Mother Wolf got up from her cubs. She jumped forward. Her eyes were like two green moons in the darkness. She looked into the yellow eyes of Shere Khan. "It is I, Raksha [The Demon], who answers you. The man's cub is mine, Lungri, lame tiger! You will not kill him. He shall live with the other wolves and he will hunt together with the other wolves. And one day, he will hunt you, you hunter of little cubs - you frog-eater - you fish-killer! Now go away. I don't eat cows, and I don't care about your bull. I can kill the big wild deer, and I can send you back to your mother even more lame than you were when you were born! Go, you burned animal!"

Father Wolf was very surprised. Many years ago he and five other wolves had a big fight for Mother Wolf because all the male wolves wanted her. In those days she hunted with the other wolves and they called her The Demon because she was so fierce. Shere Khan did not want to fight her. Maybe he could fight Father wolf, but Mother Wolf was in her own home, and she would not stop fighting until the tiger was dead. So Shere Khan did not fight. Instead he went outside and shouted: "Each dog barks when he is in his own home! But the other wolves will say something about your man-cub. The cub is mine, and I am going to eat him, you thieves!"

Mother Wolf went back to her cubs. She was breathing hard. Father Wolf was worried. He said to her in a serious voice: "Shere Khan is right. The cub must be shown to the other wolves. Do you still want to keep him, Mother?