A/N: Hey everyone! Now that we got the two filler chapters out of the way, I present to you the third and final arc of the story! It has come a long way from chapter 1, which I wrote months ago last December. I never expected this story to get so many views, but I am grateful for each one. It means that I've built a fanbase of sorts! Anyways, I'm planning on giving you guys a break from all the violence in the last arc and move towards a new more light hearted one, there will still be a villain of course...but the arc is going to be less bloody is what I meant, and more filled with lighter moments.
This new arc is going to be the journey of Ranjan through the jungle as he tries to find a place in it, inspired by Mowgli's tales, his younger brother aims to make as much of an impact as Mowgli has done. Will he be able to do it though? Find out now as we begin the Long Fang Arc!- KaijuCrazy02
PS: These chapters will be very short in comparison to the others throughout the story, I'm trying to make it to a fifty chapter epic adventure to complete it :)
(Chapter 44: Ranjan's dream, a good evening in the village!)
Villagers cowered in fear of their newly arrived British superiors, having superior weaponry and discipline, the warriors stood no match against the might of the Englishmen that stood before them.
Captain Valentine, head of the troops, held his golden sword out. Pointing it at the throat of the chief, who himself was trembling as he witnessed all of his warriors get blown away by the guns of their enemies.
"You're forces have failed you, now submit." Valentine grumbled, his voice matching his appearance as an old and withered man, probably in his late seventies and early eighties, and at the latest, his late nineties.
"N-never..." The chief groaned as he dug into his pouch, pulling out a dagger, that to which the ever watchful eyes of the British Captain easily noticed. When the chief attempted to stab him, Valentine simply sidestepped, and slammed his knee into the mouth of the chief, knocking him back!
"Nice try, but you seem just as empty minded as the fools you surround yourself with. Pure savages with your stone age weaponry, I'll spare you a torturous demise. So you won't have to watch your women and children become our servants." Valentine grumbled as he raised his sword up, about to perform a downwards slash, but when he prepared to do so, he was stopped by something, or someone!
Valentine, surprised at what just happened, turned to face his enemy. When he looked over, he received a fist to the face, making him drop his sword!
The legendary warrior and savior of the jungle, Ranjan, had arrived to deal some punishment on these cruel Englishmen!
The fist to the face was enough to knock out the feeble elderly captain, and the villagers looked up at Ranjan with expressions of pride, and newly established hope.
"How can we re-pay you? Ranjan?" The chief asked.
"There is no re-payment needed for the bringer of justice of the Seeonee Jungles." Ranjan replied proudly, his voice filled with a heroic tone as he heard the hooves of the troops coming in for reinforcements, picking up the sword of the downed Elias Valentine, the bold Indian man rushed outside with a battle cry.
At one side was Mowgli, his older brother. His shoulder length tied into a knot, and his beard flowing in the wind. His muscles catching the sun, giving them a handsome gleam that one woman nearby fainted to.
At the other side was Ranbir, the oldest of the three. The middle of his longer beard being painted red, his upper body covered in tattoos. Large red circles were drawn around his eyes, and red stripes were painted, running down from the bottom of his eyes.
All three of them wore primitive clothing, a fur coat, legwear that went down to their knees, and brown leather shoes. Held in Ranbir's hands was a hunting rifle as he was the lead hunter of Mowgli's village which wasn't too far away. Strapped to him was a quiver that contained several spears, and two axes. Strapped to his forearm was a shield that he could block himself with.
Mowgli carried the same, holding an iron axe in which he had used to kill Yupanqui the Bhediya Khan with several years ago. Strapped to his forearm was the shield, and in his quiver was several spears, as well as a bow and arrow.
Ranjan held Elias Valentine's golden cutlass as a weapon. In his quiver was an axe, a bow and arrow, and several spears. A shield was attached to his forearm as well via leather strapping.
The three men effortlessly tore their way through the reinforcements, downing the British Troops one by one at a blinding speed that no one could match. It was such a glorious sight as the enemies of the jungle fell to the floor due to the might of the jungle warriors!
Finishing off the ruthless attack was Ranbir, whose rifle downed several men at one time.
The killing eventually reached the Seeonee Hills Den, and as the three brave men stood at the bottom of the large hill in which the den was situated on top of. They stared up at Baloo, Sundar Ek, Kaa, a gorilla, and a wolf! Now Ranjan didn't recognize the gorilla, he was currently unknown to them...
Never before had men been so feared by the jungle due to the coming of the British Raj to their home, but they were so loved thanks to what they called the crusaders of the jungle, Ranjan, Ranbir, and Mowgli!
The three men climbed the hill, and the five animals bowed their heads in respect to the humans that saved their jungle. They rallied up behind them, starting to march through the jungle, for the fight wasn't finished yet.
The gang reached a waterfall, standing at the bottom of the waterfall was the mighty British army. All of the troops holding their rifles, sitting on their horses. The red, white, and blue banners flying high and proud for them.
The British were the enemies, breaking the jungle law by destroying the jungle itself. So the army must be destroyed...
"We're gonna have ssso much fun when thisss isss over..." Kaa hissed deviously, Ranjan smirked at her words.
"Agreed." Ranjan said.
Having fun, and celebrating would need to wait. For these British troops greatly outnumbered the heroes, but the crusaders of the jungle stood their ground at the top of the waterfall. Then suddenly, without warning, they all sprang from the top. Screaming furiously as they began to descend towards the water, rage in their eyes, fire in their hearts of steel.
"Wake up sleepyhead!" A British troop shouted, taking aim with a sniper rifle, and firing towards Ranjan. Using expert timing, and skill to nail the Indian man right in the heart...
It was then that Ranjan woke up, sweating profusely as Mowgli slapped the sides of his face repeatedly, and playfully. The man made sure his slaps were soft enough to not hurt his younger brother, but hard enough to wake him up.
"What, where am I?" Ranjan asked, sluggishly staring up at Mowgli.
"You were screaming your head off, good brother!" His older brother exclaimed with a hearty laugh, patting him on the shoulder.
"Ah yeah, I was dreaming." Ranjan replied as he slowly stood up, stretching his body with a yawn.
The sky around Mowgli's village was starting to get dark now, the sun had been setting for the last thirty minutes. The sky having a beautiful shade of dark blue, which faded to light blue, and eventually a peach color as it got closer to the sun. The clouds were a beautiful reddish purple blend as the sun was a giant red fireball way off in the distance, about to sink below the horizon. It was around time to eat dinner, Messua had prepared them a meal for the brothers that had grown up to be men now. Ranjan was finally eighteen years old, Mowgli was twenty two, and the big brother of the two, Ranbir, was twenty five.
"What was you dreaming about?" Mowgli asked with a grin, Ranjan didn't want to reveal his thoughts to his older brother, afraid that he would break out into a laughing fit. Nervous laughter left Ranjan's lips as he provided an answer, but not the one in his head.
"Prickly pears, brother, juicy, prickly, pears." Ranjan said with a slight smile as he rubbed his eyes.
"You must be smelling that good food down the street in mother Messua's hut, come with me, Ranjan. It's time for dinner!" Mowgli exclaimed, helping the still sluggish Ranjan up to his feet.
As the two brothers walked down the street towards her hut, a massive amount of howls came from within the jungle outside of the village's wooden walls. It was the Seeonee Hills pack, going about their evening hunt!
"Good hunting, good hunting all!" Mowgli called out with a smile, it was well known at this point that he had a bond with the animals that no other man in the country of India, even the world, could dream of. Or so he thought, for there was a man in the Congo River Basin that also held such a bond with animals... (hint hint)
"Aren't you still their leader?" Ranjan asked curiously.
"No, Gray Brother's oldest son is." Mowgli replied.
"He has a son, eh? How do you know?" Ranjan questioned with a grin, thinking that there was something in which Mowgli wasn't revealing to him.
"Ah okay, okay. You got me-" Mowgli began with a laugh, knowing that his younger brother knew of his frequent trips in and out of the jungle.
"So, I visit the jungle every now, and then. His wife granted us a pup several years ago, it comes to me as a surprise that Gray Brother hasn't passed on yet!" Mowgli finally explained, causing Ranjan to snicker.
"What's the son's name?" The younger brother asked, wanting to know the family of Gray Brother.
"His oldest son is named Silver, his younger son's name is Onyx. When Silver dies, Onyx will take his place. Onyx is expecting a pup soon from his wife, Edita. They already got a name for a boy or a girl." Mowgli said, Ranjan scratched the back of his head while letting out some giggles.
"Wow, you know a lot!" Ranjan chuckled, Mowgli grinned with a laugh.
"Steel trap this noggin of mine is!" Mowgli exclaimed as he patted the top of his head, at that point, they were standing outside of Messua's entryway, and the two brothers walked inside to see that Ranbir had already taken a seat with food on a plate.
"Wow, you're already set up, aren't you?" Mowgli asked as he witnessed his older brother take a bite out of some cooked venison. He had slain a sambhar deer, having a thick cut of delicious meat as well as a paw paw fruit.
"Indeed I am, mother can make some fantastic meals." Ranbir replied before taking hold of a cup, taking a sip of water that was purified by boiling it in the back yard of the hut, where the plants were grown.
"Why thank you!" Messua said happily before noticing Mowgli and Ranjan had entered.
"Oh there you two are, I was beginning to wonder where you were. Anyways, make yourself at home. We've got paw paw fruits, prickly pears, and some venison. Feel free to pour you some water from the pot nearby!" She continued, showing off what was on display today for their dinner.
Mowgli went with two cuts of meat, as well as a sliced up prickly pear before setting his wooden plate on the table nearby before heading to grab the pitch of purified water to pour it into a wooden cup. Ranjan grabbed one slice of meat, as well as a chopped up paw paw fruit, and a chopped up prickly pear. Four slices from each plant grown item.
"You need to watch how much stuff you place on the plate, brother. You'll grow out the flabby gut you once had when you were younger!" Mowgli teased with a grin, Ranbir smirked at this.
"Oh shut up, it isn't nothing that will get me fat again!" Ranjan shouted playfully before breaking out into some chuckles.
"Right, but not burning it off will halt your chances of staying fit. You can't just sit on the ground all day, dreaming about the jungle. Ya lazy bum." Ranbir taunted, just as playful as Mowgli was, Ranjan growled.
"Well perhaps if mother allowed me to go in the jungle, and run with the wolves, I would be able to burn it off. Besides, I'm not even chubby like I was before." Ranjan growled.
"My boy is not going to run in that jungle, not with the wild animals!" Messua scolded, slightly irritated that her now youngest son was even thinking about returning to it.
"Well, I've been prepping him for it. I taught all that needs to be told, from the laws of the jungle, to the pack code that I myself established, and even the master words." Mowgli reminded Messua, which made her groan in annoyance.
"Why did you do that?" She asked her second oldest son.
"I did it because he kept talking about it, so I done everything I could to teach him. There is yet one last lesson he needs to learn, and it is the biggest one." Mowgli explained.
"What's that?" Ranjan asked, wondering what the final, and biggest lesson, was.
"Survival." Ranbir replied for Mowgli, causing Messua to roll her eyes.
"Oh there goes your oldest brother trying to sound tough again." Messua groaned to Ranjan.
"What do you mean!?" Ranbir jokingly asked aloud.
"You, and your stories of surviving in the jungle, and being the greatest hunter this village has ever seen." Messua replied.
When Ranbir was young, he was taught survival, and hunting skills by Buldeo, who at the time, was the village's greatest hunter. Buldeo owned a bungalow, and Ranbir inherited it when he was old enough to purchase the lavish home compared to the other huts.
When the man became a teenager, he was lost during a heavy rainstorm, and couldn't find his jungle home again. He had used his survival skills in which were taught by Buldeo to stay alive, and he used his hunting skills with the rifle that had been gifted to him from Buldeo. Since then, Ranbir has been gifted as the "hero of the village" up until Mowgli arrived with all of his tales that he proved time and time again were true.
That fact got Ranjan thinking some more, if Ranbir survived in the jungle, and Mowgli survived in the jungle, then why couldn't he have a chance?
"Mother, if I may add, both of my brothers survived the jungle. I should be able to as well!" Ranjan said proudly, but Messua immediately turned him down with a shake of her head.
"Could you apply the things that I taught you?" Mowgli asked with a raised eyebrow, Ranjan thought for a moment before nodding his head.
"Why did it take you so long to reply?" Ranbir asked with a teasing smile.
"I haven't been in the jungle in so long, so these skills that I was taught are probably rusty." Ranjan said with a nervous look in his eyes.
"You won't have to worry about it, as long as you stay within these walls, you'll be fine!" Messua said happily, trying to stray away of the conversation about Ranjan heading into the jungle.
"Ugh, look at it this way, mother. We all have a place in the world, Mowgli's place is the jungle. He's the only one that wears nothing but loincloth over his privates in this entire village, everyone else wears more than just loincloth, he was raised by wolves as a young boy, and he was taught that it was the only home he'll ever have. Of course he has two homes, the jungle, and the village, but my point still stands." Ranjan said, Mowgli snickered.
"Oh come on now, I wear more than just loincloth sometimes. It's just that I'm so used to wearing it that I haven't stopped." Mowgli chuckled with a hearty grin.
"Ranbir has a place in the world, he is the hunter of the village. Messua is our mother, a-" Before Ranjan could finish, Messua was quick to end it for him with her own twist on what he was going to say.
"And your place in the world is right here in this village!" Messua said sternly. Ranjan and his brothers laughed, for they it was coming when Messua would turn him down for saying that his place was in the jungle with Mowgli.
"Come on mother! All I need is some food, water, shelter, and my knowledge on how to live with the animals, I think I shall be fine." Ranjan said with a desperate tone in his voice, he really wanted to head back into the jungle!
"It's too dangerous for you, my son. You're my youngest boy, and I don't want to lose you." Messua said before taking a sip of water from her wooden cup.
"You said the same thing for Ranbir." Ranjan groaned, holding his head up with the palm of his hand.
"I've already lost my husband to a tiger many years ago, I don't want to lose anymore loved ones. Surely you must understand me..." Messua sighed.
"Mowgli!" Shanti was heard calling from outside, Mowgli abandoned his meal for the moment before heading outside of the hut.
"Apologies, but I shall return." Mowgli said.
"Don't run off into the jungle!" Messua called out to her second oldest son as he left the hut.
"Done with today's activities, my love?" Mowgli asked as he approached his lover.
"No, not yet. I need to take a break, you're the only one that keeps me sane around here." Shanti said as she embraced Mowgli, reaching into her pocket afterwards to hand him a letter.
"What's this?" Mowgli asked as he started to open the envelope.
"A message from Private Gisborne? Never heard of him." Shanti said, sounding confused, Mowgli never told his village how he befriended one of the Englishmen
As Mowgli examined the letter, he discovered that Gisborne was writing to him because of Abdul Gafar's daughter. It was unfortunate news that Gafar had passed away, leaving his daughter behind. Private Gisborne was watching over the pre-teen, and it had been revealed that young Vashte wanted to return to Mowgli as she had viewed him as a great protector.
"Ah, Vashte wants to see me again." Mowgli said with a gentle smile, Shanti was reading the letter as well.
"Who is Vashte?" She asked, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"A young lady I befriended." Mowgli replied with a grin.
"A young lady you 'befriended'?" Shanti asked, thinking that Mowgli may have been cheating on her...
"Oh come on Shanti, she's not even close to our age. I couldn't date anyone that young at my current age, besides, even if Vashte was around our age, I wouldn't leave you for any other woman. Like you said, you're the only reason why I stay in the village, so I can be with you." Mowgli said as he embraced Shanti with a smile, chuckling at her suspicion, she hugged him back, looking up at him with a grin.
"Oh really?" Shanti asked.
"Well...you, and my mother's fantastic cooking skills!" Mowgli said aloud with a hearty laugh before kissing Shanti on the lips.
"Come, let's go gather some fruit for tomorrow." Mowgli said, and Shanti held his hand as they walked down the street, heading out into a small patch of jungle to gather the fruit in baskets.
"Your food will grow cold!" Messua called out, Ranjan placed his hand on hers with a grin.
"I'll finish what he left over." He replied, Ranbir snickered.
"You better watch out, brother. That stomach flab will come to haunt you." The oldest brother jokingly warned.
"Oh hush it now." Messua scolded.
Meanwhile in the jungle, Mowgli grabbed hold of a bunch of bananas from off a tree, and dropping it into Shanti's basket. He began to reach out to another bunch when Shanti began to speak.
"Seems like Ranjan is wanting to go back into the jungle, I suppose." Shanti said as Mowgli grabbed the bunch, and dropped it into the basket.
"Listening in on the conversation, weren't you?" Mowgli began as he walked over towards a prickly pear, unsheathing his knife as he prepared to stab it into the pear in order to pull it off of the cactus.
"Of course." Shanti said with a smile.
"Well, Ranjan has always wanted to head back into the jungle. Ever since he left Kaa's lair, he was fascinated by the animals. I admire his yearning to head back into the jungle. I've taught him all he needs to know, he just needs to apply it. However, I will stand by Messua in her decision. I don't want Ranjan to fall from this world due to his love for adventure, and the thrills that await him, and break her heart." Mowgli replied right when howling was heard coming from within the mountains.
Shanti looked concerned as she started to back up towards Mowgli, her eyes narrowing as she was ready for a fight. Mowgli had an awestruck expression, his mouth agape in happiness as it was curving upwards.
"A successful hunt." Mowgli said as the howling continued.
(A few hours later)
(Location: Seeonee Hills Jungle)
The wolves had gotten used to the night-time sleep schedule during their time with Mowgli, so they adopted the schedule of sleeping during the night, and waking up at dawn.
Silver was resting peacefully in the center of a rocky clearing, when the rain season would come. This clearing would fill into a small watering hole, a yearly event was held known as the 'water truce' an event in which predators and prey alike would come together to show the appreciation they held for one another in the jungle.
What the aging wolf didn't know, is that he was being stalked. A small game being set up by his son, Onyx, who was next in line to be the leader of the pack.
Legend had it that even as he aged, Silver was destined to never slow down, he would have to be killed if he was to have the throne. Onyx wasn't out to slay his father, he was just trying to test that legend out, believing it all to be fake.
Silver's ears twitched, and from out of the shadows came the great python Kaa, lunging towards him with her jaws agape! Ready to clamp down, and pull him into her amazing coils! However, Silver was fast, and rolled away from the massive serpent!
Silver growled, and attempted to rush past Kaa, she quickly formed a tunnel of her coils, and as she felt the aging wolf running within it, she quickly trapped to slam them shut around the wolf! However, Silver was faster than the snake had anticipated, and he escaped much to her surprise.
Onyx lunged towards his father next with his jaws open, however his mouth was slammed shut once Silver stomped down on it to avoid the attack. As soon as the wolf, named after his silver coat, came to a landing, the tigress named Sundar Ek leapt from the shadows, but missed her pounce as Silver simply ducked down to avoid it!
"Rah!" A male striped hyena by the name of Jestar yapped as he suddenly lunged out from the shadows as well, Silver simply rammed his head into the side of the laughing hyena, knocking him onto his side.
Up next was Baloo, who stood up on his haunches, aiming to come down upon Silver, but the wolf darted between his legs, and jumped on a rock behind the Himalayan brown bear, landing on the omnivore's head, and landing in the center of the clearing once again, surrounded by his attackers.
"Your speed never ceases to amaze me, father." Onyx said as he bowed his head in respect.
"I done told you before, I still got the old magic, as Bagheera used to say." Silver replied with a nod.
"Kaa, you lack speed, Sundar, you lack the ferocity and will, Onyx you move too late, and Baloo falls to predicted maneuver as well." Silver said, scolding those that attempted to attack him. He then heard Jestar laughing behind him, causing Silver to roll his eyes.
"Jestar, I ponder why Gray Brother even acknowledged you as one of the pack enforcers." The aging wolf groaned, annoyed at how Jestar literally found everything funny, even his failures were funny to him! Almost, if not, just as insane as the Bandar-Log!
"I wouldn't be laughing at your failures, Jestar. I would start to learn from them..." Silver growled, causing Jestar to cower in fear, and repeatedly nod his head.
"I would also work on your bravery, because you clearly lack it as well." The wolf continued before backing away, suddenly, the messenger of the pack, who went by the name of Winter, arrived with some rather urgent news.
"Silver, you are summoned!" Winter called out from the top of a rock, Silver looked up at the messenger wolf with a look of confusion.
"Towards what purpose!?" Silver barked.
"Fates warning from pack elder, Gray." Winter replied softly.
Next, Silver found himself rushing towards Council Rock. Gray Brother usually never has a warning unless something major is about to happen, be it a prophecy, or the coming of a good or evil to the jungle...
Silver found Gray Brother resting under the shade of a lone tree at Council Rock, being illuminated by the moon light as it was high in the sky. Gray Brother was easy to point out from all of the pack elders, Gray had no fur on his backside or back legs, including his tail, for it had been flayed by Maximus during the war for the jungle.
"Father, you've summoned me. Winter tells me it is of fate's warning, what is it that you see?" Silver asked as he approached the old wolf, whose body shook with every move he made.
"Alas, I know what I've seen. The coming of two wolves, birthed from your son's wife...The coming of a new man, and the unfortunate return of Long Fang." Gray spoke, Silver's eyes went wide when the name 'Long Fang' was mentioned.
Long Fang was the smilodon who had helped Nirmam Yoddha out in the war for the jungle, as well as Kaiser the Andrewsarchus, and Danaba Baluka the short faced bear. Kaiser and Danaba had fell from the world during the war for the jungle, but Long Fang managed to escape.
The sabre toothed cat had been barred from returning, several hundred wolves standing guard at the North near the Himalayas to stop Long Fang from ever entering the Seeonee Hills region of the jungle ever again.
"You're lying, father. Or you're joking, Long Fang has been permanently banished to lands beyond the Unforgiving Mountains...there is no way he could be returning, not with all of the enforcers of the jungle law, and the wolves that stand guard!" Silver protested, in disbelief at what he was hearing.
"Nothing is impossible, my son." Gray Brother warned, Silver shook his head, still not wanting to believe the elder's words.
"So you're saying that he can get past the most powerful enforcers of the jungle? Rocky, Hathi, Kaa, Sundar, and Baloo?" Silver asked.
"Son, there is a reason why Long Fang fits in the remnant species category of the animals of the jungle. He's lived through many battles, he's outlived his entire kind. He won't go down that easily." Gray Brother continued to warn his oldest son of the threat that Long Fang held, not underestimating the smilodon one bit.
Long Fang was coming, and it would be yet another remnant species that would bring chaos, and destruction to the jungle...