The trail narrowed until it was little more than a thread of beaten earth winding between moss-covered trunks. Shafts of sunlight slid through the high canopy, dappling the ground in coins of gold. Hours had passed since their bargain with Rajyugas, and the children's steps had grown slow and restless.
Ansh was the first to spot the glimmer ahead. "Water!" he shouted, pointing so hard he nearly toppled over. "Daav, look—it's shining!"
The firebird darted forward in a quick arc of flame-colored light. Its excited chirps echoed through the trees.
Ashwini quickened her pace, a faint smile touching her lips. "Finally. My feet are tired."
Vijay only sighed, but his eyes brightened. "A lake in the middle of this jungle… that's rare."
The Lake of Bright Mirrors
The path opened suddenly into a small clearing where a wide, still lake stretched like a sheet of polished glass. Towering trees bent toward it, their reflections perfect in the water. Dragonflies skimmed across the surface; mist hovered in lazy curls.
Ansh stopped at the edge, eyes wide. "It's huge! And clear enough to see the sky under the water."
Daav swooped low, wings scattering tiny ripples. He landed on a half-submerged log and chirped, his fiery feathers glowing against the silver surface.
"This place feels… quiet," Ashwini said softly. "Like it's waiting."
Ansh dipped a hand in, sending circles across the mirrored lake. "It's waiting for fun!" he declared. "We need a break. Come on!"
Before anyone could stop him, he leapt in with a splash that sent cold droplets flying.
"Ansh!" Ashwini gasped, but her protest was drowned by his triumphant whoop.
"It's not even cold!" he shouted. "Well… maybe a little cold!"
Daav launched upward, startled, then returned with an indignant screech, flapping water at Ansh's head.
Ashwini pressed a palm to her forehead. "You'll scare every creature within a mile."
"Good," Vijay muttered, though his eyes betrayed a hint of longing as the cool spray reached the shore.
Mischief in the Water
Ansh swam in clumsy circles, sending waves toward the bank. "Come on, slowpokes! Even Rajyugas isn't rushing us."
Daav suddenly dove, slicing across the lake like a fiery arrow, then shot straight up in a burst of sparks. Water hissed where tiny embers touched.
Ansh grinned. "See? Daav's already in!"
Ashwini shook her head but stepped closer, the sun catching the green threads in her dark hair. "Fine," she said, loosening her boots. "But if you start another race and fall again—"
"I never fall on purpose," Ansh cut in, eyes dancing.
She waded in carefully. The water swirled around her knees, then her waist, cool and clean. Daav zipped by, sprinkling warm droplets over her shoulders like harmless sparks.
Vijay stood with arms folded. "Someone needs to stay dry to watch for trouble."
Ansh splashed a great arc of water in his direction. "Trouble's already here!"
The spray caught Vijay full in the chest. He sputtered, glaring, then gave a low growl and waded in with a single determined stride.
"You asked for it."
The lake erupted in a flurry of splashes. Ashwini tried to retreat, laughing despite herself, as Vijay sent a wave her way. Ansh darted like a fish, dodging and counter-splashing. Daav wheeled overhead, raining a harmless drizzle of sparks that hissed when they struck the surface.
Soon the quiet clearing rang with childish shouts, laughter echoing through the trees.
Pranks and Play
Ansh, ever the schemer, crept behind a reed-covered log. "Daav," he whispered, "operation sneak-attack!"
The firebird tilted his head, then nodded with a sharp chirp. Together they dove—Ansh underwater, Daav above—sending up a sudden fountain of water and a flash of harmless flame near Vijay's back.
Vijay yelped and spun, nearly losing his footing. "Ansh!"
Ashwini giggled, covering her mouth.
Ansh surfaced with a victorious shout, hair plastered to his forehead. "Direct hit!"
"You'll pay for that," Vijay warned, lunging forward.
The chase that followed was pure chaos: Ansh zigzagging, Daav swooping low to distract, Vijay trying—and failing—to catch them. Ashwini tried to keep some semblance of order, but laughter betrayed her each time.
Finally they collapsed onto the bank, dripping and breathless.
"Worth it," Ansh panted, flopping onto the soft moss.
Daav settled on his chest, feathers steaming faintly in the cool air.
Ashwini wrung water from her hair and glanced toward the tall trees. "We should keep moving. The day's half gone."
"Already?" Ansh groaned. "But the lake loves us."
"The lake will still be here," Vijay said. "Rajyugas won't wait forever."
Back on the Road
Reluctantly they dressed and shouldered their packs. The jungle greeted them again with the hush of cicadas and the faraway call of unseen birds. The air smelled of wet leaves and earth.
Ansh tried to skip across exposed roots, nearly tripping twice. Daav glided just above him, occasionally tapping his head with a wingtip to keep him steady.
Ashwini walked ahead, glancing back with a quiet smile. The carefree play had softened something between them; even Vijay's usual frown had eased.
Hours passed. The forest thickened, then slowly began to thin. Sunlight grew stronger, the air drier.
The Village of Shadows
At last the trees opened onto a broad clearing. Beyond lay a settlement—small, low-roofed houses of weathered wood and clay crouched beneath a sky heavy with clouds.
No voices rose. No smoke curled from hearths. The place was steeped in a strange, heavy quiet.
The children halted as one.
"Where… is everyone?" Ashwini whispered.
Ansh's usual grin faded. Even Daav folded his wings tight, his glow dimming.
They stepped forward cautiously. The ground here was hard and dry, the earth cracked. A well stood at the center, its rope swaying faintly though no wind stirred.
Doors hung half-open. A cart rested on its side, one wheel missing, as if abandoned mid-journey.
Ansh touched a fence post. The wood was cold despite the sun. "It feels… sad," he murmured.
Vijay scanned the silent lanes. "It's like they all left at once."
Ashwini knelt, fingers brushing the dusty ground. "Or something chased them."
Daav gave a low, uneasy chirp and hopped closer to Ansh's shoulder.
The stillness pressed in, a quiet so deep it seemed to swallow even their breath.
Behind them, Rajyugas finally spoke, his voice low but carrying across the empty street.
"This," he said, "is where our next lesson begins."
The jungle laughter of the lake felt suddenly far away. The three children stood shoulder to shoulder, their earlier play replaced by a shiver of unease, as the silent village waited like a held breath.