Disclaimer: I certainly don't own Naruto, Disney or any of its affiliated properties. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this now would I?
"The connection of our hearts…" : Speech (Bold for yelling ,Bijuu, or massive creatures)
'The connection of our hearts…' : Thought
On the outskirts of the jungles of Madhya Pradesh, India…
Anjali was feeling a little numb to everything right now – in just a few hours, she had lost her husband and her only son was gone, hidden somewhere in the cursed wilderness. In the same vein though, she also thanked her lucky stars that the Trimurti saw it fit to send down divine providence in the form of Naruto and Tiger Lily. While Naruto insisted that he was just as normal as she was, she knew better but humored her demigod savior and even felt reassured that he would help her find her son come sunrise. As such, the group needed to recover their vim and vigor for a long day of searching the massive jungle, a task that Anjali took gladly as she guided their little group to the village her family was trading in the previous day. Her husband had made a humble profit in that settlement and she hoped that the goodwill of the villagers after receiving their various baubles extended into hospitiality.
"So, if it's not too much to ask, why were you in the jungle with an infant? Mother Nature doesn't always nurture after all so it all seems like an unnecessary risk!" Tiger Lily said as Anjali looked down with a crestfallen look on her face while Naruto put a hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her.
"N-no, you are right…I wasn't alone actually. My husband and I were setting up camp after a long day of trading in the nearby village – it was on the outskirts of the settlement since there were no rooms for us to rest in the village. It wasn't long until our camp was attacked by that thrice damned beast – that tiger killed my husband in the blink of an eye!" Anjali said, shuddering as she remembered all the gore.
"So that's when you decided to run for your life? I would have run for the village but I can't fault your actions – you must have been paralyzed with fear!" Naruto said as Tiger nodded (while it may have sounded selfish, leading the tiger to the village might have discouraged the animal when he noticed the human civilization).
The group then started bantering as Naruto and Tiger subtly probed Anjali for information about the world they were in. This period of relative levity was counterbalanced by the fact that in the depths of the jungle, the corpse of the tiger was being revived and teleported by Maleficent.
Back with Shere Khan…
Shere Khan was a proud tiger – he was the apex predator of the jungle and he knew it. Animals everywhere acknowledged his strength and even the elephant troop led by Hathi knew better than to mess with him. He balanced his dominance with a veneer of charisma, delighting in the casual sociopathic actions he would do to terrorize his fellow animals. Yes, life was good – with one exception.
For all his power, Shere Khan was an animal, and like all beasts, feared the Red Flower, better known as the fire of man. His fear was his biggest secret and his biggest shame-he couldn't rationalize how a creature without fangs or claws could challenge him! As such, Shere Khan began a crusade to eliminate any humans he came across, taking joy in the terror he inspired in them as he went down the path of the man-eating tiger.
He went on to kill some thirty or forty people over the course of five years, each kill emboldening him as he attacked humans with impunity. It was business as usual when he noticed a small group of three humans making camp on the outskirts of a village – one man, a woman and a baby. They were fair game and he made quick work of the man, dispatching him in less than five minutes before toying with his mate, something that in hindsight, he shouldn't have done.
His hunt was interrupted by two other humans, of which one was strange, setting his instincts on edge as if he was in front of a predator far more dangerous than he was. Perhaps he had grown more than a little arrogant with his success in killing humans as by ignoring his instincts, he was killed in the blink of an eye, his corpse now worm food. Now this would normally be the end of his story but a burst of green energy passing through his body breathed new life into him, the tiger jumping to his feet as he looked around in confusion.
"What's this?! Last thing I remember is that strange man and his woman who interrupted my hunt! Why…why do I feel like I am forgetting something? And why is my blood on the grass?!" Shere Khan groused before backing away with a wary growl when he saw a plume of green fire burst before him, revealing yet another human. He was hesitant to call her human when he saw her glowing green eyes and horns however and when her imperious voice found itself in his head, he was caught completely flat footed.
'Foolish creature…you truly bit off more than you could chew didn't you? Attempting to challenge my nephew…he was merciful when killing you I suppose but today is your lucky day!' Maleficent said telepathically as Shere Khan shook his head in confusion, her voice lulling him into a strangely receptive state of mind.
'Now listen here – my masters have seen fit to keep you alive and with my magic, your talents will be used for more productive ends. Tell me, how do you feel about attacking a certain human village nearby? Rejoice, since I'll be giving you a little something to help you out…' Maleficent said, allowing her magic to travel towards Shere Khan, the smoky tendrils wafting over him and gifting him with improved strength and speed. Once that was done, the enslaved dark fairy teleported the tiger to the nearby village, where Shere Khan began his rampage.
The quiet night was then filled with the screams of women and children, as the roars of Shere Khan rent the air…
Meanwhile, back with Naruto and the women…
Naruto and Tiger were taken aback by the state of the world they found themselves in. While there was no magic of any kind, the people here apparently having folktales that sounded suspiciously like the adventures they already had. Figuring that they had to keep their cards close to their chests, they divulged little of their origins to Anjali, only telling her that they were roving nomads who lived off the land. While the lie was paper thin, the relative ease with which the duo traversed the undergrowth serving to convince Anjali of the 'truth' of their lie.
It took them around half an hour to return to civilization (Naruto and Tiger had to slow down for their other companion). Their return to safety and security was an ill fated venture however, as the trio was greeted with the utter chaos of a village hastily trying to contain a tiger, the men all carrying pitchforks and torches while the women and children scurried into their huts.
"Hey! It looks like the tiger I killed is back?! How is that even possible?!" Naruto said, running into the village, palming a dagger as he tossed the blade at the tiger. His blade found it's mark, cutting deep into Shere Khan's side as the beast dodged the otherwise lethal strike with unnatural grace.
"I don't know how that could work given that there is no magic in this world but this is no time to talk-I'll take care of Anjali and any women I come across. You go and get to the bottom of this mess!" Tiger said as she turned to Anjali, who was having a nervous breakdown at the sight of the blood.
Naruto then rushed into the village, leaping over the burning wood and corpses as he could hear a man yell in pain. When he arrived at the scene, he was struck with a sense of déjà vu – before him was a father trying to protect his family from a threat but failing spectacularly.
Shere Khan leapt at the man, claws bared as the man put his arms over his face since the tiger's weight knocked him down, flat on his back. His thick robes would have afforded him some protection against the long but thin claws of the tiger but with the magical infusion from Maleficent coursing through Khan's veins, the robes might as well not have been there.
Shere Khan then proceeded to disembowel the man and turned to regard Naruto with a mad glint in his eye. He roared challengingly, feeling that this time, their altercation would be different.
It wasn't.
No matter how fast or strong he was, Shere Khan was startled to discover that Naruto was quicker and faster. Sure, his claws might have raked across the man's back or arms but the wounds were quick to close. He might have become more powerful but each slice from the dagger in Naruto's hands brought him ever closer to death. After a few minutes of this, Shere Khan decided that discretion was the better part of valor and ran off, his flagging power reserves lasting long enough to give him a burst of speed to leave the village in the blink of an eye.
Naruto was about to follow but the bereaved wailing from the woman he saved had him rethinking his course of action.
"Hey! Are you alright?! Are you hurt anywhere? I'm sorry I couldn't save your husband in time – the tiger was too dangerous to keep my eyes of it…" Naruto said as the woman looked up to him with tears in her eyes. Now taking a closer look at her, Naruto noticed that she was cradling a baby too (a girl this time) and that she was looking up at him in muted awe, his rapidly healing wounds catching her attention.
"It's not your fault- I thank the gods that you came to deliver us from peril. My husband was a great man and I know he wouldn't hold you at fault for what happened. I just hope that you'll stay to help the village O great hero…" The as of yet unnamed woman spoke, cuddling her child to her breast in an attempt to calm the squalling babe.
"I can do that! While I wouldn't really call myself much of a hero, I can't leave everyone in this village like this – especially when I plan to settle here with my wife! I even came across a mother like you, her family torn apart by this insane tiger…" Naruto said as the woman bowed to him before wringing her hands nervously.
"T-thank you sir. I hope that this isn't too forward of me but perhaps I can offer my humble home for your group?" She said as Naruto nodded in gratitude before looking behind him, noticing Tiger and Anjali coming over to meet him. The villagers were following the strangers with muted awe, having witnessed Naruto's battle with Shere Khan beforehand.
"Naruto! We saw your fight with that tiger – there's something seriously wrong with it! I don't think any beast should be capable of keeping up with your attacks…" Tiger Lily said as Anjali nodded, too starstruck to say anything else.
"Yeah, I had a little tussle with that monster…I was about to finish the job before I remembered I had to take care of the villagers too. Anjali, perhaps you should talk to her…errr…I forgot to ask your name…"Naruto said as the woman bowed to him.
"Oh, it's no problem sir. My name is Messua and this is my daughter Shanti. We welcome you to our village and your group can rest your weary heads in my humble home. It's the least we can do after what you have done for us." Messua said as the villagers murmured in agreement.
"Don't worry about it! It's only human nature to help out your fellow man after all! Now let's clean up this mess!" Naruto said, walking over to the ruins of the burning houses, putting out the flames with dirt before lifting the wooden planks and clearing the debris as the menfolk scrambled to assist him.
This act of charity earned him the respect of the villagers as a whole, something that would be extremely crucial for what lay in store tomorrow (especially concerning Mowgli and his adoptive wolf family)…
And that was chapter 46! A bit shorter than usual but this sets up the story for a changed plotline with Mowgli, Shanti and Shere Khan. Mowgli will have two mothers and two lives – which one he picks in the end will be a surprise!
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