From left to right : Arthid, Hema and Sakda.
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Chapter 4 - Free Spirit

Plate 4 Primal Males

With his massive body, Arthid made a good pillow for both of his friends. They woke up with full night rest. looking around they were still alone. The forest was teeming with it’s usual morning vibe, high canopy rattling, and singing birds. Forest floor gradually warmed up from the ascending sun light. Still the sound of small ravine nearby was the same, the steadily splashing of flowing water.

Sakda yawned. Last night was cold, had not big body of Arthid covered him last night, he wouldn’t get a good sleep. This morning His whole body ached after a day of tiring exertion. “Thanks Arthid, your body were so warm. Is this is in the middle of a forest?” Said Sakda.

Arthid had no idea better than him, he shrugged saying “Well, You idea was going to the port right.... Let’s see, when we came to the city, we were going west. and now, I don’t know where we’re but if we want to go to the port. I think we need to go east” He then yawned showing his full white teeth and shaking his messy morning mane. He too got a nice sleep “I still don’t know how can we get out of here even if we get there at the port”

“It’s the only way out of here anyway, or we need to go south and went through the mountain ridges, which is impossible” Sakda took a stick and start drawing crude map on the floor. He remembered some geography from the book Majjari gave him to read. The country of Majjarapura was enclosed by mountains, with only east side opened to the sea. “Yesterday, regarding to the sun we seemed to move eastward, which is good. We just needed to find a trail leading to the port.”

“Another day of long walk” said Hema. He’d already waken up but just wanted to continued his slumber through the morning.

Arthid agreed “Yes, long indeed, you lead Sakda” They prepared themselves, taking sips from the creek before they left. Since they have nothing to store water for later consumption, they needed full hydration.

With sunlight as his guidance, Sakda established the route and walk along. There was no road or trail along the way, they needed to passed throught tall grass and shrub, steep and rocky terrain, sometimes even climbing big rocks. They tried to make as little noise as possible in case the huntresses were near.

After a long day of walking Sakda find an obsecure trail, from a short walk along the trail. Sakda was sure of it’s direction “This one is leading east, I think we should go along”

The main problem was not being caught or water, It’s food. They have none with them. Water was not scarce since them passed small rills and drank from time to time. they need to find their food solely from the wild. Three of them used to lived with nature long time ago. Hema on a cold mountain, Arthid on a vast plain, and Sakda, closest to this terrain, with wolves he’d lived in a forested hill.

Even with thick green roof of the forest, humid weather gave them much triedness, especially at noon. Still They found nothing edible, at least to their knkowledge.

Than a heartful moment came. With his searching eyes, Sakda saw something familiar “Hey look. that’s a coconut

“Great, but I’m so hungry how do we expected to find any food?” Said Hema, his voice was tiring, he had no idea what was edible and not edible around there. “We’ll all die of starving”

Sakda shoked Hema’s shoulder and pointed to the bunch of coconut “Look Hema, these fruits are edible. I will get up there and took them down for us” Not long after he finished his words, Sakda gained his remaining strength and climbed up the coconut tree. He used his sharp claws gripping into the tree’s bark and pulled himself up with his muscular arms and legs.

The higher he went, the more he didn’t want to look down, Focusing only on a bunch of coconuts up ahead. Down below his two friends looked up with surprise, they never saw him climbing trees before. Arthid shouted up “Be careful, Don’t fall down!” As Sakda got to the top he wondered how could he did such thing, the courage and strength he thought he hadn’t had before was just happened to him, it must be his hunger that gave him such power.

Sakda twisted and detached the coconut from its brunch one by one saying “Mind you head” before throwing them down. each coconut hit the ground and bounced a few times ,making a nice thudging , reminding them that there was something to eat at last. Arthid carefully took one, shaking it before his ear. “What? Isn’t it water inside” he said excitedly. tumbling the fruit agound and bite into it’s husk, tearing it apart and chew. That part was chewy and rough, though there a characteristic smell of coconut. He tried to swall but couldn’t “This coconut of yours is hard to eat”

Sakda looked down, seeing his friend chewing the coconut in an unfathomable way. “What!, you stoped right there. That’s not how you eat coconut” Sakda cried to him. He almost finished with the bunch “Let me get down first and I will show you”

When he went down, Sakda showed his friend how to open a coconut. He tear the husk with his teeth and claws removing outer part until only the hard shell was left, then he smash it opened with a rock, sipping the water and eat white pulp inside. “That’s how you eat a coconut” He said at the end.

Soon the ground was littered with coconut husk. The three lions were busy pelling and eating coconuts for the entire afternoon. Nothing could give them better refreshment than the mildly-sweet sparkling coconut juice and it’s creamy pulp. Hema learned how to peel a coconut fast and he definitely ate a lot, enough to get him sleepy.

He found a good spot and tried to take a nap, but Sakda didn’t let it happened “Come on Hema. Coconut trees mean that a beach is near. Let’s go and find more thing to eat there”

They walked for a short while the air was getting more windy and the fainted sound of rhythmically splashing water was not far away. They couldn’t be mistaken it’s the sound of a beach. Like an exciting small cub, Sakda rushed to the opening,. What he found is long white sandy beach and emerald sea. A sense of freedom rushed through his body. He felt himself not restricted anymore at least to some compulsory duty when he’d been with the lionesses. He no more their object, here he could do whatever he wanted. There was one dissappointment though. He couldn’t see any port here. This was not the beach they landed.

“Bad news, There’s no port here, we’re at the wrong beach” Sakda said with dissapointment.

Arthid followed him and realized this was not as good as they’d expected. How could just going blindly in one direction would lead them to the port they’d arrived “Don’t be sad, we can waited for any ship to dock anyway, or we could find another way. I think we still have time” he smiled, there was nothing he could do more in this situation too.

“Is there anything to eat?” Hema bursted into their conversation. “There’s so many coconut here, can you get them Sakda?”

Sakda wondered their focus was no more of fleeing but just being, living here by their own, he remembered what Ishaa said there was no escape, she meant it literally that they would never get out of here, at least without a proper vessel. If that was so, Hema was right the first thing they needed to do was surviving. Now he wanted some food.

“Not only coconut but also I can get you fishes too” Sakda said.

“What, fish? do you mean you’ll get into the water?” Hema said excitedly “but you can’t get into the water”

“Well, Thanks to Majjari, Now I can” He replied.

That late evening the lions were busily preparing their camp, Arthid took some branches and leaves making roof for their night rest, Sakda walked around, find a long wooden branch and sharpen it tip to make a harpoon, with it he went to a shore. All the while, Hema try climbing coconut tree by his own. It was clumsy first few times buy he could manage it at last. The result was they got more food than they expected : coconuts, fishes and other wild fruits. They’re going to have a big feast.

A fireplace was made with traditional technique Hema had done it many time when he was young. Dry wood was continuously rubbed aginst each other with the presence of tinders until it was hot enough to create a spark then he blew it lightly and gradually add kindles then dry twig to make a proper campfire

Hema was proud of his work “We made it! Now we have fire, let’s celebrate our freedom!”

Other lions jumped in glee. Fishes were roasted. Arthid played with coconut, throwed it to his friend .“Catch it Hema!” The white lion jumped and catch it in mid-air of which he balanced it on his nose tip.

“How can you do it Hema, climbing coconut tree?” Arthid asked Hema. He was still proud of his friends

Hema trying not to drop the coconut while he talked“You can do it too if It’s delicious enough”

“Fishes everyone!” Shouted Sakda. He roasted fishes to perfection, it’s smell was so good that he himself was drooling. He wanted to eat them at that moment but needed to wait for his frinds “Come here quick before I eat them all”

Three lions gathered around the campfire. They had their foods and discuss their future plan. Sakda had to admitted he didn’t know what to do next except they have to keep moving, staying at one place was too risky getting captured by the huntresses. Going along the shore was the best thing to do because It was easier walking and finding foods. This include the fact that they love fish so much. In addition going along the shore gave them high chance of eventually getting to the port. From there they could stay low profile and waited for any ship to come.

The funny talk and play carried on throughout the evening. When it was getting dark, they extinguished the flame to make their camp less visible during the night. Chatters ceased, the calmness and cold of the night came again, this time with sound of splashing water eased them into deep slumber. They slept in the same fashion, with Arthid as their cushion, but this time it was getting better with leafy roof and bedding.