(Chapter 33: Preparing for the storm, Old rivals)

The sky had gotten darker over the course of a few hours as the day began to fade into night, the rain grew ever harder, and white flakes were starting to be seen falling from the sky as well. Mowgli had taken note of this.

"Toomai, get everyone as close to the cave as possible. Bunch each other up against each other, we need warmth for us all if we can help it. See those that wish to be in the cave, stay in the cave." Mowgli told Toomai.

"What of us? We've been here for a few days and we have yet to build our shelter..." Toomai asked, sounding very concerned as he heard the freezing rain strike the leaves within the trees.

"We'll find a way, we always do." Mowgli replied as he headed off with his axe to start chopping down some more trees to create an even larger fire than he had made for the elephants. This would hopefully keep everyone warm.

"That I can agree with." Toomai replied as he began to head towards the rest of the pack.

"See the yearlings to the cave, for they haven't developed a thick enough coat to protect themselves from the elements." Mowgli advised, Toomai nodded his head.

Bagheera slowly looked up towards the top of the mountain, seeing the path that the dholes would have to take if they were to travel up it. He knew that they were up there, scheming and planning as they always do. The red dogs were seemingly one step away all the time when it came to them fighting, this was the perfect opportunity to strike them while they were weak.

The panther looked around, he was scheming and planning himself. The confrontation with Baloo had lit a fire within him, Bagheera looked to see if everyone as still awake, and they were all still up with their eyes wide open.

"I'll teach those dholes, I'll show them that their end has come. I'll end this war, I can take command as easily as Mowgli can..." Bagheera thought to himself as he saw a tree collapsing thanks to Mowgli's axe!

"Alright everyone, I'm going to need all of you to bunch together. Get yourselves warm for this night, a storm approaches, and we need each other if we don't want to perish in the night due to the unforgiving cold it shall bring!" Toomai announced, waving his arms to try and bring the rest of the animals together.

As everyone started to come close to one another to get warm by huddling up, Toomai started a role call for the larger animals.

"Alright, just making sure everyone is here-" Toomai began as he began to look for a brown bear, a huge python, a panther, a tigress, a cheetah, and two elephants.

"Bagheera!" The elephant handler called out.

"I'm here." The panther replied.

"Baloo!" Toomai called out, no response.

"Baloo!?" The elephant handler called out again, but still received no answer.

Okay then. Toomai thought to himself before continuing the role call.

"Kaa!"

"Yesss, I'm here."

"Chupake."

"I stand present."

"Sundar Ek."

"Here."

"Kala Nag, and Hathi."

The elephants didn't respond.

"Kala Nag, and Hathi!?" Toomai called out, sounding confused.

"Isn't it quite obvious that we are here?" Kala Nag asked.

"Sorry." Toomai replied, taking a mental note that the two elephants were there.

The elephant handler approached Mowgli, who was still cutting down the trees as it began to rain slightly harder, and more snow flurries began to show up. Getting ready to tell him that Baloo wasn't present at the cave with the others.

"Mowgli, I gathered everyone up. Everyone except Baloo, who isn't anywhere around." Toomai told him, Mowgli turned around, placing his axe into a tree stump with a confused look displayed on his face.

"Baloo? Where would he be?" Mowgli asked, wondering why the brown bear wouldn't be present with the group at the time it was.

"Last time I fixed my eyes on him, he and Bagheera were fighting each other for some reason. So maybe Bagheera might know." Toomai replied.

Mowgli approached the panther following this revelation, and he too noticed that Baloo wasn't around. Bagheera had to know, considering the two came to blows earlier.

"Bagheera, I'm questioning why you thought it was a good idea to fight Baloo. We're supposed to be allies, we shouldn't be falling to quarrel amongst each other when victory is potentially around the corner. Why did you fight him?" Mowgli asked.

"Baloo sees the war differently, I think we should fall upon the dholes while they are trapped. When argument broke into fighting, I told him the truth, it's something that I should have mentioned to you long ago when you first became the leader of the Seeonee Hills, and leader of the jungle at that." Bagheera explained, Mowgli look bewildered at the fact that there was something that the panther was holding back from him!

"What have you been hiding from me for so long, my brother? Break words." Mowgli said, almost in a demanding tone.

"I, Baloo, and Kaa, as well as the other larger allies we've made, are just as good as you in commanding the jungle and the way it works. When you became leader, you broke the trend of having wolves as the leader. During the war, I mentioned leaving, and taking my own wolves with me to break up Bhediya's legions so that we may have more of a chance against them when the going got tough. You rejected it..." Bagheera said softly, Mowgli couldn't believe what he was hearing from his long time ally that he considered a brother.

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Mowgli asked.

"I would have told you when you first became leader at the young age of eleven seasons, but I didn't want to spoil the moment for you, you seemed too happy. I didn't want to sadden you, or make the moment feel sour and not special. That is the main reason, the other reason I cannot speak of..." Bagheera explained, Mowgli sighed, looking down on the ground for a moment, but then he looked back up at Bagheera, placing a hand on his head.

"I understand, brother. Would you have told me now, or when we were in the desert, I would have let you done what you desired-" Mowgli began, looking around to see if he could find Baloo any.

"Tomorrow, if you wish to take this war to another level with you breaking off from my alliance, I'll let it be done. Now, do you hold any knowledge of where Baloo may be?"

"Yes, Baloo went up the mountain, he never bothered to state why." Bagheera explained, Mowgli's eyes widened.

"Alone?"

"Yes."

It was then that Mowgli began to race towards the mountain pass, trying to make his way up the mountain as fast as he could to try and find Baloo before the storm grew worse!

(An hour later)

The sun was beginning to set, and the skies were starting to darken twice as much. The rain began to fall at a faster rate, and the snow began to fall lightly. As the storm continued to pass over the mountain, it would only be getting worse.

Baloo was wanting to find some honey, he actually originated from the Himalayan woods, so he knew his way around. For it was he who guided Mowgli and them in a semi-circle to trap Bhediya and his legions on the mountain!

The brown bear couldn't seem to find any of that sweet honey he relished, so he stopped at a creek that he could stand up in. Trying to catch some fish as they leaped from the water into his jaws, the bear stood dangerously close to a high waterfall.

The feeling of being back home felt euphoric to the bear, he hadn't been here since he was a cub, a very young cub at that, probably around a few months old. He would head further South, where he would slowly become friends with Bagheera, and Shere Khan, Kaa was considered an adolescent at the time, and she was close friends with him. Hathi was their mentor, but he rarely spoke.

Little did Baloo know, that he was being stalked by one of the apex predators of the Himalayas...The snow leopard!

Baloo took a great gulp of water before he felt that something was off, he gazed around his environment to try and locate what he sensed was stalking him. His eyes couldn't locate the secret threat that was hiding in the snowy brush, as he lowered his head to see if he could snatch up a fish, and it was then that the snow leopard attacked!

The snow leopard lunged at his side, taking him unaware as it quickly tackled him onto his side! The bear growled, startled by the sudden attack as he delivered a few strikes to the upper body of the leopard, driving it back!

Baloo stood back up to all fours, letting out a roar to try and intimidate the snow coated feline, however, the snow leopard wasn't backing down!

"Dewanus..." Baloo growled, apparently knowing the snow leopard's name, this confirmed the suspicions the feline had about the bear...

"Ah, it's you...I always hated you, you can die like the rest. I hunger!" Dewanus roared as he rushed towards Baloo once again, the bear stood up on his haunches, preparing to bat his large paws at the face of his enemy, but he had to sidestep as the snow leopard was too close, the beast latched his jaws around the bear's arm!

Baloo growled furiously as he wrapped one of his arms around the snow leopard's body, the arm that wasn't trapped, and used this to throw him into a nearby rock! Still standing up on his haunches in defiance of his old enemy, his old rival.

"It won't be today, murderer!" Baloo roared furiously, causing Dewanus to charge at him. The snow leopard sprung from a rock, leaping into the air to deliver a brutal swiping strike to the side of the bear's face, being strong enough to make him stumble and fall back!

Dewanus smirked as he loomed over Baloo as he was still stunned...

"I remember this sight, how you were cowering in fear, you couldn't do anything about it." Dewanus chuckled deviously before trying to pounce on Baloo, but was caught by the throat by the bear's jaws!

The snow leopard roared in agony as he felt the bear starting to crush his jugular with his powerful bite, so he began to fight back by rapidly clawing into the face of the bear over and over again! Making sure to sink his claws in deeply before raking them down as hard as he could to create deep gashes!

Baloo could feel immense pain, so he let go of the bite, but he sent a huge strike to the side of the neck of the snow leopard! Successfully driving him away long enough for him to get right back up. Baloo stood up on his haunches again, letting out a defiant, determined roar, blood of Dewanus soaked his teeth, and Baloo's own blood was now covering his face from the clawing he received on the head!

These two had a history with each other, one that dated way back, and even before Baloo was born. Their kind despised each other, and were complete rivals to see who was at the top of the food chain! One side took more game than the other, and when winter months came, conflicts would be inevitable.

Dewanus roared, rushing at Baloo, and the bear was thinking he would go for his injured leg, the one that Bagheera bit way earlier on. The back of his leg right near his backside, but he realized at the last second that Dewanus was lunging up, Baloo received another massive strike to the side of his face that caused him to spin slightly around and land on all fours again!

Dewanus would use this to his advantage and jump to his back, clamping his teeth into his neck. Baloo roared in pain, feeling the teeth of his enemy sink into his beefy neck. The bear squinted his eyes shut, and rolled over, crushing the snow leopard beneath him, and causing the old rival to let go of him!

Baloo stood back up on his haunches, not realizing that he was being purposefully driven back towards the edge of the waterfall.

"You've grown old, Barloo. You aren't as nimble for your size anymore..." Dewanus taunted as he took in a few deep breaths.

"I'm am of age at this point in my life, but so are you. Dewanus..." Baloo growled, determined to win this fight, and put the age old rivalry to bed...

The snow leopard growled, and rushed at Baloo once again. The bear readied himself for another strike to his face, but was bitten right on the back of his leg! Baloo roared in agony as he found himself falling to his back. He rolled along the ground, and attempted to rise back up to his hind legs yet again, but the pain it gave him made it hard to do so, he let out a loud groan of pain, causing Dewanus to smirk.

"You still have strength, but your dim-witted mind is now suffering. You cannot think ahead..." The snow leopard growled, Baloo groaned as he turned his head to notice that he was standing right on the edge of the waterfall. One more move back, and he would slip off, and go falling to his death.

If Baloo got on one foot, they would collide, and he would get pushed off the edge. If he stood on his hind legs, he would get hit, and fall off the edge. There was not a way out, this was it...

Baloo let out a last roar of defiance as Dewanus came sprinting towards him, but right when the snow leopard jumped up...a spear went through his body! Dewanus was slain as Baloo let out a sigh of relief, allowing himself to fall back down on all fours.

"You alright, buddy!?" A voice called out, Baloo turned his head to see who it was. Mowgli was seen standing in a tree, being the one who launched the spear at the snow leopard.

"Yes, thank Tha that you're here." Baloo replied as he slowly moved out of the river, and on to shore.

"Hey, you saved me from Kaa's coils when I was a young boy. I figured I would return the favor at some point in our time together, when you needed help. It seems like today was that day!" Mowgli exclaimed happily as he hopped down from the tree.

"We must move, it's too dangerous." Baloo warned to Mowgli.

"Why so? Snow leopards should fear you." Mowgli asked.

"Heh, let's just say that the snow leopards have no fear for our kind. They despise us greatly, and I despise them as well. I lost forgiveness for them when they took something special from me when I was but a young cub." Baloo explained, offering Mowgli to climb on his back.

As Baloo began his journey back down from the waterfall, back down to where Mowgli's Alliance was located, Mowgli looked over his shoulder to see the silhouette of a building high up, and in the distance on the side of a cliff. It was the silhouette of the monastery, Mowgli knew that the dholes were up there. He could feel it within him, the monastery could provide warmth for him and a good few others.

However, Mowgli would eventually decide against it. He felt that it was colder, the farther he moved up the mountain. Knowing that others wouldn't be able to survive the cold temperatures, especially during the storm that was hitting the mountain harder the farther up you went.

"What were you doing so far up the mountain, Baloo?" Mowgli asked, having an eyebrow raised.

"I came up to try and find some honey, but I never found what I desired. So I resorted to the fish, and the water that creek provided. It seems I couldnt't have that either, when Dewanus came, and interrupted my time." Baloo explained, Mowgli went silent, and there was a pause in their conversation.

"You seem to know your way around up here!" Mowgli said aloud, surprised that Baloo knew so much of his surroundings.

"I never told you this, but I originally came from these mountainous woods. I was born into war, war with these leopards, whose coats are made from the flakes that fall from the sky. It is what drove me from here, and South into the Seeonee Hills..." Baloo replied, his voice low, and sad.

"Wow...I wonder how you are always so happy and fun loving when we aren't involved in any conflicts against enemies. You sing, and have a good time. Remember that time when I was but a child, and we sang the Bare Necessities down a river?" Mowgli asked, feeling sorry for one of his best friends, and mentors!

"I wanted to forget the past, time moves forward. I had to celebrate what I had, and it is that attitude that got me friends with Bagheera, Kaa, and eventually the Seeonee Hills jungle. Tha seemed to favor my journey." Baloo replied, sounding slightly happy as he remembered the time where he sang one of his favorite songs to Mowgli when he was a kid.

"You had a lot of songs sung to you when you were a child, didn't you?" Baloo asked, now getting back into bright spirits.

Mowgli chuckled as he thought of each and every song that was sung to him when he was a child, and the ones he learned to sing himself! It lifted spirits to think of happy memories during times of warfare.

"Yeah, I remember. We were taught the laws of the jungle by song, you sang to me the bear necessities..." Mowgli replied as he started to hum the songs, causing Baloo to snicker some.

"Brings back memories, Mowgli." Baloo said as he took time to remember them.

"I also remember Kaa sang a song called Trust in Me, it was a lullaby that she made up to put me out. I was lucky you saved me!" Mowgli replied.

"I saved you? I thought Bagheera saved you that time?" Baloo asked, he couldn't remember saving Mowgli from Kaa twice.

"One second thought, I believe it was Shere Khan that actually saved me. Of course it was on accident!" Mowgli replied.

"Wow, it seems like we're both losing our minds." Baloo grumbled, causing Mowgli to laugh some.

"It's because we're so stressed out. I feel that the good times will return soon enough, it seems like it's coming close to an end, the war is." Mowgli said happily.

"I sure hope so..." Baloo said, continuing their journey back down the mountain...

A/N: Hey everyone, I'm glad to put out another chapter today! As you can see, I'm giving Baloo some lore now that I'm making plans for an origins story for the characters of the jungle. I'm also happy to give him and Mowgli some sort of slice of life moments towards the end of this chapter, to finally give y'all a break from the war! I hope you enjoyed this shorter chapter than usual! Stay tuned for a huge fight against Bhediya Khan...