Chapter 4: CHAPTER FOUR

“Movies,” Rheôvhan said at the table. Chandrha sat across from him. “I don’t know anything about this thing called movies, so I don’t know if I should be concerned.”

“The human I’ve talked to,” she said, “called himself ‘head of special effects,’ whatever that is.”

“And why is he here?”

“He wants Jhevharel.”

“What for?”

“He wants to use him in his movie.”

His snout opened momentarily, as if he wanted to say something, but had forgotten what.

“He wants to make him breathe fire,” she said, breaking the silence. “Apparently, that’s what Earth dragons do.”

“There are no Earth dragons. I learned that much about this planet.”

“In stories... mythology.”

“Did you tell him?”

“I told him,” she said. “I don’t know what I should do, Rheôvhan.”

“We should send him back,” he said, ears close to his head. “He has no business here, and he shouldn’t even be in the village. If there is one, there will be others. More will come, Chandrha, and if they do, this area won’t be remote anymore.”

She thought about that. Humans tended to congregate, a species that clung together like the sticky web of an animal called a spider. This human, this Fenwick, would be the first of many, all eager to make this movie in which Jhevharel was supposed to play a part totally out of character.

Lhorhanha came over, hugged her mother. Something wrong? Chandrha sensed her daughter’s fear, held her close, silently calming her shivering. She wanted to ask questions, but kept them to herself. Who was this human? Why was he here? What was he like? Was he dangerous, treacherous, friendly?

“Jhevharel tells me Chenharhel wants you to drink,” she said.

Lhorhanha glanced at her whistling dragon. “Later.” That was all she said.

“Do you want to play outside?”

“No.”

The sudden sharp reply stunned her. She held her daughter at arm’s length. “Listen to me, Lhorhanha. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Mama will be here to protect you.”

You are reading story Act Naturally at novel35.com

“Are you sure?”

What had she meant by that? Did she doubt her mother’s ability to keep her safe? If Chandrha couldn’t keep her safe, couldn’t prevent humans from hurting her, she’d be lying, one thing she could never do.

“I will try,” she said. “You and Chenharhel will never be far from my sight.”

“You have Mykharha?” Lhorhanha asked.

“Your father has her.”

She was lost for a moment in her words. A promise broken was a lie. She had made no promise that she’d keep her daughter safe, had she? Just told her she’d try, and if something happened to Lhorhanha, well, she’d be in the clear.

She opened her chamber, and Lhorhanha peered inside her empty chamber. Did she want to see Mykharha there? She spent less time looking into her father’s chamber than her mother’s as if her mother’s held far more importance.

“I want a picture book,” she said.

A picture book. They had plenty of those in this cabin, books taken from the ship, books brought by humans flying up here once a month to bring supplies. Different kinds of food for the humans, meat for the aliens, even though they were hunters, a lot of books for the cubs, others for the adults, games...

She handed a thin book to her daughter who settled on the couch, tail wrapped around her middle. The black tip wiggled like a little snake.

Chandrha went to the window, watched the road. Fenwick was out there, walking along as if he lived here, although he didn’t seem to be heading anywhere in particular.

“What are you looking at?” Rheôvhan asked behind her.

“Fenwick.” She didn’t turn around.

He moved beside her. “I don’t know why Arak lets him stay here.”

“Can’t very well tell him to leave.”

“When is the next supply plane coming?”

“Not for a while.”

“Damn.”

You can find story with these keywords: Act Naturally, Read Act Naturally, Act Naturally novel, Act Naturally book, Act Naturally story, Act Naturally full, Act Naturally Latest Chapter