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One Month Later...

A month had passed since Abhimanyu's eighth birthday. Life at the Oberoi Mansion had returned to its usual cheerful chaos. School occupied most weekdays, while weekends belonged to cricket matches in the garden, pillow fights with his cousins, and endless pranks that left the elders both exhausted and amused.

The bracelet Ishika had made never left Abhimanyu's wrist. Whenever anyone asked about it, he would grin proudly and say, "My butterfly made it."

The little handwritten letter remained safely hidden inside the drawer beside his bed. Every few days, he would secretly take it out, read it with the biggest smile, and carefully fold it back exactly the way it had been.

It was a bright Sunday morning. No school. Most of the elders were busy discussing business matters inside the mansion, while the household staff went about their work .Completely bored, Abhimanyu picked up his football and headed outside. For nearly an hour, he played alone in the massive gardens of the Oberoi estate, pretending he was scoring the winning goal in the World Cup.

"Goal!" He threw both hands into the air dramatically .At that exact moment...His football flew over the hedge.

"Oh no..."

He groaned before climbing through the bushes to retrieve it. The ball had rolled toward the wooded area bordering the estate. As he bent to pick it up...A tiny cry reached his ears.

"...mew..."

Abhimanyu froze. He looked around. Again..."...mew..."

It wasn't loud. It sounded frightened. Like a baby calling for help. Curiosity replaced hesitation. Holding the football under one arm, the eight-year-old quietly followed the sound deeper into the trees...

Unaware...

That within the next few minutes, he was about to meet someone who would become one of the most important companions of his life.

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Abhimanyu carefully stepped deeper into the small patch of woods. The cries became louder.

"...mew..."

"I'm coming," he whispered, not even realizing he had spoken aloud .He pushed aside a few bushes. Then he froze.

Hidden beneath a pile of broken branches and an old hunting net was a tiny black cub. Its glossy black fur was covered in mud and dried leaves. One of its tiny front paws was tightly tangled in the rough net, and every time it tried to move, it whimpered in pain. Abhimanyu's eyes widened.

"A baby..." The little cub looked at him with frightened green eyes and let out another weak cry. Without thinking twice, Abhimanyu knelt beside it ."It's okay... don't be scared."

The cub tried to back away but couldn't. Abhimanyu carefully touched the net. "It's stuck..."He tried pulling it apart with his small hands, but the thick ropes wouldn't budge. Looking around, he found a broken tree branch. "Maybe this will help."

Using the branch, he slowly lifted part of the heavy net. The cub struggled again ."No, no... stay still. "As he reached for its trapped paw—

Snap!

The rotten branch broke. Abhimanyu lost his balance and tumbled onto the rocky ground.

"Ouch!"

His elbow scraped against a sharp stone, and a thin line of blood appeared. Tiny cuts covered his palms from the rough branches. He winced, but quickly looked at the cub.

"You okay?"

The frightened baby was still crying. Abhimanyu wiped the dirt off his face and stood again.

"I promised I'll help."

This time he pulled the net with both hands. It barely moved. Taking a deep breath, he planted one foot against the fallen log and pulled with all the strength an eight-year-old could gather. The ropes slowly loosened. "Come on..."

"Just a little more..."

Finally—

The net slipped away. The cub's tiny paw came free. But before Abhimanyu could smile, the frightened cub tried to run. Its weak legs slipped on the loose stones. It began sliding toward the edge of a small rainwater ditch.

"Oh no!"

Without thinking, Abhimanyu lunged forward. He caught the cub just before it fell.His own knee slammed hard against a rock.

"Aah!"

Pain shot through his leg, but he didn't let go. Instead, he wrapped both arms protectively around the tiny cub. For several moments, neither of them moved. The little black cub trembled uncontrollably against his chest. "It's okay," Abhimanyu whispered softly, gently stroking its head.

"I'm here now."

Slowly...

The tiny cub stopped struggling. It lifted its little head and looked straight into the boy's eyes. For the first time...

It didn't look frightened. It simply snuggled closer into his arms. Abhimanyu smiled despite the scratches on his hands, the cut on his elbow, and the aching pain in his knee.

"There you go."

"You're safe now." Holding the tiny cub carefully against his chest, Abhimanyu started walking back toward the Oberoi Mansion, completely unaware that everyone was already searching for him.

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 Meanwhile...Back at the Oberoi Mansion...

"Where is Abhi" Meera asked.

"Mam Abhi  is not in the garden." The staff answer.

"What do you mean he isn't in the garden?" Naina asked, immediately putting down the tray she was holding.

"I checked the football ground too, ma'am," one of the staff members replied nervously. "Master Abhi isn't there."

A strange silence filled the hall. 

Raghav looked up from his meeting. "He was playing outside ten minutes ago."

"Maybe he's with Aarav or Vivaan," another Pratap suggested." We're here," Aarav replied as he entered the hall with Vivaan.

"We haven't seen Abhi since breakfast."

The smile on everyone's faces disappeared. Meera's heart skipped a beat.

"Abhi!" she called loudly from the front porch.

No answer.

"Abhimanyu!" Vikram shouted.

Silence.

Within seconds, the entire Oberoi Mansion was in chaos. The security guards spread across the estate. The gardeners searched every corner of the lawns

.Some staff checked the swimming pool. Others searched the stables, the gazebo, and every room in the mansion ."Search near the back gardens!"

"Check the orchards!"

"Call his name!"

The usually calm Oberoi estate echoed with worried voices. Meera's hands trembled.

"He has never gone this long without telling anyone..."Raghav immediately took charge."Close the main gate."

"No one enters or leaves until Abhimanyu is found."

"Yes, sir!" Even Anu eyes filled with tears.

"Will Bhai come back?" Aarav forced a reassuring smile, though he was equally worried.

"He will."

"He has to."

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At the same time...

Abhimanyu slowly walked through the wooded path.

The tiny black cub slept peacefully against his chest, exhausted after crying for so long .Abhimanyu, however, looked far less cheerful. There was a small scrape on the right side of his forehead where he had bumped into a rock. Dust covered his clothes .His palms were scratched. right elbow was scraped badly enough to sting with every movement. A bruise was beginning to form on one knee.

Still...

He smiled at the little cub. "You must be hungry." The cub let out a tiny sound before curling up even closer. "Don't worry."

"I'm taking you home."

As he stepped out of the trees and toward the back gardens of the Oberoi estate...One of the security guards froze.

"Master Abhi!"

His shout echoed across the property. Everyone turned. Meera looked up. Her eyes landed on the little boy. His clothes were torn. There was blood on his forehead and elbow .And he was carrying a strange black animal in his arms. For one terrifying second...

All she saw......

was her injured child.

"ABHI!"

She ran faster than anyone had ever seen her run. The entire Oberoi family rushed toward him. Abhimanyu blinked in confusion. "Why is everyone running?

"Before he could say another word...

Meera dropped to her knees, pulled him into a tight embrace, and checked his face, hands, and forehead with trembling fingers. "You're hurt!"

"I'm okay, Mumma..." he said innocently. "I just fell."

"But look..."He carefully lifted the tiny cub toward her.

"She was trapped."

"I couldn't leave her alone."

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RADHE RADHE