I'm so sorry I took so long, please don't hate me!
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...
Chapter Eight
First You Hear that Beat Start Bubblling Under
Part Two
xxx Two Days after Eleanor's encounter
They stared breathless, until the tiger choked, wheezing for air and thrashing at the lack of air.
Her tears came again as she rushed to the cat's side, pleading in the Animal Tongue for the tiger to calm down and get better.
He stepped closer, taking a waterskin from his belt and drizzling some of the fluid into the tiger's mouth.
The coughing eased.
She shoved him away once the tiger was asleep, her deep violet eyes flashing angrily, a snarl on her lips.
He held his hands up in surrender, backing away as she smoothed the cat's fur. He sat back and watched her weave unsteadily on her feet as she checked over each animal again before going to the tiger once more, finally collapsing beside him.
He sighed heavily, taking off his shirt and tucking it around her before examining the tiger, then the bear and last the elephant.
"Sleeping Death..."
He shook his head before disappearing into the woods, returning with handfuls of herbs.
He had work to do.
xxx
Present Day
xxx
Shere Khan sighed softly as he stretched out to sleep, the ache in his stomach had finally faded and he'd been able to eat. Not only that but the cast on his foot was gone as well.
The tiger rumbled softly, eyes drifting shut as the sounds of the other animals sleeping easily lulled his into dream land as well...
...
The jungle was mostly silent that day, only birds and a few howler monkeys disturbing the serenity.
Shere Khan padded silently along a well used hunting path in his territory, noting Hathi had been by with his patrol a few hours earlier, a new smell appeared, but Khan assumed it was just a new calf.
The feline growled softly as a sharp call from a flock of birds bit through the silence, a warning call to everyone.
Shere Khan ignored it, figuring it was tempermental to him prowling through his hunting range.
Louie's scent appeared at the base of a tree, along with that same smell from Hathi's herd, strange...
A few more lengths ahead was the faint smell of Kaa on a set of rocks, and that new one, the snake playing games with the tiger as he knew he shouldn't be intruding, but now Khan was confused.
A bird screeched again, this time sending dozens of his brethren into the air, again Shere Khan ignored it, the smell was bothering him, especially when he found a spot where it was strong.
Smooth...like water...but with scents of the vanilla flower...scents of Man, many ages...and...
The jungle
Eleanor
Shere Khan tasted the wind, trying to pin point where she was or at least what direction.
This time when the birds cried, the tiger listened to their chatter.
"Stranger! NotStranger! BirdStranger? No? ManStranger! Stranger! No! JungleStranger! JungleOne! JungleOne!"
Khan smiled and began to follow the bird chatter. Until one cried out in danger...
"Danger! Danger! JungleDanger! BigCat! JungleCat! No! JungleOne! Danger! Danger!"
The tiger began to pick up his pace, going the opposite direction the birds were flying as they fled.
"Danger! JungleOne! LookLook! BigCat! SpottedCat!"
Shere Khan froze, that title had only been given to one other jungle being...
A heart stopping scream filled the air, making the tiger roar in anger before he raced away after the cry, praying he'd make it in time.
He didn't, she was already dead, bleeding onto the muddied and broken grass, he stepped closer, gently nuzzling her mangled cheek before pulling away as She chuckled.
"So much for love."
Shere Khan didn't have the strength to reply as she disappeared in time to the others arriving, and began to accuse him because of the blood on his muzzle and forepaws.
He didn't have the heart to tell them otherwise.
Several days later, the jungle stormed, as if the world was crying, which was how Khan felt, he couldn't get the feel or smell of the blood off him...
Rage towards humans built, they'd allowed Eleanor to leave the jungle to be with her own kind, but Man had allowed her to get killed...
Shere Khan padded to the mouth of his cave, staring coldly into the night as the thunder roared and the rain beat him as he stepped outside.
His roar echoed over the land, in the tongue of the huntress, so only She would here his rage, to any other it was just an angered howl.
He would get revenge on not just Man, but also her true killer.
"Enara!"
...
The roar choked in his throat as Shere Khan woke up, breathing heavily as Kaa shook him awake.
The snake must have opened his cage, as well as Bagheera's since the panther stood a few feet away, watching the tiger nervously.
"Shere Khan?"
He groaned loudly, wincing as he sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to rid them of the image of blood.
Bagheera sent Kaa away, watching to make sure the tiger didn't lash out at the snake before moving closer slowly.
"Shere Khan? What is wrong?"
The tiger shook his head, waiting until Louie retreated back to the other corner of his cage and Baloo laid back down.
The panther sighed softly, stepping dangerously close as the others returned to sleep.
Shere Khan tucked his head into the panther's chest, a impossibly soft whine coming from his throat as the panther relaxed into the touch and began to gently groom his head.
"Khan...what troubles you...you can tell me..."
Bagheera's silk soft voice lulled the tiger as he flopped back onto his side, groaning softly.
"I...didn't kill Eleanor..."
A faint hiss slid from the panther, but he didn't argue.
"I...arrived to her first after she screamed...her blood...it was everywhere...she wouldn't wake up..."
Bagheera's face softened at the tiger's radiating grief, he crouched next to him, nuzzling Khan's jaw softly to encourage him to speak further.
"I...Enara was the one...she waited for me, gloating and mocking me...then left once Eleanor's blood was in my fur..."
"Enara? She left years ago, even before Elle left the jungle."
Shere Khan winced, shaking his head, "She came back once Elle was in the jungle again, you know where we found her...body...right on the border of the wasteland, she had been waiting."
Bagheera hissed, chuffing softly in reassurance when Khan flinched, nuzzling closer to clam him down before lying against him.
"Rest Khan, I believe you, I knew something wasn't right by how saddened you were like the rest of us...I...was just in shock and should have defended you that day..."
The tiger hummed softly, but laid his head on the panther's forelegs, sighing as he drifted off into a mercifully dreamless sleep. Bagheera stayed awake awhile longer, sighing when Baloo sat up, none of them had been asleep...
"Poor Elle...came back and Enara ruined everything..." Louie murmured softly, sighing in memory.
"That damned Enara had always been jealous, hey Baggy? Khannie gonna be alright?"
The panther shrugged faintly, nuzzling Shere Khan's cheek when he shifted.
"I don't know...I hope so, if we all show we believe him, but only Enara's death would truly help him, and the rest of us for that matter..."
Bagheera shifted to rest his head on the tiger's neck, "I hope so...Enara will dearly pay..."
Tada! Please don't kill me!