The Gang of Five
Role Play => Random Role Play => Topic started by: brekclub85 on May 16, 2009, 11:36:24 PM
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(OOC: I know all the roles aren't taken, but if you want to join, post here or in the discussion topic.)
The sun was rising in the jungle, most of the sleeping animals were awaking. In some old ruins that had been dubbed "The Cubhouse" by the 6 friends who played their often, those aforementioned cubs had woken up.
Bagheera, the little black panther and possibly the smartest one of the group had woken up. "What a night," he said with a yawn, "After that near drought, it's great to go I can rest without worry."
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As another feline cub awoke, a scoff was heard as a response to Bagheera's statement. "Really Bagheera" Shere Khan said, finishing a stretch and fully standing up on the top beam of one of the "clubhouse's" ruined pillars, and then shaking his head, "the way you worry, especially since the danger's past, it's almost as bad as the snake. You're a cat, show some dignity" .
Shere Khan leapt down from the pillar as he continued, "Even if the drought had stretched on, we ca'ts always find ways of surviving, like...chasing some other unfortunates from a small watering hole found or what not" the young tiger smirked as he cleaned one of his paws. Truth be told, Shere Khan himself would probably not have had the bravery to do such a thing if the animal were anything but a kid their age easily pushed around; but in idea, it sounded good to say.
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Meanwhile an adolescent panther, Basdev, continued on through this new jungle that looked to be just coming back from a drought; but importantly, back to producing green good for prey and watering holes.
He could even see one just up ahead. Basdev smiled. Just then a commotion was heard behind him and a black blur shot past him to rush headlong into the watering hole.
"Namita!" Basdev called, concerned for his kid sister drowning or something. He darted in and quickly grabbed her, fishing her out, and half swimming then walking back to the shore.
He sighed, "I swear, it's like you think you're part tiger sometimes" he said, referring to the only cats to really take the water. Namita giggled, "Sorry Basdev" she apologized to her brother, "it's just been so long since we saw a really good watering hole!" she went on excitedly.
Her brother smiled and nodded, "Yes I know". The land they had come from had died what would be a while ago now, and the others hadn't looked very promising until they came to this jungle. "But one would think you'd drink from the water first" he shook his head again.
Namita giggled again, walking over to do just that, "Yeah, you'd think". Basdev sighed, "Seriously Namita, you have to be more careful; I can't afford to go losing you" he said.
His sister sighed, "I know you promised dad you'd watch me, but you don't have to be this good at it". Basdev smiled. "That wasn't a compliment" Namita informed him.
She walked a bit farther until she could see a structure of some sort in the distance, "What d'ya think that is?" she asked her brother. "No telling, but we should focus on laying low until we know more about...".
Namita was rushing off before he could finish his sentence. Basdev sighed, "never mind" he quickly followed after his sister.
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"You may have a point Shere Khan," Bagheera replied, "But I'm not so sure you'd be acting the same way if I hadn't stored some water for us."
Before his little arguement continued, Bagheera began smelling something. "Speaking of us cats, is it just me or do you smell more nearby?"
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Bagheera noticed some of his other friends awaking.
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"That was a pleasant, night." Kaa said from where he was coiled around one of the top beam.
"Pleasant indeed, I wonder what fun things we'll find today, or will find us today." Baloo said waking up, from where he had been lounging & sleeping against part of the wall, using part of the wall to scratch his back a bit as he started to get up.
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"Morning guys," Bagheera said, then turned to Shere Khan again. "I swear...do you smell more panthers around?" he asked the young tiger.
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Kaa flicked is tongue out as he often did, moving his head around a bit. "It doesss sssmell like some may be other that way." He said using part of the end of his tail to point in the direction of where the scent seemed to be strongest.
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"I'm going to go check it out," Bagheera said, taking charge. "You guys stay here."
But knowing what Khan was likely to say and do, Bagheera added. "You can come too Khan."
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"Maybe it'll be some new friends who can join us." Baloo said.
"I hope it is that and not something dangerous." Kaa said.
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Bagheera and Khan set off out of the ruins.
"Who's there?" Bagheera called, seeing a little black panther in the distance.
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"I can come..." Shere Khan frowned, "Yeah, well, it's not like I need permission or anything". he dropped the topic in interest of his own curiosity of what or who was out there.
As she got closer, Namita paused as she saw two cats about her age, one a panther and the other a tiger, come out of the ruins. "Oh...uh hey" she smiled a bit, yet still looked unsure.
"Hey" Shere Khan's reply wasn't completely friendly and his eyes squinted suspiciously, "I don't recall seeing you about..." he stepped forward.
Namita took a step back, yet smiled hesitantly, "Uh no...you wouldn't have, we...just found this jungle...the last land we were in had a drought that killed everything and made the herds leave".
"We?" Khan asked.
"Namita!" Basdev made it into the clearing, and Shere Khan stepped back at the sight of the bigger, not adult but older than him, panther.
The adolescent sighed, "You can't run off like that in a strange jungle, suppose they're parents had..." yet Basdev next noticed the tiger and panther cub at least in the same spot and then his scents told him more.
"Oh wait...you have no parents about" he gave a small chuckle, "Well sorry for the intrusion anyway".
"Yeah, sorry, I'm Namita" Namita said, "and this is my older brother Basdev". She smelled even more animals beyond and probably inside the ruins, but couldn't see them yet.
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Meanwhile Rimjominey or RJ for short had just arrived in the jungle. RJ didn't know where he was going but any place would have been better then the old place he used to live. Ever since he had lost his parents he longed for something more. Just a friend he supposed would make RJ happy.
"Now, where am I"? He thought out loud looking around for a better sense of what was nearby and what he would need to encounter. Since it was only him and he didn't have a protector. He must remain ever vigilant.
He smelled other animals scents in the area but what he had to wonder was were these friendly animals? RJ had to prepare himself to fight if he needed too. RJ didn't want to but he had to be on his guard just in case the other animal that RJ met would.
He saw a small panther and a older panther and a big structure in the distance.
RJ raised a cautious eyebrow. "I wonder what that thing is. " RJ said thinking out loud.
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"I hope they don't meet with any trouble." Kaa said.
"Nah," Baloo said, relaxing and starting to eat some grapes. "Look who they are." Baloo said in his usual relaxed manner.
"Yes, if they get into any trouble Bagheera will save them both." Kaa said, laughing a bit at the idea.
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"Oh..hi," Bagheerea said to the 2 new panthers. "I'm Bagheera, and the tiger is Shere Khan. Is there a reason you came here?"
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Shere Khan just nodded as he was introduced, he still wasn't too happy with the 'intruders' but wasn't going to tell them that, plus he had a feeling Bagheera wouldn't mind more panthers about and would possible stick up for them, so it was a losing battle.
"Oh, well, as for why we've stayed around here and not just passed by" Namita answered, "it seemed like it came back from the drought you guys must have had better than some of the other places we've seen, and if you mean the ruins behind ya...well because it looks cool. Do you guys live here or something?" she asked.
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"No, it's just a little place we claimed for ourselves," Bagheera explained.
"Although you can stay there for a while if you want."
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"Yeah...since I'm not exactly gonna tell your brother he can't" Shere Khan said, looking over the the bigger panther. Basdev chuckled, "Don't worry, I'm not anxious to have your parents all mad at and chasing me either" he said.
The teen leapt up into a nearby branch, which let him see more of the ruins and also meant he could see what other animals were in the ruins, other kids.
"Oh I get it, it's like a clubhouse for you guys" Basdev smiled, "Cool, and when I was your age all me and my friends used was a hollow tree".
"How orginal" Shere Khan criticized and smirked, "Well...just don't go girly-ing up our hangout" he told Namita before strolling back inside. she laughed, "Ok, I'll try, thanks for letting us stay by the way" she told both him and Bagheera.
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"Don't mention it, always happy to help a fellow jungle cat," Bagheera smiled.
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(OOC: I'll guess I'll take over for Louie.)
"So boys, what do you want to do now? I'm sure Begheera will be busy with whatever it is he's doing, like that dumb learning stuff he likes." Louie said.
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"Why don't we just take it easy till they get back." Baloo said, getting comfortable again.
"if we do something it'll help to pass the time at least." Kaa said.
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"Well, I'm going to do some swinging," Louie announced, grabbing a vine.
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RJ perplexed a little bit walked closer. "Hmmm... I better keep my guard up just in case. These guys look friendly but I can't take any chances" RJ said to himself walking a little bit closer to the clubhouse.
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"Who are you?" Bagheera asked, noticing the other tiger cub appear.
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"Well, if we're gonna have visitors, I think we should get this place shaped up" Hathi said, picking up a big leaf and beginning to brush at the floors.
Namita smiled again, "Thanks" she told Bagheera agian, "So...do you think it be ok if I went in and met the others? Or...are you boys testy about girls in your clubhouse?" she smiled again.
"Oh no" Hathi came to where they were, "We're not testy one bit, come on in. Uh, you've met Shere Khan and Bagheera, well I'm Hathi, at your service" he saluted with his trunk, "and this is Kaa, Baloo and...Louid" he pointed out he others, as Louie swung off.
"Nice ta meet ya" Namita nodded. She then noticed another tiger cub walk up behind and turned, "Oh...hello there" she smiled, "are you new here too?".
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"Woo-hoo!" Louie was heard calling, swinging about, his talent in this activity was quite impressive.
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"That is ok," Kaa said to Louie, "as long as the vine you use is not me." He said.
"Hey." Baloo said waving casually at the newcomers, "Come on in. Nice to meet cha." HE said.
Kaa looked up at the new comers. "Salutations and greeings." He said to them waiving the end of his tail.
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"Oh yeah, sorry bout that Kaa," Louie called back.
"Yeah, this is our place," Bagheera said Basdev and Namita, "But feel free to make yourself at home."
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When RJ was noticed he slowly and cautiously walked a little bit closer to Bagheera just in case he wanted trouble. RJ didn't mean to be rude or anything just very shy and Cautious around other animals and strangers. "Hi, I'm Ronjominey I know that's a long name to remember so you can call me RJ. That's what everyone calls me. I'm new to this area. " RJ said looking around still a little bit curious about this new place.
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"We're all pleased to have new friends here. Come on in and relax for a while, and have some fun. " Baloo said.
"Yes, are you tired?" Kaa asked.
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Basdev smiled and nodded to RJ "Well it looks like besides my sister and myself, others are being drawn to this lush jungle, not really a surprise".
"Nice to meet you RJ, I'm Namita and that's my brother Basdev" she indicated. She turned as Baloo invited them in and walked in.
"Wow" she said looking around, "This is a neat place to have all to yourselves".
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"Yeah, no one else comes hear often, cept for Haithi's girlfriend Winifred," Louie laughed.
"And the other tiger is Shere Khan," Baghheera said, introducing Khan to RJ.
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Louie landed in the cubhouse. "I'm Louie," he introduced to the new cubs.
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"Lots of new friends here now. Great." Baloo said. He made a motion with his hand lazily. "Come on in and relax, have fun."
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"Re-lax" Namita laughed, drawing the word out for the making of a point, "Wow, I gotta admit, I'm not familiar with getting to do that alot" she said. "Sounds like a good idea though".
She nodded to Louie as he introduced himself too.
"Yeah well if you'll let him, Baloo there would never move!" Shere Khan scoffed.
"But he's a very helpful friend when he's needed" Hathi came to Baloo's defense a bit.
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"why move if you don't need to. Best to only move when one needs to." Baloo said in his usual relaxed manner.
"I can see some positive qualities to that." Kaa said.
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Bagheera put his paw to his face in an embarrassed way.
"Yeah, I think the last time I saw you move Baloo was when those baboons were chasing you," the panther chuckled.
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"Yeah, and even with all his extra padding he moved quite fast" Khan smirked and poked Baloo almost teasingly, yet in his still borderline mean way.
"Oh, those baboons are trouble" Hathi frowned, shaking his trunk and stating the obvious.
On this topic, Namita frowned, "Say...on our way here we heard that this jungle has...well baboons that eat cubs, that's not true is it?" she looked around.
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"Yea, those baboons are baaaad news." Baloo said. "Just cause I'm relaxed & laid back doesn't mean I can't move quickly." He said smiling to Bagheera.
Kaa shuddered. "I remember those Baboons, bad indeed." He said.
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"Stay out of the Wastelands, especially near a place called Pinnacle Rock, that's there home," Bagheera advised. "But other than that, make yourself at home."
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"Especially Mara" Shere Khan said casually as he leapt up to some of the pillars of the clubhouse, "Her hide out of the Wasteland makes the Man-villiage look tame".
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"Of course, Khan scared them off that one time," Louie added, unintentionally feeding Shere Khan's Ego.
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"I remember that." Kaa said, frightened by the memory.
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"Eh, they're not around," Louie figured.
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"I"m sure they are stayin in the wasteland like usual. As long as we don't go there we'll be fine.' Baloo said.
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"So what do you boys (And one girl) wanna do today?" asked Louie.
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"Well I'm still new here, so whatever you guys decided I'll just tag long with, if that's ok" Namita said.
"We could always go down to the watering hole, provided our new friends swim" Hathi said, turning to RJ and Namita curiously. Namita at least nodded, "Yeah, I like the water".
"In proportions a bit weird for a panther too" Basdev commented, stretching on his limb. "Well I think I can trust you boys with my sister for a bit, so I'll just come by later to check up that nothing happened, since water isn't really my thing and plus I have to see about their being a caught hunt later on" he added.
"It's like pretends at being a grown-up" Namita commented to the others, "but he kinda has to since he's all there is to look after me".
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"Water sounds good, but I heard there's a treasure somewhere in this jungle from a mouse," Louie suddenly remembered.
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"The watering hole? that sounds cool." Baloo said.
"That can be fun indeed." Kaa said also.
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"I could use a drink," Bagheera said, then heard Louie's comment. "What did you just say Louie?"
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"What sort of treasure?" Kaa asked, interested.
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"I dunno, the rat just told me it's whatever we could want," Louie replied.
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"Wild, shall we go and take a look?" Baloo said, in a relaxed manner.
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"I guess, though the rat told me it was underground somewhere boys," the orangatang explained.
"I think I heard about this, I don't think it exists," said Bagheera.
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"Even if it doesn't, we'll stilll have some fun looking." Baloo said.
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"You guys can look but I don't think you'll come back successful," Bagheera advised.
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"We can always come back with snacks so we'll be at least partially successful." Baloo said.
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"I guess," Bagheera laughed. Speaking of snacks...he was a bit hungry so he was going to see if he could catch something small.
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Namita smiled, "Yeah, I don't want to squash you boys' enthusiasm, but it does just sound like some story someone made up. But then..." she laughed, "I think it's sort of bred into us panthers to be logical and all that so maybe you guys will turn out to be right after all" she shrugged.
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"Yeah, brawn is nothing without brain," Bagheera nodded.
"Let's go boys! I heard the treasure's in an underground cave somewhere!" Louie called.
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"Sure," Baloo said getting up, "After all even if we don't find anything, if we have fun doing it, then it is ok." Baloo said.
Kaa rubs his head with a part of his tail. "I guess that does sort of make sense, in a way." He said.
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"Well, see you around," Bagheera waved.
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"Hmm" Namita thought about the situation a bit, unable to decide if she wanted to follow and look for the treasure.
"I wouldn't go soiling that cat's reputation by tagging after them" Shere Khan said, also staying and leaping down from his perch.
"Well I decided not to" Namita said, "But I don't think it would have 'soiled' anything if I had gone" she said kindly yet boldly. Khan just scoffed.
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"See ya later Baggie, Khannie," Louie called in those nicknames the two feline cubs hated.
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"So who's going, and where shall we start?" Baloo asked looking around at those present.
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"Look for somewhere that can lead us underground," Louie remembered.
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"Anyone remember seeing anything like that?" Kaa asked looking around at the others.
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"I think I might've somewhere near the ruins, but I'm not sure," Louie said.
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"Lets all look, come one animals." Baloo said enthusiastic about the fun. He didn't mind if there was treasure or not, they'd have some fun together either way.
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As they others disappeared, and Shere Khan cringed at the nickname Louie shouted out, Namita laughed.
"Aw, I think they both sound cute" she tried to cheer them up.
"A girl would" is all Shere Khan said before leaping up on the pillar.
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"Well you are the one who heard of this treasure, Louie, so I think the expedition should be lead by you, being the most knowledgeable and all" Hathi said and he followed along.
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The group kept trekking though the jungle for a good half hour before taking a rest by a waterhole.
"Boy am I pooped," Louie said, lying down. "We can't even find an entrance to this stupid cave...WHOA!" he had been siting on a rock and fell off...right down a hole that led into the aforementioned caves!
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Baloo was getting a drink and looked over at the sound of Louie's WHOA.
Kaa slithered over quickly to the hole and peered into it. "Louie, are you there?" He asked with some concern in his voice.
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"Yeah....with a bump on my head too," Louie grunted.
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Baloo made his way over to the hole. "How far down is it? Do you want to come up?" he asked.
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Louie looked around. "Boys...I think I've found the cave we've been looking for."
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"Do you see a better way down or do we just all jump down?" Baloo said.
"jump down?" Kaa asked, looking at his own body. "I can't jump even if I wanted to." He said.
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"Looks like jumping down is the only option boys," called Louie.
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"Well..." Hathi inspected the hole, "it looks big enough for even me to fit through so...Kaa you can get on my back and come down with me if you need the extra hand or trunk or whatever" the calf offered.
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"So come on," Louie encouraged.
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"Ok." Kaa said, ready to go down with Hathi. "Sounds like a plan." He said.
"Who wants to go down next since Louie went first" Baloo asked.
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"Whoever wants to go first can," said Louie.
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"I guess we'll have to at some point, right Kaa" Hathi said, "Alright then, we're just gonna buckle down and take it like good soldiers". With Kaa on his back, Hathi got in the entrance of the hole and then with a good count slid down to the bottom.
He shut his eyes but they landed unhurt. "Well...that wasn't so bad, right Kaa?" he turned back to look at the snake.
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"Yeah Kaa, you don't have to be so nervous all the time," laughed Louie.
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"Someone should be." Kaa said. Glad just the same that they had made it down. "It looks ok here." he said looking around.
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"Yep, the area looks secured and properly reconned" Hathi said, walking about in a circle of where the others were just to be sure.
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"So let's go," Louie leaded.
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"So you think they'll come back with anything?" Bagheera asked Shere Khan, Namita, Basdev, and RJ.
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"Ok, here goes." Baloo said as he then jumped down the hole.
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"You might want to watch where you land Baloo," Louie giggled, noticing the bear had landed on a certain snake.
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"That Orangutan friend of yours seems so eager, I'm starting to think he'll come back with something he says is treasure eitherway" Namita smiled.
Basdev returned, with a few rabbits since he knew the cubs herbavore friends would be back in short order and didn't want to freak them out. "Well now gaining a hunt in this jungle and not sharing with the denizens we know who are kind enough to let me would be wrong" he said to Bageera and Khan with a smile. Yet then smiled to show he included RJ in the offer as well.
"Yeah, well..." Khan tried to push aside being impressed by the teen's skills, "I just hope you check with my mom, for your sake, she doesn't like intrusions".
Basdev cocked an eyebrow, "You're mom in charge of the jungle or something?".
"Yeah, she sort of is" Shere Khan said, "and then it's going to go to me" he bragged.
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"I haven't seen your mom in a while Khan," Bagheera commented, "How has she been?"
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Baloo looked down and picked up the stunned Kaa, "Sorry about that Kaa. I didn't see you there." He said.
"uhh." Kaa said, a bit to stunned to say much at the moment.
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"Fine, same as always" Shere Khan replied casually.
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"Aw you'll be alright there Kaa" Hathi said, "just need a few slither laps around the perimeter probably...uh, but we are where we need to be right?" he next asked Louie, "This is the way to the treasure?".
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"From what the rat told me, yes," Louie said.
After a short distance of walking, the group came along what looked like a waterslide!
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Baloo lay can on his neck very loosely, so he could recover as they walked along.
"Hmm, this looks like it may be fun, but is it safe?" Baloo asked looking at the waterslide.
"Being underground leading to possible treasure, it may be a trap." Kaa said, mostly recovered by the time they go to the place where they stopped. Baloo put Kaa on the ground as they looked around.
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"Let's go!" Louie laughed, jumping onto the slide.
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"Yea, lets try it." Baloo said, as he jumped and twisted so he landed on his back on the slide and slide down.
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"Wa-hoo!" Louie cheered.
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"I just hope the others don't get hurt," Bagheera said, practicing his pounce.
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Kaa shook his head, "I just know I'm going to regret this." He said before he slithered onto the slide to slide down to where the others were.
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"Alright, just a standard tuck and roll" Hathi told himself as his turn on the slide came, "Ya just gotta sort of roll down and..." he slipped halfway through his pep talk and rolled, though not as practiced as he wanted, down to the bottom.
He found that Kaa was lucky in that he almost landed on the snake but didn't.
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Basdev watched the panther cub pounce, "If I'm not insulting you by giving advice...a bit to the right might help next time" he gave a bit of pouncing advice with a smile.
"Well, how well do they shy away from trouble?" Namita asked in response to Bagheera's concern, "I mean, do they charge headlong into it or avoid it?".
"More like charging" Shere Khan muttered for his own answer.
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"Well, they can't really fight," Bagheera admitted, But they always come up with a way to get out of the trouble they are in."
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"I can see the bottom!" Louie called to his friends.
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Kaa is startled and quickly moves from where Haiti landed. "Are you ok?" He asks looking back to where he landed.
"You can, great. What does it look like?" Baloo asked looking over at Louie.
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"I can see something shiny ahead," the orangatang noticed.
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"Well, sounds like they've got it figured out then" Namita smiled. Shere Khan scoffed, "One things for sure, if they do come back with treasure we'll never hear the end of it" he said.
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"Never better" Hathi said, despite the flinch as he stood. "After all a soldier's gotta be prepared for anything right?". He turned at Louie's call and walked over, "What, what is it?" he asked, peering out at the shiny object himself.
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"Let's go for a closer look." Baloo said looking at the object.
"What if the area isss ssstructurally unssound?" Kaa said as he looked at the shiny object trying to see it better.
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"Eh, don't worry about it," Louie said, leading the way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I wonder what they think the treasure is anyways," said Bagheera.
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"Yeah, everything about looks structurally sound to me" Hathi said.
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"Yeah, from what I've seen, most 'treasure' is stuff men left behind and they have an odd sense of what's valuable" Namita agreed. "Like one time...well don't ask what I was doing so close to a group of them, and Basdev gave me a lecture about it anyway" she sent her brother a smile, "but I saw a group of them and...".
"Woah, woah" Shere Khan interrupted, "you got close to a group of men?".
"Well...more like they startled me and I didn't run. They were odd too, not like the hunters I sometimes see, their skin was real light, and the fur on their heads too and they had lots of stuff on them that was shiny, including stuff in boxes that they had elephants carrying for them though I don't know how they convinced them to do that. I think that's what treasure is, though this was back in our old jungle so I don't think that's what Louie and them are looking for now".
"Hmm, you got more bravery than I first imagined to let men get that close to you" Shere Khan commented.
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Sure enough, when the group did arrive at the sight of the shining things, the results were disappointing.
"This is a just a dumb human treasure," Louie grunted.
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"I haven't heard of humans like that," Bagheera said.
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"oh well. We had some fun exploring and spending time together so it wasn't all bad." Baloo shrugged as he said in his usual relaxed easygoing manner.
"Yea, at least nothing bad happened. Apart from someone falling on me." Kaa said.
"Sorry about that. Didn't see you there when I jumped." Baloo said as he looked to where Kaa was.
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However...something bad WAS about to happen.
"Who goes tere?" an ominous and mysterious voice called.
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Kaa quickly got around Baloo, "Wwwhat isss tththat?" He said in a scared voice, peeking out from some coils.
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"I think I might know..." Louie gulped, "It's the giant cobra that guards this place."
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"mmmaybe thisss iss good time to flee?" Kaa asked.
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"But I don't know where to flee to!" Louie panicked.
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Hathi was just as scared and worried as the others, but he tried to put on a brave face and moved around to stand infront of the others, "N-now listen here Mister...cobra...sir, we, we don't want any trouble, we just heard there was a treasure here was all, but...well if it's yours we don't even want it, so...we'll just be on our way" Hathi motioned to the others to make for the exit slowly.
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"Oh yeah, they were really neat" Namita said, "like I said their fur on their heads wasn't just black like the humans you normally see, there was some black, so browns and even yellows, and they walked all...proud, like I would imagine a tiger would walk if he were on two legs like they are".
"Come again?" Khan asked.
"Yeah, they stood all tall as they walked through with the elephants that were with them as I said, I don't know what they were doing, but it was neat to watch 'em go by".
"and you said after this your jungle died?" Shere Khan asked, leaping down.
"Well...no...that happened a while after, so I don't think they did it or anything, it was the drought".
"Well I wouldn't be surprised if they did do it" Khan muttered, "humans are like that you know".
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Baloo nodded. "It's not ours, we can't eat it, and it does look mighty uncomfortable to lay on and what use are hard shiny things anyway. We just had fun coming here." Baloo said in the direction where the voice seemed to come from.
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"Yeah, we'll just be going now if you don't mind..." Louie said, looking for an exit.
"So you're not after the treasure?" the giant cobra asked.
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"I agree with Shere Khan, I don't trust humans," Bagheera said.
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Baloo waved dismissively with his hand, "Nah, what would any of us do with this stuff anyway." He said.
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The cobra seemed to calm down. "Then I will escort you 4 back to the surface," he said.
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"You will, oh thankyou sir" Hathi said, trusting a cobra rather quickly all in all.
~~~~
"and I agree with them Namita, you should have darted off, as I told you when you told me about it that day" Basdev added, "Humans are bad news".
Namita sighed, "But, we only see them when they're hunting mostly, how do we know that the rest of the time they aren't just like us hanging out and...".
"We don't have that...flower of theirs" Shere Khan broke in, "my mom's told me all about what it does to a jungle".
-
"Yeah, don't remind us," Bagheera shivered. Just then.....
~~~~~~~~
....the cobra used his massive head to bust a hole in the ceiling, revealing they were right under the Cubhouse!
-
"Woah!" Namita jumped back as the cobra popped up. "Where'd that come from?!".
"I don't know" Khan frowned, "but it's going away...". He snarled and leapt at the cobra, missing and looking more angry for it, crouching and preparing to strike again.
-
The cobra turned towards the cub in the underground cave. "You can climb up me," he said.
-
"Thanks, that is very nice of you." Baloo said.
"Indeed, of indisputable politeness." Kaa said, "and I offer my thanks as well."
-
"Don't mention it," replied the cobra.
~~~
"Good to be back on the surface where I can swing on vines," Louie smiled.
-
Kaa slithered up the large cobra. "Ah, to see the sun and sky again, what beauty." He said with Baloo climbing up behind him.
"yea, it does look pretty nice up here." Baloo said. "I've not noticed it before."
-
"So where were you guys?!" Bagheera asked amazed.
-
"Having a fun adventure." Baloo said smiling and enjoying the adventure he and his friends had shared.
"Including being on a slide." Kaa said.
-
"Then I guess I'll come next adventure," Bagheera said.
Louie remembered something. "Hey Haithi, didn't the other elephants ask you to deliver food or something?"
-
"That would take a lot of food, if any of them are adults." Baloo mentioned as he looked at Haithi.
-
Hathi tried to think, "Well...yes, my turn of delivering food would be coming up" he admitted, "why, would you guys want to...help with that?" he tried to guess where Louie was going with this.
-
"Sure...if I can get some of the bannanas," he chuckled.
Bagheera put his paw to his face. "Typical Louie," he said.
-
"Sounds like it could be interesting. & if we all help you'll get done faster and get to do things you would rather do sooner." Baloo said nodding.
-
"I'll gladly be of assistance," Bagheera said. He looked at Khan and the others. "What about you guys?"
-
"Well you can count me in" Namita said with a smile. Shere Khan scoffed a bit with a sigh, "Well helping elephants isn't exactly what I'd call fun..." he said, "but...yeah, I'll...help...too" he admitted with some difficulty and a shrug.
"What about you Basdev?" Namita turned to her brother. He laughed, "Aw, well you know I'd help but...well it's helpful and cut when cubs do it, I doubt Hathi's herd will let me near them really without some suspicion on the matter".
-
"That wouldn't surprise me," Louie said. "Haithi's herd are those paranoid military types."
-
"They could be worst though I suppose." Kaa said.
-
"So, let's get moving," Bagheera said to his friends.
-
"Yeah, let's go" Namita smiled helpfully back at Hathi. Shere Khan somewhat hesitantly,yet with that air of pride always about him, strolled after the others.
"A-alright" Hathi said, "I'll, um, go first and explain to the herd when we get there".
(ooc: I saw the episode with Winfred's herd once but haven't seen Hathi's...so I guess I'm just making this up? :))
As they got closer, some of the herd members turned, a few with smiles as they saw Hathi, that faded a bit as they saw his friends.
"Uh...hi" Hathi began, "they, uh, are here to help" he grinned widely innocently.
"What's going on over here" Hathi even from here heard the herd leader's voice as he trodded over and he couldn't help gulping a bit as he prepared to meet and explain to him.
-
"I take it they aren't fond of animals who aren't elephants," Bagheera said.
-
"ah, they just need to relax a bit is all. I bet they've not been resting recently and are a bit to uptight from that." Baloo said.
-
"I agree with you Baloo," Louie laughed, "Bagheera, your herd needs to chill like ice."
-
"Well son?" the herd leader said, addressing Hathi. He wasn't Hathi's father, son was just a random title.
Hathi knew they were here on official business but still squirmed, "They, uh...want to help me...gather the food" he said. as the Cornel frowned, Hathi went on, "For...for fun Sir, I mean to help out and be good members of the Jungle, Sir" he saluted.
"Hmm" the Cornel turned to look at the bear, snake, orangutan and group of cats. "Well, nice to see some other members of this Jungle stepping up with discipline, yes carry on!" one waved his trunk.
Hathi grinned to the others, "We're good" he said, "Ok, let's go...gather stuff" he turned and looked about for the best place to start.
-
Bagheera and Louie went to gather bananas. "Don't be taking some for yourself," Bagheera said to Louie.
"Don't worry Baggy," Louie replied, his fingers crossed behind his back.
-
"Let's get started." Baloo said.
"Where shall we start first?" Kaa asked looking at the others present for some suggestions and ideas.
-
"We should head for the tress," Louie said.
-
"What do you elephants eat, leaves?" Namita tried to guess. "Well sort of, but the fruit will do good too" Hathi said, scanning the trees for the kinds of leaves he knew his herd liked.
Namita followed and took notes off what the calf got to pick the right kinds of leaves. Shere Khan sighed, "Following an elephant..." he muttered, "I can see I'll have to work on both of you if she sticks around much longer, Bagheera" the tiger commented.
-
"Hey, we're as just as good jungle cats as you Khan," Bagheera said.
-
"yea, Hathi likely knows the food they'd like better then we would. So let's let him point out the best ones." Baloo said.
-
"Yeah Hathi, what does your herd like the best?" Bagheera asked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, Louie came across a tree with several bananas in it. "Jackpot!" he smiled, and began to climb up it. But when he reached them, they wouldn't come loose. "Darn you, come on," he said, giving it a few good yanks, untilit finally came loose...knocking Louie to the ground, dozens of the fruit falling.
-
"Hmm, well these leaves are a favorite of the leader I know..." Hathi plucked said leaves.
"Here, I'll carry some" Namita offered walking over and letting Hathi put them on her back. They almost covered her up, but she could manage. She giggled, "So how many of such big leaves can your leader eat?" she asked.
"Oh lots...uh, him and the others that is" Hathi said and plucked a few more. "The others do good with fruit and such" Hathi turned and noticed Louie's predicament, "Wow Louie, you sure got alot" he said.
-
"Hmm." Baloo said. "Maybe we can put some fruit on these large leaves, to help make it easier to carry some of the fruit that is not normally bunched together like bannas." Baloo said.
Kaa climbed a tree and used his tail to start pulling off some of the leaves from the same tree that Hathi had pulled some from.
-
Bagheera, using his claws, helped Kaa take down more leaves.
-
Namita giggled again as she was all but covered in leaves now. "Um, you can go ahead and take those over" Hathi said, taking some as well, "after all, you have to be able to see to get it there.
"Good point" Namita knew she probably looked like a walking bush as she walked over. One of the females laughed, taking a few leaves, "Well thankyou dear" she said to Namita, "and might I say you make a rather cute bush".
"Thanks ma'am" Namita grinned.
-
"I never knew bushes could walk, you elephants must be going crazy," Louie laughed, loking at Namita.
-
Baloo stretched up to pull down some more leaves. He made a pile of them, using a nearby branch to weight them down a bit so the wind would not blow them off. "I guess it'll take a lot of leaves." Baloo said.
Koo continued to slither up to pick out some the others could not reach and pulled them off using his tail & dropping them down so they fluttered and gradually reached the ground.
-
"I hope we can get enough for the elephants," Bagheera said.
-
Namita frowned, yet more playfully than insulted, at Louie. Once the elephant had eaten some of the leaves and she figured she should go get some more she walked by where Louie was and shook so that the leaves shook off on him.
"There, now you can be the bush" she grinned at him before walking back over.
"N-now guys, don't get them dirty" Hathi cautioned as he watched, he knew some of his herd could be picky.
"Yeah, I will admit all those adults eat alot" he answered Bagheera's statement.
-
"Hey," Louie called, some of the leaves sticking to him.
Bagheera had to snicker at this.
-
Baloo started on gathering the leaves on the ground and were falling down and added them to the pile he had started. " I Guess we'll all eat more when we get bigger." Baloo said, "So it makes sense that someone bigger then us would eat more then we do."
-
"That's right Baloo," Bagheera nodded, "Me, Shere Khan, and Kaa have been hunting more nowadays."
-
"I've been...well trying to hunt more" Namita was honest as she gave her comment, "it...doesn't really work well yet, but luckily Basdev's good at hunting".
"I've caught many things" Shere Khan boasted, "of course nothing as big as what I will when I'm bigger, but not bad for my size now".
Namita noticed some of the females of the elephants moving their really young calves closer to them. "Oh don't worry, I'm sure no one would hurt your little ones" she assured with a smile.
"It's not exactly all of you we were worried about" one of the mothers said with a glance to Shere Khan.
"Oh don't worry" Hathi went on as he walked over with some more food, "Shere Khan's our friend, you won't ever have to fear him".
"As long as you behave" Shere Khan went on with a smile, yet it was hard to tell how much so he was kidding.
-
"And I've caught some decent sized-things before," Bagheera said.
Maybe I can give you lessons Namita," he added, starting to have some kind of attraction for the girl panther...
-
"Maybe each of you has a few tips that may help the other." Baloo said as he paused in his picking up leaves to pile them into an organized pile.
Kaa continued picking the best looking ones and pulling them off, sometimes pausing to watch them flutter down as leaves do.
-
"Yeah..." Bagheera replied, blushing at Namita.
-
Namita tried to not notice if Bagheera blushed a bit, otherwise she might start up. "Uh, sure...that sounds...great" she said.
As Hathi walked a few leaves over to some more of the adults, he kept a small smile to himself, he knew that look from when he'd started trying to impress Winifred.
Some of the younger calves started running around laughing as they caught the leaves Kaa was throwing down. "Fro (throw) more!" one of them coaxed, laughing and stomping his little feet.
The mothers giggled, "Isn't that cute".
-
(Could somebody please tell me what's been going on in this roleplay so I can join in again? I was recovering in the hospital for about a month. I was hit pretty hard with the swine flu and it took me a while to be able to come back online.)
-
(ooc: What was going on last that you remember? Right now most of us are getting leaves to help Hathi to get them to his herd. )
Kaa giggled a bit then started to pull out more leaves since it seemed to make the young elephants happy and they were playing and the adults seemed to not mind.
"why wouldja look at that." Baloo said watching the young elephants, "Looks like they invented a new game."
-
(OOC: Here's what happened: After Kit12's and your OCs introduced themselves to the main gang, then most of the group (minus the cats) went on a treasure hunt. Now, like Kor said, everyone is helping Haithi's herd get food. Your character RJ can join in.)
-
RJ who still was getting aquainted with the group and could be kind of quiet sometimes. It wasn't that RJ was mean or anything. RJ was just really ,really, really, shy.
RJ picked up a big pile of leaves and stacked them in a pile with a smile.
-
Baloo continued to gather the leaves that Kaa drops that the young elephants do not go for and puts them into a pile also, to keep things neat and easier for delivering to the older and adult elephants.
-
"Thanks for the help RJ," Loie said to the young tiger.
Bagheera did like RJ, but he wish he wasn't so shy.
-
"Yeah, it's a very nice pile" Namita said as she came over to walk it over to the other elephants and gave a small smile to the tiger, trying to ease RJ up a bit, but not pushing it since she could tell he was shy.
Shere Khan figured he couldn't blame the guy for not being so hot on talking to these slightly lesser animals, in his mind.
With a giggle, the elephants rushed through Louie's pile, blowing air at the orangutan playfully.
"Hey now, no making messes over there!" Hathi half scolded.
-
"They seem to like picking on me," Louie laughed. He went to go gather them up again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Need any help Namita?" Bagheera smiled, looking at her.
-
"Thanks for the help RJ," Loie said to the young tiger.
Bagheera did like RJ, but he wish he wasn't so shy.
"Thanks" RJ said after moment or two. He wished he wasn't so shy as well but making friends was never really easy for RJ. Back before he had met the other cubs he had lived in another jungle where he had tried so hard to make friends . But, see the thing was back then he would always end up saying the wrong thing or saying a stupid thing. And the other kids thought he was weird and never wanted to hang out with him again. So the way RJ saw it in order to not say a stupid thing or the wrong thing all he had to do was not talk much at all. He liked these cubs and all though he didn't mean to be so shy he also didn't want to end up saying the wrong thing.
RJ gave a slight smile back. He could tell all the kids wished he wasn't so nervous. And deep down RJ wished so too he just didn't want to end up back in the same situatian he was in before.
-
"Something wrong RJ?" asked Louie.
-
Baloo laughed at the antics of the young elephants. "you know that looks like fun. I'll have to try it someday." He said as he continued with what he had been doing before. He noticed Rj & heard what Louie said. "yea, if you wanna talk about how you feel just do so." He said.
-
Bagheera just kept looking at Namita with a smile.
-
"Something wrong RJ?" asked Louie.
RJ just looked at Louie and Baloo. Was his facial expressions that easy to read? "No, don't worry about me guys just thinking about something" RJ said with a small smile. They wouldn't understand even if he told them. And in all honesty nothing was wrong. Except for this whole shy thing. Maybe he needed some help with that.
He looked over at Bagheera and smiled to himself. He chuckled to himself because something told him Bagheera liked Namita more then a friend.
-
"Well that's good to hear" Namita commented before smiling back over at Bagheera a bit shyly. "Um...sure...i-if you don't mind helping that is" she said, not wanting to be a bother but also not wanting to hurt his feelings by turning down his offer.
Shere Khan rolled his eyes, Bagheera was losing dignity fast as far as he saw it.
Namita scooped up half of the pile if leaves, "I, I think I've got these" she said, "you...uh, could help me out with those, um, I guess, if you wanted to" Namita gave a shy shrug.
-
"I don't," Bagheera smiled. He then realized what Shere Khan was thinking, so he quickly changed his attitude.
"Better get myself back to work," he said, and continued his job gathering food.
"Sure, I'll help."
-
Kaa paused for a moment in what he was doing to look at RJ, "Thinking is always a good thing. Better to think then act then to act without thinking. Or so I've heard." Kaa said.
-
There was something about Bagheera's all business attitude that was cute as well, Namita couldn't help noticing. With her own pile she followed and dropped the leaves off for the elephants.
The babies had run through the leaves enough now and came back to where Louie was, each holding a bannana of a bushel that had fallen in all the commotion, the group of the four of them each holding one out since they figured they were suppose to since him and his friends were giving them food.
-
"Oh, thanks kids," Louie smiled, taking them for himself, misunderstanding their action.
"Those weren't for you Louie," Bagheera pointed out.
-
Kaa returns to dropping leaves, now for the dual purpose to help feed the elephant herd and also since the younger elephants seem to find it fun as well.
-
Namita hid a giggle at the baby elephants trying to help Louie help the herd. The little ones frowned a bit as Louie at the bananna's but then decided that that could be the food they got for him and just ran around again gathering the leaves that Kaa dropped and carrying these over to the herd.
"Wow, pretty soon Louie's going to make a better babysitter than me" Hathi commented.
-
"I don't know about that," Loie said, "When my aunt left me in charge of her kids, I almost lost them."
Bagheera, being the most responsible one, felt he could be a good babysitter, but didn't say anything.
-
Louie grabbed another banana and ate it. "So boys, we almost done?" he asked.
-
Hathi turned to the herd leader, looking for the answer to that, "Well Sir, um, do you require any more...uh that is...".
"At ease son, and stop babbling" the herd leader half lectured, yet he half smiled and waved his trunk, "Yes, and your friends did a fine job of completing your chore, and thanks to you, now on with your...recreation or whatever it is I'm told young calfs like you require" he turned.
Hathi grinned, "Thank you and you're welcome Sir!" he said. "We're good, and thank you guys ever so much!" Hathi told Louie and the others.
"Well good, because I for one am tired of being around these babies" Shere Khan indicated the young calfs.
"Yeah" Namita giggled, "I hope they let you leave, Louie, seen as how they seem to like you". The babies were already patting at Louie with their trunks, either saying good bye or begging him to stay, it was unclear which.
-
"I am glad we were able to help." Baloo said. Then he looked at his friends, "What do you folks want to do next?" He asked.
"Maybe rest a bit and talk about what to do next." Kaa said.
-
"Could you help me out here boys?" Louie asked, the little elephants not letting him leave.
-
"Looks like you are very popular." Baloo said smiling.
-
"Well, I wanna be popular somewhere else!" Louie called.
-
"Ok, go on shoo!" Hathi said to the young one's, "go back to your mothers, remember we have to be disciplined and structured young elephants" he tried to mimic what he'd heard the herd leader say all the time.
With sighs, the babies obeyed and filed in line over to the herd.
"Wow, it worked" Hathi smiled.
-
"You're a natural." Baloo said smiling to Hathi.
-
"Now let's get out of here," said Louie.
-
"Yea, while we can." Kaa said looking back towards their clubhouse area.
-
Bagheera nodded, but couldn't help but look at Namita on the way back.
-
"You certainly are a natural" Namita told Hathi on the way back, "why I could even see you leading a herd yourself one day".
Hathi smiled, yet shook his head, "Gee thanks, but I don't see that happening...even with Winifred's herd, her uncle...tolerates me I think but...well..." he blushed and couldn't continue.
Namita just smiled. She noticed Bagheera glance over every now and then, and tried to not look like she noticed as she curbed a blush of her own.
-
"You never can tell. Maybe someday you will." Baloo said smiling to Hathi.
"Yess, the future can be surprising indeed." Kaa said nodding his head in agreement.
-
"It's getting dark," Bagheera noted, "I'm going to sleep soon after we get back to the Cubhouse."
-
Baloo nods, "I think after what we did that we all, or most of us anyway, will want a bit of rest or sleep once we're back." Baloo said.
"I will for one." Kaa said, "A nice sleep." He said looking forward to sleeping once he got back.
-
Namita had to nod in agreement, "Same here...say uh, I never officially asked, but are you boys going to let me bunk down in your clubhouse? I mean, you kinda said I could hang out, but...".
Shere Khan thought over this a bit, "I suppose if it were an out of the way spot..." he said, somehow knowing Bagheera wouldn't like for them to just kicking her out to the night all by herself, even if she had a big brother, and for some reason caring to avoid a fight with him over it.
"...since we're letting RJ stay anyway" he informed the other tiger, in case he'd been wondering as well.
"Why sure, it's the only dutiful thing to do" Hathi added, "We couldn't kick two new friends out".
-
"I'll share my sleeping spot with you Namita," Bagheera offered.
"You guys should stay with us," Louie told the 3 new cubs "It's far away to the next jungle outside of ours."
-
Baloo said, "WHy sure there's plenty of room for you." Baloo said.
"There is plenty of room indeed." Kaa said. "You can look the place over and pick out a spot that isn't being used for that purpose." He said.
-
Namita tried to not blush at Bagheera's offer. "Um, thank you, very much" she said.
"Yes sir, plenty of room" Hathi insisted, "and only two spots super claimed, the spot where Shere Khan sleeps and...well for some reason Louie's sort of claimed the chair as his spot he's always at...of course out of most of us he's the only one besides Baloo who probably fits" the young elephant pondered.
-
"Yup, the chair's mine," Louie said.
At the cubhouse, Bagheera walked past the hole made by the cobra and stopped at his sleeping space.
-
Namita had to nod in agreement, "Same here...say uh, I never officially asked, but are you boys going to let me bunk down in your clubhouse? I mean, you kinda said I could hang out, but...".
Shere Khan thought over this a bit, "I suppose if it were an out of the way spot..." he said, somehow knowing Bagheera wouldn't like for them to just kicking her out to the night all by herself, even if she had a big brother, and for some reason caring to avoid a fight with him over it.
"...since we're letting RJ stay anyway" he informed the other tiger, in case he'd been wondering as well.
"Why sure, it's the only dutiful thing to do" Hathi added, "We couldn't kick two new friends out".
RJ had been wondering as well. He gave ut a happy sigh as he was informed that he was staying too.
-
"ah, finally back at the clubhouse." Baloo said stretching a bit, "I'll be glad to get some rest." he said. He went over to lay scratch his back and side against a pillar.
Kaa slithered up a pillar to coil himself around one of the usual areas where he was. "I am glad to be back." He said.
-
Louie, like Baloo, preferred relaxing over working. "Night boys," he yawned, getting in his signature chair.
-
RJ yawned. Boy this was a big day but RJ loved to help out it made him useful. RJ wasn't really used to being useful to anyone. And it made RJ kinda happy that people actually liked the job he was doing. It made RJ feel like he was just a little bit special. And that's one thing RJ never was accoustomed to. RJ curled up in the middle of the clubhouse floor. " Good night everyone" RJ said in mid yawn.
-
"Good night RJ, and everyone else" Namita said, taking a spot pretty near where Bagheera was settling down, but not too close incase she'd be in his way, even if he'd offered. She gave him a friendly smile so he wouldn't think she was brushing him off though.
With a smile, Basdev curled up on a branch of a nearby tree where he could see both his sister and her new friends.
-
Bagheera gave a smile at Namita as he fell asleep.
-
Baloo found a comfortable spot and lay down to go to sleep.
Kaa remained coiled around where he was, using a part of his body to form some coils to lay his head on, he went to sleep also.
-
Louie could be heard yawning.
-
"See you in the mornin boys," Louie said sleepily.
-
"Goodnight everyone." Baloo said between yawns.
"See you folks tomorrow." Kaa said in a sleepy voice from where he was.
-
The cubs had a peaceful nights' sleep, to awake the next morning, as usual.
-
As Namita stretched and awoke she noticed not many others up so she walked out a bit from where she'd been sleeping to get a better look at the clubhouse. It was an odd structure if one thought about it, where had it come from? No animals could have made it.
Namita had a suspicion it had been long ago human made, but knew she probably shouldn't tell the others this.
-
Bagheera was the first to reawaken. He noticed Namita wasn't around. He looked around to find her.
Soon he wandered out of the Cubhose and saw her in the distance. "Hey Namita," the black panther called, and ran up. "Something bothering you?" he asked, noticing an odd expression on her face.
-
Baloo started to awaken. He stretched a bit and yawned while he used his right hand to scratch a bit of his upper side and upper back as he did so.
-
RJ woke up with a large yawn and stretched out his hind legs smacking his lips tiredly. "Good morning" He says in mid yawn.
-
Namita turned, "Hmm, oh hi Bagheera, no nothing's wrong" she smiled, "I was just...thinking about how such an odd structure that's not trees or anything probably got there" she indicated the clubhouse, "I remember my dad saying a while ago that sometimes humans just leave places and...well...who knows you know" she finished, not wanting Bagheera to think their clubhouse was just some human den since she knew how much he and Shere Khan seemed to not like them, she on the other hand was curious for some reason.
"Morning" Shere Khan greeted both RJ personally and any of the others as he stretched and leap down.
-
Baloo stood up, now more awake then before, "Good mornin yourself and everyone else. I trust everyone had as excellent a night as I had?" He asked, going over to a pillar to scratch a part of his back he could not quite reach.
Kaa yawned from where he was, smacking his jaws and lips a bit as he slowly stretched part of his coils that were not coiled around rafter things still remaining.
-
"Well actually," Bagheera said, remembering the story of these ruins, "From what I was told, the humans did used to live here. But these humans were really cruel to the animals. It is said some tigers banded together and chased them away, which explains why this place is abandoned," he said.
(OOC: That was never brought up in the show, I just made it up for the RP.)
-
(ooc: Makes sense, and if we say Shere Khan was related to some of those tigers however distantly it could explain his hate of man, like if his mom (the only parents mentioned as far as I know) told him about it alot and stuff)
"Golly, that is bad" Namita said, "I'm glad they're not around anymore if they were like that". She smiled, "You sure seem to know alot of history about this jungle" she complimented a bit hesitantly, "I mean I know you live here and all, but it's still kinda...impressive" she shrugged.
With a streatch of his own, and almost yawn like trumpet, Hathi stirred as well, "Well, good morning everyone, all rested and ready for another day?" he asked the others in the clubhouse.
Shere Khan frowned, "Must you make noise this early?" he grouched even if he'd already been awake.
-
"Well, I love knowledge," Bagheera smiled, "I know alot about the history of the jungle."
Louie got up out of his seat. "Another fine day," he laughed.
-
"Sorry Khan," Bagheera apologized, "I was just Namita about the history of these ruins."
-
"I meant the noise elephant for your information" Khan said, leaping down. Hathi grinned apologetically again, "but while we're on it, what could you know about the history of before we were even here, I mean really, besides just having to take the grown-ups word".
"Oh he seems to know plenty" Namita chimed in in Bagheera's defense with a smile.
-
"Yess, a fine morning indeed." Kaa said looking up into the morning sky. "So far at least."
"I wonder what fun and wonders we'll have today." Baloo said, going over to get and eat one the fruits or other eatable food for his breakfast.
-
"Well, there's evidence to back the story up," Bagheera said. "When we first started using this place I noticed tiger tracks that were too big to be Khan's, and the fact that humans never come near here."
-
Shere Khan smirked, "Well I wasn't questioning every story" he casually sharpened his claws, "I for one believe very firmly tigers could have saved this place from man, but some of the other stuff you claim to know, I'm not so sure".
"Still, lucky for you guys, a tiger still guards this place so, we won't have to worry about man even now" Shere Khan went on.
From where he'd been awake a while listening, Basdev cracked one eye open, "I hate to tell you this, kid" he said, "but I think any hunters or what not would be more scared of a half grown panther like me than they would a cub, no offense".
Khan wasn't detoured though and frowned, "A normal cub, yeah sure, but I'm destined to rule this jungle".
"Oh my mistake" Basdev hid a smile.
-
"So what do you folks want to do today? Any ideas?" Baloo asked, thinking it best to avoid getting into arguments, and besides they were not fun, or certain debates.
-
"Speaking of which, I think it's time us hunters get breakfast," Bagheera said.
-
"Oh yeah, and...you were gonna show me some pointers, weren't you" Namita smiled a bit shyly at Bagheera. Turning to her brother gave her some reprieve as she explained, "Bagheera offered to show me some hunting tips, n-not that you're not one of the greatest hunter too and...".
Basdev laughed, "I think that's fine Namita, sure you cubs go hunt on your own, something tells me these boys have had to get good at that".
-
"Ok then, follow me Namita," Bagheera smiled. Meanwhile he was expecting Shere Khan and Kaa to eventually do the same.
-
(ooc: I forgot about Kaa needing to hunt.)
"I think I shall also partake of this time to do a little hunting also. I'll see you guys later." Kaa said and started to slither off.
"Ok Kaa, see you when you get back." Baloo said.
-
"What are you hungry for?" Bagheera asked Namita.
-
Shere Khan, not surprisingly, walked off to do his hunting solo, just so he could brag that he did and also if anything went wrong no one would see it but him so he could tweak the story to his own needs.
"Well, to tell the truth, I'm also thinking of what's going to be easiest" Namita said, "for my sake that is, um, let's see..." she thought.
(sorry I didn't conclude it, let's see what kind of animals would cubs their age be trying to hunt?)
-
(ooc: I don't know what animals are in india, but maybe small animals, the equivalent of maybe rats, rabbits, maybe birds, maybe fish.))
Baloo finished his breakfast, some nearby fruit and such. Handy he thought, being able to eat nearby plant food. He wished all his friends were as lucky.
-
"Rabbits are easy to catch, and they taste good," Bagheera commented. "Let's hunt those."
-
RJ who was never really taught how to hunt. walked off to go find some food as well."Please just for one time don't screw this up" Rj said to himself. remembering the thousands of time he tried hunting and the thousand mistakes he encountered while trying.
-
(I was actually wondering that, did they have rabbits in the jungle :D)
"Sounds good" Namita nodded. "Ok rabbits it is".
-
"Ok, then follow me," Bagheera smiled
-
Namita smiled and did just that, following Bagheera.
-
"When you sniff out your prey, stay close to the ground...don't make a noise," he instructed
-
Kaa had succeeded in his hunting & was resting before heading back.
Baloo pulled off another piece of fruit and ate it as he sat down, leaning against a comfortable bit of stone. "I guess they'll eventually return. Guess gives us something else to do, or just rest and take it easy." Baloo said.
-
Meanwhile RJ was still having trouble learning how to hunt he watched as another animal ran off sensing him coming. "Darn it why does this happen every single time"?
-
Louie swung on some vines to grab some fruit.
-
Namita smiled, and crouched down, atleast smiling in admiration of how knowledgeable for a cub Bagheera was didn't make any noise...
"Yeah, seen the adults do it all the time" she whispered back while there was still the option of making some noise, "but it's always harder in exectution...".
A rabbit hopped by and, Namita couldn't believe their luck, actually paused to wipe at his paws and such for a few moments.
Near RJ, from a tree branch, Shere Khan leapt down, "First off, I'd say the customary 'don't feel bad' blah blah stuff...even I can vaguely recall such happening once I believe; prey's tricky stuff. Would you, um, like some help" Khan inspected one of his claw. He was only doing this because it was a fellow tiger.
-
Baloo sighed in relaxed pleasure, "To bad the others can't eat the same foods we can. Then they'd have more time to relax and take it easy." Baloo said in a relaxed voice.
-
Bagheera pounced, taking the rabbit down.
-
Namita smiled, and crouched down, atleast smiling in admiration of how knowledgeable for a cub Bagheera was didn't make any noise...
"Yeah, seen the adults do it all the time" she whispered back while there was still the option of making some noise, "but it's always harder in exectution...".
A rabbit hopped by and, Namita couldn't believe their luck, actually paused to wipe at his paws and such for a few moments.
Near RJ, from a tree branch, Shere Khan leapt down, "First off, I'd say the customary 'don't feel bad' blah blah stuff...even I can vaguely recall such happening once I believe; prey's tricky stuff. Would you, um, like some help" Khan inspected one of his claw. He was only doing this because it was a fellow tiger.
RJ smiled . "Thanks, Shere Khan that's mighty decent of you. And as you can see I need all the help that I can get. So if you could help me Shere Khan that'd be great." RJ said.
-
"Now Namita, tell me what you prefer: killing your prey with a claw swipe or a bite?" Bagheera asked, holding the rabbit down.
-
Baloo stayed relaxed and put his hands behind his head. "Any thing you want to do Louie till they get back?" He asked.
-
"Swing on the wines, swim in the waterhole," were some of Louie's suggestions.
-
"hmm." Baloo said thinking for a moment then he started to get up in his own relaxed speed and manner, "That does sound like fun, let's get to it then." He said as he got fully up.
-
"Think I might just join you boys in that" Hathi said, "Uh...not the swinging that is". He knew that would be impossible
Namita actually felt bad that even to ask the question, Bagheera was have to draw out the poor little rabbit's struggle. "Oh just bite it quickly if you could, no sense prolonging the struggle and from what I've seen of Basdev hunting slashes take too painfully long, most times".
-
Baloo smiled and nodded, "Sure, the more the merrier." He said glad to have another of his friends join in.
-
"Got it," Bagheera replied, taking a quick bite, and the rabbit was soon dead.
"Here, you get the first part of it," the panther blushed, handing Namita the food.
~~~~~~~~~`
"Come on Hath, can't you try?" Louie said sarcastically.
-
"I'm not sure." Baloo said, "It would be unsafe if Hathi did try. Sort of like swinging but having only 1 arm & hand to do it with.
-
Namita smiled sheepishly, "Um, thanks" she said, touched by his generosity.
~~~~
"That and I'm liable to break the tree..." Hathi grimaced.
-
"I was just kidding," Louie laughed.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"You're welcome," Bagheera smiled.
-
Louie kept swinging along the vines, basically to brag that he was the only one of his friends who could do that.
-
"Shall we be off?" Baloo asked the others with him.
-
RJ who had walked up heard about the water hole. Ever since his best friend drowned while they were swimming some time ago. RJ thought it would be fun to just watch. Ever since then RJ had been deathly afraid of the water. But anything would be more fun then just sitting there trying his best to hunt and failing at it thousands of times. "Mind if I tag along with ya guys?" RJ asked.
-
"Sure you can RJ," Bagheera said.
-
"YAYYYYYYY, thanks Bagheera" RJ said.
-
"Don't mention it," replied Bagheera.
-
"Once we're at the watering hole what do you guys wan to to do?" Baloo asked.
-
"Yeah, the more the merrier" Namita smiled.
~~~~
"Hmm..." Hathi thought, "well I guess swimming always is an option..." he said.
-
Baloo nods, "yea,that sounds like fun, or floating on the water, or a mix of those." He said.
-
Yeah..... swimmin............well, I guess I could always watch you guys swim because ummmmmmm.......... well....... you know....... "RJ said trying to think of a good excuse but couldn't think of one as to why not swim.
-
"That's ok," Baloo said waving an arm, "You can still relax on a tree branch or something." He said, "You can still have fun while resting."
-
"That's what I think I'll do," said Louie, still a bit lazy.
-
"How about the rest of you folks?" Baloo asked looking at those others around.
-
"I'll swim," Bagheera said.
-
"Ssso this iss where you have gone off to." Kaa said, coming down from a tree where he had been resting from his recent successful hunt before heading back to the clubhouse area.
-
RJ kinda wanted to swim but was to afraid too. He couldn't tell them anything about what happened because he felt they would think he was a chicken or a wuss. RJ really used to love swimming but ever since that one day .............. he was scared to death of it.
-
"Something bothering you RJ?" Bagheera asked, seeing some sort of distress on his face.
-
"Something bothering you RJ?" Bagheera asked, seeing some sort of distress on his face.
RJ sighed. He might as well tell Bagheera and the others . "Well, yeah kinda Barheera " RJ sat down. "I really wanna swim with ya guys. But, I can't . It's not like I don't know how to swim or anything. I'm just scared of it. Now, why I'm scared of it is kinda a long story" RJ said sitting down to explain.
"You see some time ago I used to love swimming I did it all the time with my friend Tipper. He was a panther cub. So one day we were swimming around playing Tag and I was it. So Tipper was trying to get away from me. When he accidently swam into water that was to deep. I tried to do my best to save Tipper but I couldn't. Tipper drowned that day and ever since then I have been deathly afraid of water. I've always wanted to be able to conquer my fear of it but I just couldn't" RJ said sadly with a sigh.
-
Baloo listened ot the story, getting a sad look on his face. He thought and after a moment said, "Maybe you can just stay in the very shallow water. Sit down or something, only as deep as you are comfortable in." He said.
-
"That's terrible," Bagheera said, feeling bad for RJ. "Baloo's right, the shallow water is safer."
-
"Yeah, and it'll be ok RJ, we understand" Namita said, placing a paw on his shoulders to try and comfort him.
-
Baloo nods, "Just sit on the bank near the water, or an maybe shallow water. No need to do what is uncomfortable to you." Baloo said.
"He doess pressent a good point." Kaa said.
-
"And if you don't like the water at all, you don't have to be in it," added Louie.
Bagheera wondered what Khan had to say about this.
-
RJ just had to smile he had such great friends. "Thanks, you guys you're all really great friends". RJ said with a small sniffle. Baloo and Bagheera were right. I guess he could wade around by the shallow end without a bit of a problem.
-
"And...swimming's a useless hobby anyway" Shere Khan said, avoiding letting out any more of his thoughts on this. He had just met RJ after all, no sense getting onto him about proper jungle cat behavior yet.
-
"For sssome maybe, but one can catch tasty fish. Ssome only live in deep water which one needs to swim to get to. But there is prey on land also." Kaa said.
-
"Yes, only us jungle cats don't need such tactics" Khan said proudly
-
"Except for that time you tried to catch a fish and failed," Louie recalled with a laugh.
-
Shere Khan turned his less then pleased expression Louie's way, "and just what you laughing at..." he questioned, walking closer.
"Uh, I'm sure Louie here didn't mean any offense, all in all" Hathi said, trying to curb a difficult situation.
-
"Sorry Khannie," Louie apologized, clearly nervous.
-
Shere Khan did back up a bit once Louie apologized, "Well...let's just be keeping it in check from now on" was all he said as he continued along.
-
Louie wasn't dumb, he knew that Shere Khan could cause damage if you made him very angry.
-
"Shall we get started on the water fun?" Baloo asked looking around the area and some of those present.
-
"Yes," Bagheera said.
-
"Yeah, let's go" RJ said taking a big breath and gave a small brave smile.
-
Namita backed up, and then took a flying run into the water. "Hehe, this is fun!" she said, spitting out some of the water.
-
"As long as there's no splashing," Bagheera said.
-
RJ approached the water nervously and dipped one in nervously. Baloo and Bagheera was right. It was very shallow here. RJ got into the water and stayed near the edge of the water careful not to swim to far out into the water.
-
Baloo got into the water, moving around so he was floating on his back. "See Rj, you can have a lot of fun and stay in the shallow areas. Don't need to get into the deep areas to have fun." He said smiling.
Kaa went to the shallow area, and moved over to go into the water also, swimming in a fashion as a snake would, since why would he try to swim in any other fashion being a snake himself.
-
RJ smiled at Baloo. "Yeah, I suppose you're right Baloo, thanks" RJ said.
-
"Don't worry Bagheera, I'm not a big fan of splashing myself, even with my odd liking of swimming" Namita told him.
Shere Khan was hesitant getting into the water as well. Despite a tiger's like of water, he did not have a like of play so Khan couldn't really see the point in doing more than just lounging in the water.
-
RJ just stayed by the edge of the water just enjoying the cool water.
-
Baloo continued to float on top of the water while Kaa swam around slowly.
"ah, this is the life." Baloo said in a relaxed voice.
-
"You said it" RJ said with a happy sigh.
-
"Does the fur good," agreed Bagheera.
-
Louie swung from a vine and landed in the water.
-
"How are you guys doing?" Baloo asked as he floated in the water looking around a bit at some of those present.
"Enjoying the cool water and warm sun." Kaa said from where he was floating on the water, swimming now and then in a slow fashion.
-
Namita swam about, sometimes diving under and popping back up spitting water. She giggled, "I'm doing fine" she told Baloo, "I always have liked water".
Shere Khan, meanwhile, stayed at the water's edge, trying to catch fish.
-
"Hoping you'll catch something this time Khannie?" Louie laughed.
-
Shere Khan only glanced up a bit. "I...know I will" he answered simply before focusing on the water once more. He thought he saw something and prepared his paw for a strike. He swat...but came up with nothing.
"Uh that's ok" Namita commented from where she watched, hoping to avoid a fight if Louie said anything, "fish are...actually harder than running animals I've heard" she gave a bright smile before swimming off.
-
"Yes they are." Kaa said, "You can see land animals, fish underwater can be deceptive. They are not where they seem to be I have noticed." Kaa said having observed but not knowing the science behind the reason or the exact amount of difference. "As well as they can move easily up and down as well, instead of just the directions land animals can.
-
"Yeah, something like that" Namita giggled a bit, she hadn't really thought about it that deeply before. She dove back under water and then resurfaced, spitting water, and accidentally hit Bagheera.
"Oops, sorry" she said with a small smile.
-
"Don't worry, it's ok," Bagheera smiled in reply.
-
Namita smiled, "You're so...sweet and take things so well" she complimented, before becoming a bit shy of saying that and dove under water again to continue swimming.
As he also swam along, Hathi kept his smile to himself at that, thinking of the first time Winifred complimented him.
-
"Lots of things are harder then they seem it would seem." Baloo said while floating in the water while listening to Kaa and looking at what his friends were doing.
-
(I'm adding another oc)
Just then, a young female tiger cub named Allison walked towards the water where the cubs were playing. She saw Khan trying to catch the fish.
"Need some help?" she asked.
-
RJ turned to the small female tiger cub. "Hi, my name's Rimjohin actually it's RJ for short. What's your name" RJ asked happily always eager to make a new friend.
-
"Oh, I'm Allison," the tiger cub replied. "Nice to meet you."
-
Baloo looked over in the direction of the new voice, "Why hello there. How are you doing? I'm Baloo, nice to meet you." He said.
"Greetings, I am Kaa." Kaa said from where he was.
-
Same here," the young tigress replied.
-
"Mind if I join you guys?" Allison asked.
-
"Feel free to hop right in." Baloo said in his usual friendly jovial manner.
-
Namita swam over closer and came out of the water, shaking off, "Hi, I'm Namita" she greeted.
Shere Khan frowned a bit, "No...thankyou" he struggled to keep it polite since he knew he should, "I just so happen to be an excellent fisher" he bragged.
"Yes, greetings" Hathi said to the tigress, then turned to Khan, "You're what?". Shere Khan sent him a look and he frowned, "Oh I mean, of course you are, right! Great fisher!".
-
"And you're cute too," Allison smiled to Khan.
-
"I do not think many have said that to him before." Kaa said from where he was floating on the water, he said it not in a mocking tone of voice, but more in a matter of fact voice, not wanting Kahn to get angry which he seemed to do, sometimes not for any reason at all.
"Wahl maybe that's cause there's been no girl tigers around his age before." Baloo said.
-
Bagheer wondered how Shere Khan was going to react to this comment.
-
Even with as little as she'd been around the tiger, Namita knew enough to begin to wonder the same thing. She bit at her bottom lip a bit and glanced between the two as the pond seemed to have gone quiet.
If Shere Khan was shocked by the comment, which he was, he held it rather well. He frowned a bit, but that could have been being caught of guard.
"Well...good for you for noticing such..."
Namita tried to hold in her giggle at the look on Khan's face as he walked a bit to the side, only to try swatting up a fish at that part.
Letting a slight giggle out, she walked closer to Allison to speak where Shere Khan might not hear, "Just give him time, I can tell he's got walls" she smiled.
-
Baloo looked at the new female tiger. "I guess you've not been here to long?" He asked.
-
"Yup," Allison replied.
-
"Really, I'm kinda new myself" Namita told Allison.
(BTW, started up a Jungle Book rp discussion atleast for those interested in claiming up their characters here there http://z7.invisionfree.com/thegangoffive/i...showtopic=6608) (http://www.gangoffive.net/index.php?topic=6361))
-
"Neat," Allison said to the panther. She then walked over to Khan. "Can I fish with you?" she asked.
-
"This is a pretty nice place overall." Baloo said still floating on his back and waving one arm to gesture to encompass the jungle.
-
"I...uh, sort of work alone" Shere Khan said as not meanly as he could, yet straight forward.
"Aw come on, atleast give her a shot" Namita tried to encourage along Allison's tries of kicking it off with the tiger cub.
Shere Khan grimaced, yet sighed, "I guess you could, try to show me what you got...as far as your hunting skills go" he admitted, stepping back and almost looking like he was sure she wouldn't catch anything.
-
Allison stepped forward. After about 15 seconds, she had caught a fish!
-
Namita hid a giggle as Shere Khan frowned. "Well...lucky swipes will happen..." he said, strolling back up, "but the master..." he swiped his own paw...and come up with water.
"Caught nothing!" Hathi couldn't help trumpeting out a laugh, as Khan frowned dangerously at him, "Keep laughing trunk boy...".
-
"It was a good try," Allison complimented.
-
"Just keep trying and you'll succeed." Baloo said in friendly tone of voice and not a mawking one. "What others say about you doesn't matter."
-
Shere Khan just frowned, barely holding in snapping back a comment to Baloo.
"Yes well...fishing is only one...talent" he said dismissively.
"Right" Namita said, changing the topic, she turned to Allison, "are you a good swimmer?".
-
"Folks have lotsa talents, even some they don't know they have." Baloo said in his usual laid back manner.
-
"I think I do ok," Allison responded to Namita.
-
RJ who was still staying in the shallow part of the water to afraid to swim out deeper just relaxed in the water.
-
"Well wanna join us?" Namita asked Allison, which had been why she'd asked in the first place.
-
"Yea, you can jump in, or do you prefer the bank or shallower water?" Baloo said. "Any of those are find. "
"Many choices, but you can choose only 1." Kaa said.
-
"Bank," Allison chose. She charged then dove into the water, causing a big splash.
-
Namita giggled, then decided to try the bank herself. She backed up and ran and jumped, causing a smaller splash.
"Hey, no disturbing the water too much" Hathi said, swimming about.
"Huh?" Namita turned to him, "isn't that...kinda the point" she laughed a bit.
-
Kaa looked over at where Hathi is, "Issss there a reassson for your requessst?" He asked him curious himself.
-
"Well as the other elephants are always telling me" Hathi replied, "having fun is fine but rough housing is just unbefitting".
Namita didn't really mean to, but she laughed a bit, and then apologized, "Sorry...but it's not like we're knocking all the water out or anything" she shrugged.
"No, I guess not..." Hathi realized.
"I'll try not to splash you, though" Namita went on.
-
"Sorry for my mistake," Allison apologized.
-
Now with both girls feeling bad, Hathi's chivalry bugged him with guilt a bit. "Well...it's ok, I...guess I overreacted, and especially since you girls are new and all" he admitted.
Namita smiled.
"Well splashing does bother fish" Shere Khan commented, not blamingly so much as just commenting. He swiped at the water again and this time a fish did come up on the bank. He smiled, "Not that it bothers my skills" he smirked.
-
"Good job Khan," complimented Allison.
-
Shere Khan smiled proudly, especially after Allison's compliment, "Well of course I was just going easy on the fish before" he stated, strolling over to sit at a different part of the bank, looking smug.
-
Unlike the other cubs, Allison wasn't bothered by Khan's ego. In fact, she kind of liked it.
-
"ah, I knew you could do it Khan. " Baloo said smiling his usual friendly smile.
-
"Well of course you did Baloo, because of course I would do it" Shere Khan said.
He'd forgotten one thing though,
"Um, your fish is getting away..." Namita said.
"What?" Shere Khan turned to see the fish floundering nearer to the bank and the water.
"Oh no you don't!" the tiger cub pounced and actually grabbed the fish again, only...unfortunately, and alot like another situation, he ended up plopping unceremoniously into the shallow bit of the water.
-
Allison helped Khan get back upright in the water. "You were close," she assured.
-
"Well, yeah" Shere Khan tried to cover with pride again, "I just...".
"Were going easy on the fish again" Namita meant it all in good fun and only laughed a bit, but the tiger's patience was getting thin.
"What'd you say?!" he asked, wheeling to face Namita who was in the shallows now.
"I...uh, nothing" Namita backed up a bit.
"Woah, woah, Khany, no need to go snapping at the young ladies with us" Hathi said, coming forward a bit.
-
Baloo made sure to turn away as he saw Khan about to jump at the fish on the bank, so he was sure to not see what would likely happen and perhaps help Kahn not to be to embarrassed.
"Perhapsss he let the fish go ssso he could have the fun of catching it again." Kaa said.
-
"Yeah, that's probably right," Allison agreed.
-
"Exactly" Shere Khan smirked. In the back of his mind he thought through whether agreeing with this idea would make him look weak in anyway...but it didn't seem to, so he went with it.
"I'm sure you did" Namita said with a smile, although she knew she was lying, but anything to convinced the proud, temperamental tiger.
Shere Khan seemed satisfied, "Well, just don't any of you forget it, I'm the greatest hunter and such and such in this jungle".
"Oh no worries there, we won't forget it" Hathi said, then muttered, "you remind us too often".
-
Allison nodded in legeitiment agreement with Shere Khan's bragging.
He was tough....and kinda cute, too.
-
Deciding to drop the topic at a point where Shere Khan was happy (usually a good thing) Hathi dipped his trunk in the pool again and splahsed water over him like elephants like to do.
"Hey! You could probably make a really good fountain with that!" Namita said, "Try shooting the water up" the young panther went on as Hathi looked a bit confused.
He tried it and water sprayed out in different directions getting alot of them wet. Namita giggled, "Yeah that works great".
-
"We can see," Allison chuckled, a little soaked.
-
"Oh sorry, I think I overdid it" Hathi said.
Namita got out and shook, "Well maybe I shouldn't have given you the idea" she admitted.
-
"That is quite ok." Baloo said laughing a bit. "I guess some of us were already wet or soon going to be anyway.
"Quite wet sssome are already." Kaa said.
-
"Yeah, I guess that's true" Namita smiled at the explanations the others gave to make the incident not seem so bad.
-
"Well, it's in the past, so let's not worry about it," smiled Bagheera.
-
"That is always good advice Bagie." Baloo said nodding. "Why worry about the past atoll. "
-
Bagheera's words did the most to reassure Namita and she did put it past her. "Right, no dwelling" she smiled. Surprisingly even Namita's love of swimming had extended itself and she decided to just sit on the bank where she was for at least a bit.
-
"Very relaxssing indeed." Kaa said floating lazily on the surface of the water.
-
Bagheera sat beside the river. "I'm going to dry off for now," he explained.
-
Hathi started to comment on Bagheera's timing of drying off...then didn't. "Alright well you boys better watch out, I rather like that spraying trick" he said, pulling up more water into his trunk and then squirting it into the air.
-
"Maybe get up into a tree, or well away from where he can spray if you want to stay dry." Baloo said looking over where Bagheera was.
-
"Yeah" Shere Khan agreed himself with what Baloo said, but not directly, "soaked fur doesn't become me" the cub leapt to a low branch of a tree to make his way up himself.
-
"It's ok every once in a while, but not often," Bagheera commented.
-
Namita giggled, "Yeah, Basdev says the same thing, and he finds it weird I like to swim at all" she said.
-
"Where is Bas anyway?" Louie asked. "Bas" was the nickname he had thought of.
-
"Nothing odd at all about that I think." Baloo said, "Why shouldn't you enjoy swimming. Some do and some do not."
-
Namita turned to Louie at the sudden nickname, "Who?" she giggled, she knew who Louie meant though, "I think he's off hunting or something, for not being a full grown up yet he's still pretty good" she praised.
-
"Cool," Louie said, swinging on the vines.
-
"Yeah" Namita said, "I think he is, 'course that could just be 'cause he's my brother".
-
"Makes sense," said Louie, swinging high up then doing 2 flips before hitting the ground.
-
"And fur is harder to get dry then sssscalesss." Kaa said in a matter of fact way from where he was floating on the water.
"It sure can be, but I don't mind sometimes." Baloo said from where he was.
-
Namita had a feeling Baloo didn't mind a lot of stuff, but she didn't say that.
-
Louie swung from a vine into the water.
-
Almost as if on cue of them talking about him, Basdev did come back by at that moment.
"Oh good, you're all still here and unhurt" he smiled, "in addition to checking up on Namita wouldn't want to explain to either of you other kids parents about losing you or anything".
"What are ya? Our babysitter?!" Shere Khan couldn't help asking.
Basdev laughed a bit, "No, I doubt any animal would take on watching all of you kids at once" he grinned.
Namita chuckled, "Basdev stop teasing 'em" she said, familiar with her brother's good sense of humor at times, but also a tad bit embarrassed by it in front of her peers as any cub would be.
-
"I have to agree with ya there," Louie laughed to Basdev.
-
Baloo looked over at Basdev. "Came here for a little fun?" He asked.
-
"No, actually I'm just checking up on her" Basdev indicated his sister.
"You should come down and swim, Basdev" Namita said with a smile.
The teen chuckled, "No thanks, I've got kind of more serious pursuits at my age" he said.
-
"Agreed," Bagheera said. "I prefer learning new things, it's one of my favorite things to do."
-
"As long as you both are happy. That is all that matters." Baloo said.
-
Basdev smiled, "Well that's very mature of ya" he praised Bagheera, "though I'm convinced there's some stuff probably no one will ever learn, like how to talk to crocodiles without getting snapped at" he sighed, that having been his latest endeavor.
"Why would you try to do that?" Namita asked.
"Well one less danger while we're here if I can talk my way out of that trouble" Basdev shrugged.
-
"What, did you try that Basdev?" asked Louie.
-
"Yeah...down at another river down that way" Basdev sighed, "they were more into snapping than actually talking".
"Oh" Namita frowned worried, "Well don't get yourself hurt or anything, you still gotta watch out for me...and also I wouldn't want you to get hurt to begin with".
"Point taken" Basdev realized with a smile.
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"Glad you didn't get hurt," Bagheera said.
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"Yeah, me too" Basdev gave a light chuckle.
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"Crocodilesss are besst avoided I would think." Kaa said from where he was.
"Sounds like pretty good advice to me." Baloo said.
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"Except for Khannie, who's a real croc!" Louie laughed.
Louie had a tendency to forget when to not talk.
-
Shere Khan didn't let him make that mistake much though, he let out a small growl, "What was that Lou-ser..." he walked forward a bit, frown fixed on his face.
Namita frowned, "You ever worry he'll actually hurt Louie or anything?" she asked Bagheera, since the tiger seemed to push it it seemed.
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"Yeah, it's quite possible," Bagheera replied.
"Good one," Allison said, thinking Khan's pun was clever.
-
"But of course the only way to stop such is if Louie someday learns to stop talking" Hathi said with a sigh.
Yet like he always did, Khan backed down, yet not before smirking at Allison liking his nickname, "Yeah, it fits him on a lot of levels" he said with a smile over at Louie once more.
"See guys" he told Bagheera and Namita, "at least one jungle cat around here is on my side, possibly two" he glanced to RJ, "but I haven't heard any bad comments so I'll think the best of ya kid" he told the fellow tiger.
Namita shook her head, Khan's ego just seemed to never stop.
"Yeah, well at least some of us are modest" she said, though still with a smile and not meaning trouble, also actually meaning Bagheera more so than herself.
-
Bagheera sometimes did side with Khan because he was one of the more serious ones, though the young panther and tiger often had disagreements.
Louie didn't mind the name that much.
Allison let out a smile.
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"Seems like things have become friendly again." Baloo said.
Kaa wondered for how long, but keep that to himself, not saying anything.
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"Yeah, hopefully it'll last" Hathi said, but he didn't know either.
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"We ca only hope," added Bagheera.
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RJ laughed at Shere Khan's pun. "Oh, man that's nice., Shere Khan you are awesome how can anyone not like you?" RJ said laughing at Khan's pun. RJ didn't really ever have a problem with anyone ever, and Khan seemed really cool.
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Shere Khan grinned again, glad to have RJ on his side as well.
"Oh I have a hundred little names I could come up with for Lou-lou here" he said with another smirk. Actually at the moment he couldn't think of anything past that.
"Ok, they're clever" Namita was trying to appease the smug cat, "but shouldn't you leave poor Louie alone?". She hated to see anyone upset and feared the tiger might push the ape to it.
"You're right" Shere Khan smiled, "Don't want to have too much fun with little Louie here too quickly"he poked at the Orangutan, Allison and RJ's comments having fueled his teasing mood a bit.
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"Don't worry Namita I'm sure Louie understands. Khan's just doing a little playful teasin." RJ said.
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"As long as it stays playful. It can easily slip and go a bit deeper or farther then some intended at first.
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"Eh, I'm harmless," Louie commented.
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Shere Khan...didn't answer the question but simply walked off away from where Louie was, at least showing he was dropping the teasing.
"Yeah, I guess you're right" Namita answered RJ as Louie proved his point with his words.
-
Allison went over to Khan. "What do you want to do next?" she asked.
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Shere Khan thought, "Well...I could always make you feel inferior by racing you to something that I would so reach first anyway..." he came up for one possibility. He was teasing with his proud statement more so than he had to 'the boys' ever, though.
"I don't know, the way the fishing contest went..." Hathi began yet then immediately shut up at Khan's look.
-
Baloo floated on his back in the water, fully relaxed. Though the fact he was usually relaxed, sometimes fully, often at least mainly or partially didn't mean quite the same as someone who seldom was relaxed.
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"How bout I do this?" Allison asked. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
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Shere Khan grimaced with that annoyed look all boys seem programmed with when kissed and brought a paw up to wipe at his cheek, "Not exactly a game, that" he said.
Namita hid a laugh while Hathi grinned. He got his comeuppance, though...
"So boys what goes on here?" a voice asked and Hathi wheeled about to see, "Winifred!" he exclaimed, "Uh...I mean, hi".
Namita turned in interest as the female calf walked up. "Hi, I'm Namita, we're new around here" she indicated her brother, still just hanging out on a local branch. Basdev waved.
"Well nice to meet someone who's not a stinky boy" Winifred grinned. Hathi frowned.
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"Must make a nice difference." Baloo said to Winifred.
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"I'm Allsion," the young tigress introduced.
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Winifred raised an eyebrow as she looked at Baloo, "You so missed the almost insult of that statement didn't you?" she said, before laughing "but I'm just kidding".
"How do you do" she greeted Allison, "So what brings you girls here?".
"Our old jungle had a drought" Namita answered for her circumstance.
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"Glad to be out of there," Allison agreed.
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Namita turned a bit in pleasant shock at Allison's words. "Wait...did you come from a jungle with drought too?" she asked, "or...the same one...", admittedly Namita had met very few of the denizens of her old jungle, so she wasn't sure. She gave rough coordinates of where her jungle had been to Allison so the tiger cub could figure out better if it was the same.
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"I heard most places go through dry periods, though sometimes they can be worst and last for longer then at other times." Baloo said. "or I have heard some of the older adults have said."
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"Depends," Allison replied. "Where was your old jungle located?"
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"Oh well, somewhere that way only a bit...well it was near a lake" Namita laughed a bit at her own inability to give correct details and shrugged.
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"It may be the same place," Allison replied.
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"Sounds like it well may be." Baloo said.
"May be hard to tell indeed." Kaa said from where he was.
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"Be kind of odd and weird if it was" Hathi commented.
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"Anyone up for some racing?" Louie asked.
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"Where to?" Baloo asked curious.
"Hopefully not anywhere to dangerousss." Kaa said.
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RJ smiled. Racing was one of his favorite things to do. "I'm game for a race." RJ said.
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"To the Wasteland!" Louie announced.
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"I'm thinking I'll pass" Shere Khan said...then thought
"Unless you'd like for me to prove you inferrer yet again, Lou" he said with a smirk.
Namita thought, "I guess that could be fun" she admitted, "sure, but like Baloo said where too?".
"I'm thinking since I don't have alot of chance to begin with, I'll just sit it out" Hathi said, knowing an elephant couldn't possibly beat the cats not to mention Louie, who would probably race from swinging in the trees.
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"I bet I could beat you Khannie," Louie smirked.
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"Betting just leads to you losing" Khan said proudly with a smirk to Louie.
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"I guess we'll see about that," Louie remarked, drawing the starting line with his foot.
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"Sounds like it may be fun, though some are naturally faster then others. As long as everyone has fun that is the main thing." Baloo said.
"Cccertainly well sssaid." Kaa said.
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"Yes, we will" Khan smirked.
Namita smiled, "Maybe I should stay out of this and let you two boys just but heads and see who's greater" she laughed a bit at Khan and Louie's 'argument'.
-
"Trust me, that's that smart choice," Bagheera told Namita.
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"So it'll be the 2 of you? Sounds ok." Baloo said.
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Namita smiled, somehow finding even such a simple statement from Bagheera to be a sort of compliment.
"Just fine with me" Khan answered with a smile.
-
Louie climbed up a tree and grabbed onto a vine. "Get ready Khannie!" he smirked.
-
At the line, on the ground, Shere Khan did get ready, determination showing on his face.
"One" Hathi did the count, "two, three, go!".
Shere Khan shot off...
Namita frowned as she watched them go, "So...who judges if they get there first, since something tells me they'll just argue over it" she wondered.
"Yeah, but the losser will still know that they did really" Hathi said, "so after a bit the arguing dies down".
From his position on the branch watching the kids, Basdev held in a laugh at this.
-
Louie was swinging across vines as fast as he could.
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"It doesn't really matter who wins. Though they well may argue about it for a while. " Baloo said.
-
Shere Khan continued to speed across the ground, laughing to himself, "Ha, that Lou-ser things he can beat me, I'll show him a thing or two about a tiger's superior skills" he said.
He could see the finish line in sight and speed towards it.
-
"Ah crud," Louie said, hoping for a miracle, as Khan was ahead of him.
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Shere Khan smirked, "Ready to admit defeat, Lou-ser" he called back as he reached the finish line but tripped, his chin resting just beyond the line but the rest of him behind it.
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"Not yet Khan-NIE!" Louie laughed, suddenly the vine broke and he crashed a few feet behind the finish line.
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Shere Khan struggled to his feet...well tried and crawled his way across the finish line, "Ha, I won" he said, even if his crossing of the finish line looked pathetic.
-
"I would've won if that vine didn't break," Louie retorted.
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"That's it Lou" Khan smirked as he stood, "blame the vegetation".
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"Well, you have to blame your own paws for the fact you almost lost," Louie retorted.
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"Almost" Khan smirked, "and I didn't blame them, now did I" he strut past the Orangutan, "Well come on, let's go tell everyone you lost".
-
"Race ya back to the others!" Louie called.
-
"Oh, wanna loose again, huh?" Shere Khan asked, "Ok, Lou-ser, I'll humor you, get set...go" he yelled, taking off in the other direction.
-
Louie grabbed the other vines and swung as fast as he could.
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Shere Khan smirked and kept running...until he noticed that stupid ape was actually getting ahead of him! He frowned and put on a burst of speed.
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Louie noticed the others dead ahead. "I'm gonna win!" he bragged,
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"Wouldn't...count on it..." Shere Khan panted, yet he was finding it unable to put on an extra burst of speed, so Louie might just win, he realized. He frowned, determined to not let that happen
-
Louie kept on swinging. The final winner was...
-
Baloo and Kaa rested where they were awaiting the outcome.
"I wonder how long they'll argue once it's done. Not to long I hope." Baloo said.
"We can only wait and sssee." kaa said.
-
Louie kept on swinging. The final winner was...
...unfortunately Louie, but then this just made the argument worse.
"Well fine, you won the race of who got to tell first that I officially won the actual race" Khan smirked to the others.
-
"Drat," Louie realized.
"So who won guys?" Bagheera asked, walking up.
-
"Me of course" Khan smirked.
"but it sounds like Louie won the race back" Namita figured out as she walked up. She smiled, "good job both you guys".
Shere Khan frowned annoyed, "he did not win the race back he...oh nevermind" he huffed.
-
"Great job Khan!" Allison complimented.
-
"Very good indeed." Baloo said nodding.
-
At Allison's compliment, Khan forgot all about who'd really won and smirked, "Well, I knew I could all along" he stated, "You were just in over your head there Lou" he smirked at the ape.
-
"But I...ah, forget it," Louie responded.
-
"What shall we do now? Any ideas?" Baloo asked the others looking around.
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"Go to the wasteland," Louie suggested, "Unless you guys are too scared."
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"Isss that wisse, consssidering who livesss there?" Kaa asked a bit nervously and looking at those present.
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"The Wasteland? What's that?" Namita asked, it didn't sound good and recalling when she met the other cubs she thought she'd recalled Bagheera saying it was the one place to avoid.
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"Bad people live there." Kaa said.
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"Ah, Khannie's not scared, right?" Louie teased.
-
"Not a very nice place at all." Baloo said, shaking his head.
-
"Of course not! Must we go over how I saved all of your hides yet again" Shere Khan said proudly, "but the other are right, though I could most certainly win, it's best not to bother the deadly baboon there right now".
"Well I'd hate it if any of you got hurt because of me, so staying here sounds just fine" Namita said.
-
"Ok, forget I suggested it," Louie shrugged.
-
"We can do something else." Baloo said.
"Yesss, but what?" Kaa asked.
-
Namita thought, but not being from this jungle wasn't sure exactly all there was around.
-
"I could always initiate Namita and Allison into the marching patrol" Hathi said, "Yeah, and teach them the proper way to smart...um march in formation!" the aspiring herd leader elephant said.
"Um, I'm ok with that..." Namita glanced over to Allison to see what she thought of this idea.
-
"That sounds cool," Allison commented.
-
"Alright then, troops, formation!" Hathi called. Shere Khan was about to sigh, but then noticed Allison didn't mind the idea and he didn't want to insult something she might like.
"Alright, but I'm second in command trunk boy" he said. Hathi frowned, but gave a small sigh and nod, "Oh, alright, file in second". He then had the others line up with the girls at the back, "As a sign of retrect, uh respect" Hathi assured.
Namita smiled, "Well nice to see you're a prefect gentleman, Hathi" she said.
"Winifred thinks he's nice too" Khan smirked. Hathi frowned really big at the tiger this time.
-
"Your girlfriend?" Allison chuckled.
-
"No!" Hathi shot back defensively, doing nothing but proving how much of a crush he did have on Winifred, "we're just...friends...".
-
"Friends are always a good thing to have." Baloo said from his place in the line.
"indeed." Kaa said from where he was.