The hunter grinned maliciously as he picked up a recent trail. He was closing in on the girl. He would have his revenge. He placed his fingers into the dirt and traced the footprint in front of him.
"Soon girl, soon."
He set off. Ready to hunt.
-
Mari ran till she could no longer run. She was determined to be a good distance away from Kaa. She didn't know if he would slither after her, but she didn't want to take the chance. She ignored all the sharp bushes and sticks she had scrapped against. She just needed to be far away from Kaa. She finally stopped running, bending down towards the ground, breathing hard. She coughed up dust and spat making her throat cry for liquid. She had to find water before she did anything else. Mari looked around and saw she was closer to the badlands. She knew vultures dwelled over there, based on Bagheera's lectures. She was not sure where she was to know if she could go long without water, so she decided the badlands were a better option.
Mari pulled back some dead branches, not noticing the eight pairs of eyes who saw her walking into the badlands. Mari looked up ahead and saw a small pond. With relief she ran over and got down to her knees and started taking in large gulps. It didn't seem that clean, but enough it was safe to drink. Mari gasped for breath after she took in her fifth gulp of water.
"Hey lass, what are you-" a Liverpool accent came from behind.
Mari grabbed whoever was behind her and threw him over her into the pond. It wasn't till she saw the wings and feathers to realize it was a vulture that had been hind her.
"Blimey!" Another Liverpool accent said.
Mari turned and saw three more vultures.
"Sorry. Sorry I didn't mean that." Mari hastily apologized. They didn't seem to be threats.
The vulture behind her coughed as he climbed out of the pond. Mari gently took his wing and helped him out the rest of the way.
"Thanks for that lass."
"Welcome and I'm sorry I threw you in. I've been having more of those trying to grab me than be friendly."
"No harm done" Shaking the water off his feathers, "Besides, it was a nice bath anyways."
"What you doing out in our neck of the woods anyway new kid?" The eldest looking one said.
Mari rubbed the back of her neck nervously, "I just ran away from Kaa the snake. Before that I was running away from my friends. They were taking me go to the village."
"Why not?"
"I'm not ready to face everything. Not after what happened to my parents and everything."
"Your parents? Surely they gotta be looking for yous." The vulture with the yellow hair said.
Mari shook her head sadly, "They're gone. Killed. By another man who tried to kill me."
The vultures looked at her sadly, "Sorry Lass."
"It's fine. You didn't know. Besides I'm probably better off on my own alone now anyways."
Mari said, getting ready to walk off to the jungle again.
"Now, hold on kid, you can't be by yourself. You need your friends." The vulture said, he then smiled as he turned to his friends and said, "Hey fellas, are her friends?"
Three formed into a group and started singing,
We're your friends
We're your friends
We're your friends to the bitter end
Mari too depressed, just sat down on the rock next to the river. She was feeling bad for running off from Baloo and Bagheera, but she was angry at the time. She still missed them though. Especially after everything they did for her.
When you're alone
Who comes around
To pluck you up
Mari felt herself being brought up suddenly by two vultures, and then sat down back on the rock.
When you are down
And when you're outside, looking in
Who's there to open the door?
"Come on kid, we need a tenor." Beaky, who she realized was his name had pushed Mari off the rock and got her to where Flaps and Dizzy were and placed their wings on her shoulders in comfort.
That's what friends are for!
Mari couldn't stop the smile that came up on her face as the vultures were doing a good job of lightening up her spirits. These guys were her friends, just like Baloo and Bagheera.
Who's always eager to extend
A friendly claw?
Mari smiled at them as they each gave her a claw to shake in acceptance. Mari took both claws and shook them vigorously and found herself tapping her foot to the beat of the song.
That's what friends are for!
And when you're lost in dire need
Who's at your side at lightning speed?
We're friends with every creature
Comin' down the pike
In fact, we've never met an animal
We didn't like,
"Haha, you take it kid." Beaky said, up above to Mari.
Mari and the vultures: Didn't like
Vultures: So you can see
We're friends in need
And friends in need
Are friends indeed
We'll keep you safe
In the jungle forevermore
Shere Khan: That's what friends are for!
Mari watched as she saw the infamous Shere Khan not too far away from them. The vultures fell from their tower and flew behind her, making her jump a bit from the sudden action. They were scared of the tiger too?
"Bravo, bravo, an extraordinary performance and thank you for detaining my victim." He finished off with a wicked grin, looking at Mari. Who couldn't help but feel annoyed and anxious at the same time as she watched the tiger come closer.
"Don't mention it, your highness." Flaps said nervously.
Shere Khan chuckled until he then said, "Boo."
The vultures scattered, leaving Mari alone who just stared down the tiger looking ready to curl up her fist and punch him.
"Run friend, run."
"Run?" She repeatedly innocently, "Why should I run?"
"Why should you run? Could it be possible that you don't know who I am?"
'Mighty full of ourselves aren't we?' Mari thought as the tiger talked, "I know you alright. You're Shere Khan."
"Precisely. Than you should also know that everyone runs from Shere Khan." The tiger put a claw underneath her chin to emphasize his point but all it did was piss Mari off.
She had enough as she forcefully pushed his claw away from her, "You don't scare me. I don't run from anyone much less someone like you."
"Ah, you have spirit for one so small. And such spirit is deserving of a sporting chance."
Mari just placed her hands of her hips.
"Now, I'm going to close my eyes and count to ten, it makes the chase more interesting…for me."
"You might as well not do it. I won't run and you'd just be wasting your time." Mari retorted.
"We shall see." The tiger said with a malicious grin that didn't seem to faze the young jungle girl one bit.
Mari started looking for a weapon as the tiger started counting. She spied a branch not too far away that looked like it could be doable. She ran towards it and hastily sharpened the edges on the rock next to it. Shere Khan was looking at her and Mari just gave him her best panther growl. All it did was make her agitated.
"5,6,7,8,9,10."
Shere Khan lunged for her, but Mari already had a plan. She jumped aside and using the butt of her stick, got the tiger in the eye, making him yelp. Mari was presed up against a tree. The one where the low hanging branches where good enough to jump and reach. Shere Khan roared and ran for her but Mari dropped the stick, jumped again and swung herself over the branch. She than twisted her body and made her feet connect to the tiger's side, knocking him to the ground a few feet away. The vultures watched in awe as she scrambled to the ground and grabbed her sharpened stick. Shere Khan growled as he felt his side ache from the impact.
"Very clever girl." He growled.
"Look, I'm not looking for a fight ok. I've here for three years of my life I would never become one of those gun wielding humans. I'm going to do anything to you."
"Doesn't matter. You're still human."
"Not all humans are the same." Mari said.
"All humans kill and like you, I will kill you." He growled menacingly.
Mari stood her ground, holding up the stick. She'd be damned if she wasn't going to stand and fight like with everything else. Shere Khan swiped but Mari jumped in and time and tried aiming the sharp end of her stick near his eye. Instead she got him the shoulder blade, blood tainted the orange and black striped fur. Mari was shocked at what just happened but she kept moving. She was feeling scared. She just gave him a reason to attack her now without meaning to.
Just as Shere Khan was about to go, a gunshot pierced the silence of the jungle. It was from close by. Shere Khan looked worriedly around as he heard the sound of a gun. A second gunshot rang throughout the sky, this one sounding even closer. This time Shere Khan ran away. Mari was confused, normally an animal would stay and fight till it admitted defeat or won. What made Shere Khan go.
"Hello girl." Dark voice called behind her.
Mari turned and felt her heart grow cold. She was staring into the eyes of someone she never thought she'd see again. The man who murdered her parents was right in front of her a few feet away with a rifle in his hands.