Jenny and the Beasts

2. Too Bad

Original upload: July 17th, 2022.  Edited: February 17, 2023.

Unfortunately, Jenny woke up on the same straw bed that she fell asleep on. Before her brain could drum up all kinds of ideas with anxiety following along, the other two awoke with the girl screaming. Jenny covered her ears, wincing. She hated loud noises and screaming counted.

After a back and forth between the two, Jenny decided to not think much at the moment and glanced outside. Nature, raw and untamed, greeted her sight. The vegetation was healthy and abundant and small birds could be seen flitting about.

Instead of feeling anxious at the view, Jenny felt a little calmer. Nature could do that to her. She always felt better surrounded by it and would often meditate by the creek that ran through her parents' property. She did her best to channel those calm emotions, but was interrupted by Parker.

"We will go to the village today. You can both meet the other females while I hunt. And you," he turned towards Jenny, "can find a male."

Jenny blinked, but didn't freak out. Bai Qingqing seemed more nervous than she did. A moment later, Jenny felt a little twinge of fear try to rise up and she squashed it. She shut down the feeling with a force of will. She had her practice before and succeeded this time.

Apparently, Jenny had stared at the greenery long enough for Parker to make new clothes for the girl. The same curtesy did not extend to her and she was fine with that. Jenny didn't say anything, but found herself on a leopard's back.

Parker dropped them off and they mingled with the females. Bai Qingqing did most of the talking. Jenny did at least introduce herself politely. Eve was nice and chatted with them. Eudora called Jenny ugly and snubbed Bai Qingqing before walking away. Jenny didn't take it to heart. She really could care less about what strangers said to her. Their opinions did not matter. Their weak insults could never compare to the things she has already called herself.

Jenny shook her head and brushed it aside. She already felt so much better about herself, now that the painful, volcanic belt that used to be her skin has now become flat and inactive, if a little dry. Some of the older scars had even lightened up considerably. No strangers or characters in a shallow novel could bring her barely-there self confidence back down to nothing. Not when she was still tearing up in relief every time she looked in a mirror or laid down in bed without the pain of several popping pimples.

"What are you going to do, Jenny?" Bai Qingqing asked the women.

"Ah, that... I don't know," Jenny answered honestly.

"About what?" questioned a curious Eve.

Bai Qingqing answered her while Jenny thought about it. 'Treat it like a game,' she reminded herself.

"We can gather the males and see if there are any you fancy," Eve offered before Jenny could think up a plan.

"Thank you, but no for right now. Can I get a moment to think first?" Jenny asked Eve.

"Of course you can," Eve said in a friendly tone.

Jenny sat down and looked around. There were less trees in the area and more exposed dirt and stone. The paths were worn thanks to the coming and going of beasts.

Jenny decided to think in the terms that were used in the story. She didn't want to mess up somewhere and have to explain herself. It wasn't as hard as she thought since she had been hearing both Eve and Parker using those terms.