Excerpt:

Akela the Lone Wolf lay by the side of his rock as a
sign that the leadership of the Pack was open, and Shere
Khan with his following of scrap-fed wolves walked to
and fro openly being flattered. Bagheera lay close to
Mowgli, and the fire pot was between Mowglis knees.
When they were all gathered together, Shere Khan began
to speaka thing he would never have dared to do when
Akela was in his prime.
He has no right, whispered Bagheera. Say so. He is a
dogs son. He will be frightened.
Mowgli sprang to his feet. Free People, he cried, does
Shere Khan lead the Pack? What has a tiger to do with our
leadership?
Seeing that the leadership is yet open, and being asked
to speak Shere Khan began.
By whom? said Mowgli. Are we all jackals, to fawn
on this cattle butcher? The leadership of the Pack is with
the Pack alone.
There were yells of Silence, thou mans cub! Let him
speak. He has kept our Law"; and at last the seniors of the
Pack thundered: Let the Dead Wolf speak. When a
leader of the Pack has missed his kill, he is called the Dead
Wolf as long as he lives, which is not long.
Akela raised his old head wearily:
Tags: lit