Arjun's P.O.V.
I woke up, I could hear a women crying I sprung up and held my bow
"What happened, Arjun?" asked Mata
"Mata, I can hear a woman crying." I said, Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir and Mata sprung up
"Bhrata Bheem's stomach must be growling, because of hunger." said Sahadev
"My stomach's growling does not sound like a woman crying. It sounds like a lion's roar." said bhrata Bheem and threw dry leaves
"Bhrata Bheem!" exclaimed Sahadev angrily I grabbed my bow and ran off
Karn's P.O.V.
Arjun grabbed his bow and ran off
"Arjun... Arjun!" yelled Mata
"ARJUN!" I shouted
"Why does my anuj keep running right to the danger?" I grunted
"Because he cares about others more then himself." replied Yudhisthir calmly and proudly I shot a death blare at him
"Yeah it probably best to keep quiet" he said looking down
"You think?" asked Nakul
Arjun's P.O.V.
I ran to where the women crying sound came from I raised my bow and saw a young women crying she looked at me stood up and turned the other took a few steps
"Wait!" I called, she stopped
"Who are you? And what are you doing in this illusory forest, alone?" I asked
"Are you... Are you a rakshas or a human?" she asked, I smiled
"A human. Had I been a rakshas I would have asked you whether I should fry or roast you for my meal. Show yourself, and tell me who you are." I said, she turned around and walked to me
"These ogres devoured my entire family. I managed to escape from there somehow but now, I cannot find a way out of this forest." cried the girl
"Come with me. My five bhai and Mata are resting nearby. We will protect you.
Karn's P.O.V.
"Karn..." said Mata putting her hand on my shoulder
"Putra, where has Arjun gone, all alone? That too in this illusory forest. I am very worried about him." she said, I out my hand on her cheek
"Mother, you need not worry. We will find him." I said
"I shall go look for him." said Bheem
"No, Bheem." ordered Mata, we looked at her
"Now, no one will go anywhere, alone. All of us will go together. Arjun had gone in that direction." said Mata pointing forward
"But even his footprints are not visible." she said
"I shall rip out all the trees of this forest, Mata! We will find Arjun." said Bheem, he walked to a tree and ripped it
Arjun's P.O.V.
Bhrata Bheem ripped a tree and held it on top of his head I looked at bhrata Bheem them at the maiden they were at each other, Nakul and Sahadev exchanged looks I cleared my throat
"Bhrata Bheem," I called, he looked me
"you can put the tree down." I said, bhrata Bheem looked up at the tree he was holding above his head, Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir, Nakul and Sahadev chuckled as bhrata Bheem put the tree down
"Arjun, who is..." trailed Mata looking at the maiden
"Mata, this maiden was crying. Her parents were slain by the rakshaso. She is terrified. That is why, I have brought her to your refuge." I said, Mata walked to her
"You need not worry, putri. My putro will protect you." said Mata, I looked at bhrata Bheem he looking at the maiden
"Bhrata Bheem will protect you." I said, walking to Sahadev I put my hand on his shoulder
"Right, bhrata Bheem?" I said
"Huh! What?! Yes!" said bhrata Bheem coming back to his senses
"Since it is Mata's order, I will certainly protect her. Why won't I?" said bhrata Bheem I pointed my eyeballs at bhrata Bheem asking Nakul and Sahadev Did you see? they nodded
"What is your name, putri?" asked Mata
"Nirjara.(A/N: This is a completely made up name. This name is not there in the Mahabharat story.)" replied the maiden
"How did your family end up in this terrifying forest?" asked Mata, Nirjara hesitated As I suspected she is definitely a rakshsi. I thought
"We were on a tirth yatra. We lost our way and entered this forest and... and in this forest the rakshaso... the rakshaso devoured my family..." said Nirjara and started crying Mata hugged her
"Calm down, putri. No need to be afraid now." said Mata and pulled
"We should leave now." suggested Jyesht Mata looked at him
"Yes." said Mata and looked back at Nirjara
"But will you be able to walk or do you need to rest for a while?" asked Mata
"She will indeed be able to walk, Mata." I said, Mata and Nirjara looked at me
"When I saw her, she was sitting and crying. She was not engaged in any physical labor." I said,
"Arjun!" snapped bhrata Bheem, I looked at him
"It is not right to laugh at another's pain." he scolded Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir, Nakul, Sahadev and I exchanged looks, bhrata Bheem looked at Nirjara
"Forgive me, bhrata Bheem." I said joining my hands, he looked at me and nodded
"Mata asked if you will be able to walk or not." bhrata Bheem asked kindly, Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir, Nakul, Sahadev and I exchanged looks by their looks I could tell that they were thinking of the same thing I was thinking Since when did he become so kind, they definitely like each other.
"Yes, I am alright." said Nirjara
"Let's go." said Mata, I put my hand on Sahadev's shoulder as we walked forward
One hour later
We have been walking for one hour, bhrata Bheem kept looking behind him looking at Nirjara. the rest of us brothers were continuously exchanging looks
"In which direction are we proceeding, Jyesht?" asked Nakul we all stopped looking at him
"Even the sky is not visible here. How will we find our way out?" he said
"During this season the wind always blows from poorv to pashchim, Kul. That is why, we are headed towards West." said Jyesht, smiling, we all smiled
"This is West. The smell of meat is coming from here." said Nirjara, we stopped smiling and exchanged looked
"This forest stinks from all directions." said bhrata Bheem
"But that is the smell of food... Arthat, it is the meal of the rakshaso." said Nirjara, Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir and I exchanged looks
"And some of this smell is also from the fruits that have fallen from the trees. I have become familiar with that smell now." said Nirjara Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir and I exchanged looks thinking No human has such a strong sense of smell. She is definitely a rakshsi
"Can you tell us from this smell from where we can find some fruits to eat?" asked bhrata Bheem
"Avashya. There must be some fruit trees ahead. The smell of fruits is coming from there." said Nirjara
"Wonderful!" sighed bhrata Bheem, Nakul and I exchanged looks
"How strange!" I said, Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir and Sahadev looked at me
"The fruit trees are so near. However, bhrata Bheem has not gone to pluck them yet." I said and laughed Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir, Nakul and Sahadev laughed
"The way you have conquered sleep, similarly, bhrata Bheem has conquered hunger." said Nakul, bhrata Bheem looked at him he hid behind me we laughed
"Then we need to conquer hunger as well, because I do not think that bhrata Bheem will go to pluck fruits for us." I said we laughed harder
"Be quiet." Mata ordered, we all tried to control our laughter but couldn't Mata shook her head bhrata Bheem looking at Nirjara
"Bheem." called Mata
"Huh?!" exclaimed bhrata Bheem
"Putra, go and get the fruits." said Mata
"As you say, Mata." said bhrata Bheem, and went off. He came back after ten minuets with lots and lots of berries Nakul and Sahadev fed each other
Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir fed me as they fed me I purposefully bit their fingers because I knew then they will ask Mata to feed
"AHH! ARJUN!" shouted Jyesht and bhrata Yudhisthir in pain, I chuckled
"You are spouse to eat the berries we held at your mouth, not our fingers!" scolded Jyesht Nakul Sahadev and I laughed
"Mata you only feed him." said bhrata Yudhisthir, Mata looked at me I was smiling she nodded I stood up went and sat next to her I closed my eyes and opened my mouth I felt Mata pull my ear
"AHH! MATA! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!" I shouted in pain, Mata smiled
"You could've just asked me to feed. Why did you have to bite Karn and Yudhisthir?!" asked Mata still pulling my ear
"I can't get anything past you, can I?" I said, Mata smiled and let me go, she took a berry and fed me, I burped.
"Wow Mata!" exclaimed Nakul, we looked at him
"When you feed bhrata Bheem he feels satisfied, and now bhrata Jun! How did you achieve this?!" he asked
"Because my love fills up their stomach." said Mata, we smiled, we looked at bhrata Bheem he was competing against Nirjara in eating.
"How can one be so stupid to compete against bhrata Bheem in eating?!" Nakul asked me in whisperer Nirjara took bunch of berries Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir and I exchanged looks she ate all the berries in one bite Nakul looked at her in amazement and shock
I looked at bhrata Bheem, he took a handful of berries and ate them slowly slowly they finished the all of berries Nirjara burped loudly then bhrata Bheem burped louder.
"Bhrata's hunger got satisfied even though Mata didn't feed him." said Nakul, we all laughed even Mata was laughing Jyesht, bhrata Yudhisthir and I exchanged looks again and looked at Nirjara