Deal 2

"The treaty doesn't stand anymore, and you very well know it. It's nothing more than just empty words. You have no right to stand in my way." he yelled at the swan who still refused to budge and kept on squawking with its tiny wings flapping vigorously.

The other Gandharvas passed Mr Feathers a discontent and disgusted look. He was one of the noblest creatures of this forest, they hadn't expected him to be corrupted by humans to the extent that he'd fight his own kind to protect them. He was nothing more than a disgrace to this sacred forest.

"How could you be so shameless to side with humans? You're a traitor to our kind." one of the Gandharvas from behind yelled and everyone nodded in agreement. They had all been thinking the same thing.

"You're a disgrace!" came another voice.

"Maybe, you should give up your immortality as well and become human since you love them so much." another one chided in and everyone else bobbed their heads and in agreement.

"Become human!"

"You don't deserve to be one of us."

"Give up your immortality and be like them already."

They kept on firing insults but Mr Feathers ignored them like they were air. He was hellbent on crossing this chamber with everyone safe and sound.

"Become a human like that idiot from back then. Sacrificing immortality for a human woman. Tch." they criticised. Mr Feathers hadn't spoken up yet since he didn't want to participate in a useless banter. It was too low for a noble one like him but that comment pinched him hard in all the wrong places. The usually noisy bird just turned to all of them with a deadly glare. If glances could kill, there would've been a massacre already. That look made the Gandharvas' blood turn cold as they looked down immediately. Their leader's heated argument with the swan had given them some courage too and they said all that in the heat of the moment. They had forgotten the position of the swan couple in the forest momentarily but soon regretted it. That glare had reminded them of their places in an instant as they fell quiet and let their leader talk. They knew full well that none of them could afford to offend this haughty swan or else even death might seem easier than what would await them.

Mr Feathers turned back to the leader and starting squawking again. But this time the tone was low and serious, unlike the one before. And from the way he looked at the tall creature made it seem like a threat.

"That's not what I meant." the leader said awkwardly. The threat seemed to have worked whatever it was had scared him.

"The forest has had it's fare share of deceitful humans. We just don't want the history repeating is all." he immediately explained himself. His words made Mr Feathers snort in humor. The 'history' he was talking about was also personally witnessed by the him and his dear wife. How dare he bring that up?

Mr Feathers snorted and squawked at him again. Did that horse part get to his brain to forget that him and his wife also played a role in stopping that catastrophe?

"I have no enmity towards you. I don't trust humans and I never will. So, please move aside and let me do my work." he said with great difficulty. His face wouldn't stop twitching as his previous haughtiness was nowhere to be seen.

Even though this argument was pissing the leader off, he wouldn't dare point his spear towards one of Godess Bhairavi's people. The atmosphere kept getting more and more tense as they stubbornly stood there in a staring contest. None of them was ready to stand down.

"How about a new deal?" Nati asked.

The stubborn men finally turned their gazes away from each other and onto her. Nati went and stood behind Mr Feathers before their turned gazes could arise suspicion. Visha let out a sigh of relief. That was very close. She thought. If anyone had noticed them looking into the oblivion like that, it'd have been quite a hefty explanation to give.

The leader was taken aback by Nati's suggestion, "I'd never again trust a..." before he could complete his sentence Natis jumped in once again.

"I know and I have a solution that'd stand on all your conditions." she said in her honey laced voice. Her lips curved into an enchanting smile as her eyes portrayed a long lost playfulness. The leader pondered over her words and nodded for her to continue.

"There is someone who is capable of doing what they said and meets your conditions as well. They are powerful, well versed within the human society and experts at keeping secret identities. Now would you make a deal?" she asked.

"Who?" he asked in a heavy voice. Everyone knows how cunning and decieving a Yakshini can be. He wouldn't agree without knowing the other party and ultimately fall into a trap. A mischievous glint passed through her eyes as she turned to point towards someone behind her.