Polite conversation

Disclaimer: I do not own the Jungle Book in all its awesomeness.

Night was falling in the jungles of the Seeonee. Soon most of its residents would rouse to go about their nocturnal routines, but for now it was so hot and still the air was like a too-warm bath. Those that lived in the scorching hours of the daylight lolled in the shade, lethargically swatting flies with their tails and trying to sleep.

One lone figure clattered awkwardly from boulder to boulder in the steep grey ravine divided by a small brown stream. The boy was about seven or eight and dressed too warmly for the climate; perhaps the work of an overprotective mother. He had a soft round chin and innocent eyes that would fade in a year's time or so. But for now, he almost radiated naïveté and trust.

Which is why the large python perched on a fallen log took such an interest in him.

He followed his movements closely, lazily flicking his tongue. It was not so often that a child of such a tender age would become lost in the jungle; he could name only one other in ten years. But he didn't care to. He preferred not to dwell on humiliation. Onward and upward, that was his motto.

The child slipped and fell, taking a moment to rub its eyes with clenched fists, shaking with unshed tears. This excited the python; he moved for the first time in six hours. He loved it when they did that.

He would give him a few more moment and then he would make his appearance.

The child, so alone, so very afraid. He would make it better.

Hunting had been good this summer, indeed, these past summers, now that he no longer had constraints on his territory. He was free to go wherever, unscathed by tooth or claw, but still he avoided the man village(Again, one humiliation was enough).

The child was making slow, jerky movements with its head; fatigue had probably set in. The fight would be over before it began, and digestion would be swift and certain. He loved it when they couldn't fight.

Unlike one bitter memory, the only time a child had ever thrown off his veil of control. But that had only been once encounter in many. When a child was lost in the jungle, usually it was him they met. That was enough.

The moon had long since risen, and the child sat on the ground, chin tucked into its chest, weeping softly. He looked like such a soft little morsel, too alone and too frightened to fight back, throw him down a tree–

But no, mustn't dwell on that.

The python was just about ready to uncoil, stretch (one couldn't be too careful, especially at his age) and introduce himself. If he played his cards right, he would be basking on the rocky cliffside that was his home with a full tummy by dawn. And really, that was all he asked from life.

He was unkinking the tenth coil, which wasn't far on a python his size, when the bushes beside him began crackling with movement. He tensed and prepared to ru–slither for his life, but relaxed.

The great striped bully had not been seen for many moons now; the python no longer had to fear anything smaller than an elephant. The panther kept well away from him, and the pack did not grudge him his hunting ground. That was probably one of them now– perhaps wanting to ask of his vast and grand encyclopedia of knowledge.

He relaxed back into his coils, wanting to seem as if he were casually admiring the scenery, not preparing to strike the tender morsel stumbling through the foreground. The parched leaves of the underbrush crackled like fire, parting to admit a loping figure too large to be a wolf. He swallowed hard.

It looked like…but it couldn't be.

The greater-than-wolf thing limped, and seemed misshapen in the falling gloom. It walked with care, paws delicately making next to no noise even in the crisped grass. It stank of smoke.

The serpent began to coil in on himself unconsciously, perhaps trying to make himself smaller by sheer will. He only succeeded in forming himself into a very large knot.

The not-wolf had stripes. Much of its body was half-healed scorch, but still stripes remained. Whiskers singed off close to the face, curled from the heat. One eye swelled shut, the other stared out like burnished gold. The snake felt faint. It wasn't who he thought it was, couldn't be, shouldn't! After all this time, here?

It couldn't be…him.

The tiger came to rest on a small boulder, remaining more still than anything had a right to be. The python couldn't breathe. Perhaps he hadn't seen–

"Lovely view, isn't it?"

The words echoed and dispersed, not until now had he realized how quiet it had gotten. He tried to swallow around the large lump in his throat that couldn't go down; his response came out as a strangled whisper.

"Are– are you talking to me?"

"Of course," said Shere Khan casually, turning to let the disdainful gaze of his single eye fall on the nest of coils. "Who else do you see around here, Kaa?"

Kaa finally swallowed and attempted a smile. "W-well, I s-s-s-suppose no one but you and I."

He gave a little laugh that sounded like a choke. What was wrong with him? He hadn't stuttered like that in so long, and yet, and yet…

"Yes." Khan said heavily, turning back to the view. "No one. Not a single soul comes to this corner of the jungle, do you realize? What resides here that is so feared, so shunned by all that his only neighbor is you?"

He knew that was a dig at him, the tiger was mocking him in his accustomed fashion. Kaa drew himself up taller on the stalk of his body, determined to pay him back verbally.

"This is quite a lovely view you have here." The compliment, from out of nowhere, threw him off track again. The tiger was good at that.

"What– I– oh, yess. Yesss, I do enjoy the view from this hill. I find it ssso…relaxing."

"Indeed." The tiger's eye followed the boy as he stumbled across the rocks.

"Though I'm sssure I'll miss my old home, this one has jussst sso much more conveniences, like– like the sstream, a–and the rock–" He was babbling; the damn tiger always made him nervous and shoot off his mouth, let him talk himself into a corner before pouncing. He couldn't stop himself now, it was purely habitual. Shere Khan, however, seemed uninterested. He followed the path of the manling with his gaze.

"Sso, ah," Kaa cleared his throat, which didn't help, "how've you been keeping?"

The tiger turned and stared, one eyebrow lifted.

"Well." He replied sardonically.

"B-because I had heard rumors–"

"Rumors?" Khan snapped. "What falsehoods have you been spreading you gluttonous worm?" His tail slapped the ground, thudding heavily. "How long did it take you to carve out your territory once you'd heard I was gone? Did you wait half a day out of respect or did you slither over here the moment you smelled change on the wind?"

Kaa was silent, staring back at him. That had been a very emotional outburst coming from the stoic, gentlemanly predator. And did he detect a few notes of bitterness?

"I sssuppose…" He cleared his throat. It worked this time. "I suppose it's ussselesss trying to keep up pretensse. It never worked for me in the passt."

Shere Khan stepped back, studying the snake. "No," he said, softer, "no, it never did work for you. You always were such a terrible liar."

Unbidden, a small chuckle bubbled up from his throat. "I'm sssorry; did you say 'water buffalo'? I thought you ssaid waterfall."

The tiger's whiskers twitched. "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen any of the wolves today, perhaps you should check the ancient ruins."

This time, the snake laughed. "Man cub? What man cub?"

While the uncomfortable, accusing silence fell once again, the snake kicked himself mentally (the only way he could, really) for once again falling for the bait.

Everything the tiger said was constructed for the sole purpose of entrapping him; every compliment hid a claw, even when he seemed amiable it was a ruse. He should know that by now.

And still…

"I-I do believe thiss is the best vantage point on thiss sside for sssurveying the landsscape," he continued, his voice bright and brittle, "of coursse I never could get a good view with all the trees, a-and their…their…"

"Their branches?" The tiger finished quietly. He latched onto the answer too eagerly.

"Yess, the branches grew sso high and they would block your view of the other trees or even the top– oh." And he stared at the tiger as horrified realization stole over him. It was like some cruel magic trick.

"Yes, I believe the branches were rather a nuisance in your old haunt. It also kept us from being able to converse on such a… close, personal level, don't you agree?"

Kaa tittered nervously; as if he needed reminding how vulnerable he was on the ground.

"In fact, had this been the case, I doubt either of us would be here right now, conversing on such a lovely evening." Shere Khan said, tapping his claws on the ground in neat sequence. Just seeing it made the serpent bunch in the middle, imagining the damage they could do.

"I assure you s-ssir, that i-if that had been the cassse, you would not be here to sstate that hypothesssiss." He stammered, trying to narrow his eyes with the same practiced scorn as the tiger and failing miserably.

The tiger merely watched him impassively, tail thumping the ground in steady rhythm. They continued their silent battle for some time, Kaa feeling rooted to the spot with terror. The tiger was like a copper statue, burning in the light from the sinking sun. All hope of living had fled the serpent, he merely prayed his end would be swift and sudden. He saw Shere Khan move and winced, but no crushing weight bore down on him. Instead, he spoke.

"I suppose my word no longer carries the weight it once did, but let me assure you of my sincerity when I say that the pain I'm about to cause you will have no earthly equal." The tiger droned casually.

Kaa could feel a cold knot of panic writhing in his belly. Damndamndamndamn!

"And killing me? Will that make it better?" He hissed, trying to hide his fear in anger. No, he was angry, and tired.

He was so, so tired of the threats, of the domination, of fear. He hated the tiger with such a fierce burning passion it was almost worship.

But then why had it felt disappointing when he'd first heard about the tiger's removal from power? Why did it hurt that the enemy he'd hated so completely had been humiliated and burned, when for years he'd fervently wished for something very similar to happen?

The thing that had set itself up as all but a god sat before him now, crippled and nearly impotent. This was the same beast that had terrorized the vast jungle for ten rains, now hunched and graying, threatening his life in a menacing yet somehow pathetic gesture. To loathe and fear something, but pity and admire it at the same time; it was a curious conundrum for a lazy predator like Kaa, who was unaccustomed to such emotional complexities.

"It's a start." Shere Khan turned and lazily bathed one paw with his tongue. Patches of fur were singed off and whorls of scar tissue mottled the skin. Seeing that, Kaa felt another little twist in his ample belly.

How confusing, such an oppressive force in his life should be hated, but he could not stop himself from feeling sympathy for the tiger for a brief flicker. He could not help it, he was by nature an emphatic creature, even the little ones that fell in his grasp were cared for. Up until a certain point.

The tiger glanced up and caught his look of pity. Fury twisted his features; there was no longer any false humor in his voice when he said "Any lasst words?"

Kaa gulped, throat bobbing. It was quite a tricky situation.. He did hate to see the tiger so wretched, but he really didn't want to die just to satisfy his wounded ego. Perhaps he could talk his way out of this.

"I don't know what you expected when you assked me that quesstion sso long ago," he began, "but did you really think I'd be honest? With you? About that? I may not be the quickesst intellect in the jungle, but even I know you've never trussted me. You knew I was lying, I know you knew, but you let me go. Why?"

Shere Khan grunted, the smug expression on his face barely covering wounded pride.

"I assumed you were incompetent enough that you would be able to do nothing to damage my initial plan. At the worst, you would have killed him, in which case I would have slain you in turn. But in the very likely event that you would fail to ingest him, I was to be on hand, to do what you could not."

Kaa felt a stab of anger at his arrogance, and a pang of sympathy for the boy, before remembering what had really taken place.

"But…you left before the boy woke up, what were you doing? You could have easily taken him then."

The tiger's eyes were shuttered. "That's not for you to know."

Kaa writhed and stretched, peeking at the child from the corner of his eye. The manling had found a small hollow and curled up snugly, head pillowed in its arms. He swore internally at his beastly luck, and at the longwinded predator. He had never known anyone to so gratuitously savor the helplessness of their prey, including himself. Even the panther, should he ever find the wherewithal and audacity to strike, would have finished him off by now.

"What are you plotting at when you fall silent like that, I wonder?"

Kaa gave a start, not realizing when the tiger stepped closer. Of course, the distance didn't really matter at this point, he was an excellent jumper and there was too much of Kaa to miss. But the thought of those needle-point claws made him tighten his coils.

"You appeared to be comfortable talking, and I ssseem to recall you hate being interrupted."

"Interrupted yes, but I do really take umbrage when my companion nods off in the middle of a conversation, as you are wont to do."

Kaa couldn't make up his mind at this point whether to feel affronted or frightened. Really, the tiger was too close, any closer and he might scream.

"I should just take this opportunity to finish you off quickly, but one who has caused as much trouble for me as you have does not deserve such a merciful end."

Kaa swallowed loudly. "And I sssupose it would be pointless for me to apologize at this point."

The tiger nodded, eyes intent on his. He was crouching, preparing to strike. Kaa felt a flash of terror, flinging him into action.

"Good. Because I'm not sssorry." He saw the tiger draw back, puzzled look on his face. His brow furrowed, perhaps trying to unpick the logic of the snake's statement. This was encouraging. "You have no one but yourssself to blame that you've failed. I'll bet you talked to him, just like thiss, and tried to draw it out as long as posssible, and that'sss how it happened."

"You be quiet." The tiger snapped angrily, but it didn't have the force it should. The path to freedom became clearer, and a sickly hope sprouted in Kaa's mind.

"You, Shere Khan the tiger, mightiesst of all predatorss, were outdone by a boy? How dare you even attempt to blame anyone but yourself for your failure?"

"It wasn't me!" The tiger practically roared, straightening up. The last word had really stung, as Kaa had intended it to do. "You were against me, everyone was against me! The entire jungle full of weak, plotting fools who dare to call me a failure!"

The hastily improvised plan was well on course, the snake was sure it would succeed now. After so many years of forced familiarity with a bully, you learn a trick or two. Like this next one.

"Of coursse it was." Kaa said soothingly. "Who elsse but those jealousss of you, thosse petty naysayerss, could have?"

Changing from attack to flattery was a tactic the tiger had used often, but he still reeled from it. He cocked his head, narrowing his good eye in disbelief

"You…you agree with me?"

Kaa flicked his tongue out, tasting desperation. Mmm, deliciousss. More than the tiger's pride had been wounded.

"Of coursse, why wouldn't I? We who have been exiled for being different, we have an underssstanding." He freed a few coils in the middle and slipped them gently around the tiger's shoulders. Shere Khan tensed, looking for a moment like he'd rather rip the python open and be done with it, before relaxing into his touch slightly.

Kaa smiled almost maternally, loving the feeling of power that washed over him. Oh, if the tiger only knew the complexities of strength and weakness, the might that lay in manipulation. Never mind, he could learn. And Kaa was a willing and patient teacher.

"You think it was easy to lie to you? It wassn't!" And it hadn't been. Despite his utter loathing of the tiger, a part of him wanted Shere Khan on his side, to impress him. The small part of him that shone out through his eyes when he locked gazes with the tiger unabashedly.

Shere Khan just looked helpless and lost now, his expression guarded but his eyes almost beseeching. Kaa had seen that look on so many of his prey; it almost hurt to see it on the once-proud tiger.

Almost.

"But I only did it out of fear, you undersstand? Fear was governing my actionss that day, I was so sssure you'd hurt me that I was incapable of telling the truth. But now, I'm not nearly as timorouss as I once was." A twinge of irritation crossed the tiger's features, and he backpedaled. "I no longer fear of you because I recognize now that we are kindred sssouls you and I. We both know what it'ss like to be outcasst, rejected by the world. We both know what it'ss like to be alone and hated."

Shere Khan was nodding listlessly along with his words. Almost microscopically, Kaa began moving his coils in small, soothing circles.

"But we've both done nothing but fight with each other up until now, isn't that ssilly? For two creatures who undersstand each other sso well, we haven't really gotten along. But–" his voice dipped lower, "we can change that."

"How?" The tiger said, blinking lethargically. He was weak and had been without rest for too long; this was as close as Kaa would ever get him to a trance. But, for the snake, it would be enough.

"We ssimply need to work together to reinssstate you as the most feared predator in the jungle. What we cannot accomplish alone, we can do together." He said seductively, head weaving a little from side to side.

"But–" Shere Khan's objections were low and calm, coming from deep in his chest. "But how do I know I can trust you this time?"

The serpent laughed, sending a ripple down his body that traveled down to the tiger's, coils squeezing him comfortingly. "You know you can alwayss kill me if I sstep out of line again."

"Yes. But it won't take back the humiliation." The tiger said, his voice shaking a little. Kaa felt another little pang and encircled the tiger just a little more.

If this went on much longer it would end in one of his hugs. Part of him whispered to wrap the tiger completely, snapping his neck before he could muster the willpower to unsheathe his claws and kill him. But another part, nearly dormant but not quite dead, simply wanted to encircle the tiger and sooth away his aches and sorrows, erase his mind of worry, cradling him in his body. It was an odd, almost maternal instinct that reared its head at the worst times(case in point the still-living mancub.) That part of him knew he would never be as feared of a predator as Shere Khan, and knew he had to win the tiger if he was to survive.

"You'll just have to trusst me as I'll have to trusst you," he told the tiger with a little smile, "if we are both equally sstaked in the game, we are on more or lessss even ground."

The tiger nodded again, eyes glazed. He now lay sprawled in a bed of coils, uncertain as to exactly when he'd stopped standing, head resting on a bit of snake put there for that express purpose. Kaa reclined against a rock, watching with almost fond amusement as the tiger struggled and failed to shake himself free, one paw kneading the ground like a nursing kitten.

"You'll just have to trussst me, my old friend," he sighed softly as he extended his tail to scratch behind an ear. The tiger immediately fell into a fit of rumbling purrs, body relaxing completely. The snake tried not to enjoy the warmth of the tiger in his coils too much, or the tickliness of his remaining fur. This was a cold, calculating killing machine that had threatened his life more than once. It was not cute.

And yet…Kaa sighed as the tiger shifted onto his side, tail pattering lazily against his body. He mumbled something Kaa didn't quite catch, so he slithered closer. "What?"

"I suppose I have no other alternative." The tiger mumbled, eyes closed. "What few allies I had have turned their backs on me, now that I'm a laughingstock you're all I have."

"Shush." He murmured gently. "It doesn't do to dwell on past misstakes. 'Onward and upward', that'ss my motto."

"Yes," the tiger said, "and a good motto it is." He turned and looked at the Kaa, who fought the urge to recoil in fear and disgust. Shere Khan had opened his wounded eye, which was red and sickly-looking as the raw insides of a fresh kill. The look he gave Kaa was full of cool contempt, meaning that the time of friendly bargaining was over. He rose, contemptuously wiping his feet on the mass of coils before stepping daintily off and perching on the log Kaa had been roosting on earlier.

Inwardly, Kaa fumed. How did the tiger get so good at hurting him? Why did he keep letting him close enough to? Perhaps he would find out in the coming months. He sensed they had a long, long time to talk about things.

"I accept your offer, with the unstated agreement of mutually assured destruction."

The snake nodded curtly, gathering himself up again neatly.

"I accept your acceptance, and I hope thiss is the beginning of a long and profitable friendship." He said dryly. The tiger extended a paw, which he eyed apprehensively for a moment before coiling gently around it and shaking, fighting the urge to flinch. The tiger nodded, gazing eagerly into his face and delighting in his discomfort.

"Now," he said, still shaking, "there is only one matter of business left to attend to."

"Really?" Kaa asked, nervously considering distangling himself from the tiger. Shere Khan lifted his brow.

"I do believe we have yet to resolve the issue of your betrayal, and the proper punishment."

Kaa gazed at him in shock. "What?"

The tiger squeezed tighter, so tightly that the tips of his claws came unsheathed and pricked him through his scales, still amiably shaking his coil. Kaa whimpered and swallowed audibly, trying to plead but making no sound. Shere Khan smiled mocking and wide, chuckling softly.

"Yes," he said, purring slightly, "a long and profitable friendship. Very long, and very friendly, yes…"

Author's note: this is intended as a sort of semi-prequel/sequel to "Tiger, Tiger", though I'm still toying with the idea of making this a trilogy. I've often pondered the question presented in the movie, why the tiger clearly knows Kaa is lying but still lets him more or get away with it. I figured he did have contempt for the snake and thought him incompetent, but why not just hang around waiting for his inevitable failure and just kill him then? Perhaps he was occupied with other business, or perhaps it was just his sense of bravado. I guess we'll never know, but we can sssuppose, can't we? A note for all you Disney fans who haven't read the books, the Seeonee was the name of jungle where the book was set. Highly recommended reading, if you haven't yet. Until next time…