Mowgli always went to the meetings of the Wolf-Pack, and there he learnt something new one day. If he looked hard at and wolf, the wolf could not meet his eyes and looked away. Mowgli thought this was funny; he did not understand that he was different from the wolves.
All the Jungle-people were his friends-but not Shere Khan, of course. Mother Wolf told him that tiger wanted to kill him. ‘One day you must kill Shere Khan. If you don’t kill him, he will kill you.’ But Mowgli forgot. He was only a boy, not a wolf.
Shere Khan still came often to that part of the jungle. Akela was older now and not so strong, and Shere Khan made friends with some of the younger wolves. Akela could not stop them, and Shere Khan began to make trouble for Mowgli. ‘I hear you can’t look into the man-cub’s eyes,’ he said, laughing, to the young wolves. And the young wolves began to get angry.
Bagheera, who had eyes and ears everywhere, knew something of this and told Mowgli laughed, but Bagheera went on, ‘Open your eyes, Little Brother. Remember that Akela is old and he will not always be the leader of the Pack. Shere Khan has taught the younger wolves that a man-cub has no place with them. And soon you will be a man, not a man-cub.’
‘But the wolves are my brother. Why will they want to send me away?’
‘Look at me,’ said Bagheera, and Mowgli looked at him hard between the eyes. The big black cat turned his head away quickly. ‘That is why,’ he said. ‘Not even I can look in your eyes. That is why they want to kill you. You are clever. You are a man.’
‘I did not know these things,’ said Mowgli quietly.
‘Now listen. The day will soon come when Akela cannot kill his deer in the hunt. Then at next meeting of the Pack the younger wolves will be against Akela and against you. When that time comes, go to the men’s house in the village and take some of their Red Flower. That will be stronger friend to you than I or Baloo.’
The Red flower was fire. All animals are afraid of it and do not call it by its name. ‘I will get some,’ said Mowgli. ‘I will go and get it now, and keep it ready,’ and he ran through the jungle to the village.
On his way he heard the sounds of the Wolf-Pack hunting a big deer. ‘Show us that you are strong, Akela,’ came the voices of the young wolves. ‘Kill it!’