The Jungle Book: Chapter 5
By: jungleboy69
Chapter 5: The Encounter
Growing up in the jungle was one of the most exciting lives for Mowgli. He was taught the nature and manner of all things in the jungle. Every rustle in the grass, every breath of the warm night air, every note of an owl above his head, every scratch of a bat's claws as it roosted and every splash of a little fish in a pool meant just as much to him as how everyday work means to us.
Then, there were the Master Words, special calls that would protect him from all creatures of the jungle. Mowgli had to recite them many times so that he wouldn't forget. However, like all children, he got bored with his lessons sometimes and Baloo had to give him a hard cuff on the head.
Sometimes, Bagheera would come lounging through the jungle to see how Mowgli was getting along and would purr with his head on a tree branch while he recited his lessons with Baloo. At times, Sinha the Lion would join them.
It just so happened that Baloo had cuffed Mowgli for not paying attention again and the latter had run off in a temper just as Bagheera replied. When the Panther scolded the Bear for his harsh methods, the latter countered, "A Man-Cub is a Man-Cub and he must learn all the Laws of the Jungle!"
"But, the Man-Cub's head is only seven years old!" Bagheera argued. "He can't remember your hundreds and hundreds of words, not even your smacks and bruises can force him too!" "Isn't it better to be bruised by someone who loves him than risk him getting killed for his ignorance?" Baloo pointed out.
"The Master Words are the most important lesson for him to learn." He added. "It will instantly make him a friend to the birds, snakes and all who hunt on four feet." "Isn't it worth a few bruises?" He asked. Bagheera had to agree with that.
Baloo called out. "Mowgli, come down! Come down and show Bagheera the Master Words I have taught you!" The Man-Cub swung down from a vine. "I've come to see Bagheera and not for you, fat old Bear!" He angrily snapped.
"That is all fine to me." Baloo replied, though he was a bit hurt. "Now, say the Master Words of the Jungle that I have taught you." Mowgli grinned. "Which Master Words?" He asked proudly. "I know all the jungle's languages!"
"We Be of One Blood, ye and I!" He declared, growling in wolf language. "Good!" Baloo replied. "Now for the birds." Mowgli repeated the message with the kite's whistle at the end. "Now for the snakes." Bagheera spoke. The answer was a perfectly indescribable hiss.
Mowgli was so proud, he jumped onto Bagheera's back and kicked his heels into his glossy fur and making faces at Baloo who only snorted. "He'll thank me, one day!" The Bear boasted a bit. "He will never fear any creature of the Jungle."
"Except his own tribe." Bagheera mumbled, though he was also smiling it amusement at the Man-Cub's antics.
*BANG!*
A loud gunshot rang through the air and Mowgli gasped, falling off the Panther's back. Baloo and Bagheera were on high alert and birds screeched loudly as they flew through the air. "What was that?!" Mowgli cried out in shock.
The Bear and the Panther looked tense as the latter sniffed the air. "Something is...not right..." Bagheera muttered. "Skree!" A kite called out and Chil swooped down over them. "Man!" He called out. "Man! Man is here!"
Mowgli, Baloo and Bagheera looked up at the Kite in shock. "Chil, what are you saying?!" The Panther called out. "Man!" Chil called out again. "Man is in the Jungle!" Their eyes widened in shock. "Man!?" Baloo roared. "Are you sure, Chil?!"
"Yes, Baloo!" The Kite replied, his wings flapping. "A whole pack of them!" "They are near the River." He called. "Tell the Pack about this!" "We will!" Bagheera replied. "Thank you, Chil!" Chil screeched again and flew off.
"Come, Little Brother." Bagheera told Mowgli. "We must return to the Pack." The Man-Cub could only nod dumbly but his mind was reeling. Man...in the Jungle...what would they be doing here and what did they want?
(At Council Rock...)
Council Rock was in a state of heated discussion, it seems that the Pack had heard rumors of a Man-Pack in the Jungle. Mowgli sat in the circle with his Wolf family, Baloo and Bagheera. "Friends!" Akela called out. "Friends, peace! Chil has news for us!"
The wolves fell silent as Chil landed in the circle. "Wolves of the Seeonee, Free-People, I have news that a Man-Pack has been sighted in the Jungle!" He explained. The Pack gasped in shock and began to murmur among themselves.
Mowgli grew nervous. Man in the Jungle...so the rumors were true. "They were sighted at the river!" Chil added. "Four Men, Four Women and their cubs..." The wolves murmured amongst themselves. "Are they armed?" Akela asked. "Do they have the sticks that spout fire and thunder?"
"One of the men does." Chil replied. "He seems to the leader of the Man-Pack." The wolves murmured amongst themselves. "Akela, I have a proposition!" Phaona called out. "We should hand the Man-Cub over to them!"
Mowgli grew stiff while Baloo and Bagheera growled. "The Man-Cub doesn't belong to us!" Phaona added. "If we had him over, perhaps the humans would leave us in peace!" Some of the other wolves agreed.
"No!" Raksha protested. "He's my son!" "How can you even suggest giving him to them?!" She added. "I agree!" Vihaan added. "Besides, we don't know if the Man-Pack are a threat to us!" "Perhaps they are just passing through." He pointed out.
"We can't take that chance!" Phaona argued. "Man is a danger to us all!" "One living among us is bad enough!" He added. "But a whole pack of them is too much!" There were growls and howls, some agreeing with Phaona to hand the Mowgli over to the Man-Pack while others believing they were just travelling through.
"SILENCE!" Akela howled, and everyone stopped. "Arguing is not going to solve our problem!" "I do not know why Man has come to the jungle, but what I do know is that Mowgli is part of our Pack, our family and he has done nothing that deserves him getting cast out!" He added.
The wolves murmured quietly, Phaona snarled a bit but kept quiet. "We will observe them." Akela replied. "We will see whether they mean us no harm." "If they are just passing through, we will leave them alone." He pointed out. "And if they aren't..." Phaona questioned.
Akela sighed. "Let us hope it doesn't come to that." He replied. "Akela, may I speak?" Bagheera asked, getting everyone's attention. "I think we need a scout, someone to spy on the Man-Pack." "I can do it!" Chil replied. "I'm not afraid of Man!"
"I agree, Chil..." The Panther replied. "But not even you can watch over them all the time." "I think we need someone who is closest to Man than anyone of us." He turned to Mowgli and everyone grew shocked, particularly the latter. "Me?!" Mowgli asked.
"Yes, Little Brother, you can watch the humans and see if they are a threat." Bagheera replied. "Bagheera, what are you saying?!" Raksha asked. "It's too dangerous!" "Bagheera, I agree..." Baloo rumbled. "Who knows what the Man-Pack will do to Mowgli?"
"I know you are concerned." Bagheera replied calmly. "But, I have no fear for Mowgli." "Baloo and I have taught him well and he knows how to hide and sneak without being seen." He added. "Besides, Chil and I will follow him to make sure no harm comes to him."
The wolves murmured amongst themselves. "Mowgli...are you certain you wish to do this?" Akela asked. Mowgli thought for a moment. He had caught glimpses of Men from the village but stayed clear of them. Now, he was his chance to see them up close in person. "I'll do it!" Mowgli replied bravely.
The wolves gave out cries and howls. "I will scout the humans." He replied. "If they are friends, I will not harm them" He added. "If they are a threat, Bagheera and I can frighten them off." Akela nodded. "Very well, you shall go!" He replied. "And stay safe!"
Raksha stepped forward. "Please be careful, my little frog." She added worriedly. "Men are unpredictable, you must be wary." "Remember to stay downwind." Baloo reminded him. "I will." Mowgli replied as he jumped on Bagheera's back and he bounded off, Chil flew off after them.
(Later...)
"How much further, Bagheera?" Mowgli asked as he rode on the Panther's back. "Not much further." Bagheera panted as he bounded through the undergrown. "Chil will let us know if they are near."
"Skree!" Chil soared over them. "Stop! The Man-Pack are close!" Bagheera stopped instantly and Mowgli got off his back. "Remember, Little Brother...stay downwind..." The Panther whispered to him. Mowgli nodded as he dropped on all fours and crept silently through the undergrowth.
As they crept closer, Mowgli could hear voices...strange voices that he had never heard before. He quietly parted the leaves and right before him was a clearing with strange looking structures with cloths draped over it and held down by strange roots. What astounded him were the numerous humans surrounding it.
Indeed it was a Man-Pack, a Pack consisting entirely of Man. There were four men, four women and their children. All of them had strange skins on them, some in different colors. One of them caught his attention, a young girl just about his age. She had long brown hair and green eyes, the color of emeralds. She wore a green shirt, khaki pants and strange black shoes on them.
Mowgli couldn't help but stare in amazement. He had never seen anything so beautiful before. Bagheera crept up to him and he too, saw the Man-Pack. "Who is that...?" Mowgli whispered. "They are humans, Little Brother." Bagheera replied.
"No...I mean that..." Mowgli gestured to the brown-haired girl who was talking to two other girls. Bagheera looked to where Mowgli was pointing at and noticed the girls. "Well...Little Brother...she...she is a girl-cub..."
"She is...beautiful..." Mowgli murmured. Bagheera looked at the Man-Cub in surprise. "I never seen anything like her..." The Panther blinked, looking at the girl and back at Mowgli. An amused smile grew on his face. It would seem that Mowgli had discovered something new...