ch-61

Suraj stood in the doorway of Aryan's room, leaning against the frame as a smile spread across his face. The sight before him was nothing short of adorable: Aryan was curled up on his bed, still fast asleep, while the mother cat and her tiny kittens had nestled themselves beside him. The kittens were so small that they looked like tiny balls of fluff, their eyes barely open as they clung to their mother. The mother cat seemed content, her body stretched protectively around her babies, with one paw resting lightly on Aryan's hand as though she trusted him completely.

Suraj chuckled softly and fished his phone out of his pocket. He couldn't resist capturing the moment. The soft morning light filtering through the window illuminated the scene perfectly, and Suraj snapped a few photos, already imagining showing them to Aryan later.

As he stepped closer to the bed, Suraj noticed the mother cat's belly. The sight of it brought back yesterday's events, and he was amazed all over again by how Aryan had managed to gain the cat's trust. Pregnant cats were notoriously aggressive and wary, especially when about to give birth. Yet, this one had not only sought Aryan's help but had brought her babies to his side during the night. It was extraordinary.

Suraj reached out, his curiosity getting the better of him. He wanted to gently touch the mother cat's belly to see how she was doing. But before he could, the cat's eyes flicked open. She growled lowly and lashed out with her paw, scratching his hand just enough to make him withdraw it immediately.

Suraj winced, looking at the faint red scratch on his hand. "Alright, alright! I get it," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "You're a queen in your own right, huh?" He chuckled again, shaking his head. "But listen, lady, you're staying in my house, so maybe show a little respect to the landlord."

The cat, unimpressed, simply stared at him with narrowed eyes before resting her head back down.

Suraj smirked. "Of course, you're a sweetheart when you're with Aryan, but with me, it's all claws, huh? Typical." He turned to look at Aryan, still fast asleep. "This kid has some magic about him, I swear."

As Suraj sat down on the edge of the bed, his mind wandered back to a memory that had bubbled to the surface last night. It was from their visit to the Bhagat Singh National Zoo a few months ago. The trip had been Aryan's idea, and Suraj had agreed reluctantly, figuring it would be a nice break for both of them.

While walking through the zoo, they had stopped at the lion enclosure. Suraj vividly remembered how one of the massive lions, which had been lounging lazily in the corner, had suddenly perked up when Aryan approached the glass. The lion had stood, its piercing eyes locked onto Aryan, and paced closer. It even pawed at the glass, as though trying to reach him.

Other visitors had gasped, and a zookeeper had come over, explaining that the lions were usually calm and not reactive. But it wasn't just the lion. As they moved through the zoo, every animal they passed seemed drawn to Aryan. The elephants reached out their trunks, the birds chirped more brightly, and even the shy red panda had climbed down from its perch to get closer.

At the time, Suraj had dismissed it as a coincidence. Perhaps the zoo animals were just accustomed to humans, he'd reasoned. But now, seeing the mother cat's extraordinary trust in Aryan, the memory took on a new significance. Could it be that Aryan had some sort of... connection with animals?

Suraj shook his head, chuckling softly at himself. "You're overthinking again, Suraj," he muttered. "Just because the kid is cute and animals seem to love him doesn't mean there's anything supernatural going on."

Still, the thought lingered in the back of his mind. Aryan did have a mysterious charm about him, a way of drawing people—and apparently animals—toward him. Suraj often joked that Aryan's cuteness was a superpower, but now he wondered if there was more to it.

Later that morning, Aryan finally stirred awake. He yawned, his eyes fluttering open, and the first thing he saw was the mother cat and her kittens still nestled beside him. His face lit up with pure joy.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Suraj said, ruffling Aryan's hair. "Looks like your little friends decided to have a sleepover."

Aryan giggled, carefully reaching out to stroke the mother cat's head. "They're so cute, bhaiya. Did you see them?"

"Yeah, I saw them," Suraj replied. "And I have photographic evidence to prove it." He showed Aryan the pictures he had taken earlier, and Aryan's smile grew even wider.

The boy leaned closer to the kittens, watching them squirm and stretch. "Can I play with them?" he asked eagerly.

"Not yet," Suraj said gently. "They're still really delicate. Let them rest for a while. The mother cat will tell you when it's okay."

Aryan nodded solemnly, as though he had just been given a very important responsibility. He turned back to the cat and whispered, "Take care of your babies, okay?"

Suraj watched the scene unfold with a mixture of amusement and affection. Aryan's bond with the cat was something special, and it warmed his heart to see his little brother so happy.

As the day went on, Aryan decided to stay home from school. "I don't want to leave them alone," he said, looking up at Suraj with pleading eyes.

Suraj laughed. "Alright, you win. But just for today, okay? Tomorrow, you're going back to school."

Aryan beamed and immediately got to work setting up a cozy little corner for the cat and her kittens in his room. He used an old blanket and a cardboard box, making sure it was warm and comfortable. The mother cat seemed to approve, settling into the box with her babies while Aryan sat nearby, watching over them like a proud parent.

That night, as Suraj lay in bed, he couldn't help but think about everything that had happened. Life had certainly taken some unexpected turns lately, from the success of Ravan's Rampage to the arrival of this little feline family in their lives. And through it all, Aryan's presence had been a constant source of joy and wonder.

As he drifted off to sleep, Suraj couldn't shake the feeling that there was something extraordinary about his little brother. Whether it was a gift, a charm, or just sheer innocence, Aryan had a way of bringing light into the darkest corners of their world. And for that, Suraj was endlessly grateful.

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Mass release (4/5)

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