pettingly

"It is to the death," said Akela. "Thou hast never met the dhole—the Red Killer. Even the Striped One—"¶ "Aowa! Aowa!" said Mowgli pettingly. "I have killed one striped ape, and sure am I in my stomach that Shere Khan would have left his own mate for meat to the dhole if he had winded a pack across three ranges[…]"