Several days had passed since Laghupatanaka and Hiranyaka had come to live beside the lake with Mandharaka. The three friends had settled into a quiet life. Each morning the crow searched the forest from above, the mouse remained watchful near his burrow, and the tortoise spent his time along the cool waters of the lake. When evening came, they gathered beneath a spreading tree and spoke together until the day drew to a close.

One afternoon, while they were talking, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the forest. A young deer burst from the bushes and rushed towards the lake. His sides heaved with exhaustion, and he turned again and again to look behind him, as though something dreadful were close at hand.

At once Mandharaka slipped into the water. Hiranyaka disappeared into his burrow, and Laghupatanaka flew to the branch of a nearby tree. From there he looked into the distance, searching for the cause of the deer's fear.

After watching carefully for some time, the crow called down to his friends. "There is no hunter nearby. No beast of prey follows him. Whatever frightened him, it is no longer near."

Hearing this, Mandharaka slowly emerged from the water, while Hiranyaka stepped out from his burrow. The deer, still trembling, stood quietly at the edge of the lake, trying to steady his breath.

Mandharaka spoke first. "Friend, you have come here in great distress. What has happened?"

The deer bowed his head respectfully. "My name is Chitranga," he replied. "I was grazing in the forest when I heard men speaking. They said that the king would soon come to this very lake to hunt. I dared not wait to see whether their words were true. I fled as quickly as I could."

The three friends looked at one another. "If hunters are indeed coming," said Laghupatanaka, "this place may no longer remain as peaceful as it has been."

Mandharaka, however, looked kindly at the frightened deer. "You have travelled far in fear," he said. "Rest here for a while. Whatever tomorrow brings, we shall face it when it comes."

Chitranga hesitated. "I have brought danger to your home." Mandharaka gently shook his head. " When someone comes to us in need, we should not turn them away."

Those words brought comfort to the weary deer. He drank from the clear water of the lake and rested beneath the shade of the trees. As the day drew to a close, the four of them sat together and spoke at length. Chitranga found wisdom in Hiranyaka's counsel, kindness in Mandharaka's words, and cheerfulness in Laghupatanaka's company. Before long, the uneasiness that had filled his heart began to fade.

From that day onward, Chitranga remained beside the lake. Though each of the four friends differed in form, strength, and way of life, they lived together in harmony, each finding in the others a companion worthy of trust.

Mandharaka did not ask who Chitranga was or what he could offer in return. He saw only a frightened traveller and spoke words that eased his fear. Many friendships begin not with grand promises, but with a simple act of kindness when it is needed most.