The following day, Bahaxur and Shujaa were crowned the new King and Queen of the Lions. "Long live King Bahaxur! Long live Queen Shujaa!" cheered the lions with far more enthusiasm than they had at the coronation of Kikatili and Apakarmi. "I'm afraid that some of the lions have run off with Nagasta and Karistan. We were unable to stop them Your Highness." said Medalíana to Bahaxur. "It doesn't matter. The snakes have been driven out. Kikatili and Apakarmi are dead and my Father is avenged." said Bahaxur.
"Are you sure you can't stay longer?" Shujaa asked Rikki and Avíá a few days later. "Yes, we've stayed long enough." said Rikki. "I hope we meet again." said Bahaxur. They had some close calls with Nagasta's lions, but otherwise managed to get across the Land of the Lions unbothered.
Pythons"So you've managed to lose those pests again?" said Nagasta. "I'm afraid so." said a lion. "Imbecile!" said Nagasta, biting into him and moving out of reach. "It seems I am surrounded by morons!" she hissed in disgust. "We did find something else out, Your Highness." said another lion, moving a safe distance away from the reach of Nagasta's fangs. "What?" said Nagasta. "There are some snakes called pythons. They don't have poison, but they can crush the mongooses." said the lion. Nagasta smiled. "Worth a try. Send word to them immediately!" she said. "It will be done." he said.
"Well, I haven't seen those pesky lions in a while. I think we've lost them." said Rikki. "That's good." said Avíá. "Alone again at last!" Suddenly, several pythons came and confronted them. "What in the world are these?" said Avíá. "Snakes. Obviously sent to kill us." said Rikki. "We're pythons." said the nearest of the pythons, starting to wrap himself around Avíá. She bit one of them and he yelled out in pain. However, another quickly started to wrap himself around her and the first resumed his attack upon her. "Help me Rikki!" she yelled. "I can't breathe!" "Hang on Avíá!" he said. "Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk!" he cried. He leapt upon a python, biting into his head and causing him to let go of Avíá. A python started to wrap himself around Rikki and Rikki turned and attacked with all of his might, making the python release him. Avíá was starting to turn purple. Rikki quickly leapt at the python, hitting him with all of his strength and causing him to release Avíá. The pythons then attacked Rikki. They were overwheliming him. "Leave me Avíá! Save yourself! They're too strong!" he cried. "No, your fate will be the same as mine!" she said. She ran off, looking for a large object to hit the snakes with. She found a large stone and grabbed it in her mouth. She ran back to Rikki, who was nearly suffocated, and hit the snakes over the head with the stone. They stopped moving and Rikki was able to break free. "Thank you!" he said. Rikki and Avíá killed the rest of the pythons by hitting them with rocks and biting them. "I wonder what these taste like?" said Rikki, picking one up in his mouth. "Crunchy." said Avíá, eating one herself.
"Where are my pythons?" said Nagasta. "We haven't found them." said a viper. "I suspect that we won't." she hissed in disgust. "What do you mean? Think they deserted us?" said the viper. "No! I think two Indian mongooses have had a small feast!" she hissed. "Head them off! Karistan and I have got to go back home! It seems that that nasty tailorbird Darzee is leading a riot of mice and rabbits! He's going around chanting 'Death to Nagasta! May she die like Nag the Terrible!' I take it my Father ate one of his children from the gist of what my crows have told me. And he's upset I've eaten two more. He'll pay for interfering with my designs! I can assure you, they'll never get me with a gun![1]" she said.
"What exactly happened with your family?" said a python. "It's a long story. It all started when my parents, Nag and Nagaina, and their friend Karait the dusty brown snakeling, came to the garden about two and a half years ago. The foolish creatures there didn't know what hit them. They had little trouble taking control of the garden. All things were going well for about a year or so and then those wicked humans came! For a while they never bothered them, but then, from what my parents' friends have heard the day before my parents died, Karait was beaten to death with a stick. Mother had told them that she and Father were going to hide in the bathroom sluice and bit the big man when he went to bathe. But somehow he got onto him and shot my Father. The stupid garden creatures[2] made such a cheering over his death that my parents' friends quickly heard about it. However, they didn't hear in time to stop the wicked humans from, so I've figured, getting my Mother with their bang stick so bad that her body must have been destroyed. Yes, they've destroyed the eggs of all of my siblings! Worthless humans! But somehow they forgot me. There's just one thing I've never quite understood. When I hatched from my egg, and listened to the wicked creatures celebrate the deaths of my parents all day, I found blood dripped on my egg. Was it my Mother's? I've never really gotten that part, but it doesn't matter. I'll kill the humans once Rikki is dead. In fact, I am starting to lose my patience. I may kill them if he doesn't show up sooner or later and stop this silly game of his. Magical Herb of Kalindo indeed! He'll run out of luck before he gets there, magical herb or not! There's nothing that can stop cobra venom! Silly fools!" she said.
"So what did you do once you hatched?" said a dusty brown snakeling. "Waited for the wicked creatures to cease their wicked songs and go to sleep. As much as I wanted to make them pay for their little songs, I decided it wasn't safe in the garden. I found the bodies of my Father and Karait on the rubbish pile. Since my Father was split in half, it didn't take long for my parents' friends and I to figure out that he was killed by a gun. Anyway, after a night of wandering around alone, I found a young cobra who took an interest in me. He and his family took me in. Together Karistan and I searched out my parents' friends and finally pieced together the truth. About a year and a month ago, Karistan and I were married. He promised that he hated the humans as I much as I did for daring to wrong me. All would have gone as planned if it hadn't been…if it hadn't been for…." she said. "He Who Must Not Be Named." said a cobra. "Yes. In fact, I'm unbanning their names. It seems to produce fear of them in my followers, which is not what I want! Rikki-tikki-tavi will pay for eating Kinsta and messing with my plans! And his girlfriend Avíá-Tia-Tara will regret eating Ragiva and helping him!" she hissed. "Now I've heard talk of a bunch of tall hills that shoot out steam, ash, and liquid fire if the stories I've heard are true. It's very close. Try to push the mongooses in them. I like grilled mongoose." she said. "I've got to leave now!"
"I'm a disgrace!" said Rikki. "I don't see why." said Avíá. "Those pythons are dangerous. Delicious, but dangerous. Their strong bodies more than make up for the lack of poisonous fangs. And to think that I thought I could defeat the Cobra Queen!" he said mournfully. "Hey! You killed Nag and Nagaina. You can kill her! I know it! All you've got to do is believe in yourself!" said Avíá-tía. "Anyway, you won't be doing it alone." "What?" said Rikki-tikki. "Fighting the Queen." she said. "I don't think anyone else in the garden is going to volunteer." he laughed. "You yourself have said you'd never work alone again You'd always need a companion." she said. "Yeah. So what? It's not like I'm happy about it. I'll just have to do my…." he said. His eyes suddenly widened. "You mean you are coming with me?" he said incredulously. "I had thought you were only coming with me to get the Magical Herb of Kalindo!" "Magical herb or not, alone you'll only get yourself killed. Anyway, unlike your other garden friends, I've actually killed snakes before." she said "I'd like to hear how you beat Karait, Nag, Nagaina, Tivía, and Kinsta again. I'd like to hear all the details this time." He told her again about Karait and Nag. When he got to Nagaina, he paused when he mentioned how he'd missed her and hit the wall of her snake hole and cut his mouth. "So you were bleeding during that fight?" said Avíá. "Yes. In fact, I actually think blood may have dripped on the egg. I tried to destroy it at one point but Nagaina was too quick and moved it out of the way and I had to dodge her fangs. Why Nagasta didn't wonder about the blood on her egg is a mystery. Perhaps because it appears that the big man killed Nag so she thinks that he killed everyone." he said. "Well, when Nagaina's true killer meets up with her, Nagasta will meet a bad end, won't she?" said his girlfriend. "I love your optimism[3]!" he said. He continued for another hour telling about his fights with Nagaina, Tivía, and Kinsta. When he finished, it started to rain. "Let's go find somewhere dry." Avíá said. She and Rikki searched and found a hollow. They went inside. 'There's something else you were forgetting earlier." said Avíá. "What?" said Rikki. "You've survived an encounter with Karistan and didn't you survive several fights with Nagasta?" she asked. "Yes…er…I did." said Rikki. "They're still alive though." "I'll bet they weren't counting on you being alive either!" said Avíá. "Tell me about your fight outside the garden with Nagasta. The one in the middle of the night." He told her in detail about that fight.
"As you can see" said Rikki upon finishing his tale, "I barely got away alive. What chance have I really against her?" "What chance? What chance did two teenage Indian mongooses have of getting past Nagasta's cobras, vipers, lions, pythons, crows, and mongooses?" smiled Avíá. "What chance did a young mongoose have against a flying cobra in the Land of the Lions?" "We're not done yet." said Rikki, though he couldn't help but smile as well. Outside, the rain picked up and thunder rumbled. "I think we should spend the night in here." said Avíá. "Good idea." said Rikki. The two headed deeper inside so as to avoid being noticed by foes[4]. They came across a chamber of the cave, that had sunlight streaming in from a hole the roof many feet above, and the floor covered in moss. Up ahead they sighted a reddish glow. Being very curious about something they had never seen before, they quickly came towards it. They turned into a tunnel and found their way blocked by hot, glowing lava. "What is it?" said Avíá. "I don't know. But whatever it is, it seems to be pretty hot!" said Rikki-tikki. "I think it's liquid fire." he said. "I've had warm meat the people gave me. It was delicious. I'm going to get a mouse or something and try and cook it to see if it really is fire." He went outside and came back a while later with four dead mice. He came near the lava and placed the mouse about two inches above it. It instantly caught fire and he was startled and dropped it into the lava. "That's fire all right!" said Rikki, sucking on his singed fur. He tried again and this time, by holding the mouse out as far away from himself as he could, managed to ignite it and then threw it on the ground, away from him and Avíá. After a while, he cautiously approached it and started to eat it. "So, how is it?" she asked. "Very crisp." he said. She went and cooked a mouse and then ate it a while later. "Best thing I've ever tasted." she said. Rikki cooked the last mouse and gave it to Avíá. "If only the humans could see me now. Playing with liquid fire!" he said.
Teddy wasn't having nearly as much fun. He had come back from school and noticed Buraai looking at him. He quickly hurried inside. "Can't we do anything about these snakes?" he asked his parents. "No. It seems many have had their guns taken. Also, it seems mongooses and crows are helping these snakes. I know it's ridiculous. However, vipers are working with them too. I know it doesn't make sense, but it seems the jungle is uniting against us. I've even heard repots of mice biting people left and right. As if that weren't enough, lions are attacking people as well. Unfortunately the military is too busy with foreign affairs to 'deal with trivial matters like pesky animals'!" said his father. "Do you think our mongoose is ok in all of this mess?" said Teddy. "From what I've seen of him, he has a pretty good chance." said Alice.
"Rikki doesn't seem the type to have any long term commitments, whatever the stories may say about him and Avíá." said Rímíra to Biwi. "I've seen that he's really dedicated to the human family. However, as for anything romantic, I agree." said Biwi. "However, after his trip to Kalindo, wherever that may be, he may be completely changed from the mongoose we knew." said Biwi. "I just hope he's still up to fighting the King and Queen." "I hope I can talk him out of it. He'll get himself killed, magical plant or not!" said Rímíra. "I'm afraid he can be very stubborn." said Biwi. "Don't I know!" said Rímíra. "What if he does marry her? Think the people can handle more mongooses?" said Biwi. "Rikki, married? A family? I can't imagine that. I'm feeling old!" said Rímíra. "I went through the same thing with Dindac. But he's happy now with Drídma. Also, he's staying with us now. "I guess I can handle it if Rikki marries this Avíá." said Rímíra. "I don't the humans have enough food for all of us if they raised their family there. But we can visit them often." 'I just hope this Avíá doesn't turn out to be a hussy[5] or something." she said. "Avíá, a hussy? No way! I talked to Sadára the other day. She's told me all sorts of wonderful things about her." said Biwi. "I hope she can keep up with him. He can be quite energetic. He always ran through the grass yelling his little war cry 'Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk!'. He always wanted to fight snakes. Said it's what he was born for. And I think he's right. I don't know how he can hold out against such overwhelming odds." said Rímíra. "The hope of keeping us all safe." The two jumped. "Sorry I startled you." said the Coppersmith. "What did he tell you keeps him from despair? I keep forgetting that you've spoken to them." said Rímíra. "Keeping you safe. Also, if I may say so, her." said the Coppersmith. "Avíá?" said Rímíra. "Who else?" said the Coppersmith. "He's crazy for her. It's pretty obvious after observing them for a short time. He told me he loves her blue eyes and sense of humor. You should have seen what those two claimed to have cooked up the day before I met them. They claimed to have killed some snakes and then moved the dead snakes around and pretended to be snakes and used a convincing accent to fool them. He claimed it was Avíá's idea." said the Coppersmith. They all laughed. "Killed snakes, huh?" said Rímíra. "And Sadára though Avíá had never hunted before! Ha!" "Actually, she hadn't. She said her first actual fight was with two dusty brown snakelings that she managed to kill by banging their heads together." said the Coppersmith. "Do you realize those are even harder to kill than cobras?!" said Rímíra. "I wouldn't know. I try to keep my distance from any and all snakes!" said the Coppersmith, causing them all to laugh again. "Two of them. On her first fight! My, my! She's definitely a keeper. I just hope Rikki never forgets her birthday!" said Rímíra, and they all laughed again. "Rikki killed a bunch of snakes too! I've seen him. Also he killed Nag, Nagaina, Kinsta, Tivía, Karait, and he fought Nagasta in the middle of the night last year!" said the Coppersmith. "She looked dangerous." said Rímíra. "She's evil! I had a bad encounter with Her. I only just got away! Also, Her husband Karistan nearly ate Darzee and myself and was trying to get at our babies, but Rikki saved us all." said Biwi. "Well I just hope the two of them are up to this. Rédari and I couldn't do it." said Rímíra.
Rikki and Avíá awoke the next morning and found that they had come to the base of a mountain. "I've never seen any hills this big before." said Rikki in awe. "This must be the Fiery Mountain!" "I suppose we have to go up that thing?" said Avíá. "Tacróc seemed to suggest that we go that way." said Rikki. "Tacróc told you to climb it. Where did you get this 'we' from? It looks very rocky and like a great way to break our necks." she said. "He always said I couldn't work alone. He knew you'd come alone. Now I suggest the best way is to go directly up and down it." he said. "You're going to be the death of me. I just know it." said Avíá. "Me? The death of you? I can't think of anyone I care for more!" he said. "Even the humans and your own family?" said Avíá. "Yes[6]. If you really want to go around the Big Hill, then we will. Nagasta will probably have an ambush for us one either side but I guess if I have to die to save you, then…" he said.[7] "No! We can go." she said. "Ok." he said. The two began to climb. About 200 feet up they came to another lava bed. It blocked their path. They noticed some rocks protruding up out of the lava. "I suppose we have to hop across." said Avíá. "Maybe we can find a way around…" said Rikki. "There they are!" cried a python, coming up the mountain toward them with several snakes, a lion, and a few Dark Mongooses. "Quickly!" said Rikki. He and Avíá carefully hopped across. As soon as they got across, their enemies reached the opposite side of the lava bed. "Come and get us!" taunted Avíá. "Be careful. It's the liquid fire." said the lion. Up ahead of Rikki and Avíá, another lava bed blocked their way. "Great." said Rikki sarcastically. "We can always hop across." said Avíá. They made their way across this lava bed. At the end, Avíá slipped, but Rikki grabbed her just in time and pulled her to safety.
"You go after them. We'll go around." said the snakes. The lion and the Dark Mongooses managed to make it across the first lava bed safely. As they started crossing the second lava bed, rocks suddenly rained down on them. One of the Dark Mongooses lost her footing and fell into the lava and died. "Nice job!" said Avíá to Rikki. The two had pushed rocks down at their enemies below. Rikki and Avíá climbed further up and came to a very long lava bed. The two had made it to the middle when their enemies began to cross the lava bed. To their left, a good distance away, the two noticed the snakes slowly making their way around the lava bed. "O Rikki!' said Rikki in a panic. "Relax. I've got an idea." said Avíá. Their enemies eventually managed to come up to them when they were nearly across. "End of the line fools!" said a Dark Mongoose. "Oh whatever shall we do?" said Avíá in fake fear. "I think we can make it." said Rikki. "No you won't!" said a Dark Mongoose. He leapt at Avíá. Avíá suddenly jumped off of the edge of her rock. She fell out of sight and it appeared she had died. "Not so great now without your girl, is it?" taunted the Dark Mongoose. He leapt at Rikki. Rikki suddenly pulled Avíá, who had been clinging, out of sight, to Rikki's forepaws and she spun, still clinging desperately to Rikki, and kicked the Dark Mongoose with her hind legs. He fell into the lava and died. Rikki and Avíá made it the rest of the way across, their enemies right behind them. The two mongooses climbed the volcano and managed to reach the top. They rained down boulders and were able to take out the lion, and two Dark Mongooses who collided with him and also fell into lava. When they reached the top, steam and ash suddenly burst forth from the dome, slightly singeing their fur, and making it very hard to see. "Grab hold of my tail and follow me!" called Rikki. He and Avíá slowly made their way down the other side. A Dark Mongoose collided with another and the both lost their balance and fell into the volcano and died. Halfway down the other side, Rikki and Avíá encountered the snakes.
"Bah those four legged fools can do nothing right!" said a python in disgust. "Ready for some more pain?" taunted Rikki. "Game's over!" said the python. "Nah! I'm still breathing!" taunted Avíá. "Not for long!" said a viper, coming toward her. Avíá expertly skirted the viper and moved into an area with very low visibility due to ash clouds. "Where in the name of Brahm did she go?" said the viper, heading in after her. A python came toward Rikki, but Rikki was ready this time. He leapt upon the python and she tried to squeeze him with her body. However, he was able to break free and her body tightened over nothing. He quickly grabbed her tail and pulled her tail the rest of the way through the loop she had intended to form around his body to squeeze him to death and tied her tail in a knot. Before she could untangle herself, he had chewed off her head. Avíá came out of the smoke, chewing on the viper. "Stupid thing tried to kill me but I managed to make it fall into the liquid fire. I've never had roasted snake before." she said to Rikki. The two mongooses fought the snakes and managed to pick off most of them, chasing them into lava, throwing them down crevices in the rock and off the sides of the mountain or over steep ledges in the rock face, and by slamming them into lava rock. The remainder chased the two mongooses down the rest of the mountain. Rikki and Avíá headed toward some trees up ahead. Avíá grabbed onto a vine with her paws. "Come on Rikki!" she called to him. He grabbed her and the two climbed up out of sight. Their foes came to the spot about two minutes later. "Where'd they go?" said a cobra. "They got away! Again!" said a viper in disgust. "We'll send out a search party in the morning. It's getting dark. I don't want to go look for them in the dark." said a python. They left and, as soon as they were sure they were gone, Rikki and Avíá came down. They looked for a place to spend the night and noticed a farmhouse ahead in the distance. They made for it and went through the gate, which was open.