The training camp was located near te lake.
They met the main teacher, Athish. He was an old, bearded man. Scars, that looked freshly healed, covered his hands and legs. He wore a scarf covering his forehead. He gave them a talk about what they'll learn, and also made it clear that he wouldn't tolerate any indiscipline or mischief.
He also introduced them to Meera, a Vrik-sara (Tree Nymph) who looked after the food and all around, and helped him.
Yashvanth and Devrath had just gotten outside his shack when a boy, who looked slightly older than them, introduced himself.
"HELLO NEW BOYS !!" He said, Chomping on raw mutton leg. "I like your wings" He started inspecting Yashvanth's wings.
"Yeah, it's cool" Another boy jumped near him. He was a human waist up and a horse waist down. An Ashv-Manav. Or a centaur, as you say.
"Well, thank you" Yashvanth said.
"So, you're fairies right" The Ashv-Manav asked.
Devrath nodded. "I'm Devrath, this is my brother Yashvanth" he said.
"My name's Dhruv" The Ashv-Manav said. "An Ashv-Manav" He pointed towards his horse body.
"And I'm Dheriya OWWWWWWWW" The other boy said, taking another bite off the mutton leg.
"He's Bheriya!" Dhruv said, earning a smack from him.
They decided to give the boys a tour. "This is the practice arena, here you can practice your skills!" Dheriya said, showing them an open ground with tables full of weapons and some archer targets and wood statutes and stuffs.
"I love archery, I'm one of the best archers here" Dhruv said, pulling a bow and arrow. "I'm a Ashv-manav after all, I was born for it" he said shooting the arrow. The arrow hit the smallest circle, near the bull's eye.
"You sure about that?" Devrath pulled his bow, took an arrow and shot the arrow. It hit exactly at the bull's eye, much to Dhruv's dismay. "I plan to learn divine weapons now" he said.
They showed them the study shack, where some elves were walking around with books, and there were bookshelves around.
Yashvanth was inspecting a book on astronomy and moving about when he bumped with someone.
"Sorry" Yashvanth said.
"Can't you see?" The boy said. He had green eyes and hair, looked about Yashvanth's age. He scanned him from top to bottom. "Bird boy" He eyerolled.
"I said I'm sorry!" Yashvanth said.
"You dropped my books!" The boy said angrily. "Make use of those eyes God has given you"
Yashvanth picked up the books and handed it back to the elf. "Here you go. And besides" Yash inspected the boys hair and clothes with his sharp eagle eyes. "Take care of your hair, I can see tiny dandruffs in there" he said, sending people around them into fits of laughter.
He moved out before the elf made a move.
They went to the dining hall, where the kids sat on the floor and ate at a low table. They had a nice dish of Biryani, made by Meera herself, she also gave the kids cold buttermilk to wash it down.
And then it was time for Bed.
The boys inspected the bed. It was totally different from the nest they usually slept at home.
"Bhrata Devrath how shall we sleep here?" Yashvanth said.
"I don't know Yash, it looks so uncomfortable" Devrath laid on one of the beds, surely it was not made for someone with wings. He looked around and got an idea. "Yash, let's get the twigs and branches and make a nest! Remember we helped our parents make nests once, let's do it like that!" he said.
They got into making the nest after that. They would go to a nearby tree, gather it's branches, and make the nests, using both their hands and beak.
A Manaja, Hakesh came to inspect what they were doing.
Yashvanth saw him. "Kaka, actually we can't sleep in this type of beds" he said rather awkwardly.
"Yes Kaka, it's uncomfortable with our wings" Devrath said.
"Paksh-raj, the point of this training institute is to mould you to a better person and improve yourself, and that never happened while staying in your comfort zone" Hakesh said.
"We're sorry" Yashvanth said and he was about to remove the twigs back.
"But Hakesh, they made it on their own" Meera came to their rescue. "They are making the best use of what's available to help them, and that's an important aspect in life."
Hakesh looked at her, and then back at them. "Okay then, continue" he said.
"Okay" They both said.
They didn't forget to say thank you to Meera.
The boys learned subjects like Maths, Science, Astronomy and stuffs. Yashvanth, who had inherited his mother's brain, was pretty quick in grasping the concepts. He even learned the art of navigating a chakravyuh, one of the hardest arts.
Meera made the kids help her with chores like cooking, cleaning, getting grass for the cattle, feeding and milking the cows and getting firewood.
The most important and useful skills they learnt were fighting skills.
"I want you to take a watermelon each, throw it in the air, and cut it mid-air into as many parts as you can. Without touching it" Athish instructed.
All the students took a watermelon, and tried cutting it mid-air.
Most of the student's swords hardly touched the water melon, letting it smash whole on the floor.
Dheriya has it worse when he threw his watermelon and couldn't see it once he threw, then it smashed right on his head. "Ouchhh, Owwwwww owwwwww" he started howling.
One Jal-sara (water nymph), Rekha, stabbed her watermelon with the sword. But the sword passed through the other side and got stuck half way, now she couldn't get it out.
Dhruv had almost cut the watermelon into two but the sword broke mid-way.
"Should've used a stronger sword" Tejas, the annoying elf they met earlier, mocked him. An angry Dhruv threw the watermelon right at his head.
Devrath, and a few others managed to cut their watermelon into two.
Yashvanth threw his watermelon up in the air, swat swat swat swat with a few swift strokes he managed to cut the watermelon into 5 rings. Swaat with the final stroke, he cut all the 5 circles into two halves, and 10 pieces of the watermelon dropped on the floor. Leaving everyone open-mouthed.
They were also taught Archery.
Athish had made a wooden bird and placed it on a tree, and asked the students to shoot at the eye of the bird, such that it'll only hit the eye but the bird shouldn't move.
Bharat, the oldest was first.
"Be honest What do you see?" Athish asked.
"I see a wooden bird, on the branch of a tree, it's a large tree. The bark is thick and"
"Bharat, an archer should see what they aim, you may sit back" he said.
After him was a male Vriksara Pranshu, who was also sent back.
Tejas's friend, Shaurya was next.
Tejas pushed him forward and he looked at Athish.
You need to shoot at the eye of the bird. Athish signed.
Shaurya aimed his shot but missed the bird by a few meters.
Very soon it was Dhruv's turn. Athish asked him the same question.
"I just see the bird" Dhruv said.
"Can't you see the tree?"
"It's not in my focus"
"Shoot"
Dhruv excitedly shot, his arrow landed on the body of the bird, and the bird fell down.
"Better than most students here, but not exactly perfect, you may sit" Athish said.
It was Yashvanth next.
"I see the bird Guruji" he said.
"What else do you see"
"The tree, has really beautiful green leaves. Oooh, there's a bird nest in one of the inner branches" Yashvanth couldn't help flaunting his eagle eye vision "The nest has 5 eggs, and a beautiful yellow and blue bird"
"Yashvanth..." Athish said.
"Guruji there's a mango tree behind this tree with delicious ripe mangoes" His mouth watered. "I can see the far part of the lake too" Yashvanth widened his eyes. "OH NO THAT GIRL IS DROWNING!!! I MUST SAVE HER!!" Yashvanth flew off as fast as he could.
Athish facepalmed.
Yashvanth was back two minutes later, all wet. "Looks like she was just a mermaid who lived in the lake!" He said.
"Paksh-raj Yashvanth, who told you to run in the middle of the class without my permission?" Athish said, pulling out his stick. "Give me your hand"
"Sorry Guruji"
"GIVE ME"
Yashvanth got a good 10 lashings on each palm.
It was Devrath next.
He looked right at the bird.
"What do you see Devrath? Do you see the tree?"
"I don't"
"The branch?"
"No"
"Can you see the bird?"
"I can't see even the bird Guruji" Devrath said, sending all the kids into laughter.
"What do you see?" Athish asked.
"I see nothing"
"My dear Bhratashree you literally have eagle eyes" Yashvanth muttered.
"Nothing?" The teacher asked.
"Nothing but what I aim for, Guruji" Devrath said. "I can only see the eye of the bird"
"Shoot"
Devrath shot. His arrow reached perfectly at the eye of the bird. The bird didn't even move.
A loud cheer went among the crowd.
"BHRATASHREE YOU'RE AMAZING" Yashvanth shouted.
Dhruv scoffed looking at Devrath.
Tejas looked at Devrath and understood the assignment. His turn was next.
"I can only see the eye of the bird, Guruji" he said.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes Guruji"
"Shoot"
Tejas's arrow landed a few feet away, on the mango tree, Dropping a mango in the ground.
Tejas facepalmed.
"Tejas, someone who only sees the eye wouldn't have such a bad aim, you lied? Run 20 laps around the arena" Athish said.
While Tejas took the laps around the arena, Dhruv stayed behind to practice archery more. "Common Ashv-manav Dhruv, you can't lose to the Prince of Birds in Archery" He muttered to himself.
"No rest, Ashva?" Tejas asked slowing near him.
"Rest is for the week. I'm gonna practice and make myself better! I'm a Ashv-manav! - We are built for archery!"
"Or are you just jealous of that bird?" Tejas laughed, stopping near him.
"Tejas, complete your laps!" Athish shouted.
Other than learning and playing games, Yashvanth loved creating mischief.
One time Yashvanth saw Athish keeping some sweets in a cupboard in his shack, and decided to get it.
As soon as he picked up the box of sweets, he heard the door open. He decided to escape from the window and fly off. Only for Meera to catch him from a nearby tree. She took him to Atish. Who made him do 100 squats, holding his ears.
There was a time Tejas had an argument with Yashvanth after dinner about something, which ended with him asking Shaurya to do some rune magic on Yashvanth and make him fall embarrassingly in front of everyone. Before he could take revenge, Hakesh came in to ask them all to go to sleep.
Tejas woke up the next day to not finding his shoes and clothes, and upon searching, they were all stuck on different trees. And Yashvanth was pearched on top of the highest tree nearby, playing his flute.
"You fucking bird!!" He roared.
"Prince of Birds" Dhruv appeared before him and corrected.
"Shut up."
"Serves you right for starting Chi'k'n with him"
"Just Shut up and Help me!"
"And why should I? It's not like you're my friend"
"All of you are so annoying! I don't know why they don't have a separate training school for just elves" Tejas pushed him away.
"Well, I would've helped you if you were, maybe, my boyfriend" Dhruv teased.
"Shut the fuck up!!" Tejas started at him.
"Why you staring? Am I so handsome?" Dhruv said. Suddenly he felt a tingling sensation and found out he was being covered tightly by vines.
"Leave me alone!" Tejas said. "Besides, which elf will marry a horse like you?" He scoffed. By then Shaurya had woken u and was looking for him.
"Thank God he's here" Tejas told himself. Can you summon my clothes with your rune magic? He signed.
I can't find my runes Shaurya Signed and looked around. He then pointed to the trees. All his runes were on random branches of different trees.
"AAAHHH, YAAAAAAAAASSSHHH" Tejas grunted. and then climbed the trees to get his stuffs back.
"It's Yashvanth! Call me by my full name!" Yashvanth said as he flew away.
Another time Yashvanth and his friends were playing a game of Pittu. For fair play, they had ensured that both teams will have equal number of same creatures.
An Ashv-manav Mohan passed the ball to Yashvanth mid-air, who aimed it at Devrath who was flying towards the stones.
But Devrath was quick, and the ball went inside Athish's shack and they heard a pot smash and Athish groan in pain.
Seemed like they'd hit the pot of flour the teacher hung on top of his bed, and he had been sleeping.
Yashvanth and Devrath flew to the higher branches of a nearby tree.
"Shit." Yashvanth said.
"That was close" Devrath breathed.
"I hope he didn't see us"
"Hope so". Devrath said. "Yashvanth!! Look behind you!"
Yashvanth immediately turned back thinking someone was behind. But he was met with a bark that had an engraving in it.
"सोहम+लस्या" (Soham+ Lasiya)
It said, and a heart around it.
"My God!" Yashvanth teared up.
"I didn't know they studied here!" Devrath teared up too.
"They did! And apparently your dad was as naughty as you guys!" Both boys felt a sharp pain on their ears. Hakesh caught them and took them to Athish, who was sitting covered in Flour with a large bump on his head.
He made all the kids who had been playing clean the whole camp. Yashvanth had to clean his room too since he was the one who threw the ball in the room.
One time two Saras Rekha and Jhanvi, had been sitting on a tree and making each other's hair, when "KABOOM!!!" someone suddenly dropped from above, hanging like a bat, giving them a terrible fright.
"Scared you!!" Yashvanth laughed.
"Of course it's you Yashvanth" Rekha eye-rolled.
"Always causing trouble!" Jhanvi shrugged.
"Apples?" He said handing them apples.
They were talking as they reached the topic of the camp.
" I don't like Athish Guruji, he's so strict" Yashvanth said.
"I know right!" Rekha said.
"Hakesh Kaka is fine except when he complains of us to Guruji, but Meera Mausi is the best! she's so sweet and kind" Yashvanth said, watching Meera sitting near the lake, and Hakesh trying to flirt with her.
"She's really caring too" Rekha said.
"She seems nice... But not gonna lie my mom was a bit sceptical about sending me here when she knew she works here" Jhanvi said.
"Is it because of the rumour?" Rekha asked, Jhanvi nodded.
"What rumour?" Yashvanth asked, using his magic to summon a few mangoes from the tree. "Here, have some mangoes"
"There's these rumours among the Saras, that's been going on since quite a few years... Since we were babies" Jhanvi said.
"It's about Meera... I don't know if it's true or not..." Rekha said.
"What about her?" Yashvanth asked
"That she... You know... Had an illegitimate kid" Jhanvi replied
"With a human... I'm not really sure if it's a normal human or an occult one" Rekha added.
"Occult?" Yashvanth was curious.
"You know, a human who knows about us, and is strong enough to survive in a place like this forest" Rekha said.
"So, they say that Meera has a kid with such a man?" Yashvanth asked. "But where's the kid then?"
"I don't know" Rekha said.
"It's just rumours" Jhanvi said.
"Yeah, you can't just judge someone based on baseless rumours"; Yashvanth said. "But you know what? I'm pretty sure Her kid would've been cool too, just like her" he laughed.
Many years later
There was a full obstacle course prepared in the arena, there were fruits on tables, meat hanging from air, and many more stuffs, along with illusionary animals and everything. Yashvanth got ready with his sword.
"START!" Hakesh said. Yashvanth began demonstrating his sword skills, he threw all the fruits into the air, and chopped them mid air. The animals came to him but he quickly stabbed them, chopped off the hanging meats, and in the end battled with a swordsmaster, Bhishma, who was as skilled as the warrior he was names after, and ended up disarming him.
After that it was Devrath's turn to show his skills, who showed excellent archery skills, with all the divine weapons.
Their uncle and aunt, who had been witnessing the skills, came and congratulated them.
"We're so proud of you boys!" Maya said.
"Daju, you both fought so well!" Niki said.
"Our Da are the best!" Raghav said. "They're the Prince of birds afterall!"
"I'm so proud of you guys, my Bhanij" Lakhan said, hugging them excitedly.