Last Destination [bagheera𝑥reader]

9, evesdropper

Hatari arrived back at the den a while ago. She basked out in the sun, her eyes shut in contentment. Only a few wolves still lingered around the den- most out roaming the territory. Paw steps behind her alerted Hatari to an approaching presence. She felt them settle besides her, before she shifted upright and opened her eyes.

It was Raksha, she noted. She was familiar with the mother wolf, but they'd never conversed much. The two exchanged a greeting, followed by general conversation.

"I'm glad that Kuta is socialising around his own kind, you know?" Hatari replied to the wolf, glancing over the land set out ahead. They perched at the edge of the rock, overhanging above the the small pond. the sun had begun it's descent, the remnants of the day's light fading to floral colours, spread out in soft hues.

Raksha nodded. "He seems to have taken a liking to Mowgli," she mused. she received a comical hum of acknowledgment from the feline. "Bagheera seems fond of him, too."

Hatari squinted at the thought of him. "Bagheera's very," she paused, trying to rake her brain for a fitting word to describe bagheera. "Impassive," she concluded with a nod. She found the feline difficult to read. He didn't express his opinion too often, nor his emotions.

"That's Bagheera," Raksha shrugged. "The both of you seem to be getting along fairly well, though. No?" The light-coated wolf gave Hatari a grin, one that appeared somewhat teasing.

The panther scrunched her muzzle, turning her attention towards Raksha again. "In what regards?" She had an idea what the wolf was hinting at, and immediately regretted allowing the question to slip from her jaws. "I consider myself fairly pleasurable company. I get along with many," she trailed off, correcting herself in hopes that the wolf wouldn't continue with the topic of Bagheera. she folded her front mitts towards her chest, gaze turning forwards.

Kuta and Mowgli sauntered lethargically towards the open expanse of the packs densite. Bagheera wandered behind them, a chunk of carcass in his jaws. Kuta and Mowgli bounded towards the other cubs that situated themselves just outside of Raksha's den, loud conversation erupting between them.

The panther placed down the small meal, speaking a few short words to the cubs. His jaws parted in a yawn as he turned towards his regular spot in the old tree. His rounded audits picked up muffled conversation, two voices to the side of him becoming clear. Bagheera didn't glance at them, merely continuing past.

"You get along with many male panthers?" Raksha chortled, leaning towards a wincing Hatari.

"I never said such!" He heard Hatari exclaim in a tone of surprise. Bagheera didn't allow his eyes to drift to them, rather slowing his pace with some intention of eavesdropping. He didn't consider himself particularly nosy but, for a reason he couldn't place, he found himself very intrigued about their discussion.

"He's even good with young," Raksha teased, a quieter tone this time- much to Hatari's relief. Despite his efforts to remain unseen, Bagheera couldn't refrain from emitting a chuff- He supposed he wasn't close enough with Raksha to hear her speaking in such a way- not to mention the awkward topic to overhear. He quickly turned his attention to the ground, flustered, and continued walking at his prior pace.

Hatari didn't respond to Raksha, her ears angling backwards at the noise. She could already guess who it was, but her head spun around to look at him nonetheless. While Raksha cast Bagheera a grin, a smug one at that, Hatari snapped her gaze to her paws in embarrassment. Of course he had to overhear that part, she thought.

Bagheera meekly dipped his head to Raksha, speaking, "don't mind me." He didn't linger any longer, picking up a brisk trot towards his intended destination- which wasn't far. By his reaction, Hatari found it was notable that he must have heard more of their conversation to know they were talking about him specifically.

"Maybe I should leave after all," Hatari murmured, inaudibly to anyone but the wolf besides her- who just stifled a laugh in response. "Let's discuss something other than Bagheera?" the feline sighed.

Raksha hummed comically. "Other than Bagheera, then. how are you settling in? It must be different and something to adjust to for sure."

Hatari nodded. Raksha was expressive and considerate, which Hatari liked about her. She was someone pleasant to talk to, and someone she felt she could put her trust in.

"It is different, that's a definite. But not a bad different. It's just busy, which i've never been used to." It was rarely still around the densite, either the cubs frolicking around or the pack members wandering out and returning from their numerous trips elsewhere. It was certainly different to what she was used to. If she were honest, Hatari didn't consider herself very sociable. The company wasn't all bad, but if it weren't for Kuta she'd opt to wander alone.

Before Raksha could emit any response, the chattering and padding paws of the pack members returning caught their attention.

"I should greet them," Raksha smiled at Hatari, rising to a stand.

Hatari returned the friendly gesture, along with a nod. Jaws parting in a yawn, strayed towards the edge of the jungle, toward the tree she usually took
to sleeping in. She leapt up onto a branch, climbing to a few higher from the ground. Bagheera watched her from where he laid, the other side of the trunk in the same tree.

Hatari motioned her head to greet him, his eyes merely watching her attentively. Only after holding his gaze for a few moments longer did she recall the prior, slightly uncomfortable, conversation he'd happened to overhear. she dragged her gaze forward again, her expression shrinking in dismay at her misfortune.

"About what you.. overheard," she started, only briefly meeting his placid, vexingly unemotive gaze. "I don't know what to say, actually. I don't doubt you heard it correctly," she sighed quietly, after a while of silence between them. she wasn't dim-witted, hatari knew he'd heard it word for word, and attempting to defend herself would only wound her self esteem more.

Bagheera gave a short chuckle. "Do you?" he asked. Hatari glanced back at him questioningly.

"Do i what?" she replied, a faint crease between her brows.

"Get along with many male panthers?" He asked, unfalteringly.

hatari picked up some sense of humour beneath his tone, though his expression didn't say the same. she opened her maw to reply, glancing over his face. Briefly, she truly thought he was serious. "No."

Bagheera was entirely serious when he asked her. It was much to his dismay, that it was a hint of jealously that had pushed him to ask. a silence grew between them. hatari placed her head on her folded forepaws, her eyes lifting to Bagheera as she muttered a short, "get some sleep."

a/n
can't lie next chapter will probably be in a year if i still don't have any ideas
i might just follow the film but is that kinda boring
this is obviously not edited so don't mind the shit grammar bbgs