Love heals the wounded: Jenna’s story

## Summary

The story of how Jenna became the fake realm guy’s disgruntled henchperson, freed herself, and became the occasionally self deprecating, but loving warrior and gunslinger she is today

## Characters

* Jenna
* Byron the fake realm guy
* Darcy
* Sandra
* Griff
* Zia
* Glory
* Cyrus
* Ocellus (a Protogen)
* Angel
* Alex
* Athena
* Artemis

## Jenna’s POV

It was dark when I awoke. I hop out of bed and peer out the window when I hear loud thumping noises and see a flash. I lift the curtain and I spot 3 figures lunge towards the front door, breaking it down.

So that’s why I’ve been having those strange nightmares. People were out for us.

For my parents.

For *me.*

*What am I going to do?* I’m going to be toast if I don’t do something.

”Leave us! Leave our daughter alone!” I hear my mothers shout angrily.

”Not a chance, weaklings.” Darcy says.

I turn invisible to hide from Darcy and the fake realm guy.

I see our house go up in flames.

”Where did the little squirt go?!” Sandra says. I feel someone brush up against me and a rotten smell hits my nose.

*Uuughhh. Her breath is **Awful.***

”Found her!” I feel someone grab me, and try to shove me into a large sack.

”HEY! Let me *go!!”* I scream.

”Oh shut up, you pest.” I spot her hand, and clamp my jaw down on it. After I let go, I spot a bloody wound oozing with venom.

*My venom.* I *successfully poisoned* her with.

I feel someone knock me on the head with a stick, and the world slowly dissolves around me.

”Jenna!” I hear my moms shout. I spot them run off through the mesh of the sack I’m tied in.

”Mommy!” I say weakly. My hearing swims in and out and everything goes black. Before descending into unconsciousness, I hear her voice in my head.

*Don’t worry about us.* she says telepathically. *We will find you someday. I promise. Just know that we love you very much, and I hope it’s enough to keep you strong, mentally and physically. It’s gonna be one of the most harrowing years of your life.*

Moms, Whatever you do, *please* be there for me if I ever manage to free myself.

I wake up a few hours later, and hear faint murmuring coming from Darcy, Sandra, and the fake realm guy.

“We captured a gray wolf, but this one is *peculiar.* Normally they’re light grey, which means we’ve scared them into submission, but she is…bright red. Honestly, how can she still be mad even though she’s trapped in a sack? Better knock the squirt out again.”

Sandra grabs a club, but due to my small size, I slip underneath her and lock my jaws onto her shoulder, once again leaving a bloody venom filled wound.

“OW!” she screams. I jump off and run away. “Something bit me!”

She turns towards me and grabs me by the wrists and I feel myself thrown into a cell with the door loudly slamming and locking with a soft *click* behind me.

I’ve failed again. Maybe it’s time to find another way. Since I can’t escape, maybe I can follow along with these people’s ridiculous orders, then completely and purposefully mess them up.

I see a door on the bottom open up and someone slides a plate of 2 week old leftovers into the cell. I tug at the shackles on my wrist and see that the fur on my wrists is bare, replaced with angry, irritated skin.

*How dare they.*

I growl. Anger burns through me, turning my fur and eyes red. I throw the plate of food against the wall, the plate clatters, then breaks into a million fragments, each one representing the bits and pieces of the home I lost.

If I want to get myself out of here, I need to be clever.

Now I just need to find a way to get these shackles off. Maybe I can unleash all my anger to burn these off.

I close my eyes, imagining the events that just occurred.

Imagining my home.

My family.

Sandra’s *stupid face.*

I feel my whole body heat up, and when I open my eyes, the shackles have turned red-hot and melted off of me.

At least I succeeded in *one* *thing*.

Now to burn myself out of this cell. I need to clear my head.

I hear footsteps behind me as I run off into my sanctuary tent in the forest.

“Where are you going?” I hear the voice of my friend Winter as they scamper next to me. He is slightly taller than me, and has fur slightly lighter than mine, dirty blonde hair with blue and purple streaks, iridescent wings with light blue and purple gradients, a navy blue beanie, a scarf, a tank top ripped at the bottom, and lace-up faux leather boots. Winter is one of my best friends who was also captured by the fake realm guy, but hers happened two months before mine.

“To escape.” I say exhaustedly. “I want to be free.”

“But what would happen if we’re caught?” they ask.

“If we’re caught, I’m giving them the worst experience of their lives.” I say.

“Please stay.” she says. “I know you hate the fake realm guy but if we escape we’ll get hurt. Please. Just do it for me.”

I groan. “Fine. But only once. If I escape again I need you to come with me, and I don’t want you incessantly bothering me about staying just because you don’t want to get hurt. I don’t want to get hurt either, but in my opinion we’d be better off fending for ourselves until someone trustworthy finds us.”

He nods. “Okay.”

We duck into the tent and cover ourselves in blankets to avoid being spotted.

I hear footsteps, and heavy breathing. Sandra is out and hunting for us. Thank god this tent is invisible to everyone but us.

“Hey idiot squirt!” she calls out. “Where’s your butt hiding now?!”

“‘Squirt??’” Winter says. “She really treats you like trash. She treats me like I don’t exist, no matter the amount of times I’ve chomped her knuckles when she tries to punch me in the face. It’s why part of her hands and fingers have burn marks everywhere. Having lava for saliva makes things entertaining.”

“Yeah, I know.” I say. “But Winter I need you and I to keep our guards up. I really hope we don’t get caught.”

“But what if—“ they begin, but cut themself short. “Sorry, sorry, I know you don’t like me mentioning it.”

“That’s okay for now. But I need you to focus.”

We hear loud thumping, and a crash, and I peek out slightly and spot Anubis running around near several houses harassing the residents.

“Hey losers! Do you know where to find the little squirt who happens to be my slave?! Also she has a girlfriend with her!”

I scoff. “Not in a relationship at all, you noobface. Ugh.”
“
Yeah, what does he know? I just want to be friends with you, not marry you! Blegh.” Winter says theatrically, flailing one arm. “No offense, dude. You’re still cool.”

“None taken.” I laugh softly. “Now we just need to wait until one of the residents beats him up or something.”
“I know one of them.” Winter says. “We’re relatives.”

“Who do you know?” I ask.

“My lola lives here.” Winter says.

“Really? Wow. Now let’s hope Anubis gets his butt kicked by her. Honestly, grandmothers are awesome.”
“
I know, right?! She taught me how to make Ube muffins. I get sent the ingredients and I secretly make them in Vex’s kitchen quarters. Sandra, Anubis and Byron were too dumb to know it was me. I leave absolutely no trace.” They laugh.

I hear rustling, and see Anubis bang on the door of one house, and one of the residents, an older Wolfren woman with her dirty blonde graying hair tied in a braid, steps out. Tall and intimidating, she has an escrima stick slung on one hip, and wears a shirt with a rip in one shoulder.

“Where’s the little squirt who calls herself Winter?!” Anubis demands. The woman pins him to the ground.

“You.” She snarls. “You took my grandchild from me a long time ago, you traitor. I do not trust you here. You are an outsider with your magic and gem taken from you. I was once a guardian, and I know of the many crimes you and your band of low-downs committed.”

“Go Lola!” Winter whispers, low so that both of them don’t hear.
“Wow.” I say. “She looks young.”
We see her throw Anubis to the ground, where he runs off cowering.
“Don’t ever come back!” she hollers. “I am always watching.”
Winter bursts out of the bushes and melts the shackles off her wrists, jumping into the grandmother’s arms in an embrace.

“Lola…” She says, her voice cracking. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

“I never thought I’d see *you* again either.” She replies, closing the door behind her. “Who’s your friend?”

“My name is Jenna.” I reply. “I was recently captured by a rogue named Sandra.”

“Her? An ally of the fake realm guy?! Anong utak ng putik. What a mud brain.”

“I don’t like her either. She kept calling me ‘squirt’ which is a name I’ve hated forever. I hated when older people called me that, like they think it’s funny. It’s not.” I say

“That’s why you should always use your head if you find yourself in a hard situation. Brains give you the best advantage, even if you’re just pranking someone. Winter, you’ve pranked Anubis for years, and I’m pretty sure you can do it again, but this time, it’s two children against four criminals. If you’re ever captured again, I will help you from the shadows.”

“That’s great advice.” I reply. “By the way I didn’t catch your name.
“Oh!” she replies. “My name is Angel.”
“Nice to meet you.” I say.

“I’ve been getting letters from Winter.” Angel says. “You’ve been getting bothered a lot lately by Sandra.”

Winter nods. “Yes. Even though I want to leave, I so desperately want to stay because…I’m afraid I’m going to get hurt. I want to get out, but a nagging little voice keeps pulling me back.”

“Don’t listen to it.” Angel says. “Tell it ‘you’re not my boss. I’m going to do what benefits me and my friend, not listen to your unimportant nagging messages.’ Say that, and you’ll feel better.”

Winter chuckles. “I’ll try to remember that.”

“Most importantly.” Angel says. “Make your tormentors wish they’d *never been born.* Tell them you don’t deserve their dumpster grade treatment of you or Jenna.”

“Thanks Lola!” Winter says. “We’ll be back whenever we possibly can.”

We leave the house and hide in some bushes. There, I hear two voices.

“We’ve found the two varmints. Time to knock some sense into them.” I hear Sandra say. I feel someone knock me on the head and the world dissolves around me.

I wake up, and find welts covered in dried up blood on my shoulder. Sedatives fog my mind, but that doesn’t stop the anger from escaping. I spot Sandra walk into the room. My hands warm red-hot with the promise of fire and burns.

“Looks like the squirt’s come to her senses. So are you ready to behave and do Byron’s tasks like we talked about? You’re his servant.”

I slap her, leaving a red-hot burn mark.

“You STUPID *TYRANT*!” I scream. “It’s *your fault* you destroyed my home. You and the fake realm *idiot* got me into this in the first place!”

“Huh. You’re disagreeable today.” Sandra says, cocking a blowgun. "Don't speak ill of Byron our exhalted leader. You can show more obedience than that."

“NO! *NO* MORE! **ENOUGH**!” I yell, jumping, and letting my venomous jaws clamp down on her shoulder. She pulls the poison blowdart’s trigger, but I knock it out of place, so it faces her. The dart hits her in the stomach, and falls, leaving a dark, splotchy scar.

“Hah. Now you’re going to be like that for the rest of your sad little life.” I say. “I ain’t letting myself get messed with again.”

Sandra limps towards me. “You’re going to regret this. Off to the reconditioning chamber with you.” She attempts to grab me, but I kick her away and get dangerously close to her face.

“No.” I say. “You’re going to get your sorry butt up off this dirty floor, shut up, and GET *OUT*! **NOW**.”

Sandra whimpers, then limps away. I close the door behind me, and find Winter unconscious. I hunt for their pulse, which is audible, but irregular.

“Oh Winter…” I say. “I really wish you could care more about escaping this dump just as much as I do, but you only stay her in the name of ‘safety’. We’re hardly safe here.”

“Please.” She whispers, “Maybe it will be safe here someday.”
“Winter.” I groan.”Sandra nearly *killed* me. I need you to come with me. *Please*.”

“Fine.” they sigh. “But if we get hurt, you roped me into this.”

“Winter.” my face is hot with anger. “Stop acting like that. You *know* I want to be safe too, but you can’t blame me for our situation. Both of us were unwillingly thrown into this. *Think* about it. How would your own family feel if they saw you acting like this?”

Winter relents. “*Fine*, but we’ll have to lay low.”

I nod. “We escape at midnight. If we’re interrogated, pulverize the fake realm guy’s minions. We’re Wolfren. We give it our all when we fight, whether it’s on the defense or offense.”

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