Meeting The Beasts!

~I fell in the clutch of circumstances

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeoning of chance

My head is bloody but unbowed...~

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After staring at them, a sweet smile formed on Shivanshi's face. She was gazing at them in awe, and her mouth was slightly agape. Stars were shining in her eyes.

Seeing this, the animals glared more at her.

Finally, one of them said, "What crime have you committed for being here?" it was the white cat.

Shivanshi's mouth gaped more after seeing the animals can talk.

"She looks too young to commit a crime " the cat spoke again while looking at her nails, " but one doesn't come here until they committed a crime."

"Huh...fluffy aunt, what do you mean by committing a crime?" Shivanshi asked innocently.

The white cat purred angrily at this, "Hey kid! Who the hell are you calling fluffy aunt!?"

Shivanshi didn't understand her words and thought, 'Oh! fluffy aunt must have felt bad because she doesn't want to be called fat.'

So she smiled even more and said, "I am sorry fluffy aunt, I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Hey kid, you, a mere human, dared to think about harming us?" the Eagle said.

"No. How could I? You guys are so cool and so cute at the same time. How can someone want to harm you? I want to say thank you to all of you for coming here otherwise ...I was feeling too scared of being alone." She looked down at her feet, but then she remembered she is here to become strong. So she raised her beautiful butterfly eyelashes and looked straight.

"You aren't scared of us," the Black Panther said.

"No. Why would I be? You look cute, clean, and well behaved," she said, showing her cute teeth with some empty places in them.

"How can that be. Girl, didn't you heard about this forest? How it's cursed? Or those stories about us living here?" another one asked.

"Which one are you talking about, those which my Queen Mother taught me? Yes, I remember them very well. You guys were punished to live here till eternity...Oh...you...," she became scared suddenly.

A boar started circling her and said, "Now you know how to be scared."

Shivanshi looked down guiltily and started speaking, "I Am Sorry. I ....shouldn't have poked your deep wounds. You must be feeling terrible while staying in the forest, and I just said something to hurt you even more. I am really sorry," and she looked up, meeting their eyes with tears in her eyes.

For the first time in decades, all the animals look shocked. They were used to seeing people terrified, in fear, after seeing them. No matter how brave someone is, he starts running after seeing them, letting go of his pride.

Many people even go crazy and started cursing at themselves and the cruel world which sent them here.

But this little girl, who looks so frail, so weak, that they can kill her with just their roar, is standing here and pitying them. She even felt sorry for them. Are they dreaming?

No matter how hard they think, they never met anyone who pities them.

They don't know what they are feeling. Finally, someone broke the silence, "Hey kiddo! What are you saying? Don't you want to try escaping from here? From this cursed forest? From us cursed beasts?" as soon as he finished speaking, all other beasts looked at him with a strange expression.

Then they turned to look towards the girl. They all were waiting for her reply. They all know what happens to those who try to escape from here.

"Why would I? I don't want to go. I came here to train myself to become stronger, so I will only leave after becoming stronger. I had plans of escaping first when I came here, but after meeting you all, I don't want to leave," she said while beaming.

"Why don't you want to escape after meeting us?" they still can't believe that someone in this world wants to stay with them! The beasts! The world is terrified of whom. So why will this little girl want to stay here? No, she must have a hidden motive behind it. The witches must need something from them.

"Why should I try to escape after meeting you?" she threw the question back in her innocent child voice.

They were all left speechless by her words. They thought for a while, but none of them can interpret her words. Or better say, they can't accept the fact that this girl wishes to live with them.

"So can I live with you?" she asked.

After living for so many decades alone, they never expected that a day would come when someone will ask them to live with them. This new emotion that welled up inside those beasts was new to them. They were aloof from this feeling.

They just stared at her and didn't reply.

She thought they are hesitant, "I am sorry for troubling you, but I don't have any other option. I...am alone here,...so can you elders please let me live with you. I will do whatever you will ask me to do, and you can see I have a small tummy. And I eat really less," she said while pinching her waist and showing them how little her tummy is. She was looking so cute at the moment that whoever sees her can't help but adore her to no end.

Seeing this scene somewhat melted their hearts. The fierce looks in their eyes changed into a mild gaze.

"Then tell us about you?" the black panther finally said in a commanding voice.

"Oh, yes! I am Shivanshi, the third princess of Andrea. I was sent here by my family to become stronger." she said while raising her fist in determination, looking like a cat showing its paws.

Listening to this, the panther became suspicious "and do they told you how will you become stronger?" he asked.

"ahh...Ummm that...I don't know...mother didn't tell me," she said dejectedly like a withered flower.

"Did they told you to do something like finding something here or spying on anyone?" he continued interrogating by keeping a close watch on her expressions.

".....hmm...no, I don't remember telling anyone anything like this to me. My mother only told me that they are sending me here to become stronger, and this is our family's tradition and that they will come to take me back when I become stronger." she recited the words just like how a child narrates a poem while swaying her body.

Now, everyone there realized, that the child had been fooled by her family.

Finally, the white cat sighed and said, "Kiddo! Come here. You will live with me."

Some of them looked at her encouragingly, while the other gave her look of a question. The Panther and the Eagle raised an eyebrow at the cat.

The cat, Siya, ignored them and moved towards the kid.

"Really, thank you soooooo much fluffy aunt to allow me in." Shivanshi's eyes shone like they have so many stars in them, and she started following Siya excitedly.

Siya started moving, and after every few minutes, she turned to make sure that the kid is following her.

~I can feel the breeze touching my feet

Falling down on my toes

As I stand outside the door

Waiting for you to let me in

So that I can share with you all our good and bad

Only if you believe

Will you let me in?~

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