"Good!" said Mowgli, staring round slowly. "I see that you are dogs. Now I am going to leave you and go to my own people - if they are my people. The jungle is closed for me. I must forget your talk and your friendship. But I will be kinder than you are. Because I was your brother except for my blood, I promise that when I am a man I will not betray you to men as you have betrayed me." He kicked the fire with his foot, and the sparks flew up. "There shall be no war between any of us in the Pack. But there is a debt to pay before I go." He strode forward to where Shere Khan sat blinking stupidly at the flames. Then he lifted the tiger's head by his chin. Bagheera followed in case of accidents. "Get up, dog!" Mowgli said. "Up, when a man speaks, or I will set you on fire!"

Shere Khan's ears lay flat back on his head, and he shut his eyes, because the blazing branch was very near.

"This cattle-killer said he would kill me in the Council because he had not killed me when I was young. This is how we beat dogs when we are men. You move a whisker, Lungri, and I will ram the Red Flower down your throat!" Mowgli beat Shere Khan over the head with the branch, and the tiger whined in an agony of fear.

"Pah! You half-burned jungle cat - you can go now! But remember that next time I come to the Council Rock, I will come as a man should come, with Shere Khan's hide on my head. And also Akela can go free to live as he wants. You will not kill him, because I don't want you to."