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...

Hey, if you reviewers notice major spelling or word mistakes please let me know...I reread chapter two and saw that when Mowgli was singing he said "and the rhinos rub their hair..." that was stupid and I feel terrible...please let me know so I can correct these errors! Thank you!


Chapter Seven

The busy bee hums as he flies

Loud and Clear

xxx Seven Years after 2x08 Sleepless in the Jungle

Eleanor walked along the well worn path used by the wolves on the edge of their territory, for once actually bored...

And when Eleanor was bored, her mind wandered to what her life was before the Jungle...

Her wandering in mind and her feet led her to a shallow creek, over hung by draping tree boughs and ferns.

Giving her cover, she pondered absently, but it also hindered her ability to watch the Man-village, the very one she had been told to stay away from no matter what...

Before she could leave though and find a way to occupy her time better, a being she had never seen since entering the jungle so long ago.

...

He crept over the stepping stones to the far bank, slipping into the jungle like he'd been taught by the elders, only they had taught him secretly as the head of the village didn't approve of his existence.

He was known as the 'white-demon', skin way too pale compared to the rest, but he had stayed with a few other 'white-men' when the leader of their research team had vanished into the jungle eight years ago, along with his wife, daughter, and several other researchers.

A twig snapped beneath his foot, then an echoing one came from the bushes, he spun around, self-defense kicking in with only a spear to oppose whatever came at him.

Yet he dropped the spear and ran upon seeing the attacker that slid out from the jungle like a wild cat.

The professor's daughter...

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Eleanor couldn't believe it as she stood staring at her tall, lean reflection in the water cistern in the CubHouse.

She was the same as that Man...

She had grabbed the spear and fled as soon as he was out of her sight, too panicked to realize she was doing something stupid.

Now she stood staring at her reflection, hours after she had ceased running, and yet couldn't catch her breath, couldn't slow her heart from pounding, and couldn't rid her mind of that Man...


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Present Day

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Mowgli winced as his cast covered arm throbbed, the other people at the vet center as they called it having fixed it up so it would heal perfectly in a few weeks.

He hated the shoes they made him wear, hated the clothes, hated the...well everything basically.

He was clad in only the black shorts he'd been given, and wandering through the warehouse end of center.

And he found what or actually who he'd been looking for.

The animals

Mowgli stopped on the metal cat-walk, high above the cages which made him even angrier let alone seeing no windows or open doors, the animals cut off from the jungle or even open air completely.

Rustling of straw made him turn from watching a yellow haired girl fill a huge basin full of water for the trio of elephants in their pen, and Mowgli looked directly beneath him to watch Baloo get up onto his four paws and with a heavy limp, get a drink from his own water dish.

The bear didn't look to good...

Really tired and really bored mostly...

"You can go see them if you wish my son."

The hand on his shoulder made him jump more than the sudden voice did, but he glanced up to Chandra's caring face without surprise on his face.

Mowgli shrugged then looked at each of the caged animals, making up his mind and pulling away from his adoptive father.

...

Baloo had just settled back onto his bed of straw, his shoulder throbbing, when the metal door to his cage rattled and opened to let someone in.

He ignored the blonde Man-cub, though she was almost too old to be a cub at this point, his ears were full of the water rushing into the dish and her boot clad feet stomping on the concrete that he didn't hear the lighter tread slip into the cage as the blonde left and shut the door.

His eyes were closed, and didn't feel like opening them as Louie started chuckling a little too loudly for his exhausted liking.

"Cut it out Louie! Tryin' to sleep!"

"Oh give it up Baloo, doubt you'll be sleepin' anytime soon."

The bear growled then sighed heavily, still keeping his eyes closed as he shifted in the straw.

"What are you talkin' 'bout?"

"Open your eyes Baloo, then go back to sleepin'..."

Baloo growled, complying with the suggestion, only to find Mowgli trying to stifle his laughing and Louie chuckling.

Another sigh, and Baloo rolled onto his side, off his stomach, "Com'ere kid."

Mowgli fit into his arms nicely, laying his head on Baloo's forearm of the limb the bear was lying on, and curling against the bear's warm chest as Baloo's injured forelimb draped over him.

Mowgli smiled as Baloo sighed in content, his eyes drifting shut after yawning wide.

"You okay Baloo?"

"Mhm...now I am little britches..."

"Whatcha mean Papa Bear?"

"You're...here..."

Mowgli wriggled to see Baloo ease into sleep, then just snuggled closer as the bear breathed deeply, he'd fall asleep listening to his guardian's too big heart.


Tada!