Day 8 – Lunch

She was not well. She had sensed it, but she did not have enough time to pin point. But now it was clear. She realised she was crying only when she felt the wetness on her face. And as the realisation dawned, she let go. Unusual experiences, strangeness abound, her first night away from her mother. She had not thought very clearly about mother since yesterday, if she did not take the flowers back who know what will happen to mother. She may have never got to see mother again. 

But now there was no time to lose. She had to reach the Gulmohar Patch and get back home before it got too late. She started walking towards the next marker. The baby started walking, behind her at first and then side by side. Soon he had to go ahead and wait for Lajwanti to catch up. Lajwanti was not feeling very strong. Mother elephant decided to pull Lajwanti up on her trunk to speed up the whole game, and the baby happily gamboled along.

This was much faster than walking at her own pace she decided. In no time she was at the Gulmohar Patch. She jumped off the trunk of the elephant at the sight of the knee high plants with blue flowers. She started picking the flowers, without hurting any other part of the plant, and rolled these up carefully in her waist roll.

He must also have been unwell. Mother elephant was trying to stuff a few sprigs down his throat.  He was not amused. But he seemed to have liked the taste and picked a bunch and ate himself. Other elephant babies of different ages were also treating themselves - throwing around as much as they ate.

Looking at them she realized how hungry she was. She took out her dried bread and started chewing on it. He very impertinently decided to snatch her bite and taste it himself. Mother intervened and took the bread away, smelled it and then tasted a bit herself. She had not even made her mind up when he started asking Lajwanti for another piece. She obliged him by making two pieces out of her last bit.

She shared her meal with a baby elephant! Mother was not going to believe this.