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Chapter Text

Many strange stories told of these jungles of India, but none strange as the story of a boy named Mowgli...

Everything seemed to be quiet until a baby boy’s cry filled the woods.

“Woman, shut that thing up, will you!” Buldeo yelled. He was a middle-aged Indian with slightly grey beard, a dark shirt and a pale grey turban, sitting at a fire, smoking pipe while also holding a British musket. His feet were worn by homemade sandals.

Scoffing at him was a woman sitting across the fire. She was a beautiful Indian woman in her early twenties with dark brown hair, wearing a pinkish dress and compared to Buldeo, was barefoot. In her arms, she was holding a baby boy with dark brown hair too, who was wailing from hunger. Not saying a word in return, the mother undid her dress, revealing her breasts and moved her baby closer to one of her nipples.

While she was breastfeeding her son, the woman looked around, watching as the twilight reigned above the jungles of India. The only sound was the slopping as the woman’s baby sucked the milk of her nipples. The mother smiled lovingly at her son. It was at that moment, her husband, a woodman from the local village, came out of the jungle with an axe in one hand, bringing some chopped wood with him. The woodman smiled at the sight of his wife breastfeeding their child.

“How is he, my love?” he asked as he set the wood and axe aside before sitting beside his family.

“He’s hungry, Nathoo,” the woman answered. “He has such a big appetite.”

“I see that as a good sign.” Nathoo simply stated. “It shows how lively our boy is. He will grow to be strong and healthy.”

“Just like his father.” The woman added before both husband and wife shared a passionate kiss. Buldeo just sneered at them. The snobbish and arrogant hunter was regretting to follow them. Yes, they promised to pay him if he protected them during their trip for wood, but now Buldeo thought he should have demanded the money first before leaving them in the wilderness for the animals to feed on them three.

“That runt of yours will be nothing for trouble!” he grumbled, earning a glare from Nathoo. Suddenly, a roar filled the jungle and out of nowhere, a Bengal tiger jumped out of hiding. The woman cried, while Buldeo cowardly screamed as the tiger flew above them, landing, however, onto the fire place with its front paws. The tiger roared in agonizing pain as its front paws burnt. Now was the opportunity to kill the animal while it was distracted. Buldeo, however, continued to stand, holding his rifle tight. As a result, the tiger managed to ignore the pain and turned around, facing the woman. She whimpered, holding her baby tight, while her bare breasts were still seen. The tiger was about to leap at her, but at that moment, Nathoo, who lost his axe, grabbed a wooden burning stick from the fire and hit the tiger’s head hard, causing the tiger to growl in pain. Anger more than ever, the tiger leapt at Nathoo, quickly disarming him. Lying on the ground, Nathoo resisted the tiger’s attacks, holding its jaws above him. Seeing that her husband was in trouble, the woman turned to Buldeo, who still held the rifle.

“Shoot, Buldeo!” she yelled. “Shoot! Kill the tiger before it’s too late!”

“I don’t need orders from a woman!” the hunter, however, yelled back, and with that, he ran off, not even wasting a single shot from his gun.

“Coward!” the woman shouted. Just then she heard her husband’s screams and screamed in horror as the tiger finally killed Nathoo, gutting him. Once Nathoo was finished, the tiger faced the woman again. It licked it’s one snout that was covered in blood.

Gasping in fear, the woman, holding the wailing boy tight, ran off, with the tiger racing after her. The woodman’s wife, however, didn’t ran off far, tripping on a root of a tree, falling, while dropping the baby along with the cloth the boy was covered in. Standing up, the woman desperately began searching for her son, until she heard a roar behind her. Turning around, the woman screamed as the Bengal tiger leaping at her was the last thing she saw in her life.

Crawling down the path, the boy then stopped at couple of front paws. Looking up, the naked toddler saw a grey wolf, adult male, looking down at him in return. Seeing a wolf for the first time, the boy giggled at the wolf, not even being afraid of the animal. The wolf looked at the boy with amazement and shock. It was literally the first time he saw a human so close. Let alone a cub. At that moment, he heard a female voice.

“Akela, dear, what did you find out there?”

Hearing his mate, the wolf, Akela turned around.

“Raksha,” he called out. “You won’t believe it. I found a man-cub!”

“A man-cub? Never saw one! Bring him here!” Raksha asked him. Approaching the boy from behind, Akela used his nuzzle to slightly push the boy, gesturing for him to move. The boy did so, and the two arrived to a cave where a female wolf with white fur, Raksha, was lying on the ground, feeding her pups with her milk. As if sensing her milk, the naked boy quickly crawled towards Raksha and began sucking one of her nipples. This sight immediately touched the mother wolf.

“Aww,” Raksha cooed. “Look at him, feeding just like our own cubs!”

“He’s certainly a hungry little fella.” Akela commented. “I wonder where did he come from? And where are his parents?”

As if answering his questions, the Bengal tiger suddenly appeared, pushing his massive head through the entrance, roaring. Seeing the blood on the tiger’s snout, Akela already guessed where the boy’s parents and what happened to them.

“Give me my prey!” the tiger roared.

“Shere Khan,” Akela growled in returned. “I should have known. You’ve been breaking the law again!”

“I was hunting like every animal in this jungle does!” Shere Khan argued. “And that man-cub is my dinner!”

“The Law of the Jungle forbids hunting on humans and killing them!” Akela argued back. “You’ve broken the law!”

“I make the laws in my hunting ground!” the tiger roared. “I Shere Khan, demand you to hang over that boy to me!”

“I, Akela, the leader of the wolf pack, demand you to leave!” Akela growled back. “You’re not in your hunting ground, Shere Khan, but in the lands of my pack. The boy is now under my protection! You have no power here! Leave, or you will be hunted down by my wolves!”

The tiger roared again, enraged that his prize was taken away from him. However, Shere Khan had no desire to give up easily, but he knew that he could not kill Akela and Raksha, not now.

“Let’s see what your very own pack will say about you keeping a man-cub.” Shere Khan declared before leaving. Just then, his lackey, a hyena named Tobaqui, appeared at the cave.

“Let’s see what the jungle will say about this!” he sneered before running away, chuckling. Once assured that they left, Akela returned to his mate and the human boy.

“Akela,” Raksha began. “I really want to keep him.”

“Shere Khan is right though,” the father wolf replied. “I need to present him to my pack if we want him to be accepted.”

“Please, make them!” the mother wolf begged. “Shere Khan will kill him!”

“Do not fear, that dishonest tiger will not touch him. Never.” Akela assured Raksha before the two kissed. Akela then looked at the naked boy as he slept with their cubs.

“What shall we name him?” he then asked.

“I think, Mowgli.”

“Mowgli?”

“Yes.” Raksha answered with confidence.

“Very well.” Akela agreed before nuzzling the human boy. “Mowgli, our son.”

Chapter Text

Although it was only spring, it was already hot as the sun heated the terrain of India. Trees grew, some giving birth to new fruits or grapes. Flowers bloomed in various colours, already waiting for the bees. Birds flew above, singing. Animals on the ground enjoyed the warm breeze.

Somewhere in the wilderness of India, three young wolves ran across the grass fields, passing the nearby palm trees. However, they weren’t alone. With them was a human boy of around 13 years old, with medium dark brown hair, and fully naked from head to toes. He ran with the young wolves, his brothers, showing no shame as his naked body was in full display. In full display was also his small penis, jingling as he ran along.

It has been almost 13 years since Akela, the leader of the local wolf pack, and his mate Raksha have adopted the human toddler, and brought him into the pack.

The next evening after Mowgli was found by Akela and Raksha, the couple brought him to the pack’s Council Rock near a waterfall. The two sat on top, while the naked boy sat in full display before the other wolves.

Beneath the rock sat four wolves, councillors. One was Alexander. Another was Vermillion. Next was Luri, a she-wolf for which Alexander and Vermillion competed. Next was Grizzle. He was an elder whitish wolf with markings on his face and had lost a left ear. Of all wolves in the pack, Grizzle was the most pleasant and was well-known for challenging Akela’s authority.

To say that the wolves were surprised was an understatement, especially when they heard that their pack leader and his mate desired to adopt the man-cub.

“As much as I am happy that this poor thing was saved from Shere Khan,” Vermillion spoke first. “but he is a man-cub, and he rightfully belongs with his people. We must bring to that nearby man village where they can take care of him.”

“I am totally against keeping him here!” Grizzle argued. “What have we wolves to do with a man’s cub?! Other than meat I see no use in him!”

“The Law of the Jungle forbids us to hunt on humans, Grizzle!” Alexander snapped at him. The other three councillors snarled at Grizzle.

As if on cue, an uninvited guest intruded. It was no other than Shere Khan. Tobaqui, his hyena lackey, followed behind, sneering as usual. During the day, he had been spreading rumours across the jungle about wolves adopting a man-cub, trying to discredit them.

“Shame! Shame of the jungle!” he shouted around, but most of the animals ignored him. Almost every animal knew very well who Tobaqui was and why he was disliked.

“That man-cub is my prey!” Shere-Khan roared. “Give him to me!”

“You are no member of this pack, Shere Khan!” Akela thundered, standing up. “You have no authority here!”

“What have ye wolves to do with a man’s cub?” the tiger asked, ignoring the pack leader. “Give him to me!”

Some of the younger, immature wolves were immediately influenced by his words.

“Why do we need this man-cub?” they asked in rebellion.

“Silence!” Raksha snapped at them, causing the young ones to wince and whine in fear. Mowgli, meanwhile, continued to sit on the rocky ground, naked. Completely unaware of what was going on.

“The Law of the Jungle states that two voices are needed to favour this child.” Akela spoke. “Which of you is willing to vouch for him.”

None of the wolves did. Tobaqui was chuckling, as if his master already won. Feeling despair, Raksha stood up, snarling and gritting her fangs. She was ready to fight for Mowgli, even if she would die. As if guessing this, Shere Khan chuckled at her, fully confident in his superior strength over her.

Suddenly, a large black figure jumped in the middle out of nowhere. Everyone winced until everyone realized who it was. It was Bagheera, the local panther. Although he was a loner, Bagheera was a good friend of the Seeonee wolf pack.

“I may not be a member of this pack, just like this furball,” he gestured at Shere Khan, which angered the tiger. “but the Law of the Jungle also states that two voices were equivalent to a gift.”

“You have something to offer for the cub’s life?” Luri asked.

“Indeed,” the panther nodded. “I offer you a river bull, that I have just killed.”

Akela then turned to the four wolves.

“What do you say?”

“What harm can a naked man-cub do us? Let him stay with us.” Luri answered first.

“He will either die from the heat or from the winter rains.” Vermillion added.

“Where is that bull then?!” Grizzle rudely demanded.

And so, Mowgli was accepted into the pack as an adopted son of the pack leader Akela and his mate Raksha. Shere Khan had to leave, accepting defeat, believing it to be temporal, as he vowed that one day, he would get his fangs on that boy.

“Ay, roar well,” said Bagheera laughing under his whiskers, “for the time will come when this naked thing will make you roar to another tune, or I know nothing of man.”

Now, the naked boy was enjoying his carefree life. Along with his two parents, Mowgli had three brothers; Grey Brother, Akru and Sura. Everyday, he would learn how to hunt along with them. Whenever they had free time, the three young wolves would play with their naked human brother. Whenever he felt dirty or hot, he would go swimming naked within the jungle pools.

Running, Mowgli soon lost his balance and began to roll down the hill. He laughed as he did so, until he landed his back on the grass ground. He began to catch his breath, while enjoying the warmth of the sun above.

However, he didn’t get to lie on the grass for long as Akru jumped above him. Laughing, the naked boy got up and ran after his wolf brothers.

“Hurry up!” Akru yelled, looking back at Mowgli.

“You’re falling behind, Mowgli!” Grey Brother added. Indeed, the feral boy was falling behind his wolf brothers, trying to catch up with them.

“Grey Brother, Sura, Akru, you’re going too fast for me!” the naked Mowgli yelled, trying to catch his breath.

“Well, I am holding back as much as I can!” Sura answered back. “Come on! We’re almost there!”

Not giving up, Mowgli decided to speed up as they were nearing their family’s cave. The three young wolves arrived first. Mowgli ran up to the nearby tree before jumping on it, hanging from the branch.

“You may beat me at running, but you can beat me at tree climbing!” the naked boy told them, laughing.

Grey Brother, however, did not share his mood.

“Mowgli, if you can’t learn to run faster, you’ll never become a real hunter.” He told him. “And if you can’t be a real hunter, you’ll never become a real wolf.”

Just then, Raksha came out of the cave and looked up to see her naked human son hanging from the tree.

“Mowgli, shouldn’t you be seeing Bagheera?” she asked.

“Oh, I forgot!” Mowgli yelled in panic before running off. The four wolves stood and watched the naked boy running off into the jungle.

“As usual.” Raksha stated and every one of them laughed.

“So,” she then spoke in a serious tone. “is Mowgli running any faster than before?”

“Um… not as fast as we are.” Sura answered.

“He needs a little more practice, mom.” Akru added. “Don’t worry, he’s gonna be a good wolf.”

Soon, her three cubs left her alone as Raksha began remembering the night Mowgli came into her and Akela’s life. It was one of the best things that happened in her life.

Meanwhile, Mowgli was on a branch that overhung the river. Slowly, but surely, the naked boy was crawling towards a small bird that sat on the branch. He was doing this under the watchful eyes of Bagheera. The black panther sat on the bank of the river.

To Mowgli’s luck, the bird was busy plucking its blue and yellow feathers. He was crawling to the prey closer and closer and then… he tried to snatch the bird, only for it to react quickly and fly off while the naked Mowgli fell into the river with a splash. Bagheera only groaned as he continued to sit on the bank while Mowgli swam up to him.

“Mowgli, I’ve told you many times; hold tight when you’re hanging on a tree.” Bagheera began lecturing him.

“It’s easy for you to say, Bagheera,” the naked boy complained. “I don’t have strong claws like you do.”

“That’s just an excuse,” Bagheera argued. “and I am not going to waste any more of my precious time listening to your complains.”

“Alright then, forget it.” An angry Mowgli told him. “I will practice on my own!”

“Hey, Mowgli! Wait!” Bagheera yelled as the naked boy ran off. “Where are you going?”

Bagheera rolled his eyes as he saw Mowgli climbing up a tree. He was sure having a tough time training this man-cub. Bagheera considered giving up on the boy if not for the fact that Akela and Raksha asked him to do it, so that their son could defend himself from other predators living in the jungle. Though, Bagheera would have preferred sending Mowgli to the man-village since he wasn’t a toddler anymore, but the wolf couple were stubborn.

He then saw that Mowgli was struggling to climb up the large tree.

“Is that all that you can climb?” he chuckled.

“It’s too big around!” the naked boy excused himself. “And as I said, I don’t have any claws.”

Sighing, Bagheera used his front paw and pushed it on Mowgli’s bare rear, pushing him upwards.

That night, Akela has summoned a meeting of the pack at the council rock.

“Now where is he?” Raksha asked with worry and annoyance. “I’ve told him to be here. Akru, where’s your brother?”

“I don’t know, mom.” Akru shrugged. “We looked for him everywhere.”

“Maybe he will come.” Sura tried to assure their mother.

“Well, I hope so,” Raksha spoke in disapproval. “for his sake, he must be here before Akela begins speaking.”

It was too late though as Akela came out before the pack and began speaking.

“I have gathered you all here because Shere Khan, who has been quiet until now has been causing trouble once again.” Akela said. “Chil the Kite has told me that he already killed four bulls belonging to man, and one herder.”

The other wolves scowled. With Shere Khan terrorising the man-village, he was provoking and angering the humans more.

“I am warning every member of the pack of the danger.” Akela continued. Before he could speak more, he suddenly noticed a naked boy trying to sneak behind his mate and sons.

“Mowgli, you’re late again.”

“Mowgli, we’re have you been?” Raksha asked.

“We’ve searched the whole jungle for you!” Akru complained.

“I’m sorry.” Was all the naked boy said.

“How many times have I told you not to be late for pack meetings?” Akela incredulously asked.

“You see, dad,” the naked Mowgli spoke sheepishly. “the moon was so beautiful tonight that I’d go down to the lake and…”

“Of course, you always have to be different, don’t you?” a young brown she-wolf asked.

Mowgli scowled as he knew who this wolf was; Lala, the daughter of Alexander. The two would constantly bicker, with Lala alienating him due to him being human.

“Being late to meetings proves that he doesn’t know what it means to be a wolf.” Lala added.

“Shut up, Lala!” Akru snarled at her.

“Hush, Akru!” Akela hissed at him.

“I am only telling the truth.” Lala said simply. “How can he be a wolf when he can’t even hunt. He doesn’t belong here.”

“You better watch your tongue, girl…” Raksha snarled at Lala, causing the bold wolf to wince. “And you, Mowgli, you must apologize to everyone for being late.”

“Uh… sorry.” The naked boy apologized.

“I will never accept it!” Lala stated. “And I will never accept you as a member of this pack!”

“Lala!” Alexander yelled at his daughter.

That night, Mowgli, the naked wolf-boy, vowed to himself that he would show everyone that he could be a hunter, and a very good one, and thus, is worthy of being a member of the pack.