The Jungle Book: Amnesia (The Jungle Book 2016 Fanfiction)

Chapter 21: Repaying A Favor

A little while after Shin left and it was now getting late. Bagheera lays in a tree licking his hurt paw. Baloo and Mowgli come over to the tree to see how Bagheera is doing.

Baloo: "Hey, Bagheera? How's it going up there?"

Bagheera: "Could be better, if my paw wasn't hurting."

Mowgli: "Are you gonna be okay?"

Bagheera: "I'll be fine, Mowgli. I just need to stay off it for a while and be more careful when I move around."

Baloo: "Is there anything we can do?"

Bagheera: "Not at the moment. I think I just want to be alone right if you don't mind."

Mowgli: "Feel better, Bagheera."

And with they said, both Mowgli and Baloo leave Bagheera for himself. The panther looked up at the sky watching the sunset. He tried to clear his mind from all that had happened today. He then hears something moving through the trees and looks in the direction of the sound. He thought maybe it could have been Baloo or maybe Mowgli checking on him.

Bagheera: "I told you guys, I want to be alone right now."

Amelia appears from the bushes.

Amelia: "I'm sorry, I just wanted to see how you were doing."

Bagheera: "No, it's fine. I thought you were either Baloo or Mowgli. They were just here."

Amelia: "Oh, well no. It's just me. So, uh, how's your paw?"

Bagheera: "It's very sore. It might be strained, but as long as I'm careful, I should be fine. How's your paw?"

Amelia: "Still hurts a bit, but it's not as bad as yours. I even licked it all by myself this time."

Bagheera: "That's nice."

There was then a moment of silence before Amelia decided to speak again.

Amelia: "So, today's been crazy and very unexpected, hasn't it? I just can't believe Shin would do what he did, it's so-

Bagheera: "I don't wanna hear it. I just want to try and forget about what happened today. I don't want to hear about Shin, or his name ever again."

Amelia: "Right, I understand. If you don't want to hear about it, I can respect that. I'm glad you're not dead."

Bagheera: "Thank you, I appreciate that very much."

Amelia: "Yeah..."

The next morning, Mowgli, Baloo, and Amelia were hanging around the river. Baloo was in the river, while Mowgli was laying in a tree right above Amelia. The panthress stayed on the surface looking at her reflection in the water.

Amelia: (sighs) "I feel so bad for Bagheera, he can't even walk around as much."

Baloo: "Yeah, no thanks to Shin. I mean, what was he thinking? And the fact that he lied about it, is just...ugh!"

Amelia: "I can't stop thinking about what he said about Bagheera treating me like a child. Is that true? Am I a child?"

Baloo: "Don't listen to him, Amelia. It's obvious he's trying to blame you for his wrongdoing. You shouldn't believe anything he says."

Mowgli: "Yeah, besides, Bagheera was only helping you survive in the jungle. It's not like he's babying you."

Amelia: "Yeah, maybe you're right."

Baloo: "Another thing, how's Ivy holding up? I mean, she did fly off with you. Did she say anything about the matter?"

Amelia: "Well, at first, she got a little angry with me for running off like that. She kept telling me how it wasn't right to just abandon Shin like that. That he's my friend. But I didn't see him like that anymore. Maybe I would have if I still had my memories with me, but...I just can't see him as my friend after what he tried to do to Bagheera. After that, she stopped talking to me and I haven't heard from her for the rest of the day. I can't help, but feel bad about it."

Mowgli: "Don't feel bad, Amelia. I'm sure Ivy will talk to you again."

Baloo: "Yeah, as I said, what happened wasn't your fault. You shouldn't blame yourself."

Amelia: "You're right."

All of a sudden, something falls down to the river. Amelia looks at it and sees what looks like a bowl tied to a piece of a vein. It went into the water then made its way back up from where it came from. Amelia looks up to Mowgli now sitting on the branch pulling to bowl up to him. Once it had reached him, he drinks from it. Amelia was amazed by this trick she never knew the man-cub could do.

Amelia: "What was that?"

Mowgli: "What was what?"

Amelia: "That. You know, that thing you're drinking. What is that?"

Mowgli: "Oh, well, I don't know. But it's a trick I use to get water without having to move from my spot."

Amelia: "Woah, that's a neat trick."

Mowgli: "Yeah. Too bad the wolves don't think so. It's more of a man's trick, so I try not to do my tricks around them. Unless using them to help others."

Baloo: "Yeah, you can never go wrong with those tricks. He also used those types of tricks to stop Shere Kahn."

Amelia: "Who's Shere Kahn?"

Baloo looks over at Amelia realizing they never told her about Shere Kahn.

Baloo: "Oh, that's right. We never told you about him. Well, he's old news now. You don't need to worry about it."

Amelia: "Okay."

There was a moment of silence before Amelia got an idea and decided to speak.

Amelia: "Hey, Mowgli."

Mowgli: "Yeah?"

Amelia: "Mind showing me how to do that trick? I have a feeling I might need it for something very important."

Meanwhile, Bagheera was still laying on that tree. He was getting thirsty and needed water, but he couldn't walk with his hurt paw. Amelia arrived back to him holding something in her mouth. Bagheera got curious.

Bagheera: "What's that?"

Amelia climbs up the tree and rests the thing down in front of Bagheera.

Amelia: "It's water. In case you get thirsty. It's one of Mowgli's tricks, I asked him to show it to me, so I can use it to help you."

Bagheera: "You should know, I'm not too fond of these man-made tricks. And you don't have to do things for me, I can do them on my own."

Amelia: "Well, you didn't have to show me around the jungle, train me, or clean off my wound. But you did it anyway. So, I thought it would be good to repay all the good deeds you've done for me even though you didn't have to."

Bagheera: "But I wanted to."

Amelia: "So do I."

Bagheera: (sighs) Thank you, Amelia. That's very sweet of you."

Amelia: "Anything for a friend. Drink up."

Amelia climbs down the tree leaving Bagheera to himself once again. Bagheera then starts to drink the water Amelia was nice enough to give to him. Amelia walked through the jungle to later have Shin appear in front of her.

Amelia: "Shin! What are you doing here?! You're not supposed to be around me!"

Shin: "I'm lonely without you. I care about you, Amelia. I don't intend on leaving the jungle without you."

Amelia: "Well, I intend on living in the jungle without you. Now, get out of my sight."

Shin: "You don't belong in this jungle. You won't survive here. You belong with me, your one and only friend."

Amelia: "I do not belong with you. I don't want anything to do with you. If you won't leave me alone, I'll tell Raksha and she'll deal with you. Now, get out of my way."

Amelia walks past Shin hoping that would be the last she sees of him. Shin watches her in anger as she walked by.

Shin: (To himself) "You're not gonna get rid of me that easily."