Chapter 5

Author's Note: OH MAN, was the new Jungle Book good! I was blown away by it all and you guys definitely need to check it out for yourselves ( I won't spoil it for you, though) Now it will definitely have some influence in this series for future chapters. Hopefully you guys will stay tuned for it! Right now, here's a little shorter one, as I literally just came back from a big competition for my team and dead lol, but hopefully you'll still enjoy it.

Shanti dragged Mowgli from his hut to the village square eagerly, where all the people were in great anticipation.

" Shanti, are you going to tell what it is or not?"

She looked back and batted an eyelash with her deep brown eyes, putting Mowgli back under her lead. " It's a surprise, Mowgli. Ranjan's already enjoying himself to death, so I guess you will too."

" Yeah, well let's wait an-" Mowgli gasped as he finally saw: a whole parade of elephants standing and stamping their feet rhythmically with almost military precision.

" Man, Colonel Hathi will be so jealous when he finds out about this." Mowgli said aloud to nobody. He looked up to see Ranjan enjoying himself atop of the biggest elephant, an old bull tusker. Behind Ranjan, there was a young boy sitting behind Ranjan, who looked a little younger than Mowgli. He clearly led the elephants, and yet carried no stick or whip, and spoke softly and kindly to the elephants.

Soon the show wrapped up, though Ranjan still was on his high.

" Did you see me Mowgli? I was up waaaay high and all the elephants were going-"

" Ok, ok Ranjan. We get it." Shanti said, chuckling and trying to calm him down. Mowgli then noticed the boy from before brushing up his elephant and decided to introduce himself.

" That was amazing! I'm Mowgli!"

The boy turned and gave a smile of his own. " Awww gee, thanks! I'm Toomai! But my stage name is Toomai, Toomai of the Elephants!" he said in a over the top tone. The old tusker gave a playful tap over Toomai's head, as if to take him off his pedestal. " Oh, and this is Kala Nag. He's an old friend of mine, literally."

The bull elephant just shook his head humorously and turned a wrinkly eye to Mowgli. " You say you are named Mowgli, the man cub of the Seeonee wolf pack?"

" Uh, yes sir that's me." Mowgli said respectfully. " Actually, I got a question for you, Toomai."

" Sure, what is it?"

" You know how elephants work, right?"

" You bet! Better than anyone!"

Mowgli gave a mischievous smirk and whispered his idea into Toomai's ear.

" HUP, TWO THREE FOUR, KEEP IT UP, TWO THREE FOUR." That familiar call rang out throughout the jungle brush as Hathi herd stamped on through. Everyone, even his son, seemed to be tired from the march unbeknownst to Hathi.

" COMPANY, ABOUT FACE. Now then, time for the daily roll call a- son? Son?"

" Here's Pop, here!" An adolescent elephant wheezed. He started to lose his shaggy baby head hair and started to sprout uneven baby tusks.

" Oh, confound it, son! Haven't I told you to keep up with the rest of the herd?"

" Oh come on, Dad! You've been pushing us too hard for days now."

" Yeah, maybe you should hear him and us out." Mowgli called out as he came in atop Kala Nag with Toomai.

" Bawah- what are you doing in my jungle again, man-cub! I say from all my years in the brigade I-"

" And I say," Kala Nag rumbled " I haven't seen elephants with this low herd morale since the Afghan War."

Toomai slid off Kala Nag and came up right underneath Hathi. " You wouldn't mind if we took a look at the herd, Colonel?"

The lead bull elephant didn't like it one bit, but he knew that Mowgli had played him with the Kala Nag's experience superiority and bringing in another man cub , so he no other choice but to obligate.

One by one, Toomai inspected each elephant, but in a careful and considerate manner, giving each kind advice. Some should scrap the dirt in between their toes more often, others to bathe their gray hides more often.

" Well Colonel, I gotta tell you, I think the one with the biggest problem in this herd is you" Toomai finally said after his inspection.

" Wha- WHAT?!"

" Well, yeah. You really need to relax and let these elephants just be.. well, elephants."

Hathi looked over to Kala Nag and Mowgli just sighed. " Well then, alright. Come now, men, let's- go on."

Hathi call to the rest of the herd as he grumbled to himself. " What's this jungle coming to? Man cubs telling me how to do my job, I'll never-"

Both Mowgli and Toomai looked to each other and laughed, knowing they schooled Hathi.

" You were great, Toomai. We gotta do this more often."

" Yeah, well, Kala Nag and I are always with touring around the country. But I promise, whenever I get any breaks, I'll come right back here." Toomai stood out his hand which Mowgli gladly shook. " Sounds like a deal! Come on, race you back to the village!" the man cub exclaimed as he spirited barefoot

" Oh, just you wait. Let's go, Kala!" Toomai responded atop his faithful old friend as they chased after their new one.