The dead tiger lay at Mowgli's feet. "We must work fast," Mowgli said to Akela and Gray Brother. "I want to lay the tiger's hide at Council Rock."
They got to work preparing the hide. Suddenly the wolves dashed off, and Mowgli felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. Buldeo stood there with his gun.
"That tiger's hide belongs to me!" the hunter growled. "There's a big reward for it."
Mowgli rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you're planning to give me some of the reward."
"I'm the chief hunter," Buldeo said. "I'm not going to give you any of the reward. You caught the tiger only because of dumb luck." He stooped over Shere Khan, looking at the tiger closely.
"This tiger and I are old enemies," Mowgli said. Then he waved an arm. "Akela!"
Seconds later Buldeo found himself lying on the grass. A large gray wolf stood over him.
Buldeo blinked in surprise. Mowgli had summoned a wolf!
"This is magic of the worst kind!" he thought. Terrified, he lay as still as a stone. What if Mowgli summoned more wolves? Or he turned himself into a wolf or tiger?
"Great King," Buldeo said at last in a whisper.
"Yes?" Mowgli grinned. Now the hunter was afraid of him.
"I'm an old man. I didn't know that you were a powerful sorcerer. May I get up? Will your wolf tear me to pieces?"
"Go. But from now on, leave me alone," Mowgli replied. "Let him go, Akela," he commanded.
Buldeo limped away to the village as fast as he could. Every few minutes he looked back nervously. When he got to the village, he told the villagers about what he'd seen.
Mowgli and the others finished preparing the tiger's hide. Mowgli hid it near a tree. Then he gathered the buffalo herd and took them back to the village. As he approached, bells clanged loudly. Half the village seemed to be waiting for him by the gate.
"The villagers are happy that I killed the tiger," Mowgli said to himself proudly. "They must be waiting to thank me!"
Instead a shower of stones whistled past Mowgli's ears. Angry shouts rose.
"Sorcerer!"
"Jungle demon!"
"Shoot him, Buldeo!"
The old gun went off with a bang. But the bullet missed Mowgli—striking a buffalo instead.
"The boy just used magic again!" a villager shouted. "He turned that bullet around with magic!" The villagers threw more stones at Mowgli.
He ducked, trying not to panic.
Akela and Gray Brother ran to his sides. "This is just like the wolf pack," Akela said. "They want you gone, Mowgli."
"Last time I was told to leave because I'm a human." Mowgli sighed. "This time it is because I am a wolf!"
Just then Messua ran out from the crowd. "My son! Are the stories about your magic true?"
Mowgli ducked as more stones whizzed by his head. "I'm not a sorcerer, Messua. You know that."
"You must go away before they hurt you!" she said.
A few people pumped their fists in the air. "Get away from the sorcerer, Messua!" they shouted. "Come back here, or we will stone you too!"
Mowgli quickly hugged Messua. He thanked her for her kindness to him. Then he and the two wolves ran away from the people's village.