Rayna's Jungle Adventure

*Chapter 13: Shivani the Wise/Shere Khan's Wrath*

"Um, are you sure you know where you're going?" Tailsy asked, looking around the unfamiliar part of the jungle. The trees are taller, and the vines are thicker. It is very quiet and dark since the sun was blocked by the trees. "This place is giving me the creeps."

"We're almost there, young chap." Bagheera told him. "The swamp is close."

"I don't like this, Baggy." Baloo spoke as he is close behind the panther. "You really think she could help us?"

"We have no other choice, Baloo." Bagheera said. "The monkeys fear her. Now come on." He continues to follow the path to get to the serpent's lair. Baloo moved his eyes over to the side to see some flaky snakeskin. He shivered and walked faster.
They then arrived at the dark swamp and there is a big tree with an opening. This is the place of Shivani's lair. Bagheera gathered his courage and slowly approach to the entrance.

"Shivani." He called. "It is I, Bagheera." Sounds of hissing could be heard from inside the lair. Tailsy gulped and duck low on the panther's back. Coming out of the shadows is a green python. She has white marks on her coils, and gold eyes. Bagheera backed away to give her space to come out of her home. Baloo watched from behind the bushes. Shivani is the same size as Kaa, but her body is longer. Her coils move behind her as they wrap around the rocks and trees.

"Bagheera." Shivani hissed. "My, my. I haven't sssseen you in sssso long. You're looking well." Bagheera cleared his throat and sat down, letting Tailsy slide down.

"Yes. And you grew longer than I remember." He said. Shivani flicks her tongue. She could smell their fear. Bagheera tried to hide it from her though he knew that Shivani has a good sense of smell with her tongue.

"What bringsss you here to my home?" Shivani asked. "It isss more than jussst a vissit. You look troubled."

"We need your help, Shivani." Bagheera spoke. "Have you heard of the girl-cub named Rayna?"

"Rayna the girl-cub. Yessss." Shivani said. "The adopted member of the wolf pack. I am very aware of the human. Hassss sssomething happened to her?"

"She was taken by the monkeys." Baloo spoke. "I don't know what Louie wants from the kid." Shivani made a sneer.

"That Louie isss no king. He isss nothing but all talk." She spoke. "And you are here for my aid. What do I get in return?" She slithers around them. "Sssurely you have a pricccce prepared." Tailsy cowers down in fright.

"How about a monkey buffet?" Bagheera suggested. "Those monkeys will be your meal. They fear you the most."

"Everyone fearssss me, Bagheera!" Shivani hissed at his face. "Even Shere Khan. He never wanted to admit it." Her coils move around her territory. Tailsy noticed something on one part of her coils. There is a scratch mark. They look like Rayna's, but older. Did Shere Khan give her a scar years ago? "Questionsss about my scarssss, young one?" Shivani asked, getting into the young squirrel's face. Tailsy gasped and got behind Bagheera's legs.

"Shivani, please focus. We really need your help on this. Rayna means a world to the wolf pack and to us." Bagheera said. "You are the wisest creature in the jungle."

"And you should've heard what those monkeys say about you." Baloo said. "They called you a...a worm." Shivani slowly turned her head towards him.

"What was that?"

"They called you a worm. An overgrown worm!" Baloo said. Bagheera and Tailsy gave him a nervous glance, then back at Shivani who hissed in anger. She crushed a nearby dead tree with her coils. Bagheera's eyes widen in shock. Shivani hates being called a worm.

"A worm?!" She hissed. "Ohh, thossse monkeys will pay for calling me that behind my back!"

"So...you will help us?" Tailsy asked.