the scene shifted to the orphanage. At its main gate stood Dadaji, his face etched with deep lines of anxiety. He stared down the road, as though expecting someone at any moment.
Just then, Sheetal passed by. She noticed the tension written plainly across his face and stopped, curiosity rising within her. Why does Dadaji look so restless? Where is Aatish? Has he returned from Shikhapur or not?
Unable to hold back, Sheetal approached and asked softly,
Sheetal: "Dadaji, what are you doing here? Something seems to be troubling you. And Aatish— hasn't he come back from Shikhapur yet?"
Dadaji sighed, his voice betraying his unease.
Dadaji: "I am waiting for Aatish. He has been gone a long time… and I am worried about him."
Sheetal placed a hand gently on his arm, attempting to comfort him.
Sheetal: "Don't worry, Dadaji. He must be on his way. You know his bad habit of wandering around—he might have stopped somewhere. I'm sure he'll be back soon."
But her words brought little relief. Dadaji's eyes kept returning to the path, again and again, as though straining to catch sight of Aatish. His uneasiness was clear; something weighed heavily on his mind.
Sheetal noticed. Narrowing her eyes, she asked quietly,
Sheetal: "Dadaji… are you hiding something from me? I feel as if you're not telling me the whole truth."
For a moment, Dadaji faltered. Then, forcing a calmness he did not feel, he replied,
Dadaji: "No, child. There is nothing of the sort. Everything is fine. Go on with your work—I will come inside shortly."
But his voice carried a nervous tremor, a subtle crack that only deepened Sheetal's suspicion. A swirl of unanswered questions began to grow in her mind.
Dadaji stood silent at first, hesitation flickering in his eyes. But when Sheetal pressed again, his resolve weakened. With a weary sigh, he began to speak.
Dadaji: "I am worried because… people have been mysteriously disappearing near the forest on the way to Shikhapur. And there is talk in the village that weretigers have been seen there. Some even claim to have glimpsed them with their own eyes in the darkness of night. They were terrifying—thick red fur, glowing red eyes. The villagers are so frightened that no one dares to go near that forest anymore."
Sheetal's eyes widened.
Sheetal: "So… you mean the weretigers are behind those disappearances? But you always described them as noble in your stories! You told me they were protectors of the forest who never harmed anyone. Isn't that the truth?"
Dadaji's expression grew grave.
Dadaji: "Every coin has two sides, Sheetal, and so do the weretigers. They are divided. One group still protects the forest and avoids harming humans. But the other… the other believes in destroying humanity altogether, in claiming the earth for themselves. That group is cruel, merciless, and will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. Their leader is a ruthless and powerful weretiger named Raktabeej."
Sheetal's voice trembled with anger.
Sheetal: "Dadaji, you knew all this—so why did you send Aatish on such a dangerous task? How could you be so careless? Don't you care about his life? He's like your son!"
Dadaji raised his hand gently, trying to calm her.
Dadaji: "Sheetal, listen to me. Aatish has been after me for days, asking for a difficult task to prove himself. I thought there was no better chance than this. He has always been brave, never one to shrink from danger. I believe he can do it."
Sheetal shook her head, frustrated.
Sheetal: "Aatish is reckless! He never thinks of his own safety."
A faint smile touched Dadaji's lips.
Dadaji: "Not reckless… only restless. You need not worry so much. As long as he stays on the direct route to Shikhapur, he should be safe. The weretigers usually remain deep in the forest. And even if he does cross paths with one, Shiba is with him. That lion is strong, fearless—he can fight any opponent."
Sheetal: "But Shiba went missing this morning. I don't know where he roams these days."
Dadaji's eyes darkened for a brief moment before he masked it with a smile.
Dadaji: "Shiba often wanders in the forests near Shikhapur. I've seen herbs in his mane that grow only there. I believe he must have already found Aatish. That lion is clever—he knows every path of the jungle and senses danger quickly."
Sheetal leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sheetal: "But… do you really think Shiba can defeat a weretiger?"
For a split second, unease crossed Dadaji's face, but he quickly covered it with forced reassurance.
Dadaji: "Yes, of course. Shiba has immense strength, unmatched energy. He will protect Aatish and bring him back safely. I am sure of it."
Yet the faint crack in his smile betrayed a truth that even his words could not hide.
Sheetal looked at Dadaji with concern.
Sheetal: "Grandpa, since you say so, I'll try not to worry. But please come back to the orphanage soon—it will be evening before long. You haven't eaten since the afternoon, and your health isn't good. You must eat on time. If you're late, it will be dark and difficult for you on the road. I'll cook something hot for you. Eat as soon as you return. What should I make? You like khichdi, don't you? With a little pickle and curd—just imagine how comforting that will be. Come soon, Grandpa."
Dadaji gave her a tired smile.
Dadaji: "Yes, child, I'll come soon. Don't worry. There's just a little work left—I'll finish it quickly and return. My mouth has already started watering just at the sound of your khichdi."
Narrator:
And then—
The scene cuts sharply.
Deep within the jungle...
We return to Aatish.
He was walking into a danger far greater than he could imagine.
A threat that didn't just lurk—it loomed.
And yet, he had no idea how close he was to it.
Sweat dripped down Aatish's forehead—not just from exhaustion, but from the chill of fear.
Aatish (nervously whispering):
Shiba...
Why are you backing off?
What could possibly be in this jungle...
That even you are afraid of?
(The jungle responded with a chilling answer.)
From deep within the trees came a sound—a monstrous, snarling noise, wet and guttural.
It wasn't just chewing...
It was feeding.
And judging by the sounds rumbling from its belly—
A small monkey wouldn't come close to satisfying its hunger."
Aatish's breath grew shallow.
His body trembled—not from the cold, but from pure, paralyzing fear.
He had never felt anything like this.
How do you fight something... when you don't even know what it is?
Panic took over.
Without another thought, Aatish turned and ran.
And that...
Was his biggest mistake.
The moment his footsteps echoed through the jungle, the creature heard him.
A monstrous growl erupted from the trees behind.
The bushes around Aatish exploded in motion—branches snapped, leaves scattered, and the earth trembled under something massive.
Aatish (panting, running, shouting to himself):
Now what?!
Is this... is this really the end for me?
(He stumbles, but catches himself. His mind races.)
No.
Aatish, this is not the time to panic.
Think.
There has to be a way. There's always a way to fight back.
But first...
I need to see what I'm up against.
Narrator:
Aatish's breath grew heavier with each stephis chest rising and falling like a drum of panic.
And then…
He heard it.
The creature's heartbeat.
Not his own—but the beast's.
Loud. Deep. Pounding through the air like thunder in his ears.
Shiba saw the fear overtaking him.
The lion let out a sharp roar and charged forward, cutting through the jungle like a golden flash—racing to protect his friend.
Aatish dared to glance over his shoulder.
And what he saw froze the blood in his veins.
The trees behind him were shaking violently, their branches crashing as something massive pushed through them.
Between the leaves and shadows… a dark silhouette was moving—
Getting closer.
With every heartbeat.
And then—
For the very first time—
Aatish caught a glimpse of it.
Just a flash.
A monstrous figure.
Not fully visible, but enough to know:
This was no ordinary beast.
It was something ancient. Something unnatural.
And it was coming straight for him.
Seeing the creature, Aatish's eyes widened in horror.
His throat went dry.
His heart slammed against his chest—each beat faster than the last.
For a moment, his mind went blank.
He couldn't even begin to process what he was looking at.
It looked like a tiger… but something was wrong.
Very wrong.
The beast's mane was thick and wild—far thicker than any normal tiger's fur. Its sheer size was enough to freeze the blood in his veins—easily twice as large as any tiger Aatish had ever seen.
But that wasn't the most terrifying part.
The thing was running on two legs.
Aatish felt his voice tremble as he gasped:
Aatish: "D-do… do weretigers live in this jungle too?"
Aatish tried to run with all his strength, desperate to save his life, but his efforts were in vain—the weretiger was far too powerful. Just then, Shiba leapt to his aid, springing forward with a mighty roar. With a long, fearless jump, he aimed for the beast's neck, but the weretiger caught him effortlessly with one hand and slammed him to the ground.
By now, Aatish understood there was no use in running. His heart pounded in his chest as he faced the towering creature.
"Shiba," he called out, his voice trembling yet resolute, "it seems we cannot escape so easily. Perhaps now we have no choice but to fight."
The weretiger's glowing eyes narrowed, and the jungle seemed to fall silent, as if holding its breath for the inevitable clash.
Aatish clenched his fists and shouted, "Oh, you brute! Stay away from Shiba, or the consequences will be worse than you imagine!"
The weretiger's lips curled into a sinister smile. "It seems this little irritant has developed a taste for fighting," he sneered, pressing his massive foot against Shiba's body. "If you wish to save him, then try."
In a rush of desperation, Aatish snatched a stone from the ground and raised it, aiming directly for the beast's eye.
The weretiger laughed mockingly. "Do you really think a pebble can harm me, boy? This stone won't even scratch my skin."
But Aatish's expression darkened with cunning. With all his strength, he hurled the stone—not at the weretiger, but just past him. It whistled through the air and struck with perfect precision. A deafening crack followed as it smashed into a massive beehive hanging from a tree.
The weretiger flinched in surprise.
Aatish smirked, his voice laced with sarcasm. "I knew it. You're nothing but reckless. Sometimes, you ought to look behind you."
"Shiba!" Aatish shouted desperately. "Get out of there quickly, or the bees will sting you too!"
The swarm's furious bites loosened the weretiger's crushing grip, and in that instant Shiba pulled himself free. He staggered back, his chest heaving, as Aatish called out again, urgency in his voice.
"Shiba, we need to get out of here as fast as possible. These bees won't hold him for long." His tone softened, almost hesitant, but steady. "And… there's something I need from you. That message—the one on the monkey's body. Can you bring it?"
Shiba shook his massive head as if in reply, then darted into the underbrush. A moment later, he returned with the message clenched firmly in his jaws, sprinting through the cloud of stinging insects toward Aatish.
But before they could escape, the weretiger let out a thunderous roar that reverberated through the forest like a quake. Trees trembled, birds scattered, and even the swarm of bees broke apart in panic, abandoning their assault.
The beast's eyes blazed with murderous rage. His voice cracked the silence like a whip:
"You insolent brat! You've crossed the line this time. No one can save you from death—no one!"
"Shiba!" Aatish shouted, his voice cracking with urgency. "Get out of here at once! He's furious!"
At the sound of his master, Shiba quickened his pace, darting through the dense undergrowth. The weretiger lunged after him, muscles rippling with feral strength—but Shiba, swift and agile, managed to stay just ahead, slipping beyond the creature's grasp.
"No way!" Aatish called out, beckoning. "Now come to me—with that message!"
The weretiger slowed, a sinister grin curling across his beastly face. His laughter rumbled like thunder.
"Foolish child! Do you truly believe you can escape me? You are gravely mistaken. Twenty-six souls have already fallen beneath my claws. None have ever lived to tell the tale… and neither will you."
Aatish froze for a moment, disbelief flickering in his eyes. "What's wrong with you?" he cried. "I had always heard that weretigers were noble—guardians of the forest! For centuries, they protected this land. They punished only those humans who tried to harm it. And yet you…" His voice trembled between anger and sorrow. "…you call yourself one of them?
The weretiger's eyes blazed, his voice a guttural snarl.
"Weretiger this, weretiger that! Do not trap us within your human notions. We are not what you imagine us to be. You humans always greedy, always blind have trampled our homes, torn our forests apart, and poisoned the land for your selfish desires. You are nothing but insects, gnawing away at the very earth that sustains you. And so…" His lips curled into a vicious grin. "…I will wipe out every last human from this world."
Aatish stood firm, though his voice shook with fury.
"I don't know what humans may have done to your kind, but slaughtering innocents—people who have no part in that destruction—makes you no better than the monsters you claim to despise! My grandfather told me countless stories of your king, Baghkore. He never killed the innocent. He was remembered for his kindness, his wisdom. He was a true guardian of the forest."
The weretiger spat on the ground, his claws raking the earth.
"That Baghkore is nothing but a weakling! A mindless king with no spine. It is his humility toward humans that has brought our kind to this pitiful state. His father was a fool, and his grandfather before him—a lineage of weakness! Their compassion has chained us, and now I will break those chains with blood."
The jungle quaked beneath the weretiger's roar. His towering frame loomed over Aatish, shadows swallowing the young warrior whole. The beast's glowing eyes narrowed—fixing him like prey.
Weretiger (snarling, mocking):
"Come then, child. Show me if your courage matches your trembling words."
Narrator:
Before Aatish could respond, the beast lunged—an avalanche of muscle and claws. Aatish barely rolled aside as the ground where he'd stood shattered beneath its strike, roots snapping like brittle bones.
Aatish (panting, defiant):
"You'll regret underestimating us."
Narrator:
A golden blur cut through the air—Shiba. With a roar that shook the leaves from their branches, the lion hurled himself onto the weretiger's back, claws sinking deep. The forest itself seemed to echo with the clash of fang against fang.
Weretiger (laughing through the pain):
"A lion? Ha! Even kings of the jungle bow before me!"
He twisted violently, slamming Shiba against a tree trunk. The impact thundered, bark splitting, but Shiba clung on, jaws snapping for the beast's throat.
Seizing the chance, Aatish charged forward—snatching a jagged branch from the ground. He swung it with every ounce of strength.
The branch cracked across the weretiger's jaw. The beast staggered, more out of surprise than pain, then slowly turned his head back toward Aatish. Blood trickled from his lip, but his grin only widened.
Weretiger (mocking):
"Is that it? A twig against a storm?"
Aatish (furious, voice steadying):
"I don't need to kill you. I only need to slow you down… long enough."
The weretiger swiped at him, claws slicing the air—but Shiba leapt again, forcing the beast to defend. In that instant, Aatish darted to the side, scanning desperately for an opening.
A plan began to form.