Despite being born with a crippled leg and derisively nicknamed Lungri (The Lame One) by his own mother, Shere Khan is arrogant and regards himself as the rightful lord of the jungle.
It seems, however, that the only creature who looks up to him is Tabaqui, the cowardly, despised golden jackal. In "Mowgli's Brothers", Shere Khan's failed attempt to hunt humans causes a human "cub" to stray from his parents. By the time Shere Khan catches up with the infant it has already been adopted by the Indian wolves Raksha and Father Wolf, who have named the child Mowgli. Despite Shere Khan's bluster, Mowgli is accepted into Akela's wolf pack and protected by Bagheera and Baloo. Furious at losing his kill, the tiger swears that the boy will be his some day.
Over the next decade, while Mowgli is growing up, Shere Khan infiltrates the wolf pack by promising the younger wolves rich rewards once Akela is deposed. His plan comes to a head when the young wolves maneuver Akela into missing his kill, and the pack council meets to expel him.
At the meeting Shere Khan threatens that if the wolves do not give him Mowgli he will take over their hunting territory. Having been warned by Bagheera, however, Mowgli attacks Shere Khan and his allies with a burning branch and drives them away. Akela leaves the pack to become a lone hunter. Mowgli returns to the human village, but swears that he will return one day with Shere Khan's skin.