Disclaimer: I certainly don't own Naruto, Disney or any of its affiliated properties. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this now would I?
"The connection of our hearts…" : Speech (Bold for yelling ,Bijuu, or massive creatures)
'The connection of our hearts…' : Thought
5 AM, in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh, India…
The early hours of the day were usually a period of relative quiet – the night owls were getting ready to sleep and the early birds had yet to rise. The sun's rays had only just begun to dye the indigo skies with their radiance and the grass underfoot was still heavy with dew as a mild fog blanketed the land. It was during this idyllic scene that Mowgli and Shanti made their daring escape into the jungle to hunt the killer of their sires, Shere Khan. Now this plan would not normally succeed, given the level of awareness that Naruto and Tiger had – they would easily hear or otherwise sense the children leaving their home.
However, Shanti was an observant little girl (arguably too observant at times) and coordinated their little escape when the two were 'preoccupied'.
"Oh~yes! Right there- how is your tongue so good! This is the third time I've come undone at your hands dear!"
"A little lightning chakra never hurt anyone – sure I am playing unfairly, but I don't see you complaining one bit if that dopey smile on your face is anything to go by…"
Yes. Shanti was very aware on just how frequently Naruto and Tiger enjoyed each other's flesh – she also knew just how engaged they were when canoodling (she figured that was why they never found out that Anjali and her mom played with themselves while listening to their ardent love making…that was one traumatic discovery for nine year old Shanti back then, who was wondering just what all that racket was about one Friday morning). As such, she coordinated their journey out of the settlement, with Mowgli taking the lead once they were out of the village proper.
"Hey…I was just curious…how did you know that Naruto was going to bump uglies with Miss Tiger today Shanti?" Mowgli whispered as the two children snuck out of the hut through their bedroom window.
"That really is none of your business but if you must know, Tiger has been more affectionate with her husband over the last few days so I figured that if I didn't distract her with training yesterday, then she would be quite energetic with Naruto instead…it just so happened that you came with good news that I could work with given the circumstances…" Shanti said, rolling her eyes with a faint blush as the amorous moaning of Tiger had her feeling more than a little second hand embarrassment.
"Hey, enough with the fancy talk – we're still kids you know? I mean, even grownups like Naruto know when to let loose! Still…your little crush on Pa here really paid off – we're gonna get out of here real easy now!" Mowgli said, playfully nudging the irate and blushing girl as they slipped through the back alleys of the village before Mowgli gave Shanti a leg up to climb over the village gates before he climbed over them himself.
Once they were in the jungle though, both their playful miens disappeared as a grim one took their place. Since Mowgli was their resident jungle expert, he was the guide for the little group, with Shanti taking up the rear with a homemade set of a bow and arrows. Mowgli wasn't unarmed either, as he had with him one of Naruto's daggers (the reincarnated ninja had yet to meet anyone would could make kunai – the smithing technique simply didn't exist in the worlds he visited).
"Okay, the first thing we need to do is get some information on Shere Khan. The wolves will be of no help since they think I am already in the village so we aren't really spoiled for choice here…" Mowgli said as he scratched his cheek in thought.
"Well…if we can't find any reputable sources who won't turn you in, then perhaps some bottom feeder would be fine…do you know anyone like that?" Shanti said,watching as Mowgli groaned in annoyance before nodding.
"Yes, I do. Before we go and see him though…please remember that he's the lowest of the low – don't be surprised by how he acts." He said as Shanti nodded uncertainly, wondering just what kind of vermin they were going to meet.
A few minutes later…
"Oh dear master! What brings your lordship to my humble home?" Tabaqui the jackal said as he poked his head out of his den.
Not in the mood for the jackal's simpering and whining, Mowgli simply huffed before calling out to the animal.
"Just shut up Tabaqui and come over here for a second – we've got something to ask you…" Mowgli said jerking his head in Shanti's direction as the girl scrunched up her nose at the filthy and smelly scavenger.
"Oooh! Who's this beauty master?! Is she your mate? This lowly servant is flattered you came to visit me just to show her off!" Tabaqui said as he sidled up to Shanti before he began sniffing her clothes and generally being a nuisance.
"EW! As if! We're brother and sister you sick freak!" Shanti screamed at the sniveling cur before kicking him in the side, launching him into the air before he landed in a groaning heap. Mowgli on the other hand, was busy rolling on the floor laughing his heart out (it was rare seeing Shanti flip out so spectacularly so he was enjoying every second of the spectacle).
A few seconds and some bruised flanks later, Mowgli explained just why they came to see him. While the jackal was considered persona non grata amongst the jungle folk, it could not be understated just how much information he got while prowling through the jungle.
"Oh dear master Mowgli, I would help you, honestly, but Shere Khan has forbidden anyone from revealing his location to others! He's really gone off the deep end sir – he is even boasting about no longer fearing the Red Flower! Oh, the madness of it all…"Tabaqui said as Mowgli crouched in front of him before pulling out his dagger and adopting a faux menacing face.
"Oh, so the tiger no longer fears the Red Flower? He's gone crazy you say? Ha – you haven't seen crazy yet…now tell me what you know about Shere Khan before I take this blade and gut you with it!" Mowgli said as Shanti hid a smirk at the shock and fright on the jackal's mug.
"Mercy master, mercy! This humble servant only wanted to live sir – I am no match for anyone in this jungle! All I know is what Kaa told King Louie since I happened to be prowling the area at the time…" Tabaqui said, prostrating himself before the boy in clear submission.
"Thank you Tabaqui. That wasn't so hard now was it? Now stay low and out of sight until we finish that beast off…" Mowgli said, sheathing the blade and walking off.
Shanti then followed but decided to leave the jackal with one parting remark.
"Oh and don't worry about giving us this information because if you truly were eavesdropping, then no one should now that it was you who spilled the beans anyway…" She said, attempting to ease the jackal's nerves a little.
Meanwhile, back with Naruto and Tiger…
After enjoying their orgasmic afterglows, Naruto and Tiger were quick to rise and greet the day. Anjali and Messua had already gotten up and were preparing breakfast for the family when the husband and wife duo came to the dining room to eat.
"Good morning ladies! Fine morning to be alive aint it?" Naruto said, sitting down at the breakfast table with a big smile while he had an arm around a nigh on purring and content Tiger Lily at his side. The two women hid their own jealousy at the state of Tiger Lily well before schooling their expressions into something resembling a smile.
"Good morning Naruto and Tiger! Yes, it is a fine day to be up and about and since Mowgli has finally returned for his scheduled time in this village, we can make a family day out of it!" Anjali said as Messua nodded before walking over to Naruto and letting her fingers trace over the corded muscles in his arms, biting her full bottom lip discreetly as she felt them flex under her gentle touch.
"I agree – Shanti has been clamoring for more time with her dearest father so who am I to say no to that?" Messua said as Tiger lazily opened one eye to regard the *ahem* thirsty widows before sunggling deeper into her man's chest.
"Alright then – looks like we're all in agreement then! Where are the little rascals anyway? I figured if Mowgli decided to sleep in, I would at least see Shanti since that girl is all about rules and stuff…wonder who she gets it from?" Naruto wondered as the three women around him looked around shiftily while whistling an innocent tune.
The adults waited for about fifteen minutes before Naruto got up and looked at the women seriously.
"Okay – I am calling it. Something strange is going on – I am going to go and check on the children." He said, walking to the kids' room before opening the door.
"Damn it! I should have known that Mowgli would tell Shanti about Shere Khan! I expected at least a day's worth of a delay – the kids must have not even slept for five hours before going on their quest!" He said, looking at the empty room and the neatly folded and packed bed mats.
"What happened? Why are you yelling Naruto?" Tiger asked her husband as she walked over to him, looking over his shoulder into the room as her eyes widened in shock before they narrowed as she looked sternly at Naruto.
"What's going on? Where are the children?" She said as Naruto sighed and rubbed his face with a tired look.
"Okay, don't get mad because I was going to tell you this personally after breakfast but a certain man eating tiger has returned to these parts- Mowgli was sent here by the wolven council to hide from him but he must have told Shanti about it before the two of them left together…it must have been when we were having sex because I would have sensed them leaving!" Naruto said as Tiger blushed faintly at his crass talk and sighed good naturedly at him.
"It's alright husband, I trust your judgment. Besides, one tiger surely pales in comparison to a literal dragon so all we need to do is find the children before their mothers catch wind of this…" Tiger said, unaware that Anjali and Messua were listening in on the conversation.
Now contrary to what most would believe, the two women weren't as emotionally unstable as their situation might imply – they had a deathly fear of Shere Khan but they also trusted in their golden god much, much more. After spending the better part of a decade with him, they quickly grew fond of the de facto father of their children and now trusted him whole heartedly. So given their current situation, the mothers made the unspoken agreement that they wouldn't ask too many questions about the whereabouts of their kids – Naruto would find and save them if necessary.
Sometimes, that's all a parent needs to keep cool.
And so, after some hasty excuses were made to Anjali and Messua, Naruto and Tiger went into the jungle in hot pursuit of the lost children.
Scene Break, back with Mowgli and Shanti…
"So who is this King Louie Mowgli? The name doesn't sound like any of the other animals or even the humans we know…" Shanti asked Mowgli as the two of them were walking towards the ruins of an ancient group of temples on the eastern edge of the jungle.
"Beats me – there are rumors floating around that he used to be the pet of a rich human before he escaped captivity and gained power here in the jungle." He said as he remembered the orangutan and his strange mannerisms.
The two children finally popped out of the underbrush to find themselves in a wide grassy field all of a sudden. A couple of paces to their left, a troop of elephants was marching onward in the direction of the temple so both children thought that it would be best to hitch a ride on one of them to ease their weary feet.
Walking over to them, they were treated to a funny scene.
"Attention! I want all of you ready and at full battle stations for the duration of this patrol! We, as the glorious guardians of this jungle have the responsibility to protect her and her citizens from any threat. We have received intelligence that Shere Khan the tiger is in this jungle – we are duty bound to stop his reign of terror!" The leader of the elephants, one Colonel Hathi said as he looked over his troops. A straggler from the Indian royal army who was lost in the jungle after a campaign, he was a stickler for the rules and organized his troop like a regiment of English soldiers.
Of course, his 'troops' were base elephants, simple of mind and wit and slow of body. The Colonel, bless his heart, disregarded this and even enlisted his own son, Hathi Jr to join the troop (his mother was not in the troop, unfortunately). So, one could easily predict how he would respond to visitors to his regiment.
"Ho there strangers! What brings you to my neck of the jungle this fine day?" Colonel Hathi said as Mowgli nudged Shanti, who after some grumbling, came forward to address the elephant.
"Hello there sir, we were just wondering if your troop could escort us to King Louie's territory – we have reason to believe that he may know where the tiger Shere Khan is hiding!" She said as the elephant harrumphed in surprise.
"Truly?! Why then young miss, you and your escort are welcome to join us on our crusade against that fell beast – we will also lend our aid in taking you to that simian reprobate's abode. Now, I do believe you'll have a lot of troubles keeping up with us on those short legs of yours so hop on my back – I'll carry you little ones for the duration of the journey!" Colonel Hathi said, the two children shrugging at the relatively straightforward exchange before climbing on the elephant's back as the troop began its slow lumbering pace to King Louie's castle.
And that was chapter 49 – the children have started their quest to hunt Shere Khan and are obtaining assistance from some unlikely allies. Meanwhile, Naruto and Tiger have mobilized to try and find the kids before they bite off more than they can chew. Can the kids make some progress on their quest before they are apprehended? Find out in the next chapter of the Sage of Hearts!
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