Beauty and the Beast

5

"Why did you let her get away? Who would have stopped from bringing her home with you if they knew that you're Narayana?" Shesha complained.

"Excuse me if I'm glad that her first response wasn't trying to kill him. The tribe isn't all sweet and lovely. They're the region's dangerous predators." Garuda pointed out. "Doesn't help that Narada told them that he is an intruder."

Narada put his hands up in surrender. "I just helped. The princess of the tribe isn't going to start moving around this place unless she thought some intruder was there. Why would she bother if she thought it was just some other animal? Come on."

"Narada, I'm sure your intention was noble but she's thinking he is some demon. Let's try and solve that." Shesha suggested.

Narasimha stood up. He started walking down the hill.

"Where are you going?" The three asked him. He ignored the question and kept walking down.

"Swami, at least tell us where we are going?" Narada asked.

"Do you have a plan? Please tell us the plan at least." Garuda insisted.

Soon enough, they reached the foot of the Garudaadri and they found her. She had her spear in her hands and pointed it toward him. "Do not move." She threatened him. He looked at the spear.

"It isn't sharp enough to pierce through my hide, Sri." He explained.

"It is sharp enough to go through your eyes, beast. Careful. I'm really skilled at hunting." She said. The three of them winced at her comment.

He grabbed the spear and pulled her closer. He raised an eye at him. "Careful, Sri. That isn't how you address your-"

"Friend." Narada finished before Narayana pointed out the obvious nature of their relationship.

"Friend? What kind of friend is he whom I seem not to know?" She asked.

"Hmm... So you stare point blank at people you don't know? Or you fall over them without knowing them and refusing to stand up on your own?"

She pushed the spear closer to him. "Oh, no. Don't be clever. These forests are protected by our tribe. We don't take kindly to intruders."

"Oh, no no. We do not mean any harm to these forests. If it is alright, we'd like to stay here." Garuda tried to explain.

"Why should I allow some strangers to stay here?" She asked.

Narada chuckled and walked toward the two. Carefully and slowly pushed away the spear's pointy end and gave her his best smile. "Do I seem like a threat, Chenchita? I'm a harmless Sanyasi. So, when I'm saying that he isn't really a threat, I wouldn't mean harm, would I? After all, I have known your family for a while. What else would I want except good for you?"

He tried to be the mediator between them.

She pulled the spear back to herself. "Honestly, what are you? This is such an odd form. I think you should firstly complain to Brahma for making you like this. Such an odd creature you are. Careful. We Chenchus aren't really as sweet as we look. You might end up as a hide for the chieftain."

Narayana chuckled. "You did try. How did that go?"

"I wasn't prepared then. Now I am. Also, I'm a bit soft towards animals. But that is not the case with the rest." She answered, trying to sound confident enough. 

He chuckled and shook his head. The mane shook softly. He let out a soft growl. Chenchita took a good step back and gripped the spear. An expression crossed the lion face. Probably an animal equivalent of a grin. The claws emerged out of his paw-like hands and he studied the sharpness of the spear against it. The tip of the spear chipped off a bit.