It was a beautiful day within the Jungle's of, India. The Warm rays of the sun bared down upon the lush green landscape below. The Sky was clear as a endless lake. The Birds chirped happily filling the jungle with the soft melodies.
Through the jungle slowly walking along was a group of Wolf People. The Wolfs were the source of power within the parts of the known jungle. The Wolfs ruled over the jungle well keeping the balance of nature as well as the law of it.
All who dare go against the very law were met with heavy consequence. Though the Wolf's ruled with firm grips, they were a peaceful race. They looked after the jungle and any who dwelled within it. Any race was welcome within the kingdom as long as they obeyed the rules of the, Wolf King.
During such a beautiful day and with the jungle in relative peace, The King, decided to use this day to take a leisure walk through the jungle that he ruled well.
Leaving out the gates of his kingdom, King Rama, with his beautiful, Queen Raksha, who's fur was as pale as a full moon showing on a clear night. Taking some of his guards with him for it was unwise to have the rulers to travel without being under guard in the jungle though at peace still held many dangers to anyone that would move carefree through it.
"A Most lovely day." Raksha sighed taking in the soft breeze that slowly tickled her fur giving her some relief from the humidity. "Wouldn't you agree, dear?" She asked leaning in to her husband wrapping her arms around his snuggling into his dark fur gazing upon his muscular well tone body. Her King was remarkably handsome and strong and that served him well in his duties as the Royal of the Wolf Kingdom.
"It is indeed, my Queen." Rama turned over to her gently stroking the side of her cheek. King Rama felt so lucky to have her by his side. Raksha has been the gentlest soul in all of the jungle. She stood by him through thick and thin. She showed compassion and kindness to all those around her. While being the Queen she had her duties but she always took much time to oversee all about in their kingdom. Even going as far as partaking in that which no one would thing a Royal would ever do.
The Royal Wolfs walked on through the path of jungle that was forged from generations of the past who walked on so much that a path was made from constant walking, making it a dirt road that was one of many that traversed through many parts of the jungle.
The Guards marched with discipline holding their spears steady keeping an eye out for anything that seemed to be a danger to their royal majesties. Two walking side by side just ahead of the royals while two others walked just behind them. They were ready to defend what they were sworn by oath to protect should anything endanger them.
Raksha's ear began to twitch. She scratched it for a moment before returning to the warm side of her king. Then her ear twitched again to her irritation but then a sound reached it.
"Wait!" She cried causing all the wolfs to stop in place.
"What is the matter?" King Rama asked as the guards took point holding their spears out.
"Not sure." Raksha said sniffing the air and walked to the edge of the road. Something was amiss. She leaned into the jungle and she could make out something. Something wailing, faintly but yet enough for her ears to pick up.
"Come, I think I hear something." Raksha gestured as she walked into the brush of the jungle. King Rama sighed for when his queen pursued something of interest nothing would hold her back. Ordering two of the guards to remain by the road and having the other two come with him.
Raksha walked on trying to make out what she was hearing. She was starting to make out that it sounded like crying. However it was unlike any cry she had heard before. Having raised multiple pups she was so proud to have with her King she understand everything about caring for younglings and dealing with them when they cried for hunger, attention, or pain she knew it as the maternal nature she bared.
The Crying she was hearing however was not of a wolf. This was most peculiar for her. There were of course animals within the jungle but none which let out a wailing cry as she was hearing. If she was drawing closer to whatever it is until the crying ceased when she drew near a river.
"Odd…what happened to the…" She said aloud before on the side on the river she saw what appeared to be a canoe or what was left of one.
Half of the vessel was missing. The part that remained was leaning on the bank and barely keeping from being pushed back in the river but luckily the water was calm and the current was not moving fast since the known raging rivers were up stream a good distance away but anything could have come from that way since this canoe had to have come from it.
"Raksha!" The White Wolf Queen turned to see that her King had caught up with her. "Have you found something?"
"Yes." She nodded pointing towards the destroyed vessel she discovered. Like her, King Rama, was surprised.
"Now this is a peculiar sight." King Rama put a finger on his chin. "How did you know this was here?"
"I heard something crying coming from this direction but I haven't found the source, my love." Raksha answered
The Two guards that accompanied the King layed careful eyes on the wreaked canoe. There was something about it that didn't seem right slowly stepping towards. They each took a spot to examine the vessel to find anything that would give a clue about it but then a cry came out from within startling them for a moment before pointing their spears in front of vessel.
The King and Queen were equally startled but it didn't sound dangerous but frightened.
"Guards, back away from it!" King Rama ordered. The Guards slowly backed away from the canoe but kept their spears pointed just in case anything dangerous was within it.
King Rama and Queen Raksha carefully stepped towards the canoe and looked inside to see a basket with a cloth hanging over it. The Cries were coming from within it as, Rama, slowly pulled the cloth away to reveal what was inside and what it was sent a shock to both the royals.
There was a living being inside it! A Small Mancub wrapped in blankets crying!
"Well ill be!" King Rama exclaimed "A Mancub! Man has not been seen in this jungle for generations!"
"Aww!" Queen Raksha cooed looking inside at the baby within the basket. "Such a young and poor little thing." The Queen was devastated at the sight. The Baby appeared to be lost and without anyone. She looked around the canoe again and came to a conclusion that whatever befallen the canoe the young one's parents must have been lost with it.
The Guards slowly stepped forward upon hearing more cries coming from the canoe and were just as shocked as their royals finding a mancub within a basket in the destroyed vessel.
They barred their teeth with a menacing growl for they only knew man from tales of old but they had a duty to protect their king and queen from any danger and growled as a warning. The menacing growls reached the baby within and caused it to cry in terror.
The Queen shot her head up to the guards! "Both of you! Cease and step back your scaring the poor dear!" The Guards obeyed and stepped back and stopped their growling as the Queen looked back at the baby hearing him wail just broke her heart.
"There there, little one." She cooed reaching her paw inside and gently stroked the baby's forehead. "No one here is going to hurt you."
Her gentle stroking slowly calmed the baby and to her delight it let out a soft laugh. The Baby looked up at her with the most innocent eyes and giggled at the sight of the pale wolf.
"He is just so adorable for a mancub." Raksha smiled gently taking the basket and carefully lifted it out of the canoe and settled on the bank far enough so the water would not touch it. She kneeled down and reached inside and carefully took the little baby in her arms.
She brought the little one close to her chest and gently rocked him. The Baby cooed reached his little arms out of the blankets and caressed, Raksha's, muzzle. The Baby laughed feeling the wolf's ticklish fur and continued to stroke it.
The Queen giggled feeling the young one's soft furless hands on her muzzle. She held back a sneeze when he stroked her nose.
King Rama couldn't help but adore the scene. It already seemed his queen had taken a great liking to the mancub. It still was mystery on where the baby came from and what happened? Such questions would have to wait for the priority right now was what to do with the young one?
"We are going to have figure out what to do with this mancub?" King Rama said.
Queen Raksha frowned for she knew that question was coming. She looked down at the mancub with great pity. This poor little one had lost what would have been his home. His parents were nowhere around and it was too young and helpless to strike out on its own.
She slowly brought her muzzle closer to the baby and gently nuzzled his soft cheeks. The Baby giggled and cooed at the soft touch of the wolf. It seemed the baby was just as much taking a liking to her as well as she was.
King Rama kneeled down next to her. He was deep in thought. He couldn't possibly leave such a helpless thing here where any predator would make an easy meal out of him. To search for the baby's parents would take so long that if not in proper care the baby would perish and no one should ever have to lose their life young before life can truly begin for them.
The Wolf King leaned into the sight of mancub eyes. At first the baby was frightened but after staring at, King Rama, for a minute the baby reached up with a little hand and, Rama, reached his own towards the baby. The Little one took one of, Rama's, fingers into his hand and smiled. King Rama couldn't help but smile as well.
"It seems the mancub has taken a liking to you, my love" Queen Raksha mocked playfully.
King Rama chuckled at his queen's teasing. "It appears so."
Seeing that the little one needed a home and family to protect and care for it and how it was already looking at them as it has taken to them like they were his parents despite the obvious differences.
"Rama…I think we should keep him." Queen Raksha suggested her tone saddened by thinking of the worst if the baby were to be left out in the jungle.
King Rama knew this would be a difficult choice. There is so much they didn't know about man but actually taking in man into a kingdom of a race far different from his own and along with the unknown of what could happen with raising a mancub.
But seeing the sad look in his queen's eyes and along with staring into the helpless and innocent eyes of the mancub in her arms he just had to make the right decision.
"Then so shall it be, my Queen." Rama stood up and declared his word. "We shall take this mancub as our own."
Raksha was overjoyed. She was beyond any words on how happy she was that her husband made the decision on taking in the small mancub.
"My King, my strong and noble, Rama." Raksha stood up and leaned into her husband nuzzling into his bare chest. "Thank you."
King Rama smiled and wrapped his arms around his wife. He was glad to make his love happy and it also made himself happy seeing the baby laugh at him carefully snuggled in between the comforting grasp of them.
The Guards stood nearby watching the scene in front of them. They murmured to themselves with concerns. It was not their place to judge their king and queen as their word was law. This would without a doubt cause the whole kingdom to be weary of this now that the royals of taken in man as their own. But whatever awaits in the future they knew all they could do is trust the judgment of their kind and just leaders.
"Let us return home and inform our subjects of the newest addition to the family." King Rama suggested.
Queen Raksha nodded slowly backing away from, Rama. "Of course but I feel there is one more thing we need to do."
"What would that be, my dear?" King Rama asked.
"What shall we name our new prince?"Queen Raksha asked.
King Rama scratched the back of his head for in truth they know not of what the young one's name was so they would have to give it a name of their own.
"I think that honor should be yours to make, my queen." King Rama said with a smile. "Your heart was set on taking in this little mancub before my decree. I believe that right belongs to you."
Queen Raksha was bashful with her king's kind words. When he wasn't performing his duties in the kingdom and making sure the laws were enforced. He was such a sweetheart and though only known by his closest friends and family one of the kindest wolfs there was.
With the decision up to, Raksha, she tried to think what would be a unique name for the newest addition to her family and new subject for the kingdom. She heard a small splash and saw a frog just hop in the river and disappeared under the water.
"That's it!" She beamed. "I know what to call our new son."
"What shall it be?" King Rama asked.
"We shall call him…Mowgli!" Queen Raksha decreed earning a laugh from the baby as if he was accepting his new name.
"Then, Mowgli, it is then." King Rama agreed looking into the eyes of the now named baby still snuggled safely in the queens arms. "Mowgli our new prince."
"Come, my love. Let us take our son to his new home." King Rama gestured his hand back out the way they came.
Queen Raksha nodded and followed her king out back to the road along with their guards. There was a lot to do now with having a mancub as their newest son. They knew this was not going to be easy but no matter what challenges await they will help their newfound son face them in the new life the little mancub had now been given.