This made the wolves quiet. No-one wanted to fight Akela without the other wolves helping him, especially because they would fight until one of them was dead. Then Shere Khan said: "Bah! Why do we listen to this old fool? He is going to die anyway! It is the man-cub who must die. Free People, I should have been able to kill him right at the beginning. Give him to me. I am tired this stupid man-wolf idea. He has caused trouble in the jungle for ten years. Give him to me, or I will always hunt here, and not give you one bone. He is a man, a man's child, and from my heart I hate him!"

Then more than half the Pack agreed: "A man! A man! Why should a man live with us? Let him go to his own people."

"And make all the people of the villages into our enemies?" shouted Shere Khan. "No, give him to me. He is a man, and none of us can look into his eyes."

Akela lifted his head again and said, "He has eaten our food. He has slept with us. He has helped us to hunt. He has kept the Law of the Jungle."

"Also, I paid for him with a bull when you let him join the pack. A bull is not very expensive, but Bagheera gave that bull for your promise, and I might fight if you break your promise" said Bagheera in a very gentle voice.

"A bull which you gave ten years ago!" the Pack said. "We don't care about bones ten years old!"