- today
#scifistories1977 #hfy #scifi
===================================
This story is written by a human author and adapted with care into a visual audiobook format by our team.
How This Video Was Made:
Narration is performed using AI voice technology (ElevenLabs), guided and edited by a human to preserve tone and pacing.
Visuals are created with AI image tools, but every image is manually prompted and selected to match the story's themes.
All elements — audio, visuals, and timing — are manually assembled in a video editor to produce the final format you see on .
The story format and video structure are fully planned, produced and uploaded by humans.
This is not automated or mass-generated content
===================================
This story is written by a human author and adapted with care into a visual audiobook format by our team.
How This Video Was Made:
Narration is performed using AI voice technology (ElevenLabs), guided and edited by a human to preserve tone and pacing.
Visuals are created with AI image tools, but every image is manually prompted and selected to match the story's themes.
All elements — audio, visuals, and timing — are manually assembled in a video editor to produce the final format you see on .
The story format and video structure are fully planned, produced and uploaded by humans.
This is not automated or mass-generated content
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00Malathar the Unflinching was swift and brash, a blooded initiate of the warrior caste,
00:05and was currently doing his best to avoid having the flesh of his legs flayed by the
00:09claws of the creature crawling around in his lap. Next to him, one of the human biologists
00:14from the couple he had been hired to safeguard, a likely unnecessary precaution given the tameness
00:20of the reports for the jungle world they were arriving at, simply cooed,
00:24Oh look, he likes you. The persimmons were what humans called retired, but evidently the typical
00:30human leisure activities of relaxing under UV-rich starlight and using sticks to propel small balls
00:36into holes across strangely denuded hills were not sufficient to entertain them. Instead,
00:42they had sought to begin cataloging one of the countless worlds that contained plentiful,
00:46if non-sentient, life. The two humans had not been alone when they first met the warrior.
00:51Stiff and formal introductions were made over the incessant yapping and seemingly omnipresent
00:56racing around of a small furred quadruped, a creature his studies on human culture and fauna
01:02identified as a dog, a common companion species for humans. Humans almost always had companion
01:08animals of some type or another. While he had heard some claim that humans were stronger than any other
01:13creature in the galaxy, in Malathar's eyes their minuscule forms were clearly unsuited for feats of
01:18strength or toughness, and relying on another species to assist them, did not improve the
01:23argument, despite some saying that it was difficult to raise a companion creature. He had heard of one
01:28or two accounts of his own kind keeping a companion creature not of their species, but it was rare to
01:34say the least. Still, Malathar was hardly willing to admit, either aloud or privately, that he believed
01:40humans to be anything other than feeble and underwhelming. To prove to himself that the accolades of humans
01:46were overblown, he acquired a youngling nightfang, a carnivore from his own homeworld, renowned for
01:52its strength and speed. It had hatched only a week or two before, but its sharp claws, jutting canines,
01:59and bulbous head were already making a violent impression upon his more tender, less scaled
02:04appendages. Mrs. Persimmon had then made cooing noises more typically associated with entertaining and
02:09soothing infants of their own kind. Much to Malathar's confusion and mild dismay, the nightfang responded to
02:16the sounds, curling and winding itself across his legs, leaving new gouges and cuts in its wake.
02:22The adolescent hunter craned its neck to allow the human to scratch between the large spines present
02:28there. Next to her, the human's own companion animal, which they had named Katie, sniffed curiously,
02:34let out a little bark of excitement, and made a pouncing motion toward the nightfang. Malathar braced for
02:40bloodshed. But instead, the nightfang bounded over and began wrestling with the small dog.
02:47To his surprise, it then turned and allowed itself to be chased as well.
02:52See? They're bonding, said Mrs. Persimmon. Mr. Persimmon looked on with a tight-lipped smile, but when Malathar
02:58had spoken to him a few days later, he had expressed concern about acquiring a new companion animal.
03:04I just don't know if I could do this again, he'd said to Malathie a few days later.
03:08It's all well and good right now, but keeping pets is the easy part. Malathar had already lost count
03:13of the small wounds he'd received from his nightfang, whom he had named Malatharteriuses, but whom
03:19Mrs. Persimmon had nicknamed Artie. Malathar could feel disbelief creeping into his voice as he told the
03:25elder biologist, How in the name of the five moons is this easy? He gestured toward a rucksack they had
03:31used the day before while cataloging plant species, which Katie had enthusiastically turned into a chew toy,
03:37dragging it, ripping it apart, and chewing the webbing until it was slimy and nearly
03:42unrecognizable. Mr. Persimmon chuckled and said, Stuff like that can be replaced, but trust me,
03:48that's the easy part. Malathar the unflinching was a little less brash and a little less swift as he
03:54chased behind Artie, trying to anticipate whether and where he would need to apply more neutralizing
03:59powder. The humans had done something called house training for Katie, teaching her to urinate and
04:04defecate outside so that the interior of the habitation module no longer smelled of slightly
04:09stale urea and sulfur compounds. There had still been a number of mishaps, including an unexpected
04:15and unwanted soiling of Malathar's ceremonial garb, which he kept neatly folded in a corner.
04:21However, now Katie would claw at the airlock when she needed to relieve herself, and apart from requiring
04:27extra vigilance near the module to avoid stepping in a defecation, accidents had almost entirely ceased.
04:34When he attempted to try the same for his own nightfang, though, Malathar found the process far
04:39more taxing. Artie was undergoing a period of maturation, marked by increased energy, aggression,
04:45and intemporary yet exponential rise in the acid content of his excretions. Malathar's tall compound
04:51ears swiveled as he heard the sound he had been dreading. The gentle hiss of acid reacting with
04:56something, he raced over to find Artie squatting defiantly next to his ceremonial garb, a puddle
05:01of lumpy fluorescent green excretia bubbling merrily on the metal flooring and oozing perilously close to
05:07the textiles. Screeching in alarm, he grabbed Artie, ignoring the wiggling snarls and attempted
05:13jabs from the creature's spines, and raced to the airlock door. He popped it open, tossed the nightfang
05:19out, and hurried back to clean up the mess before it melted through the compartment flooring.
05:24Luckily, his garb remained undamaged, just barely.
05:28When he returned to the airlock to dispose of the neutralized droppings, he was startled to find
05:33Artie sitting there with a wriggling invertebrate clamped in his jaws, proudly displaying it like a
05:39child after their first successful hunt. Mrs. Persimmon had emerged from the tree line,
05:44carrying a bundle of leaf clippings, and made an excited noise.
05:47Looks like he brought you something. Malathar groaned in frustration and said,
05:52Just drop it. To his surprise, for once, Artie listened. Unfortunately, Malathar had neglected
05:58to close the airlock door first, and the invertebrates scuttled inside. Malathar followed,
06:03determined to find and expel the intruder. Artie screeched in excitement and bounded further in,
06:08followed by Katie. The three creatures collided with objects and each other several times as they
06:13scrambled to catch the tiny, terrified quarry, until it ran out, terrified, between Mrs. Persimmon's
06:19legs. He did his best to ignore the fact she was clutching her side from laughing so hard.
06:25Malathar the unflinching was a little less brash and a little less swift,
06:29his mind racing as he tried to figure out the best angle of attack as he ran.
06:34A decade had passed without much fanfare, but the Persimmons had noted occasional traces of a large
06:40apex predator on the planet, despite most of the flora and fauna being benign herbivores or small
06:46carnivores. About half a solar cycle ago, they had begun baiting and setting up cameras to capture an
06:52image of the creature, but the results were always fleeting, blurry shots. The creature moved too
06:57swiftly and cautiously to be clearly captured. His hindgut had told Malathar at the time that actively
07:03attracting such a predator with bait would also bring it closer to their encampment.
07:08The humans insisted, however, and he calmed his concerns by thinking of it being instead
07:13an opportunity for combat. After all, he was a warrior, and the opportunity for physical battle
07:18against a truly worthy opponent was not one to shy away from. His people traditionally saw the
07:24warrior's path as striving and succeeding in conflict abstractly, but ever since Mr. Persimmon had
07:29introduced him to chess and soundly beaten him every time, Malathar had adjusted his interpretation
07:35of the warrior's philosophy to focus on physical combat only. Minutes earlier, a crashing in the brush
07:42had been followed by Mrs. Persimmon's scream. Artie had responded even faster than Malathar,
07:47streaking forward into the bushes. Malathar, loping behind, could hear the rustling crash of Artie's
07:53pursuit, the nightfang's long legs allowing it to leap over fallen trees and evade venomous bramblevines.
07:59He also heard Mr. Persimmon shouting, Delilah, where are you? And the frenzied barking of Katie,
08:06who sounded further ahead than her owner. Artie's shrieking growl mingled with Katie's frantic snarls,
08:11sounds Malathar had never heard from the normally cheerful dog. Pushing forward, he emerged into a
08:16clearing. At its center lay a broad pile of brambles and leaves, apparently pulled together to form a nest.
08:24Sitting atop it was the apex predator they had sought, a massive shelled creature with snapping
08:30claws and mandibles that chittered and gurgled. A pair of venomous stingers arced up from behind it,
08:36striking toward but not quite hitting the dog and the nightfang. In one of its four claws hung Mrs.
08:41Persimmon, her gray curls streaked with blood as she dangled unconscious from its grasp.
08:46The enormous creature hissed, and Malathar quickly unfurled and armed his rifle, bringing it to bear.
08:52He sighted the creature carefully, avoiding the captured human. For a moment, he aimed at its
08:59center mass, but hesitated. He had only one shot, and he could not be certain how thick its shell
09:05might be. Instead, he quickly aimed for one of the exposed eye stalks and fired. The stalk exploded in
09:11a shower of purple gore, and the creature hissed and reeled, instinctively reaching for the injury and
09:17dropping Mrs. Persimmon roughly onto the ground. Immediately, Katie stood over her, barking and
09:23growling, while Artie leapt forward, snapping and shrieking. The nightfang dodged the predator's
09:28attempts to strike with its stingers, until the creature finally withdrew, crashing off into the
09:33brush. Behind him, Malathar heard Mr. Persimmon running up, wheezing and out of breath. The man
09:39stumbled forward and knelt beside his wife, clutching her hand.
09:42Oh God, Delilah, he choked out, voice trembling. Please wake up. Say something, say anything.
09:48Malathar felt his own shoulders sag with relief as she coughed and gripped her husband's hand.
09:53Don't worry, old coot, she rasped. I'm still here, Mr. Persimmon laughed shakily.
09:58God, Delilah, don't scare me like that. My old ticker's not gonna last if you keep doing this.
10:03She smiled weakly and rubbed Katie's gray-tinged muzzle. The dog nuzzled her, licking her face.
10:08Malathar couldn't help the grin forming on his own face. A learned expression from his years with the
10:14humans. Artie returned, curling against Malathar's legs but carefully avoiding puncturing him with
10:20its spines. Malathar glanced in the direction the predator had fled, then looked down at the
10:25nightfang. He marveled that both the creature and Katie had escaped injury. How in the stars' names
10:30do you make sure they're okay? he asked. When they're willing to dive into danger like that.
10:35Mr. Persimmon laughed. You can't. You just have to hope for the best. Besides, like I told you
10:41before, keeping pets is the easy part. Malathar snorted in disagreement but said nothing,
10:47stepping forward to help support Mr. Persimmon as they headed back home.
10:52Malathar the unflinching was a little less brash and a little less swift as he carefully steeped a
10:57cup of tea for Mrs. Persimmon. Her health had never fully recovered after the injury,
11:01especially as her leg had to be amputated below the knee due to the predator's claws.
11:07So far, the shot to its eye had apparently driven all curiosity and interest out of the predator.
11:12No trace of it had been captured on the camera since. But that was far from Malathar's or Mr.
11:17Persimmon's mind now. Mr. Persimmon rarely left her side, staying near constantly. When she slept,
11:23he would trudge through the planet's jungle despite it being the rainy season,
11:27braving the swampy trails to collect blooming flowers he knew she enjoyed.
11:32Malathar often joined him, but recently he had asked to go alone, though Artie always accompanied
11:38him. Katie remained by Mrs. Persimmon's bed, her head perpetually nudged under the woman's hand.
11:43Her tail wagged whenever Mrs. Persimmon stirred enough to feel the fur beneath her fingers
11:48and give a few gentle scratches. Malathar finished the tea and set the steaming cup by her bedside.
11:53Her breathing had grown shallow and quick. Despite his gentle calls, she did not awaken.
11:58Mr. Persimmon came in, shaking off his poncho and swapping out the small cup holding the previous
12:03bouquet with a fresh one. As he placed the flowers aside, he caught sight of her and sat heavily,
12:09letting out a deep sigh. Taking her hand in his, he whispered,
12:13It's all right, flower. You don't need to hold on for me. Go on, be at peace. The good lord's got a
12:18place set out for you. He turned to Malathar. It won't be long now. I know she's grateful.
12:22Grateful for all you've done for us. Malathar nodded silently and made for the door.
12:27He stepped outside, ignoring Mr. Persimmon's call behind him.
12:32Hey, Malathar, wait, you should— The airlock door shut, and he began running.
12:38He dashed through the trees and rain, focusing on the trail underfoot, trying to think of anything
12:43to distract himself from what he was leaving behind and what he knew was about to happen.
12:48Behind him, Katie's mournful howl echoed through the woods. He fell to his knees,
12:53overcome by grief, letting it take him for a time. Hours later, Malathar returned to the module.
12:59Mr. Persimmon had already wrapped his wife in a sheet and stood, with two shovels leaning by the
13:04door. His expression was heavy with anger, not just at the world or the loss of his wife,
13:09but directed specifically at Malathar.
13:11Where were you? Mr. Persimmon demanded. Malathar blinked in surprise,
13:16unaccustomed to harsh words from the human. I— Mr. Persimmon cut him off with a sharp wave and
13:21pointed toward Artie. The Nightfang was curled around Katie at the foot of the bed,
13:26where Mrs. Persimmon's body lay. You left your damn companion here alone and afraid,
13:31in a room with death. He stepped closer, glaring up at the alien. This creature, who has only known
13:37you as its sole guardian and parent since nearly the day it was born, was frantic, calling and
13:42clawing at the door for you. Malathar glanced over, seeing fresh gouges in the metal frame,
13:48before his attention was snapped back by Mr. Persimmon jabbing a finger beneath his slitted nose.
13:53Promise me you will never, ever leave a pet alone with death ever again. Process your grief however
13:58you damn well need to, but make sure you are there for them. Understood? Wordlessly, Malathar nodded.
14:04Mr. Persimmon seemed satisfied and stepped back, thrusting the shovel toward him.
14:09Here, help me dig a plot for Delilah. No sense in waiting until the weather gets worse.
14:14Malathar the unflinching was a little less brash and a little less swift,
14:18as he followed Artie's signs of concern. Where is she, boy?
14:22Find her! He trailed behind the Nightfang, who loped through the dense foliage, stopping
14:27occasionally to sniff and paw at the ground. Katie had gone out earlier but hadn't returned,
14:32and both he and Mr. Persimmon were growing worried. She had slowed over the past year,
14:37her steps less steady. Recently, she had stumbled and fallen on trails she once navigated with ease.
14:42Suddenly, Malathar spotted what at first seemed to be a pile of leaves. It shivered and whined as
14:48Artie nuzzled it, careful not to poke the dog with his large front fangs. Carefully, Malathar scooped
14:53Katie into his arms. Despite his strength, she still felt impossibly light, her body growing gaunt in
14:59the years following Mrs. Persimmon's passing. Carefully cradling Katie, Malathar ran back
15:05toward the habitation module. He spotted Mr. Persimmon on the porch, anxiously wringing his
15:09hands. They hurried inside, and Mr. Persimmon grabbed a towel to dry Katie's soaked fur.
15:16Artie scurried to the corner they shared, pulling out a small squeaky toy shaped like a carnivore the
15:22Persimmons had called a bear. He brought it over, resting it beside Katie's head, then nudged it closer to
15:28her. Katie looked at the toy, then slowly lifted her head. She gave a long, tired glance at both
15:34Mr. Persimmon and Malathar, before gently taking the toy in her mouth and biting it enough to emit
15:40a single, quiet squeak. The sound caused Artie to let out an excited shriek, bounding in a circle
15:45around them before settling behind Mr. Persimmon. Katie rested on Mr. Persimmon's lap as Artie curled
15:51up close. The room fell silent, save for Katie's labored panting, the sound of their breathing,
15:56and Artie's occasional whines of concern. After a long moment, Mr. Persimmon blinked away tears and
16:02muttered hoarsely, Damn it! Damn it, Delilah! I told her this was a bad idea. I told her.
16:09Malathar tilted his head in confusion. What do you mean? From the start, Mr. Persimmon replied.
16:15I told her we were too old to be getting a new dog. His voice cracked. I told her this would be the last
16:20one. I can't do this again. Malathar nodded solemnly. But by God, I wish I could, Mr. Persimmon
16:26continued, his voice heavy with grief. But I'm too old. My bones are tired. It's too late now,
16:32anyhow. His voice softened to a near whisper. One Malathar suspected he wasn't meant to hear.
16:38If I lose Katie. Katie's the last part of her I have left. I can't lose her too. Katie must have
16:43recognized her name. She lifted her head weakly, licking Mr. Persimmon hand a couple of times.
16:48He scowled and smiled, rubbing the back of his hand over his eyes as he gently scolded.
16:54Hush now. Stay still, girl. You'll be okay. You'll be okay. Katie convulsed in his arms,
17:00a pained whine escaping her, mirrored by an echoed shriek of distress from Artie.
17:05Mr. Persimmon voice turned hoarse. Malathar, he said, struggling to keep steady.
17:09Go get the medical kit. Find the vial marked morphine and fill a syringe for me, would you?
17:14Malathar nodded, but he paused as he was not familiar with the amount they had
17:18used before when the humans or dog had been injured. What dosage should I prepare to ease
17:23her pain? Mr. Persimmon looked up, meeting Malathar's gaze with red, wet eyes. His voice
17:29broke as he replied, Just fill the damn syringe, please. Without hesitation, Malathar stood and
17:35strode to the cabinet. He rifled through the medical pouch until he found the bottle Mr.
17:39Persimmon had requested. He quickly drew the morphine into the syringe, filling it until the
17:44bottle was nearly empty. He tapped the side to clear the air bubbles, just as he had seen
17:49Mrs. Persimmon do many times before. But as he turned back, the atmosphere in the room shifted.
17:55A soft, broken sigh escaped Mr. Persimmon, and Artie let out a low, mournful whine.
18:00Malathar came around the corner and looked at Katie, who was breathing out, but her chest did not move
18:06again to breathe in, and she went still. Go on, girl, Mr. Persimmon whispered. She left the gate
18:12open for us. Go give my flower a kiss and play with Abigail for me. Tell them all how much I miss
18:17them. I'll see you all soon. Malathar stood silently, placing a hand gently on Mr. Persimmon's
18:23shoulder. The man reached up, patting it with trembling fingers.
18:28Artie approached Katie, nuzzling her still head before walking over to Malathar, rubbing against his
18:34legs. Malathar crouched and scratched the Nightfang's head, feeling the vibrations of its purring
18:39whine beneath his hand. Mr. Persimmon watched the interaction, then reached out to pet Artie as well.
18:45He barely flinched when a sudden twist of Artie's head jabbed his hand. Lowering his gaze, he resumed
18:50stroking Katie's quiet form. With a rueful smile, he looked at the syringe in Malathar's hand and
18:56shrugged. She always did like doing things her way, he said, blinking through tears.
19:01Malathar the unflinching was a little less brash and a little less swift as he folded his ceremonial
19:08robes. Together, they had buried Katie in a patch of native flowers, right beside where Mrs. Persimmon
19:14was interred. The habitation module was nearly empty now, its contents packed away, save for the
19:20small trinkets and keepsakes left around the two graves. They'll have more use for it than I do,
19:26Mr. Persimmon had said about the possessions they left behind.
19:29As they prepared to leave, Malathar turned to Mr. Persimmon.
19:33Where are you off to next? he asked. With a shrug, the human said,
19:37Don't know. Don't really care, to be honest. I just feel like I need to wander until my legs
19:42can't carry me anymore. His gaze lifted to meet Malathar's.
19:46Don't get old, son. Everything around you dies.
19:50He reached for the locket that had hung around his neck for as long as Malathar had known him.
19:54Opening it, he revealed its contents to Malathar for the first time. Three locks of hair. One was a
20:00gray curl from Mrs. Persimmon. Another, black and brown, belonged to Katie. The third were delicate,
20:05tiny, silken curls from someone Malathar had never met. Holding the locket reverently,
20:10Mr. Persimmon said softly,
20:12I'll need to find a good spot to spread them.
20:15Somewhere with a view of something other than just trees, he said, smiling as they both looked around
20:20at the beauty of the rain blossoms that were blooming all along the trunks of the trees nearby.
20:25He smiled faintly. Delilah was always the botanist. Coming here was her idea in the first place.
20:31Malathar nodded as Artie whined, nudging his hand for attention. He bent over to grab and throw a stick
20:37for Artie to fetch, and the Nightfang let out a screech of delight as it bounded forward after the
20:43branch. It's amazing how they can move on from grief so easily, Malathar said. Watching the Nightfang
20:49leap joyfully in the light morning rain, Mr. Persimmon reached up and patted Malathar's arm
20:54gently. That's what I've been telling you all along, son. Keeping pets truly is the easy part.
21:01Malathar the unflinching was a little less brash and a little less swift these days,
21:06but his patience had grown immeasurably. He sat at a spaceport he'd already forgotten the name of,
21:12nursing a drink. Nearby, loud laughter and the sound of boastful arguments caught his attention.
21:16I'm telling you, humans are overrated, one voice bellowed. They can't even lift half a ton.
21:22They go down just like anyone else to a laser bolt. Sure, they might run a while, but they're
21:27unarmored, fleshy, pink, and it took them centuries to even stop killing themselves before they figured
21:33out space travel. Malathar's grip on his metal cup tightened, the faint sound of crinkling metal
21:38betraying his growing irritation. He took a slow breath, calming himself in a way he'd never have
21:44managed years ago. Rising to his feet, he stepped over to the table. The trio fell quiet as he
21:49approached, but the most vocal of the group snorted, laughing and pointing a long, clawed
21:54finger. Oh, you've got something to say, old-timer? Malathar's fist came down hard on the table,
22:00silencing the remaining chuckles. You have no idea, he said evenly, meeting the speaker's eyes.
22:06What's that supposed to mean? one of the others asked, glancing nervously at Malathar's towering
22:11frame. You're right, Malathar said, his voice calm but carrying an edge. Humans aren't the
22:17strongest or the fastest or even the toughest. The three he was speaking to appeared taken aback
22:23by his agreement. Wait, what? So humans aren't special? He gestured toward the bustling spaceport
22:29outside the bar. A young, red-haired human walked by with a winged serpent coiled around his shoulders.
22:35The man laughed, feeding the creature a piece of meat while affectionately scratching under its chin.
22:39That, Malathar said, pointing at the scene, is what makes humans special. It's not their strength
22:46or speed, it's their connection to their companions. A species so weak they need to rely on other
22:51species to obey them? one of the trio sneered. Doesn't seem that special. And it definitely doesn't
22:57seem that hard to raise a critter and have it follow you around. Malathar chuckled darkly, his
23:03laughter carrying a bitter edge that silenced the group. He reached under his tunic and pulled out a
23:08chain he always wore. Hanging from it was a single, long, curled nightfang tooth, its edges worn smooth
23:14from years of being carried close to his chest. That's the thing you don't understand, Malathar
23:19said, his voice tight with memories. Keeping a pet is easy, but letting them go, that's the hard part.