🌤️ A New Path

The sky was light, but not bright.
Morning dew still clung to the leaves.
Mukshi stood near the curve in the road where the tall trees began.

He looked at Daksh, who blinked once.
That meant: “We go slow today.”

They didn’t rush.
Mukshi didn’t pedal fast like some days.
He rode gently, eyes open—
not just forward, but to the sides.

🪵 A Blocked Trail

Farther into the forest,
they came to a narrow path Mukshi hadn’t seen before.

He stopped.
A small log blocked part of the trail.
Not big enough to stop anyone.
But it was there.

Daksh tilted his head. “Around it?”
Mukshi looked at the space beside it.
“We could. But… someone might trip later.”

He got off the bicycle, bent down, and slowly rolled the log aside.
It wasn’t heavy. Just a little awkward.
He placed it near a tree, far from the path.

🌿 Someone Was Watching

A quiet voice came from nearby. “Thank you.”

Mukshi turned.

An old man was sitting under the tree.
Thin white beard. Simple shirt. A bag with herbs beside him.

“I come this way each morning,” the man said.
“That log was a little trouble. But I can’t bend too well anymore.”

Mukshi smiled, unsure what to say.

The man nodded. “Most walk past. You didn’t.”
He took something from his bag.
A tiny bottle with yellow oil.
“Here. For small cuts and bites. Forest kind. Keep it.”

Mukshi held the bottle gently. “Thank you.”

Daksh blinked twice. That meant: “You did good.”

🌾 The Ride Back

On the way home, Mukshi said quietly,
“I almost ignored it. It was small.”

Daksh replied,
“But small things become big—if everyone ignores them.”

The sun was warmer now.
The trees whispered gently.
The road felt lighter.

🏠 At Home Again

Amma asked, “Did you go far today?”

Mukshi nodded. “A little.”
He placed the tiny oil bottle near the window.

Next to a leaf. Next to a stone.
Next to other small things that carried quiet stories.

Sometimes, doing the right thing doesn’t need a reason.
But understanding why—it makes it stay longer in the heart.
Discipline isn’t about rules.
It’s about care, even when no one is watching.

– From the Forest Road, where even a small step matters.