Mowgli

What a dreadful way to spend the night.

Banished to his room, all Mowgli could do was fume. Laying there in the hammock, he stared up at the ceiling. Recollecting his thoughts, that was all he could do. No dinner to comfort him. His 'father,' disgruntled from his effort to go back into the jungle with the others, had sent him upstairs for the rest of the day as punishment.

To him, this was unfair. Unjustified. He knew his father warned him to not cross the river, and yet it seemed outrageous. He had survived out there for a long time. Sure he played pranks on Shanti, teasing her about the dangers of the jungle, but it was all in good spirits. But instead of hearing him out, his father kept him in this room to teach him a lesson. The old man didn't understand anything. All of his stories about Baloo and his animal friends were treated just as that: stories.

Did it ever occur to anyone that he was telling the truth? He showed up at the village, naked, following Shanti into it carrying her clay pot full of water. It didn't make any sort of sense on why they dismiss him as just some stray orphan. It even took his 'mother,' a woman named Messua, a moment to hear him out. If he was to believe her, that he was her son, but did it matter?

He tossed his loincloth up onto the rafter, grimacing in frustration as the thoughts went through his head. He hated this man-village. All work, and when they do get to play it was never anything fun. Everything was designed to frustrate him. If only Baloo had been here, then maybe he could find a balance between work and play.

Glancing out of the window, Mowgli could see the villagers walking through the paths, some with torches in their hands, while others were finishing up the tasks that they were assigned that day. He wondered what the point of it all was. If only he could find some way to go back. Back to the way it was before he came to the man-village.

Spend time with Baloo. See his real family again. The wolves would welcome him with open arms. Bagheera may even appreciate him being back. There could be so much that's to be done in the jungle. Even if Shere Khan was still there, it would all be worth it for just a little bit longer.