“Yes,” said Mowgli; “all the jungle fear Bagheera⁠—all except Mowgli.”

“Oh, thou art a man’s cub,” said the Black Panther, very tenderly; “and even as I returned to my jungle, so thou must go back to men at last⁠—to the men who are thy brothers⁠—if thou art not killed in the Council.”

“But why⁠—but why should any wish to kill me?” said Mowgli.

“Look at me,” said Bagheera; and Mowgli looked at him steadily between the eyes. The big panther turned his head away in half a minute.