Chapter 9: Reunited at Last

After defeating Shere Khan and finding Mishti, Baloo is telling Bagheera about the battle they both have gone through. Mishti is riding on Baloo's shoulders as he explains the story..

"Hey, Baghee, too bad you missed the action. You should have seen how I made a sucker out of old Stripes with that left up in his face. Baloo says showing a fighting mode.

Then he gives Bagheera fake punches on his face, "Boom, boom,I was givin' him. Whang!"

Bagheera is having a hard time believing it.

Baloo gives a slight bush on mishit's face and says, "You wanna know somethin'? We're good sparrin' partners."

"You'd better believe it," Mishti says with a smile.

"Yes, sir. Nothin' or nobody is ever gonna come between us again," Baloo says, and gives Mishti a hug.

Mishti hugs Baloo back with a smile on her face and is glad to be back with them.

Just then, they hear a voice saying, "Alright men, we made it to the village."

Mishti turns her head to hear the voice as Baloo puts her down. Mishti comes over to see what the noise is. She looks through the bushes to see seven grown men walking to a place full of wooden houses with straw or wooden roofs.

Seeing at the entrance there are four young children. Two of them are the same age as Mishti. One girl is only a few years, and the boy is very young.

"I'm guessing that's the man village, huh?" Mishti asks.

"That's right," Bagheera says.

Mishti says, "And there are kids who are my age."

"I guess so. And it looks like those men just came back from the jungle," Baloo says.

Mishti looks to see the seven men heading back to the village, but one of them catches her attention. Mishti gasp to see a man has dark hair, tan skin, and brown eyes. He is wearing a dark red shirt, brown pants, and a dark brown cloth wrapped on his head. This man is someone who Mishit hasn't seen in years.

Mishit steps back a little and quickly hides behind one of the trees. Baloo and Bagheera becomes confused to see Mishti hiding all of the sudden.

Bagheera walks to the tree Mishit hiding behind, and asks, "Mishti, what's wrong?"

"Um, well it's one of the men," Mishti answers.

"What's wrong with him?" Baloo asks.

Mishti sighs, "You see the man in the middle."

Bagheera and Baloo look to see the man in the middle of the group.

"Yes?" Baloo answers.

"That man… is my dad," Mishti answers.

"Your dad?" Bagheera answers.

"I… I never knew what happened to him after the fire. And seeing him after eight years, I'm afraid about seeing him again," Mishti answers.

Bagheera reassures, "Mishti, I know it's hard for you to go back to the village, but you know that it's best for you. Plus, I can tell you really wanted to know what happened to him."

"But… Baloo… Bagheera," Mishti worriedly says.

Baloo comes up to Mishti, and says, "Mishti… Bagheera told me about what you've been through. I understand that you were… scared and love to live in the jungle."

He hugs Mishti, and says, "I love you little britches, but this seems like a great opportunity you've been waiting for."

Mishti looks at Baloo and Bagheera with sadness in her eyes. She really doesn't want to leave them or the jungle, but she hasn't seen her father for so long that it's hard for her to bear it.

Mishti cries and gives Baloo a hug, "I'm… I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too. You will always be one swell bear," Baloo says.

He then puts Mishti down, and she gives Bagheera a hug, "I'm going to miss you too Bagheera."

"I'll miss you too. But we will always love you," Bagheera says, patting Mishti on the back.

Mishti lets go of Bagheera and look at the men who are at the gates. Mishti takes a deep breath and makes her way to the gate. She looks to see a small river diving the village and the jungle and rocks that are like stepping stones. She jumps on one and stops. She then jumps on all the stepping stones until she's at the side where the village is. She then hides in the bushes so the men won't see her.

Mishti turns her head to where Baloo and Bagheera are.

Baloo nods his head.

And Bagheera whispers, "Go on, go on!"

Mishti decides that this is now or never, she decides to walk down the path to the man village.

At the entrance the men are talking about what has happened in the jungle when six of them and the children turn to see the jungle staring at them. Mishti simply shows a calm smile on her face. The man who is Mishti's father turn his head to see the young jungle girl. Mishti then lifts her hand to reveal her bracelet. The man gasp in surprise to see the girl's face and the bracelet.

Finally, Mishti speaks up, "Daddy."

"Mishti," The man says.

He takes a close look at Mishti's face and amazed to see the resemblance. He looks to see the bracelet and recognize it anywhere.

The man smiles and begin to get water in his eyes, "Mishti."

He then hugs Mishti, "I can't believe it. Mishti, is that really you?"

"Yes dad, it is me. I miss you so much," Mishti says.

"I miss you too," Mishti's father says.

Mishti and her father give each other a hug of their love and how happy they are to see each other again. Baloo and Bagheera are happy for mishti to be reunited with her family.

Mishti's father picks her up with a smile and walks to the village.

He says, "Everyone, I want you to meet Mishti, my daughter."

Mishti waves her hand, "Hello everyone."

The people gather to say hello to Mishti with welcoming arms. Then Mishti begins to make her way inside the village with her kind, but stops and turn to see Baloo and Bagheera. She waves her hand goodby. Baloo and Bagheera does the same. Mishti then join with her father and the other people into the village.

Baloo sighs, and says, "I'm going to miss her, but i'm glad she's able to find her dad.

"I agree. It's bound to happen, Mishti is where he belongs now," Bagheera says.

"Yeah… I guess you're right. But I still think she'd have made one swell bear," Baloo says.

Then Baloo says, "Well, come on. Baghee buddy. Let's get back to where we belong… and get with the beat."

He slaps his paws together. He then picks up Bagheera with his arm and carry him away as he dances.

Baloo:

Look for the bare necessities

The simple bare necessities

Bagheera:

Forget about your worries

And your strife

Baloo and Bagheera:

I mean the bare necessities

Are Mother Nature's recipes

That bring the bare

necessities of life

Baloo and Bagheera sing and dance to the jungle as the sun goes down. Mishti stay in the village with her father and the rest of her kind. She learns that no matter where she goes in the world, some friendship means to last forever, and will never forget the friends and family she has in the jungle. And soon will have new friends in her new home with her own kind.