"We couldn't find the blasted mongooses!" said a cobra. "That's because I think they weren't real mongooses. You idiots have obviously never seen a muskrat before. I've eaten two myself." she hissed. "They do not fight very well. And can't run as fast as those mongooses. I recognized one of them, the so-called Rikki-tikki, as the muskrat Chuchundra from the description you've given me. Well, after my work here, I shall come and eat him." "Ech!" said Chuchundra to himself. "That is not good. I should run." He had just about made up his mind to run for his life when he stopped and said "No. I'm going to make a stand this time. Come Chua." he called to his cousin. "Rally our people. We will fight." Rímíra came across him. "Where are you going?" she said. "To get our people. We're going to fight the snakes." he said. "You know, I'll get our people. They've had enough of the cobras. It's time they all picked a side." she said and ran off faster than ever she had in her life. Chuchundra came across Darzee. "Where are you going?" Darzee asked. "To get our people to fight. Rímíra has done the same. I suggest you do likewise." said the muskrat. "Ok." said Darzee, before flying off into the night.
Avíá Fights Buraai"I think we should kill the boy tonight." said Buraai. "No, Buraai, I want to kill them all in the morning. The big man will be grieved about the death of his wife and son, and we'll make sure he finds them, one by one of course, not all at once, before he goes into the bath-room." hissed Nagasta. "The big man can find the boy dead all right, but why not do it now? I thought you wanted him to suffer. If he is unable to save the boy, and we can hide before he comes, then he'll feel horrible and we can make him suffer, which is what you wanted, isn't it?" said Buraai. "You're right. I want to make him sorry that he ever dared mess with my family! Bite the boy immediately!" said Nagasta. Buraai came within feet of the boy but was suddenly bitten by Avíá, who leapt off the bed and sprang upon him. Teddy jumped up. "What is it girl?" he said sleepily. Then he turned pale, spotting Nagasta and Buraai. "What in the name of Brahm?!" said Buraai in shock. "If only I'd managed to kill you. Then this would go down easier." said Avíá. "How dare you attack us!" said Buraai. "I miss my family." said Avíá. "So, you're the wicked girl who ate my Ragiva." hissed Nagasta. "She murdered my family. Anyway, I was only defending myself and the honor of my family. And I was protecting Bahaxur and Shujaa. She and her pals would have killed them. Also, I was kind of hungry. You've no idea how much of an appetite fighting a king cobra and being part in a rebellion can give one." said Avíá coolly. "We'll deal with your lion friends soon enough! Kill her Buraai!" hissed Nagasta. "Back off Buraai! You killed my father. If you fight me, I'll kill you!" Avíá warned. "Stupid girl, to think you can fight me!" laughed Buraai, swiping at Avíá and nearly getting her. "For the honor of my father, my family, my boyfriend Rikki-tikki-tavi, and the jungle! Aví-tía-tadaaaaaaay!" she cried, sidestepping Buraai once more.
The two fought. "Good heavens!" Teddy said. "The new mongoose is killing a snake!" That wasn't quite true. Avíá was having a hard enough time avoiding the snake's fangs. She quickly retreated to the bed and picked up her Magical Herb of Kalindo. "What are you going to do with that leaf?" taunted Buraai. "Make a snake sandwich after I've torn you to bits." laughed Avíá, dodging his fangs. "You are a bold one." said Buraai. "I've heard talk that you've eaten lots of little birds." said Avíá, hitting Buraai across the head. "You've eaten some of Darzee's friends too." "Yeah, well I'm going to eat you once I've finished with you." said the snake. She jumped over the snake, dodging Nagasta, who tried to bite her as she came back down, and landed near the door. "Teddy, what is….oh good gracious!" said Alice, fainting at the sight of the snakes. "Alice! Alice! No!" said the big man. He ran for his stick. However, as he came near it, a Dark Mongoose grabbed it in his mouth. "Looking for this?" he taunted, breaking it into bits.
Several animals had gathered on the windowsill to watch the fight between Avíá and Buraai. They all cheered for Avíá, having a strong hatred for Buraai. "You stupid girl! You're going to pay for eating my sister! We're going to kill you and Rikki-tikki and your human friends!" said Buraai. Avíá dodged him again. "Kill her Buraai!" said Nagasta. Buraai lunged at Avíá and hit his head on the bed. Avíá bit him on the tail again. He lunged at her and she moved aside. The snake had finally moved too far toward Avíá, and she sank her teeth into his neck, and then bit into his throat, killing him. The animals cheered.
Avíá and NagastaNagasta was furious. "You wicked, wicked, wicked girl! What have you done?!" she hissed angrily, advancing toward Avíá. "I'm going to send you back to your family!" she hissed. She struck at Avíá. Avíá dodged her. Avíá stared at her, her anger mounting. Nagasta's eyes made her nervous and her hair stand up, but she kept staring at her. "You are awfully brave." said Nagasta. "Other than Rikki-tikki and my own family, nobody can bear to stare me down." Avíá's eyes grew hot as coals. "Back off before you make a mistake!" she said to the Cobra Queen. "I've waited over a year for this day. I shall not wait much longer!" "You're about to make a big mistake!" said Avíá. "No, foolish girl! It's terrible to lose a family. Now I can have my revenge!" said Nagasta. "I know what it's like to lose a family, thanks." said Avíá, blocking her path to Teddy. "Then you should know how I feel." hissed Nagasta. "Yes. If only your family had helped me catch Rikki-tikki. Then they'd still be alive." said Nagasta.
"They'd never do that." said Avíá. "Then they deserved to die." said Nagasta. Avíá snarled. "No, it was Nag and Nagaina who deserved to die!" said Avíá angrily. "How dare you?!" hissed Nagasta, lashing out at Avíá, who barely dodged her fangs. "They terrorized the garden. Everyone was happy to see them dead." said Avíá. "I am well aware of the wickedness of the garden creatures." hissed Nagasta. "Especially that wicked Coppersmith. Going around like that." "Only because Rikki told him to." said Avíá. "Rikki-tikki? In the garden? Ha! They'd have killed him before he got anywhere." said Nagasta. "Don't think they didn't try." said Avíá. "So, the humans saved him you're saying." laughed Nagasta. "No, Nagasta, I'm afraid it's the other way around." said Avíá. "What are you talking about?" said Nagasta. "Rikki-tikki killed Nag and Nagiana. You've been wrong all this time! It was him, and he did it to stop them from murdering the people! Now you're going to have to explain to your Snake Empire that you've been hunting humans for nothing!" said Avíá. "Liar!" hissed Nagasta angrily. "Rikki-tikki killed Tivia. You know that he's obviously fought snakes before." said Avíá. "Beginner's luck!" hissed Nagasta.
Nagasta felt a tinge of fear. If Avíá-tía-tárá was telling the truth, she had been wasting time. She herself had been outwitted, which had never happened before. As for Snake Empire, she wasn't as worried about their reaction if they found she had been wrong and that they had risked their lives hunting humans for nothing. For nothing? No, the less humans, the better. That is true in any case. Nagasta thought. Besides, Snake Empire served her. It would do her bidding no matter what.
Rikki Tells Nagasta the Truth About Nag and Nagaina"Dear, what is taking so long?" said Karistan, coming into the room. "This fool here thinks that Rikki-tikki could possibly kill…that he could possibly have beaten…" said Nagasta, laughing coldly. "You want to know for certain do you?" They turned around. Rikki stood outside Teddy's bath-room. He had killed the snake that Nagasta had sent into the bathroom. He dropped the body next to him. "This snake died like your father. Understimating me." said Rikki. "My Father was shot!" she hissed. "Krait, Nag, and Nagaina started this war that now plagues the Jungle." said Rikki calmly. "They did not! It was those wicked humans!" hissed Nagasta. "Now out of my way. I'm going to finish my parents' killers tonight!"
"Don't kill the people. They didn't kill Nagaina. They didn't even kill Nag. And there's another reason your parents wanted the people dead, one you don't know." said Rikki. "What?" said Nagasta. This was news to her. Another reason Nag and Nagaina had wanted to kill the people? One even Tivia hadn't known?
"They were after me." he said. "What are you talking about?" said Nagasta in shock. "You've never asked for my story. If you had, you have known that it was I who killed Nag and Nagaina. Funny, you've wanted vengeance on the people so much that you'd be willing to offer me power to help you do it. Me, who killed Nag and Nagaina!" said Rikki. "Liar! You're just covering for those wretched humans!" hissed Nagasta. "I came to this place last year during the high summer floods. I was carried away from my family. These people helped me out. I found Darzee and Biwi. Nag had eaten one of their kids and I got into a confrontation with him. Nagaina tried to kill me but Darzee pointed her out to me and I got out of the way just in time." said Rikki. "A likely story." hissed Nagasta sarcastically. "I killed Nag, Caught him by his hood and somehow managed to sever some vital organ." said Rikki. "You couldn't have killed them. They'd have killed you before you so much as looked at them!" said Nagasta. "I attacked Nag in his sleep. It was the only way. He still nearly got me. I saw him in the Dark Forest. All evil creatures have their death wounds even after death. He was in one piece, but was deeply cut around the hood. I really must have killed him. It was I!" said Rikki. "Liar!" said Nagasta again. "Someone in the garden had ruined your parents' plan. The people didn't know about it." said Rikki-tikki. Nagasta didn't say anything. That part, at least, made sense to her. Why hadn't she seen it earlier?
"I shall deal with the guilty creature presently. Tell me who, but stop your lies!" she hissed. "And there's more. Karait tried to kill the boy. I fought him and paralyzed him. I nearly ate him, but I knew that then I, young as I was, wouldn't be able to fend off Nag and Nagaina with a full meal like that, so I let him die of his wounds. He was already dead when the big man got to him. I overheard Nag and Nagaina's plans to kill the people and I got in the way. I also heard of their egg bed. It was in the melons, wasn't it?" said Rikki. Nagasta gasped. "It was." she hissed. "But one of your garden friends must have told you that." she hissed.
"I destroyed the eggs while I had Biwi distract Nagaina. Things went wrong. I brought your egg with me. I used it to make Nagaina back down from the humans. I was careless. She got the egg. I pursued her. We fought underground. I cut myself and bled on the egg before it rolled away. Nagaina pinned me down. I had my feet somehow around her body, poised above her head. I knew I'd die unless I acted immediately. I managed to get my legs around he neck and pushed. It hurt her and she moved involuntarily. She hit the tunnel wall, caving in the path to your egg. I pulled as hard as I could, knowing that if she got her fangs to me, I was a dead mongoose. Her neck snapped when her fangs were two millimeters from me. I had thought the war was over. I was wrong." he said. "It was I who told the Coppersmith to announce that Nag and Nagaina were dead. I had thought the egg was destroyed in the cave in. Last year, when you told me, I realized that I had to do something. I had defeated your parents. I thought I should have at least some chance against you. I couldn't let the people be in danger. Not again. Not when, like last time, it was me that they really were after." said Rikki.
"A very touching story, but now can we please be on to kill the humans. I think you've wasted enough time with your lies and…." said Karistan. He halted. Nagasta sat there, a look of complete shock on her face. "Nagasta dear, what is it? Surely you don't believe…." said Karistan. How could it be? she thought in her evil mind. Yet it makes sense. How could he have known some of those things otherwise? "So, you would have just let the people die?" hissed Nagasta, anger slowly rising within her. "No. I fought you off. I saw you with Karistan that night last year. I knew I might risk that he could come too. Even before I knew the truth about you, I had decided to stop you, even if I died in the attempt. Also, my family was here, and I couldn't let you know that it was me who killed your family. You knew where they were. They had no defense against a night attack should you be upset with them enough to chance it. With you viewing me as merely a threat, only someone in your way, not the enemy myself so much, my family would be much safer. As would my friends who helped me beat Nag and Nagaina. I killed Kinsta, whom I knew was here on a killing mission. Also, he was planning to eat Darzee. I knew that you were now more on my trail. I sent my family and friends into hiding and set out to lure you away from the people. Then I found out about the Magical Herb of Kalindo and decided to use it against you. It has kept you from the people in the house thus far. Besides, I was offered the chance to be your second in command. You weren't come to fight against me. Later, you saw me as an annoying opponent rather than the enemy. Why spoil that before I had to? Also, I found it kind of amusing that in your hatred of the people, your willingness to kill the innocent, you would chase me, after I killed Kinsta, and started to attack your army, as a pesky annoyance, never guessing that I was the true killer of your parents." said Rikki. "I see it only too well." said Nagasta, her hood rising, her voice becoming more threatening. "I had to do what I had to do. However, I think I will offer you something I wouldn't your mother. Leave and never come back Nagasta. Leave the Jungle and never darken it again. Go back to where your family came from." said Rikki. "Nagasta," said Avíá, "it was bad to lose a family. I know from personal experience. But you can still avoid their fate. Please just leave. This war need not continue another day."
"I've been wasting time hunting people. You have been my foe from the beginning. So, you claim to have deprived me of my family and left me orphaned, and alone? You alone? Not the people?" asked Nagasta a final time. "My plan wasn't to orphan you. It was to protect the garden. The cobra eggs were too dangerous to just be left to hatch. You have proven that over and over to me." he said. "I've brought in the body of Nagaina as more proof." said Rikki. Nagasta looked at the body of Nagaina. "She died of a broken neck, not a gun." said Rikki.
Rikki and Avíá Fight Nagasta and Karistan"So, all along, the designs of my family have been thwarted by you." she hissed angrily. "Yes. They shouldn't try to hurt the innocent." said Rikki, his eyes gleaming red. "You fool! I know my parents' mistake now! You're all alone and Karistan and I shall kill you together! We shall achieve what they coud not! So long Rikki-tikki!" she hissed, suddenly springing at him. Karistan came at Rikki from the opposite direction. That would have been the end of Rikki-tikki, had Avíá not bit Kairstan in the tail, causing him to focus on her instead. "He's not alone!" said Avíá. "Foolish girl! To think you can challenge me!" laughed Karistan.
Nagasta fought fiercely against Rikki. "So, my parents planned to kill you. Well, I'm going to finish the job!" she hissed. "It's two against two." said Rikki-tikki-tavi. "You fools! Kill these pests!" Nagasta hissed. Lions broken through the door and tarantulas crawled through the windows. However, they were halted by the arrival of Bahaxur, Shujaa, Chalícává, and Chínselháüst and their lion and tarantula aides. "You guys got here just in time!" said Avíá. Nagasta summoned an army of crows, Dark Mongooses, and snakes. "Kill them!" Nagasta hissed. "Kill all of them!" An intense battle began.
Rikki and Nagasta fought in the center of the bath-room floor. "I am far stronger than you, Rikki-tikki!" said Nagasta. "They don't fear you cobras anymore! You've lost the weapon of fear!" said Rikki-tikki. "You may have killed my parents, but you are forgetting all of the mongooses I've killed. All the people I've slain." said Nagasta, narrowly missing Rikki. The two fought, neither seemed to be winning. "How are you going to explain to your Snake Empire that you've been hunting humans for nothing?" said Rikki. At last, Rikki bit Nagasta hard in the tail. Nagasta cried out in pain, but was able to bite Rikki on the leg. "Now you die Rikki-tikki!" laughed Nagasta. "Not today." said Rikki. He ate his Magical Herb of Kalindo. For a while, he seemed dizzy from the venom and Nagasta was starting to sing a song of triumph.
"My family is avenged! Rikki-tikki will be dead! The humans he loved will all die! His friends will perish! We shall rule the garden and jungle forever! All birds, mongooses, mice, snakes, lions, spiders, and other creatures will serve me! We have won!" she laughed. Rikki got up, chuckling, "Tricked! Tricked! Tricked! Rikk-tck-tck! The Herb is magical after all." Nagasta was dumbfounded. "No, nothing can stop our venom! This can't be!" she hissed in shock. "Your time's up! This cures one snakebite and you shan't get me again!" said Rikki. "Oh, it does, does it?" laughed Nagasta. An evil plan had formed in her mind. Just let Rikki-tikki find a way out of this one! she thought.
Teddy and Avíá Are Bitten"Perhaps I can't fight you so easily by force." said Nagasta, moving away from Rikki toward Karistan and Avíá. "But there are other ways." "Like what?" said Rikki. "We have another Herb." "Indeed." she hissed. "We'll have to alter the plan we originally planned for tonight dear. Kill the girl!" she said to Karistan. "You won't be able to kill me!" said Avíá, who, despite her fear of not being able to last against Karistan, had managed to avoid being bitten and had scratched Karistan on the tail with her claws. "You shall not touch her!" said Rikki, charging through a line of enemies at Nagasta. Nagasta, however, didn't go after Avíá but turned and moved toward Teddy. "What are you doing?" said Rikki. "The boy helped you. Anyway, my Mother would have killed him anyway. It's what she wanted." said Nagasta. "No, it was I who killed your father. I told Nagaina that. She knew." said Rikki. He moved toward Nagasta, but, too late, she struck Teddy in the leg. "Ouch! It bit me!" Teddy cried before falling over.
"Noooooooo!" cried Rikki and the big man. Karistan had been worn down by Avíá's relentless attack on him. A few more minutes and she would have gotten him. However, Avíá turned, startled by the attack on Teddy. Karistan seized the opportunity of her slight pause and bit her in the leg. Avíá stumbled. Karistan had to move fast to avoid a surging rush from Rikki. However, he got away in time. "Well well. This looks like a slight problem, doesn't it Rikki-tikki? Two of your friends are poisoned but your Magical Herb of Kalindo only is supposed to work once you said! Whatever shall you do?" Nagasta said in evil smugness.
Rikki-tikki made for Avíá's dropped Magical Herb. Avíá stumbled, sick from the snake venom. "Rikki, save Teddy!" she said weakly. "No, I'm going to save you both!" he said. Nagasta called off her followers. "Don't kill him! I'd much rather see him suffer." she laughed.
Rikki broke Avíá's herb in half. He gave Avíá half of it. "Eat it! Quickly!" he said. "No, then it won't save Teddy. Save him!" she said weakly. "Just do what I say!" said Rikki. Avíá obeyed. Rikki ran over to Teddy. "Come on! Eat it!" he said. Teddy didn't understand him. "I don't feel so good." Teddy called to his parents. "He's lost. I'm sorry." said the big man to Alice. Rikki placed the plant in Teddy's mouth. "Eat it! Come on! Hurry!" he said. Teddy chewed on it weakly. "What's our mongoose doing?" said Teddy's father. "Come on! Don't fail me now after all of our efforts!" said Rikki.
Rikki-tikki SurrendersTeddy and Avíá's breathing slowed, then stopped. Their eyes shut. They're dead! I've failed! Avíá is dead! Teddy is dead! I'm going to kill Nagasta and Karistan! I'm going to wipe them all out….I! No, I won't be able to stop them. Just like my vision in the Dark Forest. I'm too grief-stricken to fight them. Now what? I can't live without Avíá. I don't want to live anymore! Wait, maybe I can turn Nagasta's greed against her. Hmmmm, that may be the only hope for the rebels. I've got to do it! Their side is killing too many of us. If we keep going tonight, we'll all be done for! No other way. Rikki thought. "Stop attacking my friends!" said Rikki. "Why should I?" hissed Nagasta. "Let them go. You can kill me. Let them go though. If you don't, I will kill so many of you that Snake Empire will talk of it for a long time! Best to get me without heavy losses. It will help you save face after wasting time going after humans." said Rikki. "Hmmmm, kill you. I'd love that. That would bring the fight out of these rebels, with their hero dead. Very well, I'll kill you and let them go." said Nagasta. "Rikki, no!" yelled Rímíra. "Go! Fight her for me! I've lost the will to live!" said Rikki. "I'm too grief-stricken to fight her! Just go! Go!" yelled Rikki. "Kill him Karistan!' said Nagasta.
Karistan moved toward Rikki. You fool. I'll be back with Avíá. You cobras will never truly have what you want. Your hate keeps you miserable. Rikki thought. Darzee arrived. "Rikki-tikki no!" he cried. "It's over Darzee!" said Rikki. Darzee began composing a death song for Rikki-tikki. Nagasta began laughing coldly.
The Death of KaristanWhen Karistan was about three feet from Rikki, Rikki saw it. Avíá's eye opened a sliver. She's not dead! The Herb has saved her! Karistan thinks he can kill me! He'll never kill again! thought Rikki. "Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk! Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk! You'll never attack anyone again Karistan!" he cried. As Karistan came within range, Rikki leapt up into the air and came down on the snake's back and bit hard. He bit hard in the neck. The great snake tried to turn around and strike, but Rikki paralyzed him with his bite and slashed his throat with his claws. The Cobra King fell down, dead.
"Karistan is dead!" the garden creatures yelled. Nagasta stopped mid-laugh, and shrieked. "What?! No! What have you done Rikki-tikki-tavi?! You've killed my Karistan!" said Nagasta in fury. "Come and fight widow! Look, Avíá and the boy are not dead! Our Magical Herb has worked!" cried Rikki-tikki. Teddy got up, much to the amazement of his parents. "That plant can cure snake venom!" said Alice in shock.
"You're still outnumbered." said Nagasta. "Kill them all. Except leave Rikki-tikki and his girlfriend. Leave them really hurt. I want to personally kill them as slowly as possible!" she hissed to her minions. They advanced. However, just then, a huge army of muskrats, mongooses, and birds came and attacked Nagasta's side.
The Flight of Nagasta"You're empire is finished!" said Avíá, walking next to Rikki. "I'd love to stay and kill you both, but I've got to be leaving. I've learned not to make the mistake of my Mother!" said Nagasta. "Kill them all!" she shouted to her followers. "We'll handle them!" said Bahaxur. "After her!" said Chalícává. Nagasta fled as fast as she could and headed down the opening to Nagaina's old snake hole that Rikki had dug up. "We take her together." said Rikki. The two mongooses went into the hole. They came across Nagasta at one point. They saw her tail about to leave through an opening. "You're finished!" said Avíá. "Not today you two. I'll kill you another time." said Nagasta. She went through the opening. She moved downhill and into tall grass. "Until next time Rikki-tikki and Avíá-tía!" she hissed. Rikki and Avíá both knew better than to try and follow her into the grass, where should would have more of an advantage against them than she did even underground.
FreedomWhen they came back, Nagasta's forces had fled. Several brave mongooses, tarantulas, lions, mice, muskrats, and birds had died in the fight. "Our mongoose has saved our son with some magical plant." said Robert. "There's still a piece of it left." said Alice. They set to work grinding the piece into bits and were later able to use it to help make a few antidotes for snakebites. "I'm bushed!' said Rikki. "Me too." said Avíá. "We're free!" said Darzee.
"Ding-dong-tock! Karistan is dead! Tock, Buraai is dead! The Queen has fled! We are free!" said the Coppersmith. Rikki and Avíá introduced the others to Chalícává, Chínselháüst, Bahaxur, and Shujaa. "These are my friends I was talking about. The lions and the giant spiders." said Rikki. After listening to small talk for a while, Rikki left while they were talking and not paying attention to him. He signaled to Avíá. "Come on." he whispered. "We can go into Teddy's room and get some rest." The two went into Teddy's room and jumped up upon the pillow.
"Do you think that they will let me stay?" asked Avíá. "Avíá, if they don't, I'm leaving." he said. "But you love it here." she said. "I love you more." he said. Teddy came into the room. "I love you two! You saved my life!" he said. He hugged them both. "I think you're going to stay." said Rikki-tikki, grinning.