Their small group had stopped for a while by a serene river to refill their water satchels and feed the horses. Parwati sat on a smooth rock, her eyes following two birds perched on a nearby tree. They seemed like lovers to her, pecking each other's beaks and occasionally flapping their wings, their cheerful chirping filling the air.

Vikram joined her on the rock, offering a water satchel. Parwati gladly took it, her throat parched from the journey. She drank deeply, the cool water a welcome relief from the afternoon heat, which felt almost unbearable in her dark green lehenga choli.