Pinaka and Samyukta were in a tent, kissing intently.. they were happy...they hugged each other..carressed each other..they kissed pa.s.sionately..they felt as if flames would erupt out of their pa.s.sion..their souls joined in the act of love..

.. despite their wounds from the first day of war.. they were happy and satisfied that they could make the enemy retreat.. all thanks to the war elephants..

Once they were done making love.. they lay exhausted in each others arms.. Pinaka said, "take rest, I need to go and check on the soldiers.. " Samyukta nodded, Pinaka kissed her forehead... she rolled over and fell asleep..

Pinaka walked out of his tent, many generals greeted him across his path.. he greeted everyone cheerfully.. he started walking towards the tent of elephants... suddenly there was high pitched trumpeting.. there were soldiers running helter skelter.. Pinaka saw smoke raising up..something was on fire.. men running.. howling with fear.... elephants trumpeting at a high pitch... confusion all around..

Pinaka saw Samyukta running, she was running towards the smoke..there was an elephant which broke free from the tent... the huge tent situated at a distance away from the other soldiers was on fire.. there were four mahouts trying to control the elephant that broke lose...soldiers were trying to put out the fires... ..the elephant lifted one mohout with his trunk and tossed him down like a toy.. everything was out of control.. the elephant rose his foot to trample the fallen mohout.. Samyukta cried fiercely.."Enough.. " the elephant froze in mid air.. her eyes were bloodshot..she looked like the G.o.ddess of death....looking at her ,people felt scared..it was as if her eyes would rain fire...she shouted.., "back.. " the huge berserk elephant stepped back like a little obedient student..she then went and held the elephant"s trunk and said, "its alright.. everything is fine.. " the elephant trumpeted in a very different way in response..she pacified the beast caressing it in a motherly way..the fierce G.o.ddess transformed into a G.o.ddess of mercy...she soon went forward and checked the tent of elephants..the soldiers soon put down the fire.. they could save the elephants luckily.. but two elephants got injured very badly,they would not be able to fight.. this was a loss.. but still they had eighteen elephants which were enough to do the damage on the field..

Pinaka called a meeting with all his generals.. he said, "what is happening.. anyone has any idea.. did you see any strangers in the camp..? where are the soldiers guarding that tent? " one of the generals said, "your majesty, the soldiers guarding the elephants are dead... their throats were slit.. " Pinaka looked at him and said, "how is it possible.. unless.. there is a traitor hidden amongst us.. " everyone gulped hard at this prospect.. Pinaka said, "a.s.semble all the soldiers.. now.. "

Samyukta, her brothers, and Pinaka looked at the soldiers.. Pinaka addressed, "brothers.. we were so good on the field today.. that enemy understood that he can"t fight us directly.. I don"t know if an enemy broke into our camp to do this damage or if there is a traitor amongst us... we can stand together and fight our external enemy.. but if there is an enemy amongst us... we are not safe.. we could even lose our lives in our sleep.. I am going to launch an investigation now.. please cooperate with your generals.. if we get evidence and come to conclusion on who did this.. and if the enemy is within our camp.. he will be executed by dawn.. and I have sent a message to Zaffar that there will not be a war tomorrow.. let"s work together and sort this crisis.. "