Jātved did not have the characteristics of the Vanars; it was likely that he had come for a short trip.
Karki did not trust him. Though common sense told him it was a child, his otherworldly instincts warned him, and he had learned over the years never to ignore that warning.
He asked casually, "Boy, you do not seem like you are from this country. Have you come here for a trip? Where are your parents?"
Jātved gave a pleasant laugh. "No, uncle, I have no parents. I am a priest practicing in the temple of Hotrā. I decided to explore a forest near Malīnī, got so lost that I ended up here."
Tara's eyes widened. Malīnī, the capital of Ang, was about two hundred kilometers from where they were. "You poor thing! Why don't you come with us? We will drop you back. Your masters must be so worried!"
The boy's eyes lit up. "I would be so grateful if you could do that for me!"
Akira spoke, "Let us start in an hour's time. I just want to speak to the practicing priest in this temple for a second."
Akira went around the temple, but no one was there. She was hoping to peep into the temple records to know more about the current king and people. Temples always had records, as it helped align auspicious times that vibed with the royal family's astrological charts.
Jātved saw her sigh as she came back. "Sister, you look disappointed."
Karki, who was ignoring him, gave him a pointed stare. "She is your sister, and I am your uncle? I am younger than her, boy."
Jātved sniggered, "My bad. Brother, it is then."
Akira could see his cheek twitch. Karki was biting his teeth. She stifled a laugh. She continued, "The priest is nowhere to be seen. But I don't want to stay here much longer; I guess we should leave."
Karki asked, "Which path do we take?"
Tara responded, "I think we should stick to the forest; less crowded, faster we can reach."
Akira nodded in agreement.
They continued to walk around the edge of the forest. Jātved was extremely energetic. He ran around collecting berries or water from the nearby river. Occasionally, he climbed trees to get a sense of direction.
He was surprisingly helpful.
He was not exactly quiet and hit it off with Tara, who looked at him like her own brother. They jabbered throughout the way; Tara was mostly listening. He told her about how magnificent the grand temple was, how he had to wake up in the morning and get a cold water bath just to be able to break his fast. Tara giggled at his account of his troublesome classmates.
Karki and Akira closely followed behind, both lost in their own thoughts.
When they were out of earshot, Karki told Akira, "I don't trust that boy. Something seems off."
Akira nodded. "I feel he is hiding something. I don't feel threatened by him, but let's not lower our guard yet."