Chapter 49: Planning a journey

Hi guys, I know its been a few months now but as I mentioned before this story will be getting updates but its low on my list of priorities. Hope you all enjoy it and feel free to let me know what you think in the reviews or via dm. Either works.

PS. Jenna will from henceforth be referred to as Red untill she gets back in control.

"Karr, what is the status of your pack as a whole? When will they be ready to begin the journey?" Red questioned the former alpha.

"In a matter of days at most. Most of the pups from the last cycle are strong enough to travel though we will have to keep our pace slow. Also we have a few pregnant females in the pack who will also need constant attention," Karr replied, though his mind was more focused on the she Wolf's explanation from earlier.

Meanwhile Siku and Fire kept throwing sidelong glances at the red wolf their minds still reeling from the reveal. This she wolf looked just like Jenna but had a personality that was a complete 180 from the soft spoken and gentle female. While the other would avoid eye contact and behaved mellow, this one enjoyed to stir the proverbial pot.

On the other side of the caribou carcass, Balto, Mara and Lana also kept their eyes more or less fixed on Red, not knowing how to progress further, the former male watching a lot more intently than the other two. Mara wanted what was best for her pack but picking a fight with Jenna.. sorry Red would lead to further complications.

Red meanwhile calmly surveyed all around her. The medical she-wolf who accompanied Karr kept throwing her hateful looks everytime she thought the red wolf wasn't looking. Siku and Fire kept throwing her wary glances while Mara and her family seemed to be on hair triggers. And lastly there was Karr who just looked defeated and resigned to discuss matters of the pack.

"Hmm, so I would think a week from now would make for a good time to make headway to the protected grounds. Will your pack be read Mara?"

"I... I'm not sure, I haven't had the time to properly judge the extent of Mason's injuries and Balto might be more shaken up than he looks. I can only tell you after I have done so," the she-wolf replied in a somewhat hesitant but professional tone.

"Understandable. I shall be expecting an update from you at the earliest... sigh... what do you two want?" Red replied, the last part aimed at Siku and Fire who shot her another glance.

"What's your endgame? How do we know we can trust you? You're not Jenna," Siku fired out almost instantly.

Red chuckled at the questions. "My endgame? Well that's simple, get to the protected lands, find a nice strong mate, a nice desolate cave and do the dance. Quite simple really. Honestly all I need to do is raise my tail and I should find enough suitors to start a contest, but I have standards and I won't just throw myself at anybody, not like a certain husky," she spoke aiming the last part with a little spite towards Balto.

"As for not being Jenna, well you are only half right. I am and yet am not Jenna. You see I would be the part of her that she never brought to the surface. All her suffering, anger, annoyance, heart ache... the works really, while the outward facade of the husky was all rainbows and sunshine."

Fire was next to pipe up, " Will Jenna come back?"

"Why I'm not good enough for you?" Red commented as she made a show to slowly stretch her body, a sly smile forming on her face as the wolf found himself tongue tied.

Siku though was quick to interject," hey, eyes of buster," before she turned to the red she-wolf, " stop doing that, it's disgusting how you're trying to use Jenna's body like that."

"Well sorry miss prude and prejudiced but I've been very tensed as of late and some back room action does sound good. Wouldn't you say doc?" Red responded before shifting everyone's focus on the healer.

"Wh..what?" the she-wolf stuttered.

"Don't try to hide it between glaring at me every few seconds and looking at the person talking your eyes have been glued to Karr's hind quarter... more specifically what's hanging between the hind legs," Red grinned as she spoke.

The poor healer found herself go red in the face to the point that steam could pour out of her ears. However to her mercy Karr was quick to interject, " ca.. can we get back on topic?" he stuttered out his face also burning in embarrassment.

"Hehehe.. so easy. Now yes back to business, I say we get trackers out to found a route skirting the pass. The proximity of the human settlement will make it hard to navigate particularly with their team of dogs about."

Karr stayed quiet as he though of a solution that involved saving pack lives. "How about we head south and try to skirt around the settlement from the next crossing point... no no no... wait, that will take us into rival pack territory and that will cause a lot of problems."

A brief silence descended over the group as everyone pondered on their options. Staying here would not be ideal, hunters had been spotted in the vicinity and they needed to move out quickly.

It was Fire who broke the silence, "there's the pass throught the white water river gorge just south of here..."

"That would be madness! That gorge is a death trap. The white water river will chew up and spit out anyone who falls in, not to mention the piles of snow. narrow fragile paths and falling rocks," Karr interjected.

"Well it's better than risking war with another pack for trespassing," Fire argued back.

"Boy, I've seen more winter storms than you have hair on your body. You will do well to listen to me," Karr growled.

"You could just say your old. Listen old timer I don't like that path anymore than you do but unless you want to run the pass in the middle of a blizzard that's the best option," Fire shot back starting to get frustrated.

Red who had remained silent till that point instantly felt a thought hit her.

"Enough!," everyone fell silent at the simple word. While Jenna was soft spoken, Red's voice carried enough authority to garner anyone's attention. That was besides the fact that everyone was on pins and needles around her.

"Running the pass during the storm may just be our best option. As much as I like a fight and a challenge I am still a reasonable wolf and will not senselessly condone wolves to their death - no matter how poorly they may think of me. It would not do well to reach the protected land with no pack behind me," Red spoke, her eyes briefly flashing to soft brown, a detail picked up and filed away by Lana.

Meanwhile, Karr looked to voice his displeasure but a sharp look from Red made him hold his tongue.

"I believe we'll end this meeting here for tonight," Red spoke before turning to Karr, "we will need you to be able to travel."

She then turned to Fire, "get a scouting party together and check out the conditions at the gorge. Also send out someone to keep an eye out on Marron. We may need him back to act as a decoy should our pack movement be spotted and tracked by the humans."

Fire quietly nodded before everyone started to take their leave. However as the trio of Mara, Lana and Balto, the latter paused in front of the red she-wolf.

"I'm sorry."

Ears perked up as everyone paused to look at the source of the voice.

"W..what?," the she-wolf replied.

"You... you're angry for something I did. I don't know what I did, I don't remember anything. Mom says I've got amnesia... But... I feel like I know you from somewhere. I... I'm sorry," Balto stumbled out.

The red she-wolf stood stumped for a bit, her eyes again briefly flicker between red and brown before Red responded, " It's gonna take a lot more than a pitiful apology for anything to happen. You best leave now."

With that Red moved further into the darkness of the cave.

"Mother did you see that?" Lana whispered to her mother as they both stared at the retreating she-wolf.

"Yes, the Jenna we knew briefly is still in there. But... right now, Red might be a necessary evil that we need to brave the coming storm."

"But we could have a chance to change things! To bring her back and stop all this... all this fighting and arguing from happening," Lana whispered back.

"That may be but we need a strong leader to guide us through this and I fear Red may be just who we need. I would like Jenna back as well but here, Red the the necessary evil that will help us survive."

Siku meanwhile quietly listened in to the conversation, standing just behind the duo. So there was a way to bring Jenna back. That made her happy, she would get her sister in all but blood back but while she didn't trust Red, maybe Mara was right - she was a necessary evil to help survive this storm. But she would do whatever she could to bring Jenna back. Till then she had things to think on. Red wouldn't mind if she didn't stay the night.