14566
------
While Jenna didn't exactly appreciate Juno's bossiness, she was willing to follow and listen to orders provided she was given a full belly and a strong team to be with. When she first met Jayla, she was opposed to letting the submissive female join their group. She never grew close to Jayla, bullying her out of the food she had and generally being harsh.
Juno's decision to raid N'dogo's territory of prey sounded like a good idea to Jenna. What could they do to a solid pair of 2 rogues? Excluding Jayla, she'd probably run like the coward she is...
It was a blur for Jenna when she heard a ferocious roar as they devoured their stolen wildebeest. Juno abandoned them with the larger male in hot pursuit and the smaller before them. He was no larger than she was! Baring her fangs, she prepared herself for a fight. She doubted Jayla would help but she'd take care of this pipsqueak of a male!
Reinforcements showed up at his roar. That ended her first plan. Second was to bolt as Juno did. When one of the lionesses got into her face, ready to chase them out, Jenna had enough of this disrespect. She lashed out at her face, barely missing L'reya's eye and tearing away as fast as she could. A trio of lionesses including the one she attacked tore after her in hot pursuit. Jenna knew she had at least one thing on her side: speed. She strode quickly, feeling as though she was losing them. It was working as she looked back in time too see they were falling behind. Now, to find Juno...
She yelped loudly as she scrambled to stop. Now she knew why they were slowing down.
Her hind quarters slid over a ravine and she barely had a claw hold on plants growing right along the edge. Her back legs scrambled on the slick stone wall, struggling to push her up and find leverage. She could feel the plants slipping from her grasp and horror overtook her. She was going to die.
Pain in her scruff overwhelmed her as she struggled, unable to see for the terror that overtook her mind.
"Stop struggling, we're helping you!" snapped L'reya as she aided her pride sister, Haruka, in pulling her up. Jenna forced herself to calm down and go limp, being pulled up to safety. She gasped for air, staring at the ravine that nearly took her life.
"You fool!" Haruka spat, startling Jenna to attention, the rogue finding herself shrinking down. "You could've gotten yourself killed, not looking where you're going! I'm amazed you didn't kill yourself sooner with that attention span of yours! I don't care who you are, prey thief or not, I'm not about to let someone fall to their death! Do it again and I won't be as kind in risking my life to save yours. Understand? Now get up, we're leaving!"
Jenna was agape at the lecture she endured and complied without thinking. Two lionesses walked along each side and one behind her. She could tell all three were very angry with her and Jenna found herself with strange feelings gripping her - guilt but also gratefulness.
"Th...thank you...for saving me..." Jenna mumbled along the way, mustering every last ounce of strength to get each word out. It was quite a blow to her pride but even she knew she had no excuse to save her dignity.
--------
The four lionesses met up with N'dogo and Haruka explained what happened to their leader. N'dogo didn't look very happy and Jenna feared some kind of punishment for endangering his pride members.
"I'm just glad no one is hurt, especially you three," N'dogo nodded curtly to his lionesses. "As for you," he glared down at Jenna, who found herself shrinking down again. "You're coming back to camp. Then we'll decide what to do with you."
Just as he finished speaking, a loud shrieking roar echoed out of the jungle. Jenna immediately recognized the fear-filled voice.
"That's Jayla!"
"L'reya, Haruka, Charlene, take her back to camp. Amii, Keyari, you're with me!" N'dogo tore away with the pair hot on his heels.
"But where's Chalka? Wasn't he after her to start with?" Haruka murmured, seeming concerned for her pride member. "Could Jayla be helping her? Answer me!" She snarled to Jenna.
"I doubt it..." Jenna wasn't as afraid this time, "Jayla is a bit of a coward, she'd probably be too scared to fight him. Then again, she'd probably be too scared to fight Juno too. That lioness has a nasty chip on her shoulder..."
"Hm. Know why?"
"I asked her once. All she did was snarl at my face so I dunno what it is that has her so bitter."
The lionesses walked in silence back to camp. Shortly afterwards, N'dogo and his party arrived. She was surprised to see Jayla actually helping the larger male limp back into camp, blood seeping out of the wound on his neck. N'dogo quickly sent his fastest lionesses, Keyari and Lil, out to fetch necessary items to tend to Chalka's wounds. He had two others watch over Chalka and clean the wound of any dirt and grime.
Jenna found herself present as N'dogo addressed the pride as to what happened and was dumbfounded when she learned Jayla had attacked Juno and in the process, saved Chalka's life. She almost fell over when Jayla was invited to and accepted the invitation to join N'dogo's pride.
"As for you two," N'dogo growled as he turned to Jenna and Juno. Jenna glanced over at her fellow rogue. Juno was refusing to meet N'dogo's eye contact, ears back and fur raised at her defeat.
"Wait, please!" Jayla went over to N'dogo and got his attention. "Please, I know they've done foolish things, and I have too, but give them a chance. They aren't so bad once you get to know them, really!"
Jenna stared at Jayla's plead for them and found herself appreciating that she knew her. Perhaps she pegged Jayla all wrong...
N'dogo pondered for a moment before nodding curtly to Jayla.
"As for you two, you will stay in camp. You will help out around camp and be under watch of two lionesses per at all times."
"What!? I will not be held prisoner here! Release me now!" Juno snarled and N'dogo silenced her with a roar.
"You will not be released at this time. How do I know you won't just come back into my territory and attack us or our prey again, hm?" N'dogo hissed and Juno looked down again, furious. "That's what I thought. You will comply with this. If you do not, I will not hesitate to take your life."
"Yes, sir..." Jenna stared at her paws, Juno merely growling.
-------
It was difficult the next day.
Jenna didn't exactly like having two lionesses staring at her like hungry vultures but she didn't want trouble either. Jayla kept trying to cheer her up, not daring approach the still-angry Juno. Jenna found herself actually appreciating Jayla's company and figured getting to know her wouldn't be so bad.
It was only a few days later that Jenna also discovered that her 'babysitters' weren't so bad either. They were just other lionesses within the pride that were content to live there and stay with N'dogo. They explained how N'dogo ran his pride and was perfectly fine if lionesses chose to leave or stay. Jenna discovered she was growing comfortable within the pride.
It wasn't long afterwards that Jenna asked N'dogo personally if she could stay with the pride long term. He accepted and she knew she fell for this pride.
She liked this pride and its members. Perhaps getting caught stealing prey was the best thing that happened to her.
-----
Jenna was stunned when N'dogo passed away unexpectedly, leaving the pride in distress and with two young males forced to figure out who would lead for them. She was one of the lionesses who took care of Haruka following the fight between Lyler and Jeylar. While he was allowed back into the pride, Jenna had a hard time trusting him for a long time afterwards.
Being one of the main huntresses in the pride, Jenna had to constantly deal with the complaining and negative reactions to Lyler's decisions among the rest of the discontented lionesses. She grew very weary of their complaints and eventually ranted to Jayla and Juno about the issue. This led to Juno going to inform Lyler of what was going on so it didn't erupt into violence.
Jenna voted to keep Lyler as pride leader and give him a chance. She's sure given time, Lyler will be a fine leader to the pride.
|