Summary

Bagheera's early life was not a great. What he remembers was the cage he and his mother were constantly housed in. They were displayed as exotic creatures for the humans. Bagheera can recall watching his mother wither away, losing weight and becoming frail. Ultimately she passed, it anguished him. This started the fire in his chest, the unwillingness to no longer be their pet. He carefully learned their language, he could understand their words after many years. The night he felt himself, the night he truly felt Bagheera was the night he freed himself. He broke the lock with a strong blow from his paw and bounded into the night.

His ferocity in the deeper parts of the jungle won him the respect of many of the other animals. He was not unusually cruel to anyone in particular and was more of a shadow. He moved with ease and grace, a confidence in his step as he became the forest watcher. He became protective of those he grew close to, those he called family. One such was the bear, Bashar, whom he couldn't help but befriend for his comforting soul. Once Bashar found an interest in man they had separated ways for a time being, Bagheera had no reason to stop him. Bashar was his own bear and could easily defend himself.

During a quiet night in the jungle, a shaman accidentally wandered deep in the woods, catching the attention of the black leopard. Bagheera didn't immediately harm the individual, the man was calm and had no ill-will towards him or the other inhabitants. He was just genuinely lost and simply wanted to return to his village. He voiced this, knowing Bagheera could understand his words. Bagheera decided to guide the human back towards the man village, the inhabitants would not dare go near them as Bagheera was at the man's side. Before they fully left the jungle, the view of fire lights in the distance, the shaman bestowed the leopard a gift. The gift to shift. When they approached the village, Bagheera was caught in awe by the dancers, colourful clothing, and the delicious scent of food.

In a spur of the moment decision, Bagheera decided to stay with the shaman and the people of the village, learning more, dancing, singing, having quite the experience. He already could understand and speak the language but he could not read it. He was given a basic education. He spent much of his time dancing, singing, spending intimate moments with the shaman. After quite some time though, he found he needed to return to the jungle, it was an instinctual feeling, the need to return. He did too, with a burn his chest, resuming his quiet watchful position.

It wasn't long into his resettling that Bashar had brought the man-cub. He scolded his friend for his irresponsibility, yet he appreciated the bravery his friend showed this child. His words may have been harsh at the time, “You can’t keep it, Bashar, it belongs to the men. It will be protected, but when it grows, it must return to its home.” Bagheera took the boy to be raised by a pack of wolves, taking on partial responsibility to him. He bought Mowgli's life with a bull and swears, "by the broken lock that freed me," that he'll protect the young man cub. As he and Bashar help raise Mowgli with the wolves, he teaches him many lessons of the jungle. Becoming a protector and a mentor. As Shere Khan's presence shook the forest, they felt it was best to return Mowgli to a safer man village. He slayed another bull, a token to free Mowgli from the debt to the wolf pack. On that return trip, Shere Khan attacked, both Bagheera and Bashar fought to protect the boy they both considered family.

Bagheera could not finish the journey to return the boy, his injuries deep and painful. He nuzzled Mowgli, promising him that he'll always be his friend and mentor. Making the boy promise him, that he'll grow big and strong, to protect his family with as much care and love as they did with Mowgli. He slowly made his way back to his favored tree, struggling to move, only to find a strange book at the base of the trunk. He was familiar with the object, but knew well enough it was not his shaman leaving him a gift. He moved to bat it away so he could lie at the base of the trunk and pass on peacefully. What he was not prepared for was to accidentally open the book and get sucked in.