Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The horses moved at a steady trot; their hooves muffled by the damp earth as the narrow forest path twisted ahead. The afternoon sun rays filtered through the canopy in sharp golden shards, but the village nowhere to be found. Bheem whipped the reins and trotted near the front, his brow furrowed beneath his helm, eyes scanning the tree line. He wasn't listening to the birdsong or the calling of the animals in the forest. His mind had drifted back to the firelit circle from the cold night before with the campfire, and the group of hurdled around.
"I did hear a couple of anecdotes about the lake, but none about its origin.." Raju explained.
"Perhaps it's newly built," a young voice suggested, his eyes sharp with curiosity.
"Maybe, Keshav," Bheem replied thoughtfully.
"But the woman said the village was old. Something about the Moon God, something about how he gifted them the lake, and how they've lived there ever since."
"The Moon God, you say?"
The voice came from Hariharan, a middle-aged man sitting not far off. His tone was low, marked with quiet intrigue, and his gaze shifted toward another figure approaching the fire.
Raju glanced over. "What is it, Captain Hari?"
Hariharan nodded toward the approaching figure. It was Raghunath, a seasoned veteran with silvered hair, who joined the discussion.
"What are you all discussing?" he asked as he eased himself down beside them.
"They were speaking about the Moon God and the lake," Hariharan sighed, folding his arms. "Apparently the village worships both."
Raghunath let out a thoughtful hum. "I'm not sure how useful it'll be," he said slowly, "but I've heard a tale or two."
"Please," Bheem urged. "We'd like to hear it."
The fire popped softly as the group leaned in, their breath briefly visible in the cool air.
"It's an old legend," Raghunath began. "They say the lake was a divine gift to this world. And ever since, the villagers have offered their prayers to both the Moon God and the lake, believing their prosperity flows from that lake."
A pause followed, thick with wonder and the weight of old stories.
"Still..." Bheem spoke up, "why would a village so blessed remain so hidden? So far from everything else?"
Raghunath shook his head gently. "That, I cannot answer. It's something we'll only understand when we walk the land ourselves."
"Feels like we're only moving in circles." The youngest one among them, Keshav, interjected, drawing Bheem's attention back to the present moment.
