The Jungle Book: Chapter 17
By: jungleboy69
Chapter 17: Two Worlds Collide
Mowgli couldn't stop the smile on his face as he, the girls and the other kids played with some wolf cubs while the human parents watched with smiles at the sight. Things were going well between them.
"You are so adorable~!" Saavni squealed as she hugged Bhoot. "You're so cute and snuggly~!" Bhoot yapped in delight. "Thanks~!" He squealed. "You give the best hugs!" The girls were stroking Leela's soft fur.
"You have such lovely fur, Leela." Lindy pointed out, snuggling against it. "Thank you!" Leela replied with a smile. She was happy to meet the Man-Pack, but she was especially fond of the girls who stroked and brushed her fur. "I can see why Mowgli likes talking about you so much."
The girls blushed and chuckled a bit. "Really?" Shanti asked as she petted one wolf cub. "Yeah..." Grey Brother pointed. "Every evening when he returns, he tells us about the three of you." "He always smiles and his face gets red for some reason." He added.
The girls grew redder and slightly embarrassed. "Hey, your faces are red!" Bhoot pointed out. "It's because they like Mowgli!" Davy laughed. "Davy!" Cassie exclaimed. "You see!" The former pointed at his sister's blushing face. "She and the girls like Mowgli!"
The cubs laughed as the girls blushed harder. "Well, Mowgli!" Sura laughed. "Looks like you are the only wolf with three mates!" The Man-Cub and the girls grew red as beetroots while the adults chuckled.
"Looks like you all are fitting in well!" Vihaan spoke up as he and his mate joined them. "This is amazing!" Lindy added as she hugged another wolf cub to her chest. "I never thought we would be playing with wolves."
Raksha cleared her throat. "Cubs, it's best you head back to your homes!" She told them. "We need to speak with the humans!" "Awww!" Both human kids and wolf cubs moaned in protest. "Come on, now!" Vihaan added. "Your parents are waiting for you!"
The cubs relented as they headed off. "See you, Mowgli!" Bhoot called out. "See you, girl cubs!" The other cubs licked them goodbye and raced off to their dens. The kids giggled as they waved them goodbye.
"Matri, what is it?" Mowgli asked. Raksha stepped forward. "We are here to tell you that the Council will begin soon." She pointed out. "There is a place for you humans there." At once, the human families grew anxious and excited.
"Cool!" Davy squealed. "I never been in a Council before!" "Me neither!" Saavni added. "I bet it's so cool!" Raksha chuckled. "Well, there are some rules you need to know." She added. "You must be respectful at all times, not all of the pack members have met humans before so you all must be on your best behavior."
The human parents nodded. "Don't worry, Raksha." Sean replied. "We will make sure we all conduct ourselves." "Raksha?" Lindy asked. "What is a Council like for you wolves?" "Well, it's where the pack gathers to discuss hunting or dangers in the jungle or to show new cubs into our pack." Vihaan explained.
Raksha chuckled. "You know...this reminds me of the time we first brought Mowgli to the Council Rock." She added. This piped the human families interested. "Tell us something...how did you adopt Mowgli into the pack?" Lydia asked.
Mowgli was also curious about that. "Yeah...Matri..." He asked. "I was always curious about why I was different from the rest of the wolves..." Raksha and Vihaan looked at each other before the former sighed. "Well...I knew this day would come sooner..." The She-Wolf replied.
"It was ten seasons ago..." She began. "Your father was about to go hunting when we heard something coming through the bushes." "We thought it was an intruder...coming to attack us..." Vihaan added before smiling. "Instead...we found a man-cub...covered in dirt and dried blood."
The human adults gasped a bit while the kids listened on in wonder. "You were a strange little thing, Mowgli..." Vihaan chuckled. "You were scared or frightened at us..." "I still remember how warm and soft you were..." Raksha added with a smile. "You pushed past your brothers to get at my milk."
Mowgli blushed. "I never knew that..." He replied. "Well, at first...we weren't sure on what we should do with you." Vihaan added. "That is...until Khan...showed up..." The human families grew a bit nervous when they heard the growl at the end of the Wolf's throat.
"K-Khan..." Lindy asked nervously. "Who's Khan...?" "Shere Khan..." Raksha added, just as upset. "The most ruthless and wicked Tiger in all the Jungle..." "A tiger?" Kabir asked. The wolf parents nodded grimly. "Yes..." Raksha replied "He who treats the Jungle Law as if he makes it."
"Khan is well known for his numerous crimes of the Jungle." Vihaan explained. "However, his greatest crime of all...is killing Man..." The human families were horrified and scared upon hearing this. "He's a man-eater?!" Lindy exclaimed, her face pale.
"Yes..." Vihaan replied grimly. "Khan has broken many laws of the Jungle by killing Man and Cattle." "You see, it is against Jungle Law to kill Man..." He explained. "Killing Man will bring more Men to the Jungle..."
Mohan nodded grimly. "I see...So, Khan is his name..." His fists clenched. "My son, Nathoo was killed by a tiger some years ago..." Messua swallowed hard as she clung onto her husband while the others looked at them in concern and sympathy.
"I'm sorry..." Raksha replied softly. "You have our condolences..." "So...what did...Shere Khan try to do?" Cassie asked worriedly. "He demanded we hand over Mowgli to him." Raksha replied. "But, we refused to hand him our little frog."
"Frog?" Davy asked. "Yes..." Vihaan replied with a grin. "It's why we named him Mowgli..." "We decided to take him in, there and then...and we never regretted it." Raksha added, licking Mowgli on the cheek, making him giggle.
"Well, then!" Vihaan spoke up, getting their attention. "Ready to head to Council Rock?"
(A while later...)
The human families could hardly believe what they were seeing; they found themselves in a large area with rocky cliffs behind. Standing at the pointed sharp edge of a cliff where a small tree grew at the edge where they could get a clear view of the whole Jungle.
That wasn't the only thing; 20 or 30 wolves sat around the rocks, all of them staring at the humans while murmuring to themselves. The human families were a bit worried; what would happen to them.
Mowgli led them safely through the pack and they sat down close to him and his wolf family. "What do you all think?" He asked. "It's...incredible..." Jacob breathed. "I never would have thought..."
"It's beautiful..." Lindy added. "You can see everything from up here." "I can even see the village over there." Shanti pointed at the village which seemed like a little spot with smoke from the bonfires.
Evelyn looked around anxiously. "I don't like the way the wolves are staring at us." She pointed out. "Don't worry..." Vihaan told her. "They are just curious...they never met humans up close." "Just stay close to us and show respect." He added.
Just then, the Council fell silent and a magnificent Gray Wolf stepped onto the Council Rock. He had silvery-greyish fur and eyes that gleamed brightly in the setting sun. The human families couldn't help but stare at him in wonder.
Then, the Wolf spoke in a clear voice. "I am Akela, Leader of the Free-People!" "We know the Jungle and we live by its Laws!" He added. The other wolves let out small howls and yelps. The human families were astounded by the clear authority in Akela's voice.
"Today, we have special guests here in our Council Rock." He added, causing the other wolves to face the human families. "Never before have humans have been invited to a Council." "Mowgli tells me that you humans mean us no harm, is that true?" He asked.
The human families were a bit anxious by everyone staring at them. "What should we do?" Lydia asked. "Jacob, can't you say something?" "Me?" Jacob questioned. "What should I say?" "Sean...what about you?" Evelyn spoke up. "You gave speeches before..."
"Only to my troops, not to a pack of wolves." Sean pointed out. "Any one else?" The other adults looked lost and unsure. Seeing how their parents were having trouble, Cassie took a deep breath and stood up, much to the others' shock.
"We are of one blood, ye and I... Akela!" Cassie spoke clearly. "I am Cassie Andrews...and my family and I are glad to meet you for the first time!" The pack murmured in surprise and Akela had a look of interest on his face. "It seems that all human-cubs have more courage than their parents!" He added, chuckling.
The human families could only watch in dumbfounded amazement while Cassie blushed. Akela turned to Mowgli. "Well, Mowgli...it seems you were right...these humans are...interesting..." The Man-Cub smiled as Cassie sat down beside him with the other girls.
"Tell me, humans...why have you come to the Jungle?" Akela asked. "Where is your home?" Alex stood up and spoke. "Well, Akela..." He replied. "It is...rather complicated to explain...we come from a land far away...and we came to the jungle only for a...vacation..."
The wolves murmured amongst themselves. "Va-Ca-Tion...?" Akela asked, a bit confused. "What is that...word?" "What I meant to say...is that all of us here have come to the Jungle for a visit..." Alex replied. "We are here to study the creatures of the Jungle..."
"I see..." Akela murmured to himself. "We were only here for 2 weeks until...we met Mowgli..." Alex replied with a smile. "To be honest, we have never met a boy quite like him." Mowgli blushed a bit while the girls crowded around him and the other parents chuckled.
"Anyway, we are grateful that you are willing to give us a chance to stay..." The professor replied, bowing to the Lone-Wolf. Akela was a bit flattered by this. "I can sense no malice or danger from you...it would seem Mowgli was right to trust you..."
As Alex sat down, Akela addressed the pack. "Brothers and Sisters...the Man-Pack has proven to be friends to the Jungle-Folk!" He announced. "Now...comes the decision whether they will be accepted into the pack!"
The wolves murmured amongst themselves, while the human families looked anxiously. At that moment, a grizzly voice spoke up. "I say, the Man-Pack should join us!" The crowd turned and the human families gasped to see a hulking Brown Bear walk up to the crowd.
"Baloo!" Mowgli exclaimed as he ran forward and hugged the Bear's great neck. Baloo rumbled in delight, nuzzling the Man-Cub before he turned to Akela and stood up on his hind legs. The human families gasped at how big the Bear was.
"Akela, ten seasons ago, I spoke for Mowgli on the Council Rock." Baloo explained. "Just as I offered to teach him, I will gladly teach the Man-Pack the Laws of the Jungle!" The wolves murmured louder.
"I speak for the Man-Pack too!" Another voice spoke out and Bagheera, the Black Panther leapt down from the rocks and into the circle of wolves. The human families were beyond amazed; they had never seen a black panther before. "Bagheera!" Mowgli cheered, hugging the Panther's glossy neck and making him purr.
"I agree with Baloo and Mowgli!" Bagheera replied. "The Man-Pack are harmless...and respect the Jungle as we do." "I once bought Mowgli's life with a bull ten years ago!" He added. "And know, I will do the same for the Man-Pack!"
The wolves licked their lips hungrily; another bull would make a marvelous feast. Akela nodded. "Brothers and Sisters, what do you say?" He called out. "Are there any objections?" The wolves murmured amongst themselves; some in agreement and others in suspicion. Nevertheless, none objected.
"It is decided then!" Akela called out, before turning to the human families. "Man-Pack, you are part of our family!" He declared. "You will all be treated with respect and honor!" "As long as I am alive, we shall stand by you!"
*AAAAAAAAWWWWWOOOOOOOO!*
Akela lifted up his head and howled, followed by the whole pack. The human families could hardly believe what just happened. Mowgli turned to them with a grin on his face. "You are one of us now!" He exclaimed. "Welcome to the Pack!"