The group trekked through the jungle, with Bahan jumping around as they did. Mowgli smiled, before turning to Bagheera and saying "did you tell her?"

"About Water Mountain? No, I um... I couldn't bring myself to it. Sometimes, a blissful lie is better than a painful truth."

Bahan jumped on Baloo as the bear laughed, saying "what matters is that she's safe, I guess. She's got her whole future on that mountain. It's just better than letting her stay here with us."

"I know." Mowgli said. "I just can't help but feel like we should have done more. Maybe if it worked out better, then we wouldn't have had to take her back."

"Sorry, but some guys just don't change." the pygmy hog said. "That's what my dad used to tell me."

"Sound advice... really, gave me a new outlook on life." Ikki said sarcastically. "Besides, there's no way those characters back there would let a tiger live nearby. I bet when she gets to Water Mountain, she'll fit like a duck in water."

"Well, whatever happens, I'm going to miss her." Mowgli said as he saw Bahan trying to hold Kaa's tail, as Bagheera chuckled and said "me too."

Meanwhile, the dholes and wolves took the shorter route to Nadee pass, preparing their attack.

Hatya said "is the trap ready."

"Yes, ma'am." one of the dholes said. "Also, the lava river at the Red Flower Temple has started running again as well."

"Good. Now they have nowhere to run." Hatya said.

Raksha watched the distance, as Hatya sat next to her. "Are you alright, Raksha?"

"Um... yes, I'm fine. It's just... do we really need to ambush them?"

"How else are we to get the cub?"

"Why don't we call of the troops. Let them pass through. They'll bring her to Water Mountain and we'll never hear from her again."

"But what if we do? She seems to know her way around, does she not? What if she just... stumbled... back down again, fully grown? How many lives would it cost to stop her then?"

Raksha bowed her head, saying "I disowned my son because of these preconceptions. I hope they're valid."

"Trust me, you and I'll go down in history as the two who saved the jungle before it was even endangered."

As Hatya left, Raksha watched the sky. She saw the two wolf sentries from the night before. The ones who had made the escape possible. She remembered seeing them talking to Baloo.

"So, how'd it go with that girl?" the first wolf asked.

"She took it pretty well. She wants to talk again sometime. I gotta thank that bear."

"Yeah. It's too bad we probably have to kill him."

"Mommy." a voice said, getting Raksha's attention. "Yes Grey. What is it, dear?"

"Are we gonna hurt Mowgli?"

"I hope not, son." Raksha said, before turning to the sentries and saying "you two."

"Us?"

"Yes. Come here."

The wolves walked over, the first one saying "this is about last night, isn't it?"

"Oh no. She's gonna kill us."

As they sat before her, Raksha said "what are your names?"

"Well, I'm Dev." the first wolf said, before the second one added "and my name is Jeph."

"Right. Dev and Jeph. Come with me on a um... perimeter check."

"Yes sir!" Jeph and Dev said in sync as they followed Raksha and Grey into the jungle. Hatya said "where are they going?"

"Perimeter check, ma'am." one of the wolves said. Hatya said "well, they better hurry up. The fugitives'll be here within hours."

"Well, there's Nadee Pass. Next stop: Water Mountain." Baloo said as the pass became visible.

"How could we ever have doubted you?" Bagheera said to Kaa as they entered a cavern. Kaa nodded and said "I don't know."

Mowgli held Bahan on his shoulders as the cub looked at the mountain in the distance. It wasn't a confused look, it was a look you would give to a place you knew, but had not been to in a while.

Bagheera sighed as he thought to himself. She remembers it at least. Perhaps it won't be as hard a goodbye as I anticipated.

Mowgli saw Bagheera thinking this, and started to feel strange. It was a foreboding feeling, as if he could tell something was going to happen. He quickly said "maybe we shouldn't do this."

"What? Mowgli, Water Mountain's less than two miles away. We can't give up now." the panther said.

"But she'll grow into a hunter. What do you think she'll hunt?"

"Well, who knows. Maybe she'll remember us. Shere Khan remembered your dad, didn't he?" Baloo said.

"Mowgli!" a voice said as Raksha, Grey and the two wolf sentries arrived in the cavern.

"Mother? Grey?" Mowgli said as Bagheera held Bahan close. Dev said "holy moly! Is that a snake!"

"That dependssss. Are you a sssnack?" Kaa hissed to frighten the two sentries. Raksha stood her ground and said "you all need to get your heads down and follow us."

"Come on Bahan. We're going." Mowgli said as he picked up the cub and the group headed for the edge of the cavern. Raksha jumped over them before the exit "I said get down!"

"What's wrong with you? We're getting rid of Bahan, just like you said!"

"Over at Nadee Pass. There's an ambush, waiting for you."

"An ambush?" the pangolin said as he, the pygmy hog, the squirrel and Ikki stood close together, Bagheera saying "you set a trap!"

"We had to. It wasn't my idea. I've come to..."

"To bring us home for dinner!" Baloo said as Bagheera growled, before jumping and pinning Raksha down. "Bagheera, stop!" Mowgli said as he tried to help, but the panther pressed Raksha's head down and said "how could you be so cruel! She's done nothing wrong."

"I know she hasn't! I'm here to..." Raksha said, before running short of breath as Bagheera increased the pressure on her neck. Baloo said "Mowgli, keep Bahan close. We're gonna fight our way through."

"You can't!" Jeph said. "The packs are too strong for you."

"It's true." Dev said. Raksha struggled to get up as she said "Bagheera, please. You need to trust me!"

"Trust you!? After all you've done!?" Bagheera said as his claws became unsheated. "Why in the world would we trust you now?!"

"Because I'm the only chance you have of saving the cub!" Raksha said. Grey stepped forward and said "I want to help too!"

"Me too." Jeph said, before Dev stubbornly added "me too... wait, wha-no, no way! You guys are out of your minds! Actually, yeah... yeah, I do wanna help!"

"Good." Mowgli said. "And I have a plan. Does anyone have a hollow tree trunk?"