संगर्ष (Saṅgharṣa)

हिडिम्बा: Hidimba - Strength

Who dare enter their forest?

Their home.

They were Rakshasas, guardians of the wilderness, as ancient and untamed as the roots beneath their feet. Bound not by laws of men but by a sacred bond with the land, they upheld their own code—a fierce protection that knew no mercy for those who dared trespass.

Hidimba's senses sharpened as she inhaled deeply, the scent of unfamiliar blood mingling with the earthy essence of the forest. She could almost taste the mortal fear that drifted toward her on the evening breeze. 

Humans, she mused, so unaware of their vulnerability. 

It smelled almost.....royal.

And she wasn't the only one that had smelt them- Hidimb, her brother, stirred.

He was a hulking demon, with a frame that towered over most creatures of the forest, his sinewed muscles etched like carvings across his body, scars tracing battles won and foes devoured. His skin bore a greyish hue, like the granite of the cliffs beyond, his teeth gleaming sharp in the dim light as he grinned, catching the scent of unfamiliar blood.

"Humans," he growled, his eyes gleaming with a ravenous anticipation. His nostrils flared as he caught the deeper hints of their scent—rich, warm, pulsing. He could almost hear the beat of their hearts, quickening in response to the eerie stillness of the forest. His voice was a dark whisper that slithered through the trees. "Go on, Hidimba, bring them to me."

"As you wish," she murmured, a glint of mischief in her eyes glowing as red as burning embers.

Hidimba inhaled deeply, her senses heightened as she glided through the trees, the scent of the intruders guiding her steps. The aroma grew stronger, filled with life and strength, mingling with the earthy musk of the forest. She reached a small clearing where the travellers had stopped to rest. There were five men- sturdy, battle-worn, their faces marked by both hardship and purpose, with one older woman-she supposed their mother.

Hidimba's gaze remained fixed on the intruders, a strange emotion stirring within her. At first, she thought it was the lust for the hunt. And yet, there was something about these men—these warriors—that made her pause. They were unlike the fragile travelers she had seen before, those who stumbled into their woods with little more than ignorance to guide them. These men held themselves differently, as if each step was measured, each breath a weapon.

But it was the one with the broad shoulders and powerful frame who caught her eye, his skin gleaming in the fading light, his muscles coiled beneath a warrior's scars. He sat slightly apart, his alert gaze surveying the surroundings, his very presence emanating a raw vitality unlike any she had ever encountered. A fascination stirred within her—a hunger of a different kind, one that prickled at the edges of her curiosity and sharpened her breath. This human... he was unlike the others. She felt herself drawn to him in a way she couldn't quite explain, as if something primal within her recognized him.

Who are you? 

Her mind raced, a strange mix of thoughts and urges swirling. She knew how humans were—how they mistrusted the unfamiliar, recoiled from her true form. But she wanted him to see her, to notice her in return. She took a steadying breath and closed her eyes, reaching within herself to summon her powers.

In a matter of heartbeats, her skin began to shift, her bones rearranging, muscles reshaping. Her once towering, sinewy figure softened, her grey skin lightening to a warm, human tone. Her claws receded, replaced by slender fingers, and her hair darkened, cascading in waves down her shoulders. Her fiery eyes dimmed to an earthy, almost hypnotic amber, still alight with that smouldering intensity but softened by her new guise.