The next night the wolves met at the Council Rock. Akela lay by the rock, and he was not the leader now. Shere Khan came into the circle and spoke to the young wolves. Give me the man-cub, he said. He is a man, and men do not belong in the jungle. Mowgli stood up with the fire pot in his hands. Listen, you dogs! he cried. He threw the fire on the ground, and the dry grass began to burn. The wolves ran back in fear. Mowgli took a burning branch and hit Shere Khan on the head, and the tiger ran away, crying. Then Mowgli felt something wet on his face. What is it? he asked. Am I dying, Bagheera? No, Little Brother, said Bagheera. Those are only tears. Now I know that you are a man and not a man-cub. Mowgli cried, and then he went down the hill to live with men.