there, Zeth opens a cabinet and pulls out a couple of pouches. He opens them and hands one to Amnika who sat at the table in the dining area.
He was about to sit down next to Amnika when the door buzzed.
Amnika looked at the door and tipped her head. A soft smile appeared. "Nahaeda."
Confused, Zeth glanced back at Amnika as he walked towards the door. Amnika hopped off the chair and followed him. When the door opened, there stood Nahaeda.
Nahaeda was tall even for a Natisien. Amnika couldn't see him too well, so she leaned up against the door post to look up at him.
Grinning, Nahaeda stooped down so she could see him better. "I have something for you," he said, and he handed her a fur blanket, similar to the fur that he wore.
Amnika gasped. "I love it!" she exclaimed. "Thank you." She took the fur from his hands and hugged it.
Nahaeda chuckled. "Zeth, I need to speak with you alone."
Zeth nodded and looked at Amnika. She was now petting the fur, draped over her arm. "Bring your bar into the project room and close the door. I'll be with you in a few minutes."
Amnika obeyed.
The project room contained a plethora of components. Glondikia insisted that Zeth bring some home for her. Amnika would pretend to put them together like she saw the Natisiens do. Zeth found this odd, but Glondikia assured him that it was the best way for her to learn.
She carefully laid her blanket onto the floor with the fur side up. Then she finished her bar. After, she took one of her "projects" and laid down on the blanket.
When her father walked into the room, Amnika was laying on her back on the fur, tracing the lines in one of the circuit boards.
Zeth walked over and laid down next to her, propping himself up on his elbow. He slid his hand across the fur. "I understand why the Natisiens like their fur so much."
"It's soft," Amnika agreed. Then she showed Zeth the circuit. "What's this?"
"It's an old circuit board from one of our transport ships." He took it from her and looked it over. "It looks like it was part of a relay for communications. We don't use these anymore."
They heard the front door slid open.
"Mother's home!" Amnika said and jumped up, and almost tripped over the fur.
"Careful, there." Zeth steadied her. "You don't want to injure yourself."
Amnika waited until her father got up and then she picked up the fur. Then she followed her father on his way to greet her mother.
Her mother taught a language that belonged to a distant planet. Zakkon wanted to trade with this planet, but it was too far. So the researchers were working on the way to build a gate that would open a portal that would fold space in half. It would allow them to trade with the planet without wasting too many resources.
Until then, beacon ships were sent out to gather information about the planet. They know that the planet had many languages, but Glondikia spoke and taught the most commonly used one.
She greeted Amnika at the door. "Hello, little one!" She said. It was in that language.
Zeth sighed but didn't say anything.
"It's just one phrase," Glondikia said. "She already knows that one."
Glondikia wanted to teach Amnika the language. However, Zeth insisted that she needed to learn Zherosha standard first. After all, the researchers didn't know if they would trade with the planet. Standard, on the other hand, is necessary for a Natisiens and Inersiens to function as Zherosha citizens.
Then Zeth said something in that language. She thought she heard her name. Glondikia laughed. Then she turned to Amnika.
"It's time for you to go to bed." She saw the fur. "Where did you get that?"
"Nahaeda gave it to me," Amnika said, "It's really soft!"
"Nahaeda?" Glondikia glanced over at Zeth and tilted her head.
Zeth nodded. "He came for a visit today."
He eyed Amnika and Glondikia took the hint.
"Amnika," Glondikia said, "You can take it to your room if you like."
"Yay!" Amnika took the lift to her room. Her mother followed her to tuck her in.
Later, Amnika could hear her parents talk in that language again. She noticed how many hard sounds it contained, much like the Natisiens' dialect. At the same time, it also contained a lot of soft sounds. She heard her name come up a few times. She also heard Nahaeda's name.
It wasn't long before Amnika couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and she fell asleep.
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Next Post: Climbing Tree
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