"Ssss!" Kaa hissed as the monkeys ran in terror.
Some of the monkeys had never met Kaa before.
But they'd all heard stories about the terrifying python.
He could slip along branches as quietly as moss grows.
As the monkeys fled, Baloo drew in a deep breath of relief.
He was sore and battered after fighting them.
Bagheera was hurt too.
The panther climbed out of the water tank and shook out his wet fur.
"Let's get Mowgli before those monkeys attack again," Bagheera said.
"They will not attack again while I'm here!" Kaa hissed.
"Where is the man cub anyway?"
"In here!" Mowgli danced around inside the dome.
"I'm trapped!"
"Please get him out of here," said a snake at his feet.
"He will crush our young."
"Stand back, Mowgli," Kaa ordered.
The python looked carefully at the dome.
Finally he spotted a crack in the marble.
Then, lifting his body high above the ground, he smashed down again and again.
"Whoa!" Bagheera exclaimed as the marble shattered in a cloud of dust.
Mowgli leaped out and threw himself at Baloo and Bagheera.
"Are you okay?" Baloo asked.
"I'm sore and hungry," Mowgli replied. "But I'm fine."
Kaa stared at Mowgli.
"So you're the man cub. Why, you look like a monkey!"
Mowgli bowed. "Thank you for saving my life and my friends' lives."
"It's nothing," Kaa said softly.
By now the moon had sunk behind the hills.
Trembling monkeys huddled together on the wall and along the stone buildings.
Kaa glided into the center of the terrace and closed his jaws with a snap.
Terrified, the monkeys watched him begin a slow dance.
"This is my dance called the Hunger of Kaa.
Sit still and watch me!" the snake commanded.
Kaa wove his head from right to left.
He made slow loops with his body.
His scales rustled.
Mowgli stood with Baloo and Bagheera.
His eyes flicked from the monkeys to his friends.
Everyone was watching the snake with wonder.
Kaa hissed. "Come closer, monkeys . . ."
The monkeys swayed forward helplessly.
Baloo and Bagheera began to pitch forward too.
Mowgli sprang toward them.
"Come on!" he cried, yanking them away.
"Let's get out of here!"
The two great beasts jumped as if Mowgli had just woken them from a dream.
Then they ran a short distance away.
Bagheera glanced back at the snake and shuddered.
"The monkeys aren't the only ones who are scared of Kaa.
That snake makes me nervous."
Baloo shook out his fur. "It worked out fine. We have Mowgli again."
"True, but this little adventure cost us," Bagheera said sternly.
"We're both injured. Which means we cannot hunt for several days.
And we were forced to ask Kaa for protection."
He glared at Mowgli.
"We warned you about this.
We told you it was foolish to play with the monkeys."
Mowgli looked down. "I'm sorry."
"He's very young," Baloo said.
"And he's sorry for what he's done."
"Being sorry is not enough punishment for breaking the rules!" Bagheera replied.
With that, he gave Mowgli some light taps on the shoulder.
"There," Bagheera said. "That's done."
According to the law of the jungle, a punishment settled things.
There was no need to say anything more about Mowgli's mistake with the monkeys.
"Jump on my back, Little Brother," Bagheera said. "We will go home."
"Okay." Mowgli climbed onto Bagheera's back and lay down his head.
Soon he was fast asleep.