Мауглі
Kaa’s Hunting
Mowglinoddedandblinked,andsaid"Yes"whentheyaskedhimaquestion,andhisheadspunwiththenoise. "TabaquitheJackalmusthavebittenallthesepeople,"hesaidtohimself,"andnowtheyhavemadness. Certainlythisisdewanee,themadness. Dotheynevergotosleep? Nowthereisacloudcomingtocoverthatmoon. IfitwereonlyabigenoughcloudImighttrytorunawayinthedarkness. ButIamtired."
Thatsamecloudwasbeingwatchedbytwogoodfriendsintheruinedditchbelowthecitywall,forBagheeraandKaa,knowingwellhowdangeroustheMonkey-Peoplewereinlargenumbers,didnotwishtorunanyrisks. Themonkeysneverfightunlesstheyareahundredtoone,andfewinthejunglecareforthoseodds.
"Iwillgotothewestwall,"Kaawhispered,"andcomedownswiftlywiththeslopeofthegroundinmyfavor. Theywillnotthrowthemselvesuponmybackintheirhundreds,but—"
"Iknowit,"saidBagheera. "WouldthatBaloowerehere,butwemustdowhatwecan. WhenthatcloudcoversthemoonIshallgototheterrace. Theyholdsomesortofcouncilthereovertheboy."
"Goodhunting,"saidKaagrimly,andglidedawaytothewestwall. Thathappenedtobetheleastruinedofany,andthebigsnakewasdelayedawhilebeforehecouldfindawayupthestones. Thecloudhidthemoon,andasMowgliwonderedwhatwouldcomenextheheardBagheera’slightfeetontheterrace.
