Here we part
He had heard a human's cries, and instantly headed for its source, padding swiftly through the jungle, towards the river. Soon after they began the cries vanished, and he quickened his pace. But when he arrived upon a half sunk boat, he found no human. Wondering if the river had pulled and drowned the thing, he searched for a floating corpse, but saw none.
Wondering if perhaps another predator had picked up the infant, Shere Khan sniffed at the ground and recognized Bagheera's musky smell and the stench of human clinging to the dust and grass. Had it been any other animal, Shere Khan would have let it go. But he knew that if the stupid sentimental panther had not killed the man cub yet, he would not. Snarling sharply, he took off after the panther, muscled legs shooting over fallen trees and roots, strong nose dissecting the air for the scent, his figure sending small animals running for their homes in fear of the enraged tiger.
Bagheera treaded swiftly through the jungle, weaving around trees and plants with the quick grace of his breed, small paws silently treading over soft earth. Testing the air, he recognized the smell of the wolf clan, and moved faster towards the rockier landscape that marked the edges of their territory. The man cub was wriggling excitedly in his red cloth blanket, tiny hand reaching towards his nose and whiskers, with soft giggles filling the panther's sharp ears. Smiling around the fabric, Bagheera wished again that he could keep the child, but he was a predator, and a male; he would not be able to properly provide for an infant, which is why he was taking it to the wolves.
Recognizing the rock bends of the wolf territory, he quickened his pace a bit, but was abruptly blocked when out of the thinning bush leap Shere Kahn, chest heaving silently, claws gripping the earth, and teeth exposed in a snarl, "Found you!"
Backing away slowly, Bagheera softly placed the man cub on the ground close to his paws, swallowing thickly as he let go of the fabric, and siting up tensely to face the tiger. "What has gotten you so riled up Shere Khan?" he asked, paws keeping the bundle still, though the man cub wiggled.
"You know perfectly well!" Shere Khan retorted, circling around Bagheera and the child like they were trapped pray. Bagheera followed him with his eyes and ears, tensing his legs to jump at any moment. Waiting for the pounce he was sure would happen.
"He is only a cub Shere Khan…" Bagheera whispered, flinching protectively over the child when Shere Khan roared loudly. The man cub started crying, high pitched shrieks thickening the air between them.
"That cub will grow into a man!" Shere Khan thundered, claws stabbing into the earth, tail flailing about behind him, and eyes dilated in rage , "And that man into a hunter!" Charging forward suddenly he aimed his claws for the small red bundle on the ground, but only drew up dirt as the panther grabbed the bundle and leapt away. Pulling his claws from the dirt, he turned to look at the panther, glaring into green yellow eyes. "Have you turned traitor Bagheera?" hissed the tiger, "you know as well as I why that beast deserve death…"
"We cannot blame all humans for the actions of a few" Bagheera pleaded, again placing the crying bundle on the ground, "he deserves no blame for his kin!"
"Those worthless piles of meat steal out pelts! Wear our skin like trophies and make rugs of our fur!" shouted the tiger, teeth glinting dangerously in the scattered rays of sun shining through the jungle roof. Standing full before the other cat, he glowed in the dim light, nothing but muscle and fur and rage, "they are the reason WE are the only cats remaining in the jungle Bagheera!"
"I know!" Bagheera suddenly ejected, claws clenching into the fabric of the blanket around the man cub, though not deep enough to cut. "But this is just a cub! He knows nothing of man…! Maybe…maybe he will be…different"
"You're so naïve Bagheera! He is a man! They are all alike!" the tiger rebuked harshly, making the panther droop again, gaze shifting to the baby on the ground for an instant, "But there will be one less hunter today!" With another roar, Shere Khan again aimed for the bundle. Again Bagheera picked it up, but instead of trying to reason, he turned and ran for wolf territory, ignoring the loud roar behind him.
The usually soft pads of the cats thundered in the empty jungle, sending animals fleeing. The very trees seemed to shake with fear and rage. The baby cried in the bouncing bundle, tiny hands gripping for an anchor and finding nothing but air. Bagheera could feel Shere Khan behind them, huge legs pounding against the ground with every bound. Feeling his lungs burn in his chest, he forced his legs to go faster, running desperately into the wolf territory. One misstep would cost them both their lives with Shere Khan right behind.
As he ran past a rock pillar, howls began to fill the air. He had been spotted by the scouts at the territory edges. A little further and he would be in the safe, the wolves were his allies and Shere Khan's enemies after all. Soon barks replaced howls and a large line of wolves waited for him at the next turn. As he slid behind their barrier, putting down the man cub to swallow air, the line reformed and faced the Tiger that had been on his tail.
Shere Khan snarled as he attempted to get past to wolves. But for every one he batted away three took its place. Overwhelmed, he pulled back, glaring past the line to the breathless Bagheera. Meeting the green gold gaze he hollered across the barrier, "Filthy Man cub lover! A traitor is what you are Bagheera! Mark my words! That man cub will not be allowed to grow into a hunter! I will make sure of it!" with another angry snarl, he turned and padded away, muttering of treacherous panthers and murderous man cubs.
Silently Bagheera watched the tiger return to the jungle's cover, mumbling softly as he looked down to the man cub staring up at him, "As will I…"