Chapter 31: Guhya Pradesh – Jhund Ka Shikaar
Jungle ka ye hissa pehle wale se bilkul alag tha।
Yahan hawa bhi heavy lag rahi thi…
aur zameen par chalna bhi jaise kisi ne jaan-bujhkar mushkil bana diya ho।
Pankaj dheere-dheere aage badh raha tha।
Uski aankhen har direction me move kar rahi thi।
Ab wo sirf strong nahi tha…
wo aware tha।
Pichle kuch dinon me usne ek cheez samajh li thi—
jab jungle shant ho jaaye… tab sabse bada khatra paas hota hai।
Wo ek bade pathar par chadh gaya aur neeche dekha।
Neeche ek khula area tha…
lekin normal nahi।
Zameen par kai jagah scratch marks…
purani haddiyan…
aur blood stains।
"Yahan hunting ground hai…"
Pankaj ne dheere se kaha।
Usne neeche utarne se pehle ek baar aas-paas dekha।
Kuch bhi move nahi kar raha tha…
lekin ye hi problem thi।
"Too quiet…"
Wo dheere se neeche utar gaya।
Har kadam carefully।
Jaise hi usne ground touch kiya—
"CRRRR…"
Ek halki si awaaz aayi।
Pankaj turant ruk gaya।
Uski body tight ho gayi।
Phir—
ek shadow ped ke peeche se nikli।
Ek wolf-type creature…
lekin normal se bada…
aur uski aankhen bilkul white thi।
Phir doosra…
phir teesra…
Pankaj ne count kiya—
"Five…"
Sab usse circle kar rahe the।
Slowly…
controlled movement ke saath।
Ye random attack nahi tha।
"Pack hunting…"
Pankaj ne samajh liya।
Agar wo bhaaga…
to wo chase karenge।
Agar wo fight karega…
to wo surround karenge।
Smart predators।
Pehla wolf jhapta।
Pankaj ne side step kiya—
aur ek clean punch maara uske shoulder par।
Wolf ladkhadaya…
lekin gira nahi।
Second wolf peeche se aaya।
Pankaj neeche jhuka—
aur roll karke bach gaya।
"Fast…"
Teesra wolf seedha saamne se attack karta hai।
Pankaj ne uska attack block kiya—
lekin force zyada tha…
uske pair piche chale gaye।
"Strength gap…"
Ab wo circle me tha।
Har taraf se pressure badh raha tha।
Panchon wolves slowly close aa rahe the।
Pankaj ne ek second socha।
"Direct fight = death…"
Usne aas-paas dekha।
Ek narrow gap—
do patharon ke beech।
Bas ek body ka space।
"Wahi…"
Agla moment—
ek wolf phir jhapta।
Is baar Pankaj ne dodge nahi kiya—
wo uske attack ke saath move karta hua us gap ki taraf gaya।
Wolf uske peeche।
Do aur wolves bhi follow karne lage।
Jaise hi wo narrow gap me ghusa—
wolves ek saath attack nahi kar paaye।
Space constraint ho gaya।
"Perfect…"
Pankaj ne pehle wolf ko usi tight space me block kiya—
aur elbow strike maara।
Wolf peeche gira।
Doosra wolf aaya—
lekin uska angle weak tha।
Pankaj ne uska head grab kiya—
aur zameen par patak diya।
"DHAM!"
Teesra wolf gusse me jhapta—
lekin ab jagah aur kam ho gayi thi।
Uska movement slow ho gaya।
Pankaj ne uska attack dodge kiya—
aur uske side me ek powerful kick maari।
Wolf wall se takra gaya।
Lekin abhi bhi 2 bache the।
Dono ab cautious ho gaye the।
Wo direct attack nahi kar rahe the…
wo wait kar rahe the।
"Smart…"
Pankaj ki saans tez ho rahi thi।
Sharir pe chote lag chuki thi…
lekin abhi tak control me tha।
Ek wolf ne fake attack kiya…
dusra real attack karne aaya।
Pankaj ne timing pakad li।
Wo fake attack wale wolf ke side gaya—
aur usse dusre ke upar push kar diya।
Dono takra gaye।
Momentary confusion।
Bas wahi chance tha।
Pankaj ne full force se ek wolf ke chest par strike kiya।
"CRACK!"
Wolf ground par gira aur hilna band ho gaya।
Ab sirf 1 bacha tha।
Last wolf ab hesitate kar raha tha।
Usne pehli baar step back liya।
Pankaj ne uski aankhon me dekha।
"Fear…"
Wo dheere se aage badha।
Wolf ne ek chhoti si growl ki…
aur phir jungle me bhaag gaya।
Khamoshi chha gayi।
Pankaj wahi khada raha।
Saans tez…
body thaki hui…
lekin stable।
"Pack samajh gaya…"
"Main easy prey nahi hoon…"
Wo dheere se aage badha jungle ke andar।
Aur jaise-jaise wo andar ja raha tha—
environment aur change ho raha tha।
Ped aur bhi bade…
hawa aur bhi heavy…
aur ground aur bhi dangerous।
Har kuch step pe lag raha tha—
jaise jungle usse test kar raha ho।
Pankaj ruk gaya।
Door—
ek bada sa open area dikh raha tha।
Aur uske beech—
ek bada sa structure jaisa pathar ka formation।
Jaise koi purana arena ho।
"Yahi…"
Wo dheere se bola।
"Original hunting ground…"
Usne ek gehri saans li।
Aur aage badh gaya।
🔥 Chapter 31 End