"Sher Khan should not speak to the wolves," whispered Bagheera. "Tell them. Sher Khan is a dog. He will be frightened."

Mowgli jumped up. "Free People," said, "does Shere Khan lead the wolves? Why should a tiger interfere when we want to choose a leader?"

"The new leader hasn't been chosen yet, and the wolves wanted me to speak - " Shere Khan said, but Mowgli interrupted.

"Which wolves asked you?" said Mowgli. "Are we all slaves, to lick the feet of this cow butcher? The wolves should decide who their leader will be."

Some wolves shouted "Be quiet, you man's cub!" Other wolves said "Let him speak. He has not broken the law". At last the most important wolves in the Pack said in voices that sounded like thunder: "The Dead Wolf must speak." When a leader of the Pack stops being the leader, he is called the Dead Wolf for the rest of his life, which is not long. Akela raised his old head. He looked tired.-

"Free People, and you too, you stupid wolves who follow Shere Khan. I led you for twelve years. All the time that we hunted, not one has been trapped or hurt. Now I am not leader any more. You know how you did that. It was a clever plan. You took me to fight a big strong deer to show how weak I was. It was a clever plan. Now you can kill me here on the Council Rock. But I would like to know who wants to kill me? Remember the law says that you have to fight me one wolf at a time."