Two Brothers Under the Sun

Chapter – XXIV

The Mighty Hunters

Hakuna Matata Falls, northern Bukuvu

Despite their intimidating appearance, the Ugani aren't a quarrelsome bunch. And in the lush, verdant jungles of the Bukuvu neighbors had little to wage war over one another. But even so, unwelcome visitors would pop up from time to time. Small gangs of troublemakers, most often made up of carnivorous poachers, crept out in raiding parties across the borderlands with a penchant for causing trouble, thus evoking retribution from the likes of the Great Troop. Whenever Kerchak or another Silverback would rally some of the Black Backs to defend their territory from raiders, Tarzan would gladly take his place amongst the volunteers.

Usually, one clash with the powerful primates would suffice to send the enemy running back to where they came from. Brute force alone carried the gorillas through many battles. Although Mashindanos weren't prevalent, mock duels were quite frequent in the domain of the Great Apes, allowing them to retain their peak physical prowess even in the most peaceful of times. These sporadic skirmishes also worked well to keep the brothers alert and hone their skills. But while they had acquired a fair share of experience from fighting off ragtag groups of marauders, it had been years since they had to deal with a large warband such as the Dhole Clan.

Yet, deep down, their mentors knew this peace was but a flitter of a pause to the war against the tigers.

The Dirisha has long stood as a barrier between the northern lands and Shere Khan's realm. Even so, the Khanate could not be kept in check by a mere river; thus Colonel Hathi and his allies were always looking out for incursions from the south. A vast network of rotational patrols was always present to scout for any hostile activity past the northern banks.

Today was the Troop's turn to provide the scouts for the frontier. About a dozen able-bodied apes should do. So Kerchak assembled the Black Backs to pick out the best for the job. Besides the Colonel, it was likely that no one else was more concerned with the defense of the borders than him.

Naturally, Tarzan stepped forth. He grew up on these lands and knew everything there was to know about them, from their trails to landmarks to forested patches. Soon, he joined up with Bagheera to find the last member of their little patrol.

'SNORE'

Lying around on top of a flat rock, Simba was sound asleep. A majestic and powerful beast of the jungle enjoying the morning sun. Rugged. Strong. Daring. His dauntless fortitude made him one of the most feared and respected creatures on this side of the river.

Tarzan tugged his eyelid.

'SNAP'

"Hey!" protested the sleepy cat while blinking awake.

"Rub that sleep out of your eyes." Bagheera adverted from beside the hairless ape. "We have got a long walk ahead of us."

Simba yawned lazily, his morning face lingering until two tiny pebbles fell off his ears. "Sorry, what was that?"

The panther lowered his head to get a better look at the minuscule things apparently responsible for keeping his godson from hearing their previous wake-up calls. "What is this?"

"I use those to plug my ears whenever I am relaxing," Simba said, raising his head. "You know how loud it gets out here. It's like a jungle."

Bagheera did a facepalm of epic proportions. Meanwhile, the brothers opted to start the morning with their secret handshake... which they got from Baloo.

They bumped shoulders. "Shoulder Bump!"

Collided hips. "Rump Thump!"

Tarzan slammed his hands on Simba's extended paws. "Arm Slam!"

They swapped hips and bumped them again. "Hip Bam!"

Finally, the Simba put his brother in a headlock and rubbed his knuckle on his head. "Noogie, noogie, noogie." chortled the lion whilst Tarzan snickered before grabbing hold of his neck and pulling him over his shoulder, rolling them both into a wrestling ball. Bagheera casually stepped out of their way.


After a hefty meal, they set out. The group of two novices and one seasoned veteran set off through the wooded trails toward the river shore. Once at a strategic point along the frontier, they spread out to cover the immediate area. Their watchful eyes never drifted too far from the north lands, ever vigilant for any signs of danger; often indicated by clouds of birds taking flight across the tree line or a sudden agitation in the perpetual rustling of the leaves.

As they checked the elephant paths and the nearby fords, the brothers' boredom was their greatest enemy more than anything else. Their favorite outlet was taking strolls around the jungle, enjoying the sights, coming across friendly neighbors and some new faces to talk to, and sometimes foraging for a good snack before mealtime. Occasionally, they would help deter some ill-meaning trespassers and lawbreakers. Much better than simply watching the grass grow.

Any major issues would be reported to the nearest detachment of the Jungle Patrol... like that was ever gonna happen. Long gone were the days when Shere Khan could freely send his hunting parties across the River of Patience.

Bagheeras was directly responsible for one sector of the border and had received some reports of unrest in the western region from the Colonel's bird scouts he wanted to verify. Having hunted in those lands for many Seasons, the trio knew these parts rather well. They also knew which jungle folk they were likely to find and the landmarks scattered across the territory. This knowledge guided the panther as he planned their route. Even so, this region has seen quite an increase in hostile activity over the last few years, for many coveted the green pastures of the Bukuvu. Caution was always required when walking through the jungle, but doubly so around here.

They scout the nearby land bridges; specifically, they are to sniff out potential trespassers who managed to sneak in by the flooded Waingunga. What fords hadn't been washed away by the last rains had changed position entirely. Still, Bagheera made sure to check the last fording points that had been there previously. As always, he wanted to make sure nothing was amiss. Pressing on, the group kept their eyes and ears open for any signs of danger. Climbing up trees, they got a clear view of their surroundings while also allowing them to scour the opposing shores for signs of an enemy presence.

Bagheera had hunted in those woods for many years and had shared his wisdom with the brothers since they were cubs. It was hard to imagine there was a creature who knew their way on the treetops better than them. Simba in particular loved better than anything else to go with Bagheera into the dark warm heart of the eastern forest, sleep all through the drowsy day, and join the panther during his hunts at night. Bagheera killed right and left as he felt hungry, and so did Simba—with one exception: pork.

"All my ranges are your ranges," said Bagheera the day the lion had grown big enough to finally hunt all by himself, "and you can eat everything that you are strong enough to kill, but for the sake of the hog that reared ya, you must never kill or eat any swine young or old. As your godfather, Pumbaa deserves such courtesy." Simba obeyed faithfully out of love for his friend as well as a general lack of interest in hunting pigs.

As the brothers searched the area, tracks were found... big feline tracks.

"Looks familiar?" Tarzan asked after gesturing at the shapes printed on the wet mud.

"Nah, there was two of them," Simba responded. "And I know I haven't been here with Baggy lately."

Yet the footprints along the underbrush appeared to have been left by a large cat. Fresh signs too. Simba approached, eyes flickering as he looked around the bushes for more clues, the young man tailing after him while doing the same. Their investigation proceeded with caution. An inspection of the nearby grounds reveals a path headed northwards. More tracks along the way confirmed the presence of a pair of mysterious cats who had entered the grazing plains; nothing they couldn't handle. Even so, the duo makes haste. Tarzan straddled on the lion's back once they ventured into the grassland.

Once they crossed Makuu's path, the croc sent them scurrying to the further edges of the pond, for if he respected their ferocity and their sharp fangs, they on their part held his float's numbers and mighty jaws in equal esteem.

The brothers hear thumping hooves, faint against the rustling of the leaves. They turn and hear another sound, one that fills their eyes with fury.

"The Silent Sisters," Simba growled, almost snarling.

"Nuru and Sheeta." Tarzan bit his lip.

Strong and fast across the grass, the lion carried his sworn brother on the back toward the source of the sound: two deadly and dangerous panthers with a taste for men's flash. The day the brothers met them they didn't get a wink of sleep thanks to the sisters's harrowing snarls echoing inside their heads that night. The same ones that were currently coming from the pond in the woods where the antelope sup.

The kongoni belled once, twice, and again. His does leap up as they bayed on his track, their light feet barely leaving a mark on the jungle ground. The panther gains on the buck, closer, chasing him and his herd by the crest of a low ridge. Backed into a dead end, the male turns only to be set upon by the pursuers.

'ROAR'

A powerful roar shattered the air. The sisters ceased their onslaught to look up.

Atop the plateau by the river's shore stood two maned brothers. One was a predator while the other could turn into one if he so wished. The golden lion's roar echoed alongside the bull ape's cry across the canyon. They both dived from the drop-off.

As the big cat descended from the slope by clawing into the rugged rock wall, the hairless Black Back shuffled swiftly atop the vines bridging both sides of the ravine. Tarzan came upon Nuru's back, wrapping the pole of his spear around her neck and pulling to make her choke. Flailing her claws wildly, the female tried to force herself out of the man's grip, only for the latter to throw her over his shoulders and into the nearby stream. Simba stirred some loose stones on his way down the cleft; Sheeta was soon buried under the rockslide. At that moment, the antelopes were broken out of their frightened spell, though they still watched everything in breathless fear. Then, the brothers turned to come face to face with them.

"Head for the Falls, hurry!" Tarzan yelled.

The kongoni didn't have to be told twice; bolting en mass, they left the duo. They had a herd to put back together.

Tarzan's eyes catch movement on the edge of his field of vision. He skillfully ducks down to avoid the leaping leopardess. Turning around to face him, Nuru snarled and fully opened her gaping mouth full of teeth. Tarzan raises his spear while pointing the sharpened rock tip directly at her. Simba was about to assist him but was blindsided when Sheeta suddenly surged out of the stone pile and tackled him from behind, initiating a wrestling roll with the lion. The panther's fangs snapped at the neck of the ex-prince, despite the huge amount of auburn hair protectively enveloped around it. Simba, who was no stranger to this type of hold, was able to shift his body in order to apply pressure on the lawbreaker's arms, keeping them at bay while also tempting her to let go of him. Seeing her sister and the pinkish ape had inadvertently moved their duel closer to them, Sheeta attempted to make a mad dash to attack a distracted Tarzan. However, she hadn't considered the lion's powerful legs. The Golden Brother sprung at the panther and swiped her to the side. In a flash, Sheeta got back on her feet to growl murderously at Simba, who was all too happy to respond in kind. Nuru bounded towards Tarzan. Spinning his weapon, the naked Mangani deflected her attacks and then made his opponent give ground once he started his counterattack.

The two sisters disengage and rout, with Simba roaring after them. Tarzan yells in solidarity.

The White Ape came over to the downed buck. "It's okay, they are gone now..."

His voice failed once his eyes fell upon the poor buck, who just wanted to stand up a tree even though he looked already half dead from the injuries the panthers had given him. His voice came out in a wheezing of pain, but Tarzan could still make out what he was trying to say: "I don't want to go." The fighter was scared for he knew he was about to die. All Tarzan could do was look back into his sad eyes as his sobbing grew weaker and weaker... until he stopped and tumbled to the ground. Just like that, the eyes staring at the Black Back turned dull and lifeless.

Not once the youth glanced away, for he wanted to make sure his mind would never forget this moment.

"I'm sorry." Said Tarzan, moving around the body before crouching down to gently hold the kongoni's head. "This is our war and you were caught in the middle of it. We couldn't save you. We can only bring worth to your sacrifice and stop those two before they kill anyone else."

Simba, solemnly, rested a paw on the deceased antelope and bowed in respect. "I thank the antelope for their sacrifice. I shall return the gift once my body returns to the earth."

Concluding his speech, the lion gobbled down a great quantity of the carcass, burying the rest next to the trail where the buck had fallen so he could find it upon his return. Tarzan of the Great Troop couldn't bear staring at his brother while the latter was feasting.

The White Ape felt a hollow emptiness inside whenever he saw the spoils of his godfather and brother's hunts. The ethics of all the beasts in the jungle meted a quick and merciful death to their victims. Even so, a living creature was gone. Nothing more than a meal for those who slay it. Many moons ago, when he asked why things had to be this way, his brother merely stated:

"Well, nature didn't leave us much of a choice."

But it was Bagheera's answer that still echoed inside Tarzan's mind and always overtook his thoughts when he saw the hard and unyielding look on the panther's face after every hunt:

"That's the Way of the Great Circle."

The pinkish primate had difficulty accepting this reasoning.

This kongoni was innocent and, like all the others in his herd, part of the jungle and thus connected to all others in the Great Circle of Life. Their deaths were tragedies, not triumphs.


"You should cool yourself off, Bagheera, instead of lazing around all day," Simba remarked as he swam in the lake, relaxing in the calm watery flow while his godfather and brother stayed on land.

"Lazing is how I replenish my strength after a long hunt, or haven't you learned that after all these years?" The panther responded without finding the need to leave the cooling shroud of the trees he was standing under to protect himself from the blistering sun. Pausing for a moment to enjoy the west wind on his fur, the ebony cat couldn't help but chortle when he saw his protegé had quickly changed his tune and decided to join him in the shade. "There now, isn't that better?"

Simba inhaled blissfully. "Ah, perfect."

'SWOOSH'

Something small cut the air. Simba paid no mind to the noise but Bagheera did. Gazing toward his oldest student, the black pelt leopard took notice of his godson's new plaything.

Tarzan, who had kept to himself since the altercation with the assassins, was now occupying himself by throwing a flat, wooden stick with a curved shape far across the thinly forested clearing. Once it had landed, he would go over to catch the flying club only to throw it again.

Bagheera, who had eyes and ears everywhere, knew something of this.

"Another club?" He asked, moving to sit by his side.

"Well, not really." His protegé admitted offhandedly. "I had some wood left from the last one so I decided to do something with it."

Bagheera critically eyed the small tool in Tarzan's hand. "Not sure it will be very useful in a fight."

Tarzan shrugged. "Yeah, it's not very heavy or sharp. And very easy to lose in the forest."

"I can imagine." The teacher nodded before dropping: "I have found many of those lying around the Wakalu's border."

Tarzan blinked, then stiffened.

Bagheera shoots an exasperated frown at him. "How many times have I told you to stop with those tricks of yours?"

"...As many times as there are nuts on that palm," pointed a now sheepish Tarzan, who, indeed, could not count all of them.

"Of all the nonsense..." muttered Bagheera under his breath; and then aloud: "Tarzan, you are now a grown ape, you can't play with sticks like a Man-Cub any longer. And you mustn't break the first Law of the Jungle: all must live as the Circle of Life intended them to. The only fangs that fly are those of the bats."

"But what if there is more to it than that?" The pupil went on. "A purpose to life besides sleeping and eating."

"Our purpose is to follow and uphold the Will of the Great Circle. Nothing is more important than that." An unease breath finished the feline's sentence. Those crazy ideas his disciple was having scared him.

But the young man was undeterred, for that pang in his heart was still there. "Well, I think the Law of the Great Circle is a very sad Law. I mean, animals like Timon and Pumbaa were born just to be chased down by predators."

"That's how life is." The predator bluntly stated. "Survival of the fittest; only the clever and strong will carry on while those who can't keep up will inevitably perish. That's how it's always been, Tarzan, we can't change it."

"But that's not fair. Living like that, in fear... sounds pretty sad." Tarzan'gaze shifted between the ground and the horizon.

"Maybe so." His teacher couldn't help but agree, even while trying to dissuade his godson's thoughts. "But that's how we animals have lived since the sun first rose in the sky."

"Well, why can't it be like our family?" pondered the ape, turning to his mentor. "The weak and the strong living together in peace?"

"Our case is an exception. You would be surprised at the number of neighbors you would have if Simba and I were to stop eating meat." Bagheera spoke plainly and with a withering look on his face: "Everyone and everything exists in nature's delicate balance. No one can truly change how things are in the Great Circle of Life; I can't live as a vegetarian anymore than you can sprout horns." He glanced momentarily at the lion still stuck in a state of relaxation, "Simba and I are guardians of the hunt, we cannot show favoritism all the time. And you are a Black Back, as such you must obey the law that all apes obey: The Law of the Jungle."

Without ever raising his tone, the panther's voice still rumbled like thunder on a hot night.

Tarzan said nothing in rebuttal, merely nodding in silence after a moment or two. "Yes, Bagheera."

"That boy..." The panther shook his head as the youth left to fetch his curved stick one last time. "Must he and I go through this one thousand more times?"

"I thought you said he wasn't a cub anymore." observed the maned cat, who was now sunning his belly as he laid on his back. "If you don't wanna repeat this, just don't."

"He is better off being scolded by me than harming himself through his ignorance,"

"Don't ya think you're being a bit of a worrywart, Baggy?" Simba rolled over so they could talk face-to-face. "I am confident Tarzan will be fine with those stick tools of his."

"...Stick tools?"

Simba's mouth faltered involuntarily into a tight pucker. Too little too late; his teacher's pointed eyes were bearing down upon him.

"Where were you this morning, Simba?" demanded Bagheera.

One embarrassed gulp later, the golden brother answered. "Well, you know... just having a little fun. I mean, you should try it. It starts with a smile, then slowly builds and-"

"You have been hanging with the Bandar-log," deduced the old feline in a flat tone.

"Well, I-"

"No, I don't wanna know..." Bagheera snapped his head away, only to shift an expectantly gaze back at him. "...was it the Bandar-log?"

"Here's-"

"No, don't! I don't wanna know." This time, he stood his ground. "I thought I warned you about associating with those rascals."

"You did, Baggy." Simba sighed, eyes rolling. "I was passing through, then the gray apes came down from the trees and gave me fruits and juices to drink, one thing led to another and... well..."

The older cat maintained his long face.

The maned one responded with clear chagrin. "Okay, if you're trying to groom me to be the all-proper top cat of the north, just give it up. It's not me, Baggy."

"And your shift tonight?"

"I'll be there, Hakuna Matata." Simba clicked his tongue. Do this, do that, don't do this, don't do that. When his mentor started, Simba knew it was only a matter of time before his head started spinning around. Thus, he took the chance to get up and leave to join his brother further ahead.

"Simba, you're gonna have to grow up one day," Bagheera stated with utmost seriousness. "You'll never be happy if you spend all your time goofing off."

"No? Just watch me." With that, the free-spirited youth took to his feet and bounded off. Leaving his godfather to wonder when he was ever going to act his age.


Bagheera guided their hunt for the man-eaters. Nuru and Sheeta knew to keep themselves undetected on this side of the river. Feces were buried in wide holes to conceal their scent, urine dispersed into the river current, bloody mouths and claws washed after hunting, switching from one trail to another or going through another path entirely so they would not be seen... those two could be incredibly furtive. Worse yet, it seemed Hista had covered them with a strong essence of mashed flowers, concealing their natural smell as well. Knowing they were being followed had only managed to make them warier and tougher to track.

Following the panthers' elusive trail at a steady pace, the trio confirmed the trespassers were going into the marshy lands of the Sarus Swamp—the most likely place for scoundrels to hide; where the stagnant streams wash away one's trail and whatever scent marks the panthers had left would be of no help thanks to the thick and bitter odor of the wetland.

"Come on. Let's finish this while the sun is out." Bagheera told them.

Tarzan stared forward: few trails and gnarled vines, branches, and plants everywhere. "Do we really have to go through the marsh?"

"We must." His mentor declared with pronounced resolve. "It is probably a small group, otherwise they wouldn't manage to keep themselves undetected until now. But anyone who dwells in this range and others for miles around will be endangered, and those two will not hesitate to silence any unfortunate fellow who crosses their way. It is up to us to stop them."

"Don't worry, this place isn't so bad." Simba, carrying a snail by its shell, assured his Bare Brother. "The snails are great."

'SLURP'

Bagheera averted his eyes before he got to see him swallow his slimy treat.

"At least we won't be hungry like them."

Entering through footpaths left to the storms and overgrown by fast-growing bush, they marched across the swamp.

Treading downwind along the shadows in the marsh, they found nothing until Tarzan picked up a broken horn he had stepped on unawares, cluing Simba into finding a dead duiker buried in the mud, likely abandoned by the panthers when they realized they couldn't finish their meal before the group caught up to them. Bagheera could tell it was a fresh kill despite the fact the antelope was covered in mud; which meant the sisters were probably still recovering their strength, assuming they had to chase after the swift and easily-startled bucks of the marshlands. That is to say, not only were they likely still tired but also wouldn't be able to renourish themselves with a good meal.

Bagheera, Tarzan, and Simba take their place on the highest points in the canopy to observe as much as possible of the surrounding area and avoid any potential ambushes from above. After a hunt, the leopard lopes to the tall branches with its prey to eat in peace without being disturbed and where he will not leave a trail. But, with the thousand monkey tribes of the Bandar-log merely a few miles away, the panthers will opt to feast in a rocky ravine instead. Fewer chances of them attracting unwanted attention that way. And Bagheera knew of a cave in the area used occasionally by the younger crocs to sleep through the Dry Season. If they were lucky, the Sisters would have picked the same place. Thus, the trio proceeded to the deepest parts of the swamp: a labyrinth of treacherous gullies and hidden caverns. Bagheera, to this day, always spared a glance back at his godsons to see where they were whenever they went into a dangerous place.

There truly was no better place to hide than the swamp.

"We are getting closer." He could tell, for his sixth sense was sharp after years of patrol. "Stick together so we can cover each other's blind spots. One can never be too careful."

After that, he slunk into the shadows, vanishing under the cover of darkness to look out for any danger. In turn, Tarzan and Simba tuned out the sounds around them so they could pick up any disturbance in the harmony of the marsh.

Mangrove obscured their sight and any spoor was concealed by marshy air, meaning they only could rely on sound to locate their enemies. Then they realized... something was sneaking up on them.

"We are being watched," whispered Tarzan.

"I can see that," Simba replied, just as quietly. "Should we head back?"

"No, they are here. I can feel them watching us and waiting... waiting until we make a move... then they will attack."

With that, the brothers stood perfectly still, like the rocks all around them. The Khan's subjects are near... and their eyes are boring straight into the back of their heads.

Controlling every muscle, the pair fight the instinct to spring out of there. Both of them knew they had to move slowly to face the enemy. Any sudden movement and they would get pounced upon without even getting a chance to deliver a blow against their attackers; Sheeta and Nuru were formidable sprinters. Tarzan grabbed his fang but didn't pull it out of its sheath. The enemy knows that weapon and will not hesitate to pounce when they see the head of the spear. Blood running cold, the brothers finally glanced at the Sisters.

'SNARL'

There it was... that accursed sound coming from the panthers' throats.

Out of nowhere, the huntresses leap off the ridge of the cliff right on top of the two males, fangs baring toward their throats at incredible speed. The brothers, who have had their fair share of close calls with death, steady themselves out of their initial fright. Inch by inch... every muscle and nerve tensing... with their lives on the line... they finally turned.

The sisters smash into them, sending them reeling.

Nuru's heavy body falls down upon the bull ape as her last roar still rings in his ears. As this happens, Sheeta stalks the Golden Brother. Even with the momentum caused by her plunge, Simba managed to parry her attack before tossing his opponent away. Tarzan freed himself from Nuru's grip and engaged the trespasser in a race as she chased after him while he bounced around the rock formations, luring her toward an unstable, pillar-shaped pile of stones that quickly gave in when she suddenly landed on top of it.

Tarzan, who had reached for a vine to escape, didn't count that the huntress would jump on his back to escape her fall, making him lose his grip.

With a sudden cold overtaking his blood, Simba watched as his sworn brother rolled down the barren base of the promontory, seething maneater in tow. Unrelenting, he pounces from above.

Tarzan, legs bending, holds the spear shaft between him and the already recovered Nuru, fighting with all his might so the leopardess won't force him to the floor where she was likely to maul him to pieces. A biting pain and a sudden pull prompt the panther to cease her onslaught. Simba's fangs found their mark on Nuru's tail, causing the huntress to shriek in pain. The bigger cat, as if playing a simple game of tug of war, yanked the poacher away from his brother and spun in circles before hurling her so she would collide with an upcoming Sheeta. Once more, the Silent Sisters rose to charge at the Blood Brothers. In turn, the mismatched pair rolls out, whips around, and downs both of their enemies with a ferocity matched only by a forest fire.

Both sides back off for the briefest of moments. Tarzan pointed upwards to the towering outcrop above them in a discreet manner. Catching on with the plan, Simba followed fast when the Mangani promptly bolted his way up the rocky formation. Sheeta and Nuru pushed forward in pursuit; once they had reached the high ground, they found Simba standing in their way. Smiling, the lion gestured for them to look to the side. Doing that, they immediately spotted Tarzan pressed against a burly tree as he pushed a giant boulder with his uncurling legs. The rock fell upon the ledge, bringing it down along with the panthers to the waters below.

Victorious, Tarzan & Simba gauged their wounds. They will live, with only some cuts to show as mementos from this fight.

"That was good." Tarzan conceded, laughing as if he had just raced a gorilla bird.

"Very good, I would salute you with a curtsy." Simba winked as they started to walk away to meet up with Bagheera, pleased but also tired and eager to go home.

"Your skills are impressive."

They ceased their walk, flinching it to a halt. Someone else was there... whose tone was dark and cold as the Theluji winds. Turning their heads toward the canyon's rim, Tarzan and Simba took notice of a figure looming directly above them. Its body was noticeably that of a feline, although its bulk and muscles could pass for that of a gorilla if not for his bright orange fur covered in stripes. Fangs and claws so sharp as to put Tarzan's work to shame. A wicked and thoroughly menacing look on his face. Chills crawled up the brothers' spines the moment they laid eyes on him. The tiger bounded from the high ground and landed with a loud 'BANG' in front of the duo.

"But they will not save you..."

This beast... they had never seen him, or any tiger for that matter since they never tried their luck across the river... but this one they knew. From tales and warnings they heard throughout most of their lives... yes, they knew him all too well.

"Shere Khan..."


A/N: Merry Christmas, folks. Here is your gift... a Cliffhanger! Mwa-ha-ha-ha!