Nature's Comeback

27- Avan's friends

Gyaan was having difficulty navigating in the darkness as he didn't have any light with himself and was at the mercy of the people who were walking way ahead of him.

"I should have taken one log for myself before getting into an argument with Ahana." Gyaan cursed himself, while simultaneously looking back to see if Neer had returned. Neer was his only hope to find a way now.

In the feat of anger, Ahana had walked way faster than Gyaan had speculated. Hence, Gyaan wasn't able to spot Ahana even though they didn't have much distance when they had resumed walking. Plus there was a huge chance that the girl had reduced the intensity of the fire, just to spite him. After all, Ahana was well aware that Gyaan would not be able to get out without her help.

Out of nowhere, Gyaan tripped and was about to fall, when a hand steadied him. He didn't need to think for more time about the mysterious saviour as her taunting voice gave her away.

"You are bound to fall when you keep looking backwards continuously."

"I thought you left," Gyaan stated, not bothering to respond to Ahana's comment.

"Well you thought wrong."

Gyaan rolled his eyes at her vague response, before commenting cheekily, "Aww, were you waiting for me?"

Ahana scoffed, "Stop dreaming and just leave," she said before handing him the log she had in her hands.

With a quick snap of fingers, the log lit up.

"Why bother putting it off in the first place?" Gyaan grumbled. Her act had made him feel so helpless. He thought he was alone, while she was so near him.

"I had to if I didn't want the wood to completely burn out before your slow ass managed to reach here. Now stop wasting time.

"Go and help Sameera. I will come back with Neer," Ahana more or less ordered.

Gyaan nodded but a small chuckle left his lips.

"What?" Ahana asked in an annoyed tone.

"You were the one who wished to leave first without helping anyone, yet you will be the last person to leave this place."

"Just go if you don't want to be stuck here," Ahana threatened, looking at the log pointedly.

Gyaan coughed a little, before quietly leaving. He had already aggravated her too much. It was in his best interest to draw the line now.

"Leave alone if Neer doesn't come back within ten minutes," Gyaan advised, even if he knew that she wasn't going to pay any heed to it.

"I am being serious. Don't take it lightly," Gyaan warned once more, before leaving.

He had been calculating the wind's movements ever since it slowed down. From that time, the intensity of it had been slowly increasing. The twins had twenty minutes more before losing the chance of survival.

Gyaan knowingly told her the wrong time. He knew Ahana would never leave in exactly ten minutes. But maybe, just maybe she would leave after waiting for an extra five minutes. Gyaan was still hoping for Neer to come back soon, but if things went haywire then at least one of them had to survive.

★★★★★

Ahana stood against a tree, with her legs crossed and arms folded. She had just stopped tapping her legs only to start tapping her fingers against her elbow.

From 'Neer I am going to kill you for making me anxious' to 'Neer just come back, I will do anything in return', Ahana's state of mind started crumbling.

Just when Ahana's mind was going to touch the darkest place, a ray of light came into her view. Not a subjective one, a literal light was coming towards her.

As the light came nearer, Ahana got to see the bearer of that light. Avan who was brisk walking, holding the lighter of Asha's father.

She quickly uncrossed her legs and arms, before running towards him with alarmed eyes.

"Why... why are you back?" Ahana barked the question, while looking for his parents.

"They called for my help. They are stuck," Avan answered in a hurry, before picking up his pace to move past Ahana.

Ahana grabbed his elbow and pulled him back, causing his feet to drag on the ground making a screech sound.

"Avan, leave right now. Wind is picking up. According to the intelligent dude(Gyaan), there's only three minutes left. Just go," Ahana spoke, trying her best to speak in a gentle voice but failing badly.

"I can't. They need me." Avan hiccupped as Ahana's tight grip on his arm started hurting him.

"Who? Who are these friends that need help from a five year old?" Ahana bursted out in anger, unknowingly tightening her grip on Avan even more.

A squeak left Avan's mouth, making Ahana aware of her actions. She hurriedly pulled her hands away from him, like he had burned her.

She looked back and forth towards her palms and Avan's trembling figure. It had been many years since she had harmed an innocent by accident but the feeling was still the same.

"I...I... ." Ahana couldn't manage to apologize, as she got more and more scared of herself.

"Avan it will stop hurting soon. Please be brave. You need to be brave for your Didi too.

"Avan, she didn't hurt you purposefully. She was just scared. See how she is shaking badly at the thought of hurting you." the tree against which Ahana had been leaning, pacified and guided Avan.

Avan wiped his tears, trying to ignore the hurt on his arms, before going to hug Ahana's knees.

Ahana stiffened at the contact. "Avan, don't touch me. I only know how to hurt and ruin," Ahana said in a broken voice, trying to get away from him, but Avan kept on holding her tightly.

"I am okay Didi. Please don't cry." Avan kept comforting her until Ahana melted. She knelt and hugged him properly, whispering sorry's again and again.

Avan wanted to keep hugging her but his other friends needed him. Reluctantly he broke the hug, "I need to go," he said in a soft voice, hoping she would be okay soon.

Ahana's eyes widened as her mind came back from the broken state. She hastily wiped her tears, not believing that she, Ahana, the firegirl with a huge temper, cried like a baby.

Ahana heaved a huge breath, before joining Avan, who was going inside the village.

Avan's eyes widened when he saw Ahana joining him.

"Didi," he whispered in shock.

"I don't owe debts Avan," Ahana muttered before simplifying it for the confused kid, "You saved my life from that tree, so now it is my duty to keep you away from the harm.

"Let's go and save those friends of yours."

"Yes!" Avan cheered, as the chances of him being able to save his friends doubled by Ahana's presence.

"By the way, whom are we saving?" Ahana asked curiously, wondering if any of the researcher's kids had been left behind.

Avan looked at the ground, knowing that Ahana's temper was going to rise  upon hearing his answer.

"Avan?" Ahana impatiently waited for the answer as they kept walking towards an unknown direction.

Avan gulped before answering, "Cows and buffaloes."