An Awareness of Power's

Aditya was walking through the dense forest, his new companion perched on his shoulder—a small, fluffy hamster named Coco.

“Coco, who named you? Was it that scientist?” Aditya asked, glancing at the creature.

“No,” Coco replied, his whiskers twitching. “I named myself. I love cocoa, so… Coco it is. The scientist gave me some code-like name. But... you don’t think it’s silly, do you?” he added, a bit sadly.

Aditya chuckled. “Not at all! It’s a great name—and really cute.”

As they walked deeper into the forest, Aditya suddenly stopped. “Wait, Coco… something feels off. We’re not alone.”

Before Coco could respond, a low growl echoed through the trees. A wolf stepped out, eyes sharp and voice rough. “Coco, have you lost your mind? You know our King doesn’t tolerate humans. He kills them on sight. And here you are, strolling with one?”

“This human isn’t ordinary, Ballu Brother,” Coco defended quickly. “Last night, lightning struck near the waterfall—on him. And he’s still alive. Plus, humans have treated him unfairly. He’s not like the others.”

As Coco spoke, Aditya stared at Ballu with growing intensity. Noticing this, Coco whispered, “Aditya… why are you looking at him like that?”

“I have to ask,” Aditya said. “Coco, has he been experimented on too? Like you?”

Coco frowned. “No. The scientist only experimented on me. Why would you think—?”

“Because I can understand him,” Aditya interrupted. “Just like I can understand you.”

Coco's eyes widened. “That’s impossible. You must be joking.”

“I’m serious,” Aditya replied. “Look.”

He turned to Ballu. “Who is your king? Tell me.”

Both Coco and Ballu were stunned. Aditya had spoken in Ballu’s language.

“You… you speak like us?” Ballu asked, bewildered. “How is this possible?”

“What are you talking about?” Aditya replied, raising an eyebrow. “You’re speaking my language.”

“You’ve gone mad,” Ballu said. “I don’t know human speech. You’re speaking my tongue!”

He turned to Coco. “This is dangerous. I’m taking you both to the King. Coco, you’ve made a grave mistake bringing him here.”

“No, wait!” Coco protested. “We can just go back—”

But Aditya stepped forward. “No, Coco. I want to meet this King. Let’s go.”

“You don’t understand,” Coco whispered. “Our King… he’s a lion. He’ll kill you on sight. Maybe I’ll be spared—but you won’t.”

“I don’t care,” Aditya said firmly. “They treat you like a joke, Coco. I want to change that. You’re my friend. And I need to understand why I can talk to animals now. It makes no sense.”

Coco’s eyes narrowed in thought. “Could it be… the lightning? Maybe when it struck, it altered your brain. Every living being emits electrical frequencies. Maybe your brain absorbed them—and now you can understand us.”

Aditya laughed. “Wow, Coco. What are you, a hamster with a PhD?”

Coco blushed. “Oh stop. I just guessed…”

Soon, they arrived at a wide open clearing. At the center stood a massive stone platform, wide at the front. Atop it, a regal lion surveyed the land—Sher Singh, the King of the Jungle.

Around him, animals sat in silence, heads bowed in respect. The three newcomers stepped into the clearing. Gasps echoed as animals noticed the human—for the first time, a human had entered their sacred ground.

“Long live King Sher Singh,” Ballu bowed. “My King, I caught this human and Coco wandering the jungle.”

The lion’s golden eyes fixed on Aditya and Coco. Coco trembled at the sight, visibly terrified.

Aditya leaned close and whispered, “Coco… why are you shaking? Why are you so afraid of Sher Singh?”

What dark secret lies behind Sher Singh’s reign?

Will Aditya survive this royal encounter?

To be continued

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