Abruptly, a pack of wolves sprang into the cave, their eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger as they swiftly encircled Gowthami, Vyaaghra, Rajeev, and Ram. The tension in the air was immediate, thick and suffocating. Vyaaghra's reaction was instant—his muscles tensed, and his eyes narrowed into deadly slits. The once gentle giant now transformed into a furious force of nature, glaring at the wolves with a murderous intent, ready to tear them apart if they dared to come closer.
As the wolves crept forward, their snarls low and menacing, Vyaaghra let out a thunderous roar that reverberated through the cave, a sound so powerful it seemed to shake the very walls. The force of the roar drove the wolves back, their ears flattening against their heads in instinctual fear. But unlike before, these wolves were more experienced, hardened by previous encounters. Though clearly intimidated by Vyaaghra's ferocity, they refused to retreat. Their eyes, glowing with an unnatural malice, were locked on Gowthami, filled with a burning desire for vengeance.
Rajeev and Ram watched in horror as the wolves began to advance, their memories dragging them back to that fateful scene where they had nearly been overrun. The wolves' hunger was palpable, their sharp gazes scanning Rajeev and Ram as if already planning how to tear them apart and make them their evening meal. But it was Gowthami who held their deepest hatred, their eyes narrowing in a collective, envious glare that made their intentions all too clear—they sought retribution for a past wrong, and Gowthami was their target.
One wolf, in particular, locked its gaze on Gowthami, its expression twisted with envy and wrath. Vyaaghra, sensing the danger, moved immediately, stepping in front of Gowthami to block the wolf's view. His massive frame shielded her completely, his growl a low, warning rumble that promised death to any who dared approach. The wolves hesitated, their steps faltering as they took in the sight of the mighty tiger standing guard over Gowthami. Fear flickered in their eyes, but it wasn't enough to make them back down. Their need for vengeance outweighed their instinctual terror, and they continued to circle, their movements cautious but determined.
Rajeev and Ram quickly moved closer to Gowthami, their hearts pounding as they tried to position themselves to protect her. They could see the wolves' intent in their eyes, the primal hatred that radiated from them. But to their astonishment, Gowthami remained utterly unfazed. She stood tall and unshaken, as if the menacing presence of the wolves was nothing more than a passing inconvenience.
With a calmness that belied the danger surrounding them, Gowthami leaned in closer to Vyaaghra's ear, her lips curling into a mischievous smile. "Shall we play?" she whispered, her tone light and playful, as if she were suggesting a game rather than preparing to face a pack of deadly predators.
Vyaaghra's ears twitched at her words, and his gaze shifted briefly to her before returning to the wolves, his expression sharpening with a new intensity. He understood her completely. This wasn't just a fight for survival—it was a challenge, a dance with danger that they were both more than ready to face.
The wolves, sensing the shift in the air, grew more agitated. They circled tighter, their snarls growing louder as they prepared to attack. But Vyaaghra, with Gowthami perched confidently on his back, was unyielding, his massive body a living shield against the pack's fury.
Rajeev and Ram, caught between fear and awe, could do nothing but watch as the scene unfolded. They had expected Gowthami to be terrified, but instead, she was the picture of calm, her trust in Vyaaghra absolute. It was as if she knew something they didn't—that in this deadly game, she and Vyaaghra were destined to win.
Ram listened to her remarks and was perplexed by them.' What game was she playing right now? How could she say such things with the wolf around? This isn't the time for idle play; it's time to take action.'
"I believe it's not a joke, sister-in-law. If you want to play right now, please have a look around."
Ram felt a bit anxious and afraid.
Gowthami disregarded his remarks and observed the wolves' movements while they spoke.
'Is this a code phrase between them' , Rajeev wondered.
When a wolf suddenly sprang on, Vyaaghra walked over and hooked itself to the animal with its paw.
The wolf sensed that it was 10 feet from its location, and its face was entirely coated in blood.
When Vyaaghra struck the wolf with its paw, the wolf's claws burred a deep gash in its face, removing its eye entirely, leaving the wolf with just one eye.
It was really terrifying—Vyaaghra had just vanquished the mightiest wolf in a single blow.
Vyaaghra attacked the strongest wolf out of the others. The wolves' condition frightened the surviving ones away.
Even after seeing most potent tiger, Ram and Rajeev were taken aback by Vyaaghra and felt a little sense of sadness for the wolf.
Gowthami was ecstatic for Vyaaghra and, to be honest, she was also rather proud of their offspring for having such talent. Her joy was evident on her countenance.
"Excellent short Vyaaghra", she commented with pleasure.
The fact that her gowthami had complimented Vyaaghra made her very delighted.
Given the state of the wolf, the other wolves don't seem to be trying to return, even though they were getting closer to them on both sides.
Ram replied, "Sister-in-law, they're getting closer," as he saw the wolf approaching.
..
After discovering a cave, the police officers who had been looking for Rajeev and Gand decided to spend the night there.
"I'm hungry, do you guys have anything to eat?" said one of them.
Others chuckled and said, "We didn't come to the barbeque to bring the food; we were merely looking for people who got misplaced."
Jignesh, the senior commander, remarked, "Let's see if there are any trees bearing fruits or other vegetation adjacent that we can devour."
Jignesh gave the command for his followers to go get food since he was also famished.
The other police obeyed the leader's orders and left Jignesh with a few police officers while they took care of some meals.
One of the guys who had gone in quest of food returned quickly after a couple of minutes.
"You are truly entitled to look around, sir."
With a hint of fear, Jignesh said, "Do you discover them? Are they doing fine?"
"That has nothing to do with them, sir. Please abide by along and take a peek."
A couple dead wolves and evidence of an arrow wound were discovered by the policeman searching for food. They were rather taken aback, and one of them was told to let their superior know.
In an attempt to defend themselves and drive the other wolf away, Gowthami shot them with arrows; nevertheless, the wolf was struck by the arrow and perished from a high blood flow.
After realizing that their elderly prey had died, the surviving wolves returned in pursuit of Gowthami using their sense of smell in order to get retribution.
The policeman who went in quest of food found precisely the same murdered wolf.
After witnessing the corpses of the wolves, Jignesh replied, "Who murdered them? Are there any poachers around in this jungle? We ought to track down those poachers right away."