The grove was silent, save for the distant rustle of leaves. Prithvi stood frozen, small hands clenched, eyes fixed on the pair of glowing yellow eyes that watched from the shadows. Meera clung to his side, her tiny body trembling, yet her curiosity was stronger than her fear.
"Prithvi… what do we do?" she whispered.
He took a deep breath, feeling the faint pulse beneath his chest — the echo of the sun-mark from last night. It wasn't visible, but its memory hummed like a quiet drumbeat. For reasons he couldn't explain, the forest seemed to lean toward him, every branch and root attuned to his presence.
"Watch," he said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.
Aarav stepped forward, eyes narrowed, voice low and sharp. "Be careful. You don't know what it really is."
Prithvi nodded, then held out a small hand toward the grove. "Stop." The word was soft, almost a breath, but it carried weight.
The yellow eyes blinked. The growl faltered. Slowly, the shadows seemed to shrink, as if the forest itself was listening. Leaves stopped rustling, and the wind softened to a gentle sigh.
Meera gasped. "You… you made it stop!"
Aarav's jaw tightened. He stepped closer, voice trembling slightly. "Don't get too proud, little brother. This… this isn't just a game."
Prithvi glanced at him, feeling a strange mix of defiance and hope. "I'm not trying to be proud. I… I just want to keep us safe."
The forest seemed to respond to his words. Roots shifted subtly, forming natural barriers around them. Shadows retreated deeper into the trees. Even the yellow eyes blinked away, leaving only a faint glimmer before vanishing entirely.
Meera clapped her hands. "See, Aarav! He's amazing!"
Aarav's eyes, dark and stormy, softened slightly — though not entirely. He looked at Prithvi with a new awareness, the mix of jealousy and admiration from before now edged with concern. "You're lucky… but don't let it go to your head."
Prithvi smiled faintly. "I won't. I just… want to understand it."
Aarav sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Understanding it won't make it safer. Experience will. You need to be careful, or one day the forest won't just listen — it'll judge."
Prithvi felt a shiver run down his spine. Judge? The idea both frightened and fascinated him.
Meera tugged at his sleeve again. "Can we play now? Hide-and-seek… in the forest?"
Prithvi laughed softly, tension easing from his small shoulders. "Only if we stick together."
As they ventured further, the forest seemed to hum around him, every tree, vine, and root aware of his presence. Somewhere deep in the shadows, the faint memory of the Raksh-Wolf stirred, yet it no longer felt threatening.
Prithvi was beginning to realize something: the forest didn't just respond to him. It listened. And perhaps, in time, it could even obey.
But for now, he was just a boy, with a sister who challenged him endlessly, a half-brother who both protected and resented him, and a power that was only beginning to awaken.
And the forest… it was waiting.