Ashwatthama's Coronation was over and it was time for the princes, Tiasha and Dushala to return to Hastinapur again. 

Duryodhan ascended his horse only after making Ashwatthama promise that he would visit Hastinapur soon.

Tiasha looked back and waved at Kripi and Ashwatthama as their chariot started to move out of the palace gates.

After a whole day of travelling, they decided to camp and take some rest. Dushala had already fallen asleep, her head resting on Tiasha's lap as the chariot stopped near the campsite.

Duryodhan climbed down his horse, handed the horse over to Dushasan, and came straight towards Tiasha and Dushala. He smiled seeing his sister asleep and Tiasha trying to wake her up.

-"Dushala, just wake up for a second, let's go inside the tent you can lie down there properly."

But Dushala didn't show any sign of waking up instead she hugged Tiasha's waist tighter and buried her face more into her lap to be in comfortable position. Tiasha tsked, she didn't have the heart to wake her up when Dushala looked so peaceful. She caressed her hair and gave a troubled look to Duryodhan who was standing there smiling. 

Duryodhan came forward saying, "Don't worry Sakhi, I will carry her to the tent." Tiasha untangled Dushala's arms carefully from her mid and Duryodhan carried dushala inside a tent. 

Karna detached the horses from the chariot and tied them to a tree. He went to bring water and food for the horses. He saw Tiasha standing near them watching curiously. She took a step forward and one of the horses shook its head and neighed making Tiasha back away. 

He smiled and stood beside her holding some hay in his hands to feed the horses. He has come to terms with his inner turmoil. After that night when she talked about her father's death, he decided not to avoid her anymore. He wanted to go back to how they were in the beginning before he heard the Pandavas talk. He has been trying to talk to her but he couldn't. He just doesn't know what to talk about. 

But there was another problem. He has decided not to avoid her anymore but she doesn't seem to have any idea. Karna did notice how she was not quite meeting his eyes. Whenever he looks at her she seems to turn her head. She doesn't smile back at him like she usually did before. He was upset but he understood why she did that. At least she has reasons. He has done the same without giving her a reason. So it's only fair that she is trying to avoid him now like he did for the past few days.

Although he was not aware of the constant stares he was gaining for the said girl when he was not looking. Tiasha did her best to put on a straight face when Karna was around. But she couldn't stop wondering what she did wrong to make him avoid her. She asked Ashwatthama and Duryodhan to ask him about it but they were just as clueless as she was. Karna refused to even be around her for a few days let alone talk to her, so she could ask him herself.

Tiasha was mad. She being done with him decided to avoid him just like he did. But after that night when she talked about her father, she noticed his behaviour change again. He started smiling at her, joining in conversations to get her to talk to him but she refused to give in. She wanted him to have a taste of his own medicine. 

-"Go ahead, they won't do anything." 

Tiasha yelped and took another step back. 

-"I am sorry I didn't mean to scare you, Kumari."

-"No, you didn't scare me, I was just not expecting you here and talking to me." Tiasha said looking at the horses avoiding his eyes.

-"Why? Am I not allowed to talk to you?"

-"Well after avoiding me for days, without any reason like I am some kind of a deadly disease, I am not sure if I want to talk to you anymore."

Karna sighed, he lowered his head and said, "I am sorry Kumari, I didn't mean to, I was just...I don't know was going on inside my head..." More like inside my heart, he thought, "... I am extremely sorry..."

-"Did I do something wrong...to...make...you...stop talking...to...me...and...avoid...me?" Tiasha asked in a small voice.

Karna's eyes shot up towards her face. She was looking up at him directly, sorrow evident in her dark eyes. 

-"What?" he asked confused, almost missing what she said like a whisper. 

-"Did I?" she asked voice trembling, bottom lip quivering a little. She had been holding back her emotions like she always does. Yes, she was mad at him, but she was more sad and worried than mad. She gets scared when people stop talking to her. She fears losing them when they avoid her. She has already lost a lot and she won't want to lose anything anymore.

-" No, no..." Karna took a step towards her, "...You did nothing. It's me, I am at fault...Why would you think that you did something?"

-"It's always me, I am one responsible for everyone's suffering. And then they leave me alone. I am scared of being alone." 

He took another step standing close to her and looking into her watery eyes he whispered, "I won't leave you alone, no matter what happens, I am with you. You are not alone, not anymore."

Tiasha nodded, squeezing her eyes shut, she took a deep breath and swallowed the lump forming inside her throat. She opened her eyes to meet a smiling Karna. She smiled back nodding more firmly this time.

-"Do you want to feed the horses?" Karna asked.

Tiasha's smile turned into a grin, she extended her arm to take the hay Karna was holding. Karna handed it over and stood next to the brown horse patting its head. 

The horse made a sound of joy and playfully pushed Karna's side with its nose. Tiasha giggled. 

-"Come, Vayudhanvan can be a little naughty sometimes, but he won't do anything to anyone. And Taritgati is a gentleman, he is the most civilised of them all." he said patting the other black horse who has a lightning bolt shaped white mark on his forehead. 

Tiasha took a step towards the brown horse named Vayudhanvan and patted his head. he made a satisfied sound with his nose. Taritgati rubbed his head against Tiasha's arm. 

-"They like you." Karna said smiling. Karna and Tiasha fed the horses and came back. 

The princes sat around the fire and chatted. Karna and Tiasha came and sat with them. 

This is the first time in the entire week that Duryodhan has seen Karna smile. He asked, "Where were you two?"

-"We were feeding the horses." They said at the same time and then laughed looking at each other. 

Yudhishthira frowned. They went back to chatting. Suddenly Tiasha stopped them. 

-"Shhh, Shhh, wait." She tried to listen to something. 

Sahadev asked, "What happened Didi?" 

-"Listen Carefully..." Tiasha pointed towards a bush, "...Do you hear that?" 

Nakul tried to listen but didn't hear anything, "I don't hear anything." 

Arjun said, "No, no wait wait, I do hear something."

Karna furrowed his brows, "It's like a very soft mewing, like a cat, but it's very faint."

Tiasha got up, "Let's go check." 

But Yudhishthira stopped her, "We don't know for sure what that is Kumari, we can't risk you going there." 

Duryodhan stood up, "I agree with him, you shouldn't go Sakhi, it's not safe. I will go check." 

Tiasha sighed, "I am going, you all are around, nothing will happen, and it's literally just one step away." 

Tiasha moved and crouched down in front of the bush, Yudhishthira, Nakul, Sahadev, Karna, Duryodhan and Dushasan stood around holding a torch each.

They saw a white cat lying dead, flies buzzing around and a little grey-striped kitten mewing. The kitten looked not more than a few hours old, Probably her mother died giving birth. Tiasha gasped, she waved her hand to get rid of the flies biting the little kitten. She scooped the little kitten in her hands and held her close to her chest. The kitty's little claws clutched Tiasha's clothes.

She looked up at Duryodhan and said, "Sakha, please tell someone to bury the cat, I will take care of the little one."

-XX-

I need a name for our kitten. I just wanted her to have a pet, that's all. I guess I am just trying to fulfil my wish of having a pet by giving her one. And also let's address the elephant in the room, Tiasha and Karna are back to talking to each other, Yeaaaa!!

Thank you for reading guys. I hope you like this chapter. I loved writing this chapter, Ahhh!! I want to write more animal interaction chapters, but only if you guys approve. don't forget to comment on your thoughts. vote and share if you want. We have reached 10K reads, The next big goal is to have 1k votes by the end of 2023, specifically by the 25th of December. I mean if it happens, that would be best, birthday, Christmas and New Year's present for me. Share the story if you want.

Take care, Adiós, My lovely readers ❤️.