Chapter 48: The name's Red

Author note: Sorry everyone. I know it's been over a year since the last update. Hope this makes up for it. Life's been busy and as much as most of you will not like me saying this, updating this story isn't that high on the list of priorities so expect long waits.

It was late in the evening as Mara lead Lana and Balto towards the pack leader's den. Fire had went his own ways earlier in the day to clean himself up and look more presentable. Mara's eyes scanned the pack grounds as wolves loitered about. Everyone seemed on edge, the change of leadership had been sudden, bloody and with what she had heard of the day's proceeding, Jenna had been particularly ruthless in squashing any dissent.

Behind her, Lana helped Balto struggle along. His injuries and throbbing head meant he was wobbly on his feet at best. Balto too had noticed that nearly all wolves seemed on edge and while there were many males and females there were no pups in sight.

"Why is everyone so serious and looking edgy?" he asked his sister.

"'Sigh'this happened just before you woke up. The pack leadership changed hands earlier today. Their old leader was very good in a fight, but the new Alpha took him out of action as if he were a pup. She's taken control with an iron fist. Someone tried to stand up to her and she took care of him…. Permanently."

Balto's ears flattened at his sister's reply. This she-wolf sounded ruthless and they were on their way to meet her.

"Chin up kids, we are here," Mara announced as they approached the den.

There standing at the mouth of the den stood Siku and Fire and as they got closer a pair of red eyes moved forward from the darkness of the den. The figure moved slowly into the light revealing herself to be Jenna though the three were quick to note her red eyes and darker red fur as compared to yesterday.

"Ahh, dear guests, welcome to my humble abode. Please come in and settle down, there is plenty of caribou to go around," Jenna spoke, her voice flowing like silk as her eyes moved over the three wolves before settling on Balto.

"And I see that you are up and about hours after waking up. That's good, it shows that you have strong genes, though that should be expected of an offspring of the oh-so-great Aniu," she finished sarcasm clear in her voice.

"We come in peace Jenna," Mara spoke up in a neutral tone as she shifted to hide Lana and Balto.

Jenna smiled, "Why off-course. I mean you could have come in protest too but peace works just as well. Please come in. Fire be a dear and get them situated."

"Sure, follow me ladies and gents," Fire spoke as he limped his way into the den.

As the three moved out of earshot Siku approached Jenna, "please don't threaten them. I know you and Balto haven't had a best history but we don't want dissension in the packs."

Jenna turned to face Siku before moving forward and rubbing her muzzle against the smaller wolf's. "I'm not doing anything. I'm just being cordial, a smoother transition of leadership is my end goal. As much as I would love to put down dissenters, I need a pack to lead." With that Jenna turned and moved into the den while Siku turned to face the pack grounds and the approaching figures of Karr and the pack healer.

(Meanwhile)

"Sir, it's time to wake up. You have to meet the new alpha"

Karr groaned as he awoke, the concoction of herbs and helped numb the pain and he had gotten a short nap in as he could do little else.

'Yawn' "It's already time?"

"Yes sir, let's get you presentable."

The healer gently nudged the larger male wolf up helping support his injured form as she lead him out the den towards a small pool of water just outside of the clearing. Once there, she settled the injured wolf near the puddle before proceeding to start cleaning the wounds.

"So sir, what are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"About this situation sir, you are our pack leader."

"Evelyn, I've told you this before we are not doing anything. We are going to go to the alpha's den, behave cordially and go back. And for the last time, it's just Karr now, no sir."

"But…."

"I said no….. I don't want a fight breaking out or for this pack to suffer more casualties, I've already lost Scar and my brother has all but been chased off and could never be heard from again. I don't want more trouble, I let my pride blind me when I accepted the challenge and I paid for it. Jenna is the pack leader now and I am honour bound to follow the conditions that I accepted. Now let's go, it would be bad for us to arrive late."

(With Siku)

Siku watched as the healer and Karr made their way to the alpha's den a sneer making its way to her face as the two approached. Recent incidents had left a bitter taste in her mouth when it came to her former pack leader and while she still had a few issues to iron out with Jenna those could wait till after the meeting. That also brought her mind to the second topic, was it just her or was Jenna not acting like….. Well…. Jenna. Either way that could wait, it was time to deal with these two idiots.

"So you're up and about huh? Had it been me you'd have been dragged here laying on a branch," Siku growled out in distaste as the two arrived.

"Yes, thank you for asking, now I believe that you are the welcoming committee," Karr responded in a neutral voice. 'So she's still supportive of Jenna despite what happened.'

"Yes I am and now if you would follow me, it's time to get this party started, The rest arrived a little while back and you two are the last to arrive." With that said Siku turned on her heels and walked into the den.

"Let's not keep then waiting, Evelyn," Karr spoke as he limped forward, the she-wolf quickly catching up to help support his weight.

(Alpha's den)

As they entered, their eyes fell on the gathering. Three dead caribous lay within the den. Karr paused, three? On his pack's best day they could best nab two yet there were three here. Just how…..

"Ah, so you like the little feast I arranged for us," Jenna spoke as her red eyes focused on Karr. "Took me a little while to nab all three but it was the perfect way to blow of some steam after how the day went."

All wolves froze at that statement, she'd hunted three caribou by herself? That was unheard of and from what most knew Jenna hadn't even learnt properly how to hunt. This in itself raised red flags in nearly every wolf's brain.

"Come, this smaller caribou is for the two of you. Siku, please join me and Fire here and then we can begin."

Siku quietly made her way to Jenna's side and settled down as Karr and Evelyn settled down.

"So let's begin with the proceedings shall we? The floor is open to everyone with a question. How about ladies first?" Jenna directed.

Mara cleared her throat, "Where does this change in leadership put my pack's standing Jenna?"

"Well I'm not kicking you out if that's what you want to know. You may remain but any fighting and you are out."

"Thank you"

Lana was next to speak indicating towards the carcases, "Jenna, where did you find all these?"

"It wasn't too hard, just had to exit the pack borders down south and travel towards the lake and there was a whole heard of them."

Karr's mind reeled, she left the pack borders and no one was the wiser, what the hell?

Seeing the people's dumbfounded faces, Jenna broke into laughter, "Oh that was too good…. Hahahaha… I can't believe that you people actually believed me. I sent three hunting parties out earlier today and they tracked out a heard of caribou. We managed to snag five – these three and two more for the rest of the pack."

Everyone's ears went flat at the revelation, ok that was way better. "But I did catch this big girl and the small one over there." Ok, not so much better, two caribou was a mean feat for someone to catch on the same day much less for someone with very limited teaching and practice.

Karr was the next to speak, "Jenna… ma'am…. You invited me over to discuss matters of the pack, please allow me to enquire on what matters you wanted my advice."

"Well first off, remember that it's ma'am to you and the little healer with you and secondly, my name's not Jenna."

Everyone froze with Siku's and Fire's heads rotating so fast that one would think they would accidently heart their necks.

"What do you mean you're not Jenna?" Siku barked out as she jumped to her feet. "This had better not be some sick joke."

"Well it's obvious what I'm saying. You see I'm not Jenna, I told him…" she pointed to Karr as a grin formed on her face and her eyes glowed.

Karr felt his head start to ache as he recollected more of the conversation but one sentence stood out the most.

Who said I was Jenna

His eyes widened at the ramifications of what this could mean. Just who was this she wolf and how had she so easily passed off as Jenna.

"So, just who are you?" he asked taking in a shaky breath.

"That's a good question. You see, there was once a husky called Jenna that bit of more than she could chew. She faced tremendous hardship, loneliness and heartbreak as she tried to follow her heart and that was when dear little Aniu and her black wolf sidekick got involved. In their little back and forth between poor little Jenna's identity, I was born and being the good little sentient being that I was I leached away some of the black wolf's power when he re-changed Jenna. I waited to see the light but the little girl was too pure and too naïve to let me out completely so when the time was right I struck."

Everyone listened and watched with rapt attention.

"The little emotional fracas over the past few days was just what I needed. It softened the little girl up just enough for me to strangle her mind and take over. So while I may look like Jenna, I'm not. The name's Red and I'm the deepest, darkest emotions and instincts of the poor girl given sentience by those two powerless idiots," Red finished, her eyes glowing an ominous red as she bared her fangs and the gathering. "Now let's get down to the real business."