~If we know what love is
it is because of you, gurl~
Watching the little girl and their little friends interacting so happily, the expressions on the faces of big beasts somewhat softened. They had already asked Siya everything about her interactions with the child. Through her, they get to know how naive the child is to take them as usual animals. Now, they got clear about one thing that the child didn't have any mal intentions towards them and the woods.
The only reason why they are still behaving coldly towards her was that they don't know how to be warm. After spending so many years in this jungle, like a prisoner, they had already lost most of their emotions. Their mood got to lighten up after seeing their little ones playing merrily.
Now everyone got seated at their places. They were all together squatting in the position of an arc. There were different types of fruits in front of everyone. All of them were new to Shivi. Even after eating almost every expensive food in the palace, she still can't figure out these fruits. So out of curiosity, she asked,
"What kind of fruits are these? I had never seen any of them."
"These are the special delicacy of this forest which is not found anywhere else in the world. These fruits are full of enormous energy, so you will definitely feel powerful and replenished after having them," the squirrel Chip answered while munching on a big nut. The nut was even bigger than him.
Since there is no way to leave the forest alive, they all have silently agreed to let all their secrets known to her. That's why they let Chip go near her because out of them, as he had the widest mouth when it comes to gossiping.
"Oh! Wow! Can I eat them?" Shivi asked for their permission politely.
"Yes, try 'em!"
Shivi picked a blueberry-like fruit that was much bigger than the actual blueberry. After eating, her eyes widened from surprise and happiness, "Yummy, It tastes soo good." with that, she started munching on them happily after throwing all of her hesitations off.
When she was done stuffing herself with the yummy food, she started looking at everyone curiously. On looking at everyone, her little eyebrows frowned,
"According to what I had read, some of you should be carnivores, then why are you eating fruits?" she said while blinking innocently.
Everyone continued eating while Boar responded to her, "Kid! You better not compare us with typical animals. We can eat everything, and besides, there isn't any pray here in this prohibited forest anyway."
"Oh," Shivi nodded knowingly.
And the breakfast ended happily.
Shivi's new friends asked her for an outing, and she happily accepted the offer. From her new friends, she learned this forest is quite huge more than what people know. It's divided into five parts- Orchard, Crystal Spring lands, the Butterfly Valley, Dry terrains, and the Forbidden Woods.
Orchard is the garden of fruits where they had breakfast in the morning. It has a variety of fruits almost equivalent to the total diversity found outside the forest. But the fruits are tastier than any of those found outside.
The next few days, Shivi made herself comfortable with her new home. Yes, home! For Shivi, this whole forest is her new home.
She kept hanging out with her little friends every day. Every day all the animals assemble in the middle of the Orchard to have breakfast and dinner. It's a custom they are practicing for a long time. But they can have lunch anywhere, or they can eat in the Orchard.
Today Shivi was playing in the Butterfly Valley with her friends. The marvelous beauty of the valley is enough to leave any human awestruck, let alone Shivi, a naive princess. Thus it became her favorite place to play, and she comes here daily with her cute friends. It's been two weeks since she started living here and now she had started to retain all those routes, which she had visited in these days.
The squirrel Chip, the hamster Chig, the sparrow Monaco and the mouse Mickey were racing to the lake.
The little squirrel is the biggest gossiper in the jungle*. He loves to tittle-tattle here and there.
Sir Chip, the hamster, is a nincompoop. He has a small nose and often gets offended easily by the squirrel.
Mickey, the mouse, and Monaco, the sparrow can be considered wise people...oops...I mean wise mouse and sparrow. They are sharp-witted and quick in running errands.
Aadi, the baby fox, is a silly-cute fox who loves to be close to Shivi and behaves possessively sometimes.
As they reached the lake, they all started fighting like they always do as the finals of their race.
"Yea! I won !" said Chig jumpingly.
"No way! A fat hamster can wins in front of a swift squirrel," says Chip said while climbing up on Shivi's clothes.
"Hey! you slow people! It was me, Great Monaco, who won." says the sparrow while sitting proudly on Shivi's shoulder.
Shivi chuckled at them and finally opened her mouth to stop them, "It's okay comrades, winning or losing doesn't matter among family and friends. You have to enjoy the game and don't need to be this serious."
When Shivi lives in the palace, she had often treated as a lowly birth, and no matter how good she performs anything, her big brother and big sister were always the ones to receive praises. While all she gets was this statement which she just told her little fellas. Those people must be taunting her at that time, but she took it as a lesson and learned to give in when needed between friends and family.
"But it was obviously me who won..." murmured Chig under his breath. Chip and Monaco both smirked at their fatty fellow.
At this moment, a broad shadow covered all of them from the sky. Shivi looked up at the body of the shadow's owner only to find...