The hot wind breezed through the almost dark jungle, as the sun was slowly setting over the orange-red horizon.
Mowgli was now running with all his might, feeling the dirt and rocks bump under his feet. He looked around panicked, but didn't stop running. Suddenly he heard the heavy pants and footsteps running behind him. Mowgli had to think fast. So he did what he always did, and jumped on to a tree, climbing up the trunk, with his nails scraping against the bark. He ran along the thick branches and felt his whole body getting tired, and just wanting to give up. But he pushed the thought aside and kept running.
Then he saw the finish line before him, and quickly jumped down from the tree, landing onto the jungle floor. That was when he made his biggest mistake...
Mowgli looked backward for a split second, seeing a black shadow running right in his heels. Mowgli fell over a small rock, and lost his balance falling forward, one inch from the finish line.
The Black Panther jumped on top of him and growled.
Mowgli groaned. "That's not fair! I almost made it!"
Bagheera chuckled slightly. "That was your own doing, man-cub."
He got off of him and let Mowgli get up to catch his breath.
Then through the bushes, a big saggy bear came walking towards them. "Good job kid, ya almost made it!"
Mowgli huffed annoyed. "Almost." He growled softly.
Baloo shook his head in amusement. "Don't worry, you'll make it soon enough."
Bagheera rolled his eyes. "If he could learn not to look back."
Mowgli giggled, but then his breath sharpened hearing those words: If he could learn not to look back.The words stung him slightly, and made his happy face turn into a frown, thinking about the event's that had happened not even a month ago. How Shere Khan had killed Akela, he who was like a father to the small boy. And Mowgli felt like it was his own fault, that he had lost him.
The two mammals quickly noticed Mowgli's pale look.
"What's wrong, kid?" Asked Baloo.
Mowgli shook his head and put on a fake smile. "Nothing." He said rather quickly.
Bagheera growled softly. "Why are you lying?" He asked harshly.
Mowgli gulped. "I'm not!" He said. "I'm just tired."
And before anyone could say more; the man-cub waved at them: "Goodnight!" And ran back towards his home.
Bagheera and Baloo shared a slightly worried look, but quickly shrug it off.
Later that night, Mowgli was laying wide awake in his den. He couldn't sleep. No matter how hard he tried, sleep just wouldn't overtake him.
At last Mowgli gave up, and walked out of the den to get some fresh air.
He looked at the starry night above him, and a soft frown appeared on his face.
A vision of him and Akela came into his head.
Akela had just been out hunting, and Mowgli missed him more than ever. When the wolf returned the small boy leaped up to him and hugged his neck tightly. Akela was at first surprised, but then his tail wagged from side to side in happiness.
Mowgli was interrupted by his thoughts, when he heard a gunshot fill the air. He looked around panicked and realised it was close by the man village.
He quickly ran into the jungle and towards the booming gunshots.
Through the jungle a Leopard mother was being chased by hunters. She ran through the mist with a small cub in her mouth. She looked around panicked, as more gunshots were heard in the beyond.
"Oh no, what do I do?" She thought.
Then she saw a tree with a small hollow in. She placed her cub inside the hollow and said: "Stay here. Do not leave at any costs okay? Mama will be right back." She told the cub sadly.
The small cub nodded, and hid in the black hollow.
The Leopard mother turned around, only to see hunters pointing their guns at her.
"Say goodbye." One smirked evilly, and then released the trigger.
Mowgli finally reached his destination, and hid in the bushes, to get a better look of what was going on.
Suddenly he heard branches cracking behind him. Mowgli turned his head, only to see Bagheera looking at him with a hard glare.
"Mowgli, you foolish man-cub," He said harshly. "What are you doing here?"
Mowgli rolled his eyes. "I heard a gunshot! I wanted to know what was going on."
Bagheera shook his head, but then walked over and crouched down beside him.
"Me too."
Then they looked through the bushes, trying to get a better look of what was going on. But before them; only true horror was placed. A dead female leopard was laying on the floor, as blood dripped from her chest. The hunters laughed, and then took the dead Leopard's legs, and dragged her with them.
After a few minutes Mowgli walked out of the bush, and over to the place where the female had been shot.
"Mowgli, what are you doing? Get back here!" Bagheera said.
But Mowgli ignored him, as he looked at the ground sadly.
Bagheera sighed heavily. "I'm sorry Mowgli," He said walking over beside him. "But it is nature's course."
Mowgli was about to say something, when he heard a small squeak behind him.
Both Bagheera and Mowgli looked at eachother confused, before moving towards the hollow.
Bagheera stuck his nose inside and sniffed the hollow. Suddenly a small golden head popped out, and lightly bit his nose. The Panther jumped back in surpise.
"Ow! He groaned rubbing his nose. "What in the?"
Mowgli went over to the tree and slowly stuck his hand down in the hollow, wanting to know what animal it was.
"Mowgli, be careful!" Bagheera said from behind.
Mowgli nodded, and then lifted a small Leopard cub up by its scruff.
Both Bagheera and Mowgli's eyes widened.
"It's her cub!" Mowgli said.
Bagheera walked towards the small feline that looked at them in fright. "She must have hidden it in there, to protect it from the hunters." He said sadly.
The small cub shook and tried to get out of Mowgli's grasp.
"Woah easy." The boy said.
The cub sprung out of his hold, and ran over to the tree, pressing her back against it, as every bristle on her back was lifted.
Bagheera felt his heart ache. Such a small creature, no mother, and all alone. She reminded him of himself.
The Panther slowly moved towards her, but the cub only pressed herslef further into the tree, if that even was possible. "Calm down, it's okay," He spoke softly. "I'm not gonna hurt you."
The leopard looked at him hesitantly, but slowly the bristles on her back laid down.
Bagheera moved even closer, and then he noticed a bleeding scratch on her neck. He moved towards her, and placed a gentle paw on her back. The small cub flinched of his touch, and once again, the bristles on her back was lifted. Then the Panther licked her wound softly, causing her to wince of the pain, but soon she was relaxing as he cleaned her.
Mowgli looked at Bagheera in shock. The small cub who was petrified not even a minute ago, was now relaxing into the touch of a huge predator.
"Wow Bagheera, you really know how handle kids." Said a voice behind them.
They all looked behind them, only to see Baloo standing with a goofy smile on his face.
Bagheera stopped cleaning the wound and looked back up at the bear with an annoyed look, still holding the paw on the Leopard's back, so she wouldn't run away.
"So what? I was just helping her. Nothing else!" He huffed.
Baloo chuckled, but then Mowgli looked at both of them with sad gazes.
"But guys, she is all alone. She has no mother, no father. No one."
The two mammals looked at the ground sadly, knowing he was right.
"Wait," Said the man-cub. "What if one of us took care of her?" He smiled.
Baloo shook his head. "Well I don't know how to take care of kids. I would just turn around for one second, and I would lose her. Or I would accidentally sit on her. Besides, I don't even know what she eats?" He said.
Mowgli frowned. "Yeah I guess. But I'm too young to take care of her."
There was silence, then Baloo looked at Bagheera with a smirk. "Hey, here's an idea. Why don't we just let Baggy do it?"
Mowgli looked at Bagheera with a huge smile. "Yes! Bagheera is perfect for the job!"
The Panther's eyes widened. "What? Why me?"
"Because you are the most experienced of all of us. You know what to give her, and yiu are basically the same animal. Plus; she really likes you." Mowgli explained.
Baloo nodded. "Yeah, besides you are the best choice for protecting her, since you are the most safely, boring, judgemental being in the jungle."
Bagheera rolled his eyes with a growl. "Thanks Baloo, I'm flattered." He said sarcastically.
He then looked down at the cub. "What do you say?" Bagheera asked. "Wanna come with me?"
The small Leopard squeaked happily.
"Then it's settled," Said Baloo "Spots is going to live with Bagheera."
The Panther snorted. "Spots? Yeah I'm definitely not calling her that."
The bear chuckled, along with Mowgli who was laughing at thier silliness.
Bagheera was walking through the dark jungle, with the small cub walking under him, in fright of something jumping out, and snatching her.
He suddenly came to a stop before a cave, and then walked into the dark.
The Panther walked over to the corner and laid down. The small cub tilted her head at him.
"Come on, little one," Said the Panther. "Time for sleep." Then he closed his eyes, and rested his head on the ground.
The Leopard first hesitated, but then leaped over beside Bagheera, and snuggled into his side.
Bagheera opened one eye, and looked at the, now, sleeping cub craddled into his side.
He smiled soflty. "Goodnight, little one."
Then they both drifted of into an ocean of sleep, with smiled resting on their faces.
This would be the beginning of something new.