Rayna's Jungle Adventure

*Chapter 16: Tragic News*

The group of friends were moved further away from the village and rest by the calming flowing river. They rest under the tree as Rayna sleeps on the bush while Tailsy rests on the tree branch. Baloo was eating grapes while Bagheera returned from his talk with Chil who arrived to tell him the bad news about Rama. Bagheera was shocked by it. Shere Khan killed him. Chil had spread word about Rama's death in the whole jungle. But Rayna didn't know about it just yet. It won't be easy to tell her.

"Baloo." Bagheera quietly called. "Come. I need to have a word with you." The bear got up and walked over to his friend. "Chil had just told me the terrible news."

"What happened now?" Baloo asked.

"Baloo, has Rayna told you about Shere Khan?" Bagheera asked. Baloo's eyes widen.

"The tiger? What about him?" He asked.

"Baloo, did you not notice Rayna's scar? Shere Khan was the one who caused it. He will stop at nothing until he has this girl. He's been trying to kill her for years. And he tried to kill her yesterday." Bagheera told the concerned bear. "Now that Rama is gone, Shere Khan will kill anyone who tries to protect Rayna." Baloo frowned as he looked back at Rayna who is fast asleep. "If there is a chance that Rayna goes to the man village, Shere Khan will still go after her."

"Rayna doesn't belong to the village anyhow." Baloo said. "She's safe with us."

"But there is a chance that Shere Khan will find her." Bagheera told him. "Not only Rayna is in danger, but the whole jungle is also. Shere Khan claims he rules this jungle."

"That tiger is all talk!" Baloo said with a look. "He doesn't scare me." Bagheera sighed. "But what are we gonna do with Rayna?"

"First she must learn about her father." Bagheera said with a frown. "She has every right to know what happened. It'll break her heart, but it must be done. We'll tell her by morning. Right now, we must rest. We all had a long day. Especially her. She had seen quite a lot today."

Rayna was running through the grassland, hearing menacing roars behind her. Her friends were telling her to run and never turn back. Rayna looked back and see Shere Khan leap towards her and pinned her down. Rayna gasps and looked up at the bloodthirsty tiger. His large paw is pressing down her chest. His claws came out.

"Get off me!" Rayna grunted, her hands around his arm.

"You've been running for too long, girl-cub. There is no escape from me. This jungle belongs to me, and I am the rightful ruler. I do not allow humans to come here." Shere Khan spoke. He pricked his claws into her skin, making Rayna wince a little. "Good-bye, girl-cub. It has been quite the hunt." He raised his paw, his long claws extending. Rayna's eyes widen. This is it. Shere Khan swiped his paw down to Rayna's face...

Rayna woke up with a gasp. Her hand is over her chest, her heart was pounding. Her friends are sound asleep. Rayna tried to calm herself from the nightmare. It felt so real. Rayna walked over to the river and took a drink of water. The sun wasn't up yet. Rayna was about to go back to sleep until she hears sounds of elephants. They sound distant. Are those the same elephants from yesterday morning? Rayna looked at her sleeping friends and got up from her spot to see what was happening out there.
She walked through the jungle and see the opening field with elephants surrounding a pit. Colonel Hathi and the herd were reaching down the pit with their trunks.

"Get me out of here!" Junior shouted, trying to reach his father's trunk.

"We'll get you out, son! Just stay calm!" Winifred said, trying not to panic. "Hathi, we need to think of something to get our son out."

"Winifred, we're doing all we can here! Reach a little more, son!" Hathi said, trying to get lower to his son. Rayna walked over to the pit and see Junior there. He must've fallen while they were about to do their dawn patrol. Hathi noticed Rayna and sputtered. "You again?! I told you I don't want humans in my jungle!" He barked.