Chapter Text
All was seemingly well in the jungle as Lydia hummed to herself, kneeling beside the river and dipping her vase in to collect water.
The soft flowing of the water filled her ears, accompanying the typical jungle ambiance. All that peace instantly vanished when Lydia heard heavy and fast footsteps a number of feet away. She stood up, a vase in hand, and squinted into the distance to see Baloo running from something. Lydia gasped and dropped her vase to run after Baloo and see if she could help.
She got up into the trees and followed on branches and thick vines, seeing that a group of pale men with guns were chasing baloo. Lydia had seen men like this when she was very young but didn’t have time to think about that right now. She carefully followed them out of the jungle and to the beach shores where their huge ship was docked.
Lydia faltered a bit seeing it, holding onto a tree as she caught her breath from the chase. One of the men shot baloo with a tranquilizer, causing him to stop running and slowly fall over. Lydia shook her head, snapping herself out of her fear. She watched as they carted baloo up onto the ship and set him in a cage. She didn’t waste any more time gawking and ran over to the ship, being sure the men were distracted as she got aboard and snuck her way to Baloo’s cage.
She gripped the bars and tried to move them, confused as to why they were so cold and hard. “This is why I stayed in the jungle...” she said to herself. “Baloo- wake up” she whisper-shouted, reaching through the bars, and shaking her friend's shoulder.
Baloo didn’t stir at first but a smack to his nose made his eyes open slowly. “Now-” he yawned “that hurt- whatchya do that for?” he asked, still groggy and confused. “you're in a cage- I can't get you out but I bet you could break this thingy I saw them use to shut the door” Lydia grabbed the lock, tugging it.
“i can try” baloo shrugged as he sat up and motioned for Lydia to stand back. Once lydia was a safe distance away baloo cracked his knuckles and swatted the lock, getting it off the cage swiftly. The noise was louder than lydia imagined it would be, alerting some of the men aboard the ship.
Baloo ran out of the cage and got to the edge of the boat before stopping. Lydia followed him and blurted “why are we stopping?!” as she gripped the railing. “it’s a long way down-” baloo gulped, staring down into the water.
“since when does that scare you- since when does a n y t h I n g scare you?” lydia turned to baloo before hearing the men rush towards where they heard the racket and hopping up and down nervously. “we don’t have time for this!” lydia moved behind baloo and took a number of steps back before running up and SHOVING HIM off the boat and into the water.
The men turned the corner to see…nothing. Just an empty cage.
Baloo came out of the water and hurried behind the tree line, peering out. “You got one hell of a push, Lydia…Lydia?” he looked around to see she wasn’t anywhere. Baloo looked to the boat to see her hidden behind some crates with the men scattered across that area of the deck.
“Oh no…” baloo said to himself. He ran into the jungle, yelling for Bagheera’s help. The panther was on the log over the big river when he heard Baloo’s cries. He went to the bear as fast as possible.
“Baloo- what’s wrong?” he asked, a paw resting on Baloo’s arm in an attempt to calm him. “This one's on me I- we were on the boat, and I was scared to jump off, so she pushed me but- she got caught behind some wood and-” baloo gasped for breath and put his paws on his knees heaving.
“Who? Who’s trapped?” Bagheera asked, trying to understand. “Bagheera LISTEN TO ME LYDIA’S BEEN TAKEN ON A BIG BOAT-” baloo yelled, finally getting to the point. “AND I DON’T KNOW WHERE SHE HEADED!”
Bagheera didn’t say a word before he took off toward where he knew the docks were. Baloo followed until they came up to see Lydia's ship…gone. “…we’re too late…” Bagheera lowered his head.
“...not if I get er back.” baloo straightened up before heading to the other ship. “I suppose-WHAT?! BALOO- HOLD IT BALOO!” Bagheera screeched, trying to stop him. Baloo didn’t listen and shouted back “I GOT HER INTO THIS I’LL GET HER OUT!”
With that, Baloo got into the ship and hid somewhere.
“don't worry, Lydia…I'm on my way.”