Sitting back myself, I wait for Jade to get herself back to normal. She tenses up as she prepares to ask me whatever it is she has on her mind.
“Before you say anything, Jade, I’m not going to bite you. Chef Flick prepares meals that would taste far better than your warrior meat and bones. I promise not to shout either. Spit it out. I can say yes or no. You can leave happy or sad. How easy is that?” I am not, however, prepared for what she then spits out.
“I want to leave the Spirit Walker Pack and go to the Blood Pearl Pack.” She looks at me and I’m so shocked that I don’t have words right away.
“Oh.” That’s all I can manage. “Oh.”
“You must know of my history within the pack, Luna Fenya. I have been an ass for years. Sticking up for my friend, Lavender, all this time. Fighting her battles for her. I believed, and still do believe, that I did it for all the right reasons. Looking back, I think I did her more of a disservice than I ever did good.” She looks so sad as she tells me this, and she’s right. I have heard so many tales involving the pair of them. “I have alienated myself for so long that I feel out of place here now. I think I need to go away, discard the old Jade, and rediscover myself all over again.”
Taking a moment to digest this, I feel an irrational anger building up. Calm and constructive, I think to myself.
‘Sloane to the Luna’s office immediately’.She should be on her way by now, anyway. That will just hurry her up.
We sit quietly for a minute, and I think I’m making Jade more anxious, but I want to speak with Sloane before I make any judgment. Ultimately, it will be the Alpha who decides if she can leave or not, but I want my input. After all, she is female and comes under my umbrella first.
Calling “Enter” when there is a knock at the door, I wait this time to be sure it is Sloane, and then beckon her to join us. I indicate that she should grab another chair, and she takes one from beside the fireplace.
“Jade, this is Sloane. You must already know her. What you may not know is that she is now my Chief of Luna Security. Sloane, do you have a vacancy on any of the teams for Jade?”
“I haven’t filled all the positions that I’d like yet. I am having a minor difficulty convincing certain shifters that I need the numbers I have quoted. They believe that you are safe under the same service that they provide for the Alpha.” I can see Sloane gritting her teeth as she tells me this. “I could easily use Jade’s abilities.”
“In that case, Warrior Jade…”
“I’m not a warrior, Luna Fenya. I lost that privilege a long time ago due to my loyalty to Lavender,” she says this quietly and with her head bowed.
“Jade,” I sigh, “You are determined not to make this as easy as I thought, aren’t you? Sloane, you have five days to get Jade to a Warrior First Class status, or whatever the Goddess you call your highest level of warrior here in the Spirit Walker Pack, and then have her on my security team. If she passes with the highest possible distinction, you will make her a team leader. Is thatclear to both of you?” When they both answer yes, clearly, I look at Jade once more.
“Your request to leave the Spirit Walker pack is denied. If you let me down, prove me wrong or disappoint me in any way, I will personally kick your butt all the way to the nearest pack border, regardless of who that pack may be. Understand?”
Jade nods vigorously and Sloane punches her on the shoulder. “Answer the Luna.”
“Oh. Yes, Luna Fenya.”
“Good. That is settled then. Jade, wait outside for Chief Sloane. I have other matters to discuss with her and then she will make the necessary training arrangements with you. Dismissed.”
Jade lurches to her feet, gives me a head tilt and disappears out the door. I swear she was smiling before she was halfway across the room.
“Without Lavender’s negative influence on her, my Luna, I think she will be an incredible asset. She was always a fine warrior, though she could fight dirty at times and dishonorably.”
“Good! There is a war coming, and I don’t want to be killed because someone in my security detail didn’t want to kill an unarmed or injured enemy because they see it as dishonorable! Let’s be clear about that. If she can fight dirty and others can’t, get Jade to teach them. I assume that you have no difficulty fighting dirty?”
“My Luna, please. I am a female warrior. I didn’t get to where I am today without ‘accidentally’ breaking a few balls on the way. When I’ve finished with your security arrangements, the Alpha will be begging to borrow us.” Sloane laughs, but her commentreminds me of her earlier statement that she was having a minor difficulty.
“Do I need to iron out your minor difficulty, or should I just ‘watch this space’ as they say?” Tipping my head to one side, I grin as I already know the answer.
“Don’t worry on my part, my Luna. I’ll grease their skids until they see things our way. You may want to quietly advise our healers to expect an influx of patients in the short term. I foresee a future spell requiring splints and bandages.”
“I will speak to another of my friends, Chef Flick, on your behalf. I have no doubt that the bond we all have will be reinforced by your success. I must say, I enjoy having you all as friends. It is a new and pleasurable experience.” I laugh as Sloane wiggles her eyebrows at me.
We spend another few minutes talking over how her preparations are coming along with the Luna Security detail, and then she goes off to get Jade prepared for what I’m sure is going to be a hectic week for her.
I feel confident that I’ve just done the right thing with Jade. Letting her walk away without making any effort would not have helped her win her confidence back or start a new life. She can do that here with people who understand what happened and why.
Feeling smug, I leave my office and go in search of another problem to stick my nose into and solve. Taking a shortcut to the gardens via the dining hall and then the kitchen, I spy Flick huddled in a corner with Blossom. Walking quickly over to them I put my hands on their shoulders, and when they scream and jump, I scream, too. Warriors appear from everywhere, Sloane and Jade I note at the forefront.
“It’s okay. Everything’s fine. Nothing to see here. Just a bit of a prank. Thank you all for coming!” I wave them all away and note Sloane giving me a raised eyebrow look as if to ask, ‘Is it really all okay?’ Giving her a smile and a nod, she walks away satisfied.
“What are you two up to? And don’t even go there with your innocent nothings. I don’t believe you, and I want in on whatever it is. I may be your Luna, but first and foremost, I'm a female!”
