"This is the Law of the Jungle." Mowgli began, before Grey responded "as old and as true as the clouds?"

"No, silly. As the sky." Mowgli corrected his brother, before adding "the wolf that keeps it may..."

"Pra-no, prosper... but the wolf that breaks it must die."

"Good. Like the creeper that girdles a..."

"Tree-trunk, the law's running..."

"No, the law runneth..."

"...Forward and back..." Grey said, before they both finished with "for the strength of the pack is the wolf and the strength of the wolf is the pack."

"Good job, Grey." Mowgli said. It had been two months since the death of Akela, yet the pack still thrived under their new leader, Raksha. Smiling, the mother wolf walked down from Council Rock and greeted both her children, saying to Grey "well done, dear. You've improved. Akela would have been proud of you both."

"Mother, please." Mowgli said, knowing the thought of the late pack-leader made his sibling uncomfortable. Raksha laughed and said "don't worry. Shere Khan is dead now. Grey has nothing to be afraid of."

Little did Raksha know that her cub had much to fear. "Now come on." Raksha said. "It's getting late."

"No it's not!" Grey said suddenly. Mowgli picked up the cub and said "come on brother. We'll get you some rest."

Grey would often wish that night didn't come at all. For every time he closed his eyes, he saw the rock. Akela falling from the height. His brothers and sisters in the clutches of the one-eyed tiger. He and his mother standing back and watching as the tiger's soft voice told stories of cuckoo birds and death.

"No! I don't want to go to sleep. Shere Khan will be there!" Grey cried out suddenly. Mowgli said "now come on, Grey. Shere Khan won't be coming round here anymore."

"Then why do I always see him when I go to sleep?!" Grey wept as he tightly pressed himself against Mowgli. "There there, child." Raksha said. "You sleep close to me tonight and I'll make sure the big bad tiger doesn't try to hurt you."

As the cubs went to bed, Mowgli said to Raksha "do you think Grey will be alright?"

"He'll be fine, Mowgli. Besides, it's not like he'll go over to Water Mountain."

That night, Raksha held the sleeping Grey closer to her, comforting him when he started shaking. Mowgli watched from a tree, laughing as he said "you'll be alright Grey."

Suddenly, a small orange flash caught his eye. Mowgli turned to see the flashing red light in the distance behind the trees. "Red Flower." Mowgli said quietly. Looking down to see the wolves all sleeping, he jumped from the tree and ran through the jungle.

As Mowgli ran, his footsteps attracted the attention of a black figure sleeping in the trees. The green eyes watched the boy, as a voice said "where is he off to at this hour?"

Mowgli followed the light to a small glade, hiding in the bushes as he watched. He saw several men, holding long-barreled weapons and sticks with Red Flower. Mowgli couldn't see what they were attacking, before orange and black stripes suddenly became visible.

The tiger attacked the men, being forced back by the Red Flower as he backed into a rock. He tried to attack the man holding a small straw basket, before the leader forced him back, saying "back, you striped demon!"

The man with the basket grabbed one of the long barreled weapons before the tiger leaped at him. The man dropped the basket and pulled the small trigger on the bottom. Suddenly, a blast of smoke and metal left the barrel, before the tiger fell dead on the ground. The leader said "good work, now get the prize to the boat and let's get out of here!"

"But Buldeo, what about the body!?"

"Forget it, he's dead. Maybe if he's here tomorrow we can skin him, ha ha. Now let's move!"

Mowgli watched as the men ran to a small wooden boat and left the shore. Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind. "Mowgli!"

Mowgli tensed, before a voice said "it's alright, Mowgli. It's me."

"Oh, Bagheera. Thank goodness." Mowgli said, before the panther added "what are you doing out here?"

"I saw Red Flower. There were lots of men, and they used an exploding branch to kill that tiger." Mowgli said. Bagheera ran into the glade to examine the tiger's corpse, sighing in disgust as he said "it was a gun they used. He never stood a chance. Come on Mowgli, let's get you back to the pack before the men return."

As they walked back to Council Rock, Mowgli thought about the basket the men were holding. What could it have been? he thought. Why would that tiger want it?

Mowgli was distracted from his thoughts when he heard a strange noise. Wwrawr!

"Mowlgi, come on!" Bagheera said, before the noise was heard again. Mowgli listened closely, saying "it's coming from the river!" before running to where the noise came. "Wait. Mowgli, come back!" Bagheera said as he followed the boy.