✧ *✧･ 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐤𝐚 • ✧ *✧

11. Sunaina or Hidimba ?

Now, while Dayanidhi dreamt of going into enchanted forests, this was not one of them. Her one was filled with flowers and flowing rivers, and the biggest statue of Narayan and Narayani you could imagine, so that she could pray there every morning.

This one was entirely opposite. It was dark, gloomy, with little to no leaves, and long dark barks of comically long trees. There was not a single ray of sunshine which could penetrate. Before she could ask, Bal tore up a tree and moved it to a side to make way for us to move.

" Bal! You harmed nature again. Do you not remember your promise? "

" It's not nature if it is dead Jyeshtha. The tree is dead. " He said, running away to hide behind his mata.

" You-"

But before she could scold him, the tree, the 'dead' tree moved back to it's own spot. Meanwhile, Vasuni, Rujut and Dharmjeet were sharing a smile.

" Why are you three smiling? " Bal asked them reproachfully.

" Bal. This is a Mayavi forest. We've entered the Kamaky forest. " Dharmjeet told him, calmly.

" This is why I forgot which way we came in from. " Ashwa thoughtfully added.

" If this is a mayavi forest, then it has to be inhabitted by someone." Dayanidhi supplied

" Yathart, Kumari. It is. It's occupied by rakshas Hidimb. It's their forest. " Vasuni answered.

" Hmm. But now what should we do? " Gopal asked innocently.

" Now we sleep. " Rujut said, and it seemed he was quite serious.

" Rujut. You want to sleep? How dumb are you? It is a mayavi forest. We can only leave once we defeat the rakshas. So what are you waiting for. Him to come to us? "

"Exactly that bhrata Bal." Rujut added, barely controlling his laughter

" I don't understand. " He replied confused.

" These rakshas are narbhakshi Bal! They will come to us on their own. " Dharmjeet clarified.

" Just like you can sniff out your favourite foods, they can find us. We are their food. " Vasuni told him.

" Isiliye bhrata Bal, go sleep. We'll all sleep. " Rujut said, jumping onto a stray hay bed.

" Uchit hai putron. Putri. Come we'll sleep. "

Unbeknownst to them, the rakshas Hidimb and rakshasi Hidimba were right there, watching these manushy.

" Hidimba! The big one wants to kill me. Your brother. I want you to trap them, and bring them to the main city. We'll sacrifice him to Bhagwan Vrikodar . " He said as he smiled at her.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Rujut and Dayanidhi were startled awake by the someone crying. They looked at each other, nodding in agreement, and moved towards the sound.

" Rujut. Here she is. " Dayanidhi said. " Pranipat. My name is Dayanidhi. This is my anuj , Rujut. Who are you? " She asked softly so as to not startle the woman.

" My-my name is Sunaina. I got lost in this van with my family. The rakshas, Hidimb, he killed everyone in my family. I was somehow able to escape while he was asleep. Now I am all alone-"

" You managed to escape, from Hidimb? " Rujut asked sceptical.

" Maun Rujut. We should not interrupt someone like this. " She scolded sternly.

"Kshama devi. " He apologized to Sunaina.

" You speak . What happened next."

" After that, I have been moving around trying to find the exit, but I was unsuccessful. He - he killed all of my family-" She broke down on Dayanidhi, whose heart melted at her tears, while her brother stood there, still trying to judge the situation.