Disclaimer: I do not own Animal Jam or related characters. I do, however, own my OC Delilah.
A/N: Just a random idea I had while thinking of the Juno Statue in the Temple of the Ancients.
With the exception of the sound of rushing water, all was silent in The Temple of Ancients. A strange sort of power seemed to thrum through the ancient stone structure, one that ominous yet had a strange sort of comfort to it. Delilah walked past the returned Sabertooth Heartstone and the newly rediscovered Direwolf Heartstone, set in their pedestal in front of their corresponding statues. She continued up the stairs to the last pedestal that contained the statue of an arctic wolf clad in ancient armor. The armor still glowed with ancient power, possibly coming from the crystals embedded in it. The statue itself stood straight and tall, watchful eyes looking towards the entrance.
When she had first seen the statue, she'd thought it nothing more than carved stone. With what the Alphas had discovered however, looking upon the statue now sent a shiver down the snow leopard's spine. This was no statue of carved stone but the Arctic Wolf Alpha Juno, turned to stone by their own power as they sealed the balloosh away to protect it from the Phantoms.
Delilah sat at the base of the final set of stairs, built into the statues pedestal. Her tail curled around her paws as she looked up at Juno's frozen face. She sat like that for some time, a solemn expression on her face. Finally, she spoke. "My name is Delilah, I am an ally to the alphas and I helped Greely and Peck return the Sabertooth's Heartstone. My ancestors, like those of your pack, came from the land to the north, where winter lasts all year round. A story was passed down among the ancient packs to the modern day families, the story a powerful arctic wolf who left their home land to protect another and never returned. Never would I have imagined that I would help bring life back to the land they sealed away to protect."
She lowered her gaze to her paws, "I have done more, however. I helped reclaim the Alpha's Tower, I helped stop the Phantoms from destroying Jamaa with a volcano, I fought on the front lines and found the feather of Mira to restore the badlands, and I helped in the destruction of the Phantom Fortress. For my efforts the Alphas rewarded me with a valuable gift." Here, she lowered her head and took off the necklace hidden beneath her studded collar. Mira's feather hung from the simple brown string tied into a necklace. "The feather of Mira, but... I understand now this gift can give an even greater gift."
Here, she rose to her paws, the brown string clutched tightly in her jaws. She glanced back, catching golden eyes in the entrance of the temple, watching her... encouraging her. He was so certain this would work, and she'd no reason to doubt him. Not after everything. Rising up the last few steps, she slipped the necklace over Juno's helmet and head, letting it come to rest over their amulet.
"Let the Mother of Jamaa return to you what you gave to protect a part of her land." Delilah stepped back, watching with hopeful eyes.
At first, it seemed nothing would happen. Then there was the sound of a whine - like something powering up - and glowing cracks appeared in the statue. She backed up further, eyes widening. There was a bright glow and the sound of shattering stone, then a roar echoed throughout the temple.
The light faded, revealing a larger-than-average arctic wolf with white and red fur and a yellow pattern. Their gaze once focused on the door lowered to the snow leopard staring up at them in awe.
Juno lived again.