The Origin Of Mari

In India, lived a village on the outskirts of the jungle, and in that village was a small family. A man and his wife lived in their home with a daughter named Mari. Mari, a feisty young girl who was very independent and longed for adventure. Her father worked in the field while Mari helped her mother with the chores. After she was done, Mari would run off to play with her friends or to venture near the river that separated the village from the jungle. Mari longed to go to the jungle and see what it was like. Despite all of the stories the hunters told of the dangerous animals that dwelled in there, she wanted to see it for herself.

One day, Mari was helping her mother washing clothes in the river, until a shot was heard. Her mother shot up alarmed and Mari covered her ears from the loud noise. Shouts were heard and her mother grabbed her hand,
"Mari, hurry."
Mari followed her mother and saw fire was starting to spread and people were running, screaming and fighting. A raid! Mari felt herself pulled into an empty hut nearby.
"Stay here. I'm going for your father."
Mari just watched her mother run off into the crowd, unsure if she should listen or try and help the other villagers. She didn't have time to think again as she saw her mother shot by a man. She fell to the ground with a thud and Mari could only stare in horror. She started to back up further into the hut, only to knock over a clay pot. The man who shot her mother heard the noise and saw Mari looking at him fearfully. The man lunged forward but Mari dropped to her knees and went under his legs and ran. Mari was dodging the screaming villagers and the fire going on. She didn't get far as she was grabbed and thrown to the ground. Mari stared into the eyes of a man who held a machete in his right hand. She tried backing away, but was too scared to move. Just as the man was about to swing his weapon, she saw her father stepped in and using a staff he blocked the shot.
"Mari! Run! Go!"
Stumbling to her feet, Mari got up and ran. She didn't know exactly where she was going, but she soon found herself at the river. She looked at the jungle, than turned to see the village. As she did, her father was stabbed and fell to the ground in a bloody heap. Tears prickling at her eyes, she turned her eyes away and ran through the river and made her way to the jungle. Not looking back.

Mari didn't know where she was running to, all she knew was that she had to get away. She dove under thick brush, passed through big leaves, step-stoned over water ways until she couldn't run anymore. Gasping for breath, Mari slumped at the base of a tree, next to a boulder. Sweat went down her forehead as she crawled to the nearby stream and started to dip her hands in, taking large gulps of water. After drinking, she gazed at her surroundings, it was eerily calm. Mari felt her stomach rumble and knew she had to find food and fast. Mari looked up and saw a bundle of bananas not too far up. She got up to her feet and saw the branch was a little too high for her to climb. She started to look around for something she could use. She spied a broken branch and grabbed it. Not realizing she had attracted some attention. And he was watching her hidden in the shadows.

Bagheera had finished hunting earlier that same day. He heard the sounds coming from the man-village where he could see smoke and gun shots being heard. He didn't dwell on it until he caught a strange scent in the air. It wasn't one of the jungle, it was something else. Curiosity getting the better of him, Bagheera followed his nose into the jungle. He had walked for about twenty minutes until he found the scent very strong. Slinking under the cover of the brush, he moved some leaves with his paw and saw the last thing he expected. He saw a girl-cub! He paused, thinking 'what is a girl-cub doing this far into the jungle?'

Mari, on the other hand, was sharpening the tip of the broken branch. Once it was deemed sharp enough by here, she raised it high above her head. Eyes narrowing at her target. She brought herself back and threw it as hard as she could near the bananas. It zipped right past the vine that was holding it and toppled down.

Bagheera watched in shock as he saw this little girl throw a branch at bananas and managed to get it to come down to her. 'She doesn't seem like a hunter.' He thought. He tried to get closer, but rustled the brush, starling her.

Mari heard the brush rustling and dropped the bananas. Reaching for the sharpened tree branch and holding it against her like a spear.
"Who's there?"
Nothing happened, but her eyes scanned the area for any movement. She heard it again and pointed the tip at the brush she could see moving. Gulping down her fear, Mari held her ground. The brush moved and Bagheera came out of his hiding place. Mari breathed in and out, not sure if this panther was going to attack.
"I'm not going to hurt you." Bagheera said calmly.
Mari looked at him in shock, still uneasy about him. She looked at his eyes and saw the truth there. He wasn't going to attack at all. Mari took another breath and placed her branch on the ground. Showing Bagheera she was going to listen. Bagheera took the hint and asked her,
"What is a little girl like you doing so far from your village?"
Mari bowed her head, tears coming back as she remembered why she had ended up here in the first place.
"My village was attacked. Both my parents were killed." She said sadly.
Bagheera's eyes softened as he heard this. He walked over to her and gave her a light nudge with his head to her hand.
"I'm sorry for your loss."
"Thank you." It seemed easy to trust this panther. He smiled as he asked,
"What is your name?"
"Mari."
Bagheera nodded his head, debating upon what he could do to help this girl. It was clear she had nowhere to go, otherwise she wouldn't be here in the jungle.
"Mari, do you have a place to stay?" Even though he knew the answer.
Mari shook her head.
"Would you like to follow me? I know a place where you could be here."
Mari looked at him in surprise. And smiled. She followed her new friend as he led her further into the jungle.

Bagheera led Mari to council rock where they had finished a meeting. He knew the wolves had a litter of cubs themselves and thought it'd be a good place for Mari. Just as he made his presence known, the wolves smiled in greetings only to grow very shocked as they saw a young human stepped out of the jungle, not too far from him. Mari looked around as the wolves took notice of her. Bagheera stopped and nodded her to stay where she was. Bagheera walked up to Rama and Akeela.
"Bagheera, why is there a human cub here?"
"I found her after her village had been attacked. She lost both her mother and father."
Akeela looked at her as she got down to her knees and was smiling at a wolf pup she boldly made his way to her. She held out her hand for him to sniff and he did, before giving it a lil lick, making the girl giggle.
"Why did you bring her here?"
"I was wondering if she might have a place here with the pack."
"Are you suggesting the pack take in a man-cub?" Akeela asked, shocked by the idea.
Bagheera, Rama and Akeela turned their heads as they heard laughing. Mari had her lap full of three little wolf pups who were playing with her. One was jumping on her chest, licking her cheek, the other was pawing at her stomach making her laugh and the last one was licking her ear. Both the wolves were shocked the actions of the pups, but more so as Mari started to play with them gently. Laughing and playful barking filled the air. Rama smiled at the girl and turned to Akeela, who smiled in return.
"She can stay with us Bagheera."
"Thank you, Akeela."
"Feel free to come as you please my friend."
"Oh, I will." Bagheera smiled at Mari, who smiled back at him.
She may have lost her old life at the village, but now she was about start a new one, in the jungle.