Not long ago, amidst a jovial debate under the starlit sky, Dhruva was pontificating on the virtues of moving through life without stepping on anyone’s toes — an ethos starkly at odds with Rishin’s approach, who seemingly treaded heavily wherever he roamed. Their philosophical divergences were never more evident than on that fateful evening, after we’d indulged at a neighbourhood barbecue, feasting until our bellies demanded mercy.

As the day waned, filled with activities akin to our mundane routines —overeating, intermittent napping, trivial tasks at hand, and our ever-favourite pastime of discreetly observing the parade of local beauties — the canine guardian of Infinity Towers lay sprawled across the concrete at gate number three, blissfully unaware of the impending chaos.

For him, it was just another sultry day marked by the oppressive heat and the monotonous drone of city life. Cradled in his dreams, he likely wished for more out of his existence: more delectable scraps, more thrilling escapades, and more intriguing scents beyond the mundane confines of his urban territory, much like the heroic sagas my friend, Tanker, would often whimsically recount. Overhead, the sky was a canvas splashed with ivory stars strewn across swathes of lilac and white, the sun casting a gentle, wintry shimmer through the dense greenery.

However, the serenity was short-lived. The sky abruptly darkened as a massive opaque cloud devoured the sun, and the ground beneath him shook as if gripped by an apocalyptic quake. Was it indeed a solar eclipse coupled with an earthquake? Before the poor creature could even register the anomaly, the ominous mass descended upon him with thunderous ferocity.

The gathering crowd was struck with a mixture of horror and disbelief as they watched the surreal scene unfold: Rishin, losing his balance, stumbled backwards and collapsed onto the small patch of sidewalk that the unsuspecting dog had claimed for his evening repose.

Emanating from the dog was not his usual formidable bark but a peculiar medley of squeaks, squeals, howls, moans, and growls. Each sound merged into a confused chorus, confined within the tight space between his clenched jaws. Poor beast, he had never imagined encountering such lore outside of the fables passed down from his ancestors — tales of mammoths, giant boars, and mythical creatures that haunted the lives of their rural and wild brethren.

“Oh… sorry,” Rishin mumbled, with an awkward chuckle, as if the words themselves felt clumsy on his tongue. The dog, still in a state of shock, gave Rishin a bewildered glance that seemed to question the very fabric of his day-to-day reality. Perhaps, in life’s grand tapestry, some legends were not just tales spun by the fire but were, indeed, strange truths waiting on the doorstep.

Aaah-men!