Outcasts [COMPLETE]

"How You've Grown."

The next day, around what would've passed as lunchtime, a still slightly unfamiliar sound echoed through the forest as Zaria sat beneath a tree casually munching on a mango with one arm draped lazily over Kaa's head. A frown came to her face as she lowered the fruit and waited. Two minutes later, a group of monkeys carrying an all too familiar creature came caravanning over the trees before she jumped to her feet and began to follow, staying just out of their range.

They eventually reached the ruins where Zaria stopped just outside the building before making herself known. Loud screeches died down to softer ones as they parted and allowed her to enter the building. She slipped into the shadowy abyss just as Shere-Khan dug his claws into Mowgli's arm and lowered them slowly, creating a long ugly cut down the length of his arm. Fear shot like frantic wolf through her veins and she screamed, causing everyone to look her way. As soon as the tiger's blue eyes met hers, every fiber of his being froze. Had he been human, he might've gone pale.

"Zaria." His usually strong voice shook slightly as she made her way in on trembling legs, he quickly stepped back as she stepped up, pulling the unconscious boy into her grasp so that his head rested on her bosom. When she looked back at Shere-Khan there was murder in her eyes. "What have you done?" Her voice was dangerously soft, tears bubbling up in her large brown eyes.

It was right around then when Kaa made her entrance.

~

"He'll be waking up soon." Kaa hissed softly. From her spot by an opening in the tree, Zaria barely nodded. A gentle groan made her sag slightly with relief as Mowgli came to, eyes quickly going to the teenage girl sitting several feet away. Almost by instinct, he pulled himself to his feet and practically crawled to her, soon flopping down at her feet. She gently wrapped her arms around his small frame and pulled him close, jumping slightly when he abruptly gripped her arms like his life depended on it.

"Zaria..." His weak voice made something in her crack as she rested her forehead on his lightly. "Hush Mowgli, save your strength." Even she was surprised by how motherly she sounded.

"Why did Kaa save me?" She glanced at the reptile behind her who was pretending not to listen. She paused, stroking the boy's hair before speaking.

"The same reason the elephant saved you from the tiger trap: everyone's watching you Mowgli, the same way they watched me once. There will come a time when the jungle will be in danger and you will become its saving grace. You must help them, you have to take your place as ruler of this kingdom."

By now, she found herself cradling him to her chest, his arms loosely wrapped around her neck as he struggled to stay awake. She couldn't help smiling sadly, in a different scenario they would've been the best of friends. Maybe even mother and son.

A frown came to her lips. Perhaps...if I wasn't so blindly devoted to the striped psycho of the jungle. Her hands tightened slightly on his arms before carefully sliding him into Kaa's coils. "Lull him to sleep, we need to talk." The snake did so without objection. Once the boy began to snore, she slid beneath Zaria's arm and rested her head in her lap. "What is it?" She drew a few lazy circles on her scaly head silently before speaking.

"Khan's never gonna stop until Mowgli's dead is he?" "You know the answer to that question as well as I." Pause. "The only place he'll ever be safe is the village, but he wouldn't go there even if his life depended on it." "He's as stubborn as you once were." She was silent with thought.

"Then I have to go with him." Kaa's head snapped up, eyes wide. "No you mustn't!" Zaria caressed the snake's head fondly. "I must, it's the only way to make sure he stays put." "But Shere-Khan, he'll murder every last man in the entire village before he finds you!" Yes that would be a problem.

"I have to do this Kaa, and I appeal to you to keep him off my tail." The snake seemed to sigh. "I'm not as strong as he is but I will try, you know I will." Zaria smiled before kissing the tip of her scaly nose.

"Thank you Kaa." In response, she opened her mouth and slid her forked tongue past her lips and between Zaria's. There was a desperate forcefulness to her actions, like she knew this would be the last time they'd ever get this close, Zaria didn't know either but she let the cold-blooded thing do what she wished.