Talvia was still breathing hard from the terror of the situation. It was something she had been scared of ever since she had started living alone. That someone might come and take her away. It wasn’t common, but it did happen sometimes to little girls and young women.

Maybe Bivala would stay closer to the hut from now on as a result. Maybe Bivala would even live inside it. The thought gave Talvia hope.

Now, she tried to forget the ordeal she had just gone through as she looked at the boy lying down in front of her, on the small straw mat that usually only she had slept on. He was a strange creature, with mussed black hair, some of the fairest skin she had ever seen, and a smile that was very eager. She did like that smile, though. That much she had decided.

Now, there were no smiles within sight on his face. His expressions flitted from looking terrified to confused.

“H-how did you meet Bivala?” he asked, his voice sounding a little like a whimper.

The scratchy sound in his voice both made her want to giggle and made her worry at the same time.

“She met me,” Talvia said. “I was alone. I think it was two years ago. She was smaller then. She started walking around me. I was scared she would eat me. But she didn’t.

“Sometimes when I had some meat, I fed her some of it. That made her like me more. Now I like her, too.”

“She never tries to pounce on you?” Koushik asked.

“Not once,” Talvia said.

Bivala slowly walked into the hut, making low sounds as she came in. Talvia reached out to pet her, and the tiger lay down at it.

“Go on,” Talvia said to Koushik.

Koushik’s face looked pained, but he reached out to pat Bivala’s head. Bivala blinked, adjusting her position, but showed no distaste towards Koushik.

Talvia kissed Bivala right after Koushik petted her. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Bivala closed her eyes, and it was evident that she was asleep after about a minute. That was the thing about Bivala. She slept all the time, only awake for a short while each day. Talvia wondered if all tigers were like that.

“I’m sorry,” Koushik said, sounding like he was on the verge of tears.

“For what?” Talvia asked.

“I could not protect you,” Koushik said, now starting to cry. “Boys protect girls.”

“And Bivala protects us,” Talvia said. “It’s okay.”

Even as she said it, the memory came rushing back. Of hearing the men’s whispers. Of being grabbed by strong hands. Of the men’s laughter.

Talvia started to cry too. What would have happened if they had taken her?

“I was so scared,” she said.

“They are bad,” Koushik said, now wiping his face. “If they come again, I will fight them. Better than I did this time. I promise.”

“You will leave and forget about me,” Talvia said, looking at Koushik’s clothing.

“I won’t forget,” Koushik said. “You are my friend now.”

At this, Talvia started to calm. She had Bivala here. She had another friend here. The men were gone. Things were alright right now.

In the morning, there was commotion. Talvia rubbed her eyes as she sat up, seeing the group of men crouched at her door. It was a different group of men from that of last night. No, this group of men looked suspiciously like…soldiers.

“We can only go in and snatch the boy and come back out,” one of the soldiers said. “The tiger wouldn’t even notice that we are there.”

“You want to test it? It probably has much better hearing than you!”

“Well, we can’t provoke it. And we need to wait for any guns.”

Hearing the word “guns” made Talvia panic. She looked over at Koushik, who was sleeping next to her.

She shook him awake, and he blinked at her, scrunching his face.

She pointed at the men, and Koushik’s eyes widened the second he saw them. He sat up, and the men lowered their voices, still looking at them.

“Do you know them?” Talvia whispered.

Koushik nodded slowly. “They’re…they’re soldiers at my house. I think my parents are looking for me.”

“They’re going to bring guns!” Talvia said. “I can’t let them hurt Bivala.”

Hearing this, Koushik stood up, waving his hands at them. “These are my friends. Both the girl and the tiger. Do not hurt them.”

One of the soldiers gaped at him. “But princeling, that is a dangerous animal-“

“It saved my and her life yesterday,” Koushik explained. “It is like her pet.”

Talvia winced a little at the word. She wasn’t sure if she thought of Bivala as a pet. More like a friend.

But the other word remained in her head, too. Princeling? She knew that Koushik had told her yesterday that he was rich, but he was the son of the chieftain? This, she had not realized.

“If you hurt it, I won’t go back home,” Koushik threatened, his face starting to get red. “I won’t go back home, and I’ll run off to the forest and you’ll never see me again, and my parents will punish you!”

The soldiers were quiet now, simply glancing at each other.

Some time passed like that. With the soldiers keeping their eyes on Talvia and Koushik, with Bivala purring in her sleep, with Koushik giving Talvia a smile and then glaring again at the soldiers.

Soon, they heard a booming voice coming from nearby, and Bivala stirred at it, starting to wake up.

“What is the meaning of this? Is my son all the way out here?”

The soldiers looked panicked and feeling sorry for them, Talvia tried to pet Bivala, doing her best to soothe the cat before the loud voice fully awoke it with a fury.

“It’s Abbu,” Koushik said in a soft voice, and Talvia turned out the doorway to see a tall man, fair-skinned and hazel-eyed, wearing a golden cap that resembled a turban as well as a deep green robe and lots of bracelets and necklaces.

“You are in a lot of trouble, Koushik!” The chieftain said angrily. “Your tutor turns his back on you for one second, just an instant, and you come out all the way out here and-”

Suddenly, he grew very quiet at the sight of the tiger, his eyes wide and now darting to Talvia and then Koushik.

Bivala was now completely awake, starting to walk around the small hut, her eyes on the people who were staring at her.

“Koushik,” the chieftain said, his voice wavering. “Stay calm. I can get you out of this and that little girl, too. When I get a rifle-”

“No!” Both Kousik and Talvia cried at the same time.

“She saved our lives from kidnappers!” Koushik yelled.

“And she’s my best friend!” Talvia added.

The chieftain looked distressed at this and beckoned to Koushik.

“Alright, alright. Just come out here slowly so I can bring you back down the hill. Is the girl coming with you?”

Koushik looked at Talvia, his big eyes, the same as his father’s, searching her.

“No,” Talvia said decidedly. “My home is here with Bivala.”

“But they could try to take you again,” Koushik said with worry, looking like he was about to burst into tears.

“They won’t,” Talvia promised. “I’ll keep Bivala around for longer here.”

She really would. She would not let go of Bivala like she had yesterday morning. And the kidnappers had already been taught a lesson anyway. Surely they would think of that before they tried anything else again.

Koushik bit his lip. “I will come back for you, Talvia. Just to make sure you’re safe. My abbu always says boys protect girls.”

Bivala had proved herself enough of a protector. But there was something nice about Koushik wanting to do it too, so Talvia just nodded. He was her friend. Hopefully, she would see him again soon.