Rayna's Jungle Adventure

*Chapter 9: Colonel Hathi's March*

"Silence in the ranks!" Hathi barked as the herd stood up straight. Hathi walked behind the elephants. "Dress up that line!" He said pointing out their legs and backs. They all straightened out except for Winifred. Hathi gently smacked her behind with his bamboo stick, causing her to yelp and straighten out. "Pull it in, Winifred." Hathi muttered. He came in front of the herd and bark another order. "Inspection... Arms!" The entire herd stick their trunks out in the air.

"This is weird." Tailsy whispered to Rayna.

"But fascinating." Rayna told him. "I'd like to see what they could do." Hathi began his inspection with the first elephant. He looked at his trunk and noticed it was dirty and dusty.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Dusty muzzle." He spoke. "Soldier, remember in battle a trunk can save your life, take good care of it my man."

"Yes sir!" The elephant said, saluting Hathi. Then he moved onto the next elephant, who was more of a slob than the others. He had one tusk that pointed upwards while the other was downwards, and they had vegetation hanging from them. He was also snacking on a leaf paying no mind. The colonel cleared his throat and pointed to his tusks before saying.

"Let's have a little more spit and polish on those barracks."

"Yes sir!" The slob elephant said, also saluting Hathi. Then he went through the other elephants. One gave him a big smile, which didn't please Hathi at all.

"Wipe off that silly grin soldier, this is the army!" Another just stared at a fly that was buzzing around him. "Eyes front!" Hathi said swatting the fly making the elephant follow his command. The next elephant he approached had wild unruly hair. "This won't do at all." Hathi said, tsking. "Lieutenant, that haircut is not regulation! Rather on the messy side don't you think?" He cut his hair so that it was a buzz cut look. "There, that's better." Then he approached the next one for inspection. "And as for you..."Hathi said but paused to find nobody there. But he looked down only to find his son who smiled up at him. "Oh, there you are." Hathi said chuckling. "Let's keep those heels together, shall we son?"

"Okay pop." Hathi Junior said saluting his father. "Sir."

"Good. That's better." Hathi said before moving on. He sees Rayna and Tailsy sitting on the boulder. "Well, new recruits, eh?" Hathi chuckled. "I say, what happened to your trunk?" Hathi poked Rayna's nose with his bamboo stick.

"Hey, stop that!" Rayna says, pushing the stick away. Hathi realized what this is. He sputters in shock.

"A girl-cub!" He wrapped his trunk around Rayna. "This is treason! Sabotage! I'll have no girl-cub or man-cub in my jungle!" He puts Rayna down on her feet. Tailsy watched in shock. Rayna glared up at the colonel.

"It's not your jungle!" Rayna told him. "Who says I'm not welcome here?"

"Hold it, hold it!" Bagheera said as he arrived just in time before things get out of hand. He climbed on the branch to speak with the colonel. "I can explain Hathi."

"Colonel Hathi, if you please." Hathi said to the panther.

"Oh, of course Colonel Hathi." Bagheera replied "The girl-cub is with me. She means no harm to you or the herd."

"No harm at all?" Hathi asked.

"You have the word of Bagheera." Bagheera answered with a smirk.

"Good." Hathi said as he turned to both Rayna and Tailsy. "And remember, an elephant never forgets." Rayna crossed her arms at him, raising a brow. But she ignores him as he turned away muttering to himself. With the elephants dozing off, clearing his throat, Hathi spoke. "Let's get on with it. Right face!" The elephants bumped into each other in formation as Hathi barked. "Forward... March!" Then the elephants resumed their marching with Winifred by Hathi's side.

"Dear. The girl-cub seems nice." She spoke. "You think you're a little too hard on her?"

"Of course not, Winifred. You know how dangerous man can be. That girl-cub belongs in the village, not in the jungle." Hathi replied. Winifred scoffed at his stubbornness. Then she noticed her son is speaking to the girl and the flying squirrel.

"And haven't you forgotten something?"

"Nonsense, Winifred old girl." Hathi said. "An elephant never forgets."

"Well..." Winifred responded sternly. "You just forgot our son!"

"Yes, well..." Hathi said before realizing what she just said. "Son! Son! Oh, yes, yes! Quite right. To the rear... March!" The elephants bumped into each other again as the changed their direction with Hathi going the other way.
Hathi Junior was talking to both Rayna and Tailsy, not realizing he was left behind of the herd. Rayna smiles at the little elephant and she ruffles his hair, making him giggle.

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be a colonel." Hathi Junior said to Rayna and Tailsy. "Just like my..." But he was interrupted by Hathi who wrapped his trunk around him and picked him up. Rayna and Tailsy backed away as they see the upcoming herd.

"If I told you once, I told you a thousand times..." Hathi spoke to his son.

"Pop! Look out!" Hathi Junior shouted seeing the rest of the herd still walking towards Hathi. But it was too late, the elephants crashed into each other. One after another the elephants crashed and piled on top of each other until there was a mess of elephants with their forgetful leader pancaked on the bottom. "Gee pop, you forgot to say halt." Hathi Junior said while sitting in front of the piled-up herd. Hathi grumbled a little.
Rayna couldn't contain her laughter as she saw this. Tailsy laughed with her, making fun of the colonel's words about the elephant never forgets. They look up at Bagheera who stares sternly at them. Rayna ceased her laugh and let out a cough.

"It's not funny. Now let's get out of here before anything else happens!" Bagheera said, running off. "Try to keep up, Rayna!" The girl is following the panther as Tailsy ran beside her. They ran back into the jungle.

Tabaqui walked on the log bridge over the river, trying to find a scent of Rayna around these parts. He was annoyed that he couldn't find a trace of her. The striped hyena gasped as he hears sounds and started to hide behind the bushes.

"Bagheera! Where are we going?" Rayna called.

"I...I wish I knew." Bagheera replied. "Look, I'm going to find Chil and send her my word to the wolf pack. I need to know where Shere Khan is before bringing you back."

"But what can we do?" Tailsy asked.

"Don't wander too far. Stay around these parts. If anything happens, call me." Bagheera walked on the log bridge. Rayna sighed and wandered off to the path. Tailsy sat on her shoulder. Tabaqui smirked and silently left his hiding spot. He must tell Shere Khan her whereabouts.