A Scout's Adventure

Robert Williams was a brave hunter and had ventured into the Jabalpur Forest to capture a man-eating leopard. When he did not return for a week, the Forest guards started searching for him but the forest was so deep and dense that the search was abandoned after a few days.

Many years later…

Rahul, an adventurous and bright boy danced with joy when his father gave his consent for him to join the adventure-filled scouts. The scouts were to camp in the Jabalpur Forest. Rahul’s father, Mr. Vivek allowed his son to join the scouts just in the nick of time as the registrations closed the next day.

The scouts were departing three days after the registrations closed and Rahul spent his time daydreaming about the fun he would have with his scout mates at the campsite. He was very excited! Three days passed in a flash and Rahul was ready with his things packed in a backpack.

The minivan arrived with many young scouts, who were very excited to spend a few days of their summer vacation, camping in a forest. Rahul boarded the minivan and it passed through the bustling city and reached the entrance of the marvelous Jabalpur Forest. The scouts marched in with their leader, General Smith, and stopped at a spot with sufficient sunlight. The General selected that spot for camping. The tents were placed and wood was arranged to light up the campfire in the evening. This was just the beginning as the General had loads of adventurous tasks lined up for his team!

Rahul thoroughly enjoyed completing the tasks and winning badges from the General. He always waited for the evenings as the General narrated humorous stories during the campfires. He also eagerly waited for his turn for the food-gathering task. The General sent one scout each night to gather food for the whole group.

Rahul finally got his turn. Unfortunately, it had rained heavily the day before and wild trees covered the paths. The growth of wild trees made it difficult for him to navigate and consequently, he lost his way. At the campsite, the General was worried as Rahul did not return by evening.

Rahul got scared when he heard howls, then growls, and finally, roars echoing in his ears. He ran as fast as he can to get away from the spot but as he ran, he went in deeper and deeper into the forest. After a while, he stopped and started panting. Just as he turned his head, to his surprise, he saw a house lit up with lanterns and surrounded with blossoms.

To escape the cold, he climbed up the dusty stairs and gathered the courage to knock on the door. A man opened it and its creaking sound scared Rahul. The man with a kind smile welcomed him. He felt comfortable with the stranger. Then, thunder blew away the silence and the raindrops gushed in.

The stranger led Rahul through the hallway whose walls were adorned with portraits of the long-lost Hunter Williams. The man introduced himself as Johnson and pushed open a door. On entering the room, Rahul could feel the warmth of the fireplace. He was made to sit on a cozy couch by the fireplace and fell asleep in a short while.

Meanwhile, the General went to the Forest Officer and reported regarding the missing of Rahul. The night passed away with heavy rains. The next morning, Johnson woke Rahul up. Rahul opened his eyes to see a growling leopard beside Johnson. Rahul got frightened out of his wits and just then another man entered the room. He calmed him down and said that the leopard doesn’t harm the people visiting his lonely mansion.

Rahul found a few leopard cubs playing in the corner and tried touching one. Rahul looked up at the man who had just entered and his jaw dropped to see the great hunter, Robert Williams.

Williams said, “She’s Greta. The leopard I had once set out to kill.” Rahul then asked, “…and you never returned?”. “No, because when I encountered her, I understood the reason why she harmed men.”, said the great hunter. “I saw her that day, she was right in front of my eyes. I held my bullet, aimed at her, and shot her without even waiting for a moment to understand her. She was strong enough and remained alive but dropped to the ground due to the injury. That’s when her three cubs came rushing from the bushes. I then understood what had made her a ‘man-eater’. She killed the poachers who did not respect the animals’ privacy and, of course, she had the protection of her babies in her mind. I ran to her and took my first aid kit to relieve her of the pain.” Rahul was filled with tears as he got really inspired by Robert Williams.

Hunter Robert then lived with his trusted aide Johnson in an abandoned mansion deep inside the Jabalpur Forest. This hunter who was once hated by animals was now the friend of all species present in the forest. He now dedicated himself to the protection of the animals by protecting nature.

He offered Rahul a healthy breakfast of plums, coconut water, and fish. Then, he led Rahul to the campsite through the bushes so no one discovers him. Before bidding farewell, the hunter said to Rahul, “Listen, young fella! You are the inspiration for this world. Spread the message. The message is that we cannot survive without nature. The creatures we call animals are not animals instead we’re the harmful ones who spread pollution, ruin forests through deforestation and put our lives at risk by destroying nature. Now, off you go!”

Rahul was happy to have learned a great lesson to share with his friends and left to join the scouts. When he returned, his scout mates and the General were glad and relieved to see Rahul back. It was the last day of camping and the minivan had come again to take them back to their homes.

Rahul got back home, freshened himself up, and narrated his adventure to his family. His father who was with the Wildlife Protection Committee couldn’t believe that Williams who was believed to have been killed by a man-eater was alive. He thought Rahul must have seen a strange dream. But, when he heard Rahul’s story, he was happy that the person in Rahul’s ‘dream’ taught him something important that the world must understand. Well, let’s hope we all learn to conserve nature and spread Hunter Williams’ message to society.