Author's Note: I love Jungle Book, this takes place one year after Jungle Book 2, Shanti=10 years, Mowgli=10 years, Ranjan=5 years...Somewhat going along with the cartoon Jungle Cubs how Khan used to be friends with everyone...Don't forget to Review!
Summary: A virus has infected the jungle animals, and the JB crew has limited time to cure the wildlife, but the cure lies in Shere Khan's past and betrayal...
Disclaimer: Sadly...but no...
Chapter One
That Morning Sun Peeks Over the Mountains
February
Bagheera yawned softly as the sunrise tickled his black fur, stretching the claws on his forepaws in front of him and clawing at the tree branch he was sleeping on.
Baloo remained snoring at the start of another day, sprawled out amidst the tree roots and soft moss. Bagheera usually paid little notice to the late riser, that is until the bear's snoring into deep, chest rattling wheezing that soon awoke Baloo with a painful coughing fit.
"*yawn*...Baloo? Are you alright?"
"*cough*...yeah...*cough-cough*..." The bear couldn't speak for several minutes after that, unable to stop or even breathe.
Finally Baloo settled enough to lean back against the tree trunk a little to rest slightly elevated.
"'ey...Ba'ee'a?"
The panther hid a smirk at the bear's stuffy nose, "Yes Baloo?"
"I 'ake i' back, I'b bot a'ight..."
Bagheera winced at how miserable Baloo sounded and looked.
"I'm sorry you're not feeling well Baloo." He spoke softly as he jumped down to one branch above Baloo's head and flick the bear's ear with the tip of his tail in a friendly gesture.
Baloo smiled a little then sneezed, letting his eyes drift close.
xxx
Several days later, Baloo hadn't recovered, in fact after a horribly long afternoon of faking how he felt around Mowgli, Shanti, and Ranjan, Baloo was nearly too exhausted and weak to make it back to where he and Bagheera slept most nights.
"You shouldn't have done that Baloo, the kids would've understood..."
The bear interrupted with what should've been a firm 'no', only for it to turn into a hoarse, quiet word followed by a body spasming coughing fit as he sat down heavily.
Bagheera gently used a paw, (claws sheathed of course) to lightly push Baloo back against a tree, using the tree as a form of support. Baloo soon fell asleep, probably for several hours if he was lucky.
The panther winced as he jumped up to a comfortable spot in the tree branches, Baloo was showing all the symptoms of a virus that had nearly wiped out the entire Seeonee Jungle; Bagheera had been only a young cub along with Baloo, Kaa had been much smaller, Louie...less of a jerk...Hathi had actually had a sense of humor, and Shere Khan...had been their friend...
Stuffy nose...
Coughing...
Fever...
Overly tired...
Sick to stomach...
Aching muscles...
It was confirmed as Bagheera suddenly sneezed and shuddered as the fever-induced chills started to run down his spine.
As one became infected, they were contagious for two days before and it took five days after those two..a week total from first infection to developing symptoms...
Uh-oh
Baloo had been everywhere this past week before the day he first grew ill.
Seeonee Jungle had another outbreak of the Sleeping death Jungle Fever...
xxx
Baloo awoke to rough, wheezy panting, Bagheera had moved from the tree to curl in an uncomfortable and painful ball; probably to combat the cramping in his stomach that was making the panther hiss in pain.
"Baggy..."
"Get...Mowgli..."
xxx
Baloo didn't remember much after that.
That being the breakneck run he'd gone through to reach the river right near Mowgli's village.
He must've just boldly and stupidly walked right into the village, in plain daylight.
He must've been shouting Mowgli's name since the boy was breathless when he came into the bear's tunnel vision.
He must've said 'Baggy needs help' or something of that effect since several men with Chandra (Mowgli's adopted dad) and Shanti took off into the jungle...
But he didn't notice...he just passed out into blissful black...
Baloo woke up sometime later, since he remembered arriving at the village just before midday and it was now pitch black outside.
The hut he was in was warm, keeping the heat from outside at bay but still leaving the room comfortable.
Soft footfalls distracted him a little, it was...
Messua, Mowgli's adopted mother, she didn't notice him awake as she quickly and nearly silently searched the room, she turned to him, not seeing him still.
Until Mowgli shifted from where he was stretched out against Baloo's side, sound asleep.
Messua smiled gently, and took a blanket from a basket to drape over the boy.
A low mumble came from Mowgli, as he wriggled into the blankets offered warmth, and Baloo's side.
The bear reached down with his paw and gently ruffled the boy's hair, having been missing the feel of the only fur on the kid's body on his tough paws.
Messua smiled at Baloo, and patted his knee as she stood and left for her own bed.
Mowgli shifted closer to Baloo again, and a sleep-filled hum came from Mowgli's dreams.
"...bear...necessities...simple...bear...*snore*..."
Baloo chuckled once then coughed a little, well aware of how much that just plain hurt.
He slipped into sleep once more, this time because he wanted to...not sheer exhaustion knocking him unconcious...
xxx
Baloo awoke again feeling even worse, how that was even possible...he wasn't sure...it must've been late afternoon, the entire house was quiet, the village was alive and bustling as usual, especially the loud kids that were making Baloo's headache worse.
Well, all of the kids except...
Mowgli
The boy was sprawled lazily (and probably pretty bored too..) on a rug, staring at the ceiling and twitching his leg a little.
"What's hangin' little britches?"
Mowgli jumped and rolled to his feet instantly, "Baloo!"
The bear smiled as he was literally forced into a 'bear' hug as Mowgli wrapped his arms around his neck, burying his face in Baloo's fur.
"I missed you Papa Bear..."
"Same here little britches...*sneeze*..."
Mowgli leaned back a bit, "Oh...sorry...how are you feeling?"
"Been better, " Baloo stated as he sat up a bit and gently eased Mowgli's arms back to the boy's sides before leaning back farther, "Try not to jump and down on your old friend for a bit heh kid? Don't think my stomach could handle it."
Mowgli responded with a nod and shifted to sit a little higher on Baloo's chest, earning a slight grin as Baloo's eyes closed again.
Mowgli was silent for a moment, his left foot swinging a little against Baloo's ribs like Mowgli was rubbing the spot with his foot.
"Ba-baloo...?"
"Hmm?"
"Wha...what's wrong? What's making you and Bagheera so sick?"
"...'s a fever...virus thing...nothing major...really stinks though..."
Mowgli must have nodded; he remained silent for several minutes, his foot absentmindedly rubbing Baloo's side.
Baloo twitched, it was starting to tickle, badly. Mowgli noticed and started rubbing faster, making Baloo snicker and twitch.
"...ha-ha...M-m...mow...g-gli-i-i...cut...c-cut...it-it out-t...he-he..."
Baloo struggled a it before his laughing brought on a painful coughing fit.
"C-come *cough* on...s-*cough*...stop...*cough-cough*...MOWGLI!"
Baloo jerked upright, knocking the boy to the floor; he struggled to breathe before leaning back again heavily.
"Shoot. You alright kid?"
Mowgli nodded as he sat up, keeping his head down.
"Aw man, com'ere kid," Baloo wrapped his arms around Mowgli, just holding him and letting his warm fur calm down the probably pretty shaken up boy.
It took quite a lot for Baloo to actually scare Mowgli, but afterwards it still took the bear awhile to calm him down.
"I didn't mean it kid; you know that, right? We're just gonna have to take it easy-like for awhile, then you can beat me up."
Mowgli smirked and wriggled in Baloo's comforting grip, shifting to lean his back against one arm and head on the bear's shoulder, his feet well away from Baloo's ticklish ribs.
Baloo was starting to fall asleep again, a little ticked at the inability to stay awake for long.
"Aw man!"
Mowgli raised his head, "What's wrong Papa Bear?"
"I forgot Bagheera."
Mowgli chuckled and settled back down, ignoring Baloo's half-hearted attempt to sit up, awkwardly since Mowgli was in the way.
"He's in Shanti's house, her mom's taking care of ole Baggy."
Baloo smiled, at least the panther was alright.
"Baloo?"
"Hmm?"
"You tired?"
Baloo sighed like he was peeved about it, "Yeah, a little."
Mowgli eased out of Baloo's grip, "Go ahead and sleep then, I ahve to check on Bagheera anyway."
Baloo nodded and grinned as Mowgli checked the curtained windows to keep the sun from disturbing the bear.
Mowgli left the hut silently, nearly putting a cat's footfalls to shame, at least until he started humming as he walked away while Baloo fell asleep.
"That morning sun peeks over the mountains..."
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