Gowthami's body plummeted through the air, the world spinning in a chaotic blur. The wind roared in her ears, and her heart pounded in her chest as she fell. She could feel the hound's snarls and presence close by, but in the violent descent, they were separated by the force of the fall.
Branches whipped past her, their sharp edges tearing at her clothes and skin. She collided with several thick limbs, each impact sending jolts of pain through her already exhausted body. The world around her was a frantic whirl of green and brown, and she fought to maintain some semblance of awareness.
As she continued to fall, a particularly thick branch struck her head with a sickening thud. Stars exploded in her vision, and everything went white for a moment before dimming to a haze. Her thoughts became sluggish, her consciousness slipping away. The pain was overwhelming, but it was nothing compared to the sheer exhaustion that claimed her.
Finally, Gowthami hit the ground with a bone-jarring thump. She lay still, the breath knocked out of her lungs, her body battered and bruised. Her vision swam, the edges darkening as she tried to cling to the last shreds of awareness. She saw the dense canopy of the jungle above her, the sunlight filtering through in scattered beams.
The world around her grew silent, save for the distant sounds of the jungle. The pain in her head was a dull throb, and her thoughts drifted away, fragmented and incoherent. As her vision blurred, she felt an overwhelming sense of fatigue pull her under, dragging her into the comforting darkness of unconsciousness.
The jungle stood still, an indifferent witness to her fall. Leaves rustled softly in the breeze, and the occasional call of a bird pierced the silence. Gowthami's body lay motionless on the forest floor, a small figure amidst the towering trees and thick undergrowth.
Time passed, the jungle continuing its timeless rhythm around her. The sun shifted in the sky, casting changing shadows over her prone form. The ground beneath her was cool and damp, the earthy scent of the forest filling the air.
In the distance, the hound's frustrated howls echoed faintly, but they were growing weaker, more distant. The rider, too, had moved on, driven by his own relentless quest. They were unaware that Gowthami still lived, lying unconscious in the embrace of the jungle.
Gowthami remained in the darkness of unconsciousness, her body still and her mind adrift. Her breaths were shallow, but steady, a faint sign of life amidst the wild, untamed expanse of the forest. The jungle cradled her gently, a silent guardian watching over her as she lay hidden from the eyes of her pursuers.