[center][h1][color=f26522]Felix [/color]& [color=f7976a]Jenna[/color][/h1]
[sup]Collaboration with: [@Wick][/sup][/center]
[i][b][color=fff200]10am, Day 10[/color][/b][/i]

Felix grinned, and returned her hug. Looks like he had gotten her worried. His mistake. Next time, if he was going to be gone long, he would probably tell her first. In the future, she wouldn't have to worry about him. Or maybe she would -- Felix was aware that no matter how invincible you portrayed yourself, people would still worry. It was human nature, and one he appreciated.

[color=f26522]"Hey, sorry about that, I'll try not be gone for so long next time,"[/color] he said, patting her head. [color=f26522]"And breakfast would be welcome."[/color]

With a smile, he watched her turn back to the kitchen and sat down. Woah, bacon. And a lot of it. And . . . 

When Jenna set down the glass, one sip inside and he was tempted to shoot her an incredelous look. Orange juice? Where'd she get her hands on this? He mouthed a silent 'thank you' so as not to get the others aware, and hoped she understood.

[color=f26522]"Saying things have calmed down is . . . one way of putting it,"[/color] he said, in between bites, [color=f26522]"if by 'calm' you mean no one is panicking in the streets and looting stores, then, yeah, it's calm, but that's mostly because everything's been pretty much abandoned."[/color]

Jenna was a little somber. [color=f7976a]"And there is no rioting or fighting because they are all walking dead people."[/color] She sighed. [color=f7976a]"I can only believe that the reason that we are doing well enough is that most of us are staying busy and distracted. If we didn't there would be a lot of grief and tears. That is why I volunteered for cooking, so I wouldn't be thinking about everyone we have all lost.[/color]

[color=f7976a]"Where did you go? I don't mean to pry into your business or anything. I just thought we were becoming close friends and I was worried about you. I'm a bit worried about what we will do for food when our supplies start to get low. How far will they go out looking for food and supplies?"[/color]

[color=f26522]"We'll make time for you to mourn, for all of us, to mourn,"[/color] he leaned back, a relaxed but determined glint in his eyes. He had no one to mourn for, but they did, and sooner or later they had to or everyone would break, and he couldn't let that happen.

[color=f7976a]"I went out to find scavenging spots, and also . . ."[/color] he mulled about, deciding if he should tell her his other piece of business. [color=f7976a]"I was also looking for other settlments, other places like the school were survivors have settled down. And I found them. They're far enough that we don't have to worry about resource gathering areas interlapping, but some of them . . ."[/color]

He recalled what he saw: Cannibals, total tryanny, whole groups driven insane, keeping just enough of their reason to work together, somehow. 

Shaking his head, he decided not to describe them to Jenna. There was no point. It was enough that she knew that not everyone they met was going to be friendly, or even capable of reason.

[color=f26522]"Supplies are wearing thin everywhere. Soon, we're going to have to start generating our own source, which is why I'm going to need to talk to Nikki later,"[/color] he said with a sigh. He was not going to enjoy that, and had a sinking feeling that Nikki was going to dislike it even more.

[color=f7976a]"So by generating you mean like growing our own food? She has already been looking into it.  She brought back a ton of seeds today. She says we should rip up the football field and start planting there. We still need to look for the gardening tools in the school. I would imagine they are near the maintenance stuff."[/color]

That wasn't exactly what he wanted to talk about, but he was glad to hear about Nikki's foresight. He just wondered how far it extended.
 
[color=f7976a]"So how bad were the other camps? They couldn't all be as good as here."[/color] Jenna stated. [color=f7976a]"We got lucky that Nikki found this place when she did. It could have been so much worse for us. So when are we going to start training?"[/color]
 
At her question, Felix began grinning widely. [color=f26522]"I'm glad you asked that, actually. When I was out, I also made sure to pick a few things to help with that. We can start after lunch, if you want."[/color]
 
In Nikki, he saw a natural leader, with the potential to be something more. Her, he could groom into a queen. Someone capable of creating more than just a safe haven amongst a desolated populace -- she could create a whole civilization to rise above the old ones. She just needed the right push -- and the right motivation.
 
For Jenna, she had potential, but in a different spectrum. Nikki was a leader, but Jenna could be something equal or greater; she could become an icon. A symbol, a rallying point. An ideal. And most of the time, ideals were so much more terrifying than the most charismatic leader.
 
The problem was that Jenna probably could see herself that way, and moreover, she didn't have the skills to become that version of her, skills that needed to be cultivated early in order to truly unleash their full capabilities. The image Felix had of a future Jenna was edging dangerously close to what most people would call a 'Fantasy'; nothing but hopeful fiction.
 
But Felix was not most people. 
 
[color=f26522]"If you're ready, just tell me. We can meet at the gym at say . . . two o'clock? Hopefully no one'll be using it at that time."[/color]
 
[color=f7976a]"Well, Nikki may be in there but she is likely the only one. And that is probably not a bad thing really. She has a lot of skills and I could use some self defense training too. I'm hoping you can both teach me stuff so that I have a chance."[/color]

He nodded in agreement. That would help the both of them. The more Nikki knew about teaching, the better her leadership skills would improve. Teaching involved knowing how to play strengths and shore up weaknesses. The more she understood how to do that, the easier she could detect them in others -- and herself. 

[color=f26522]"Alright, if she's there, we'll see if we can get her to help."[/color] And with that, Felix finished off the last of his breakfast. [color=f26522]"Thanks for the meal, by the way."[/color]

[i][b][color=fff200]2pm, Day 10[/color][/b][/i]

Jenna saw Nikki at two, she needed her to make a supply run and once she gave her the list she was off and running. Jenna had noticed the smiles between Nikki and the new guy Eric. Jenna was glad to see Nikki smile. She was always so focussed on the job at hand. 

Jenna stretched while she waited for Felix.

He walked with an easy pace inside the gym, and waved at her. He was hefting a large bag that 'clunked' with every step.

[color=f26522]"Hey, alright, ready to get started?"[/color] he asked. Dropping the bag to the side, Felix began wrapping his hands over and over, until they practically disappeared under the wraps.

Jenna watched and did whatever Felix showed her but the concentrated on speed and agility. Those would be the things she needed to work on. You can't get bitten if they can't catch you. Jenna smiled. It might sound like running but if something was going to eat you you run whether it's a cheetah or it's the former gym teacher .

[color=f26522]"These are just the basics. For now, we need to make sure you have a solid foundation. Stamina is the most important thing for survival. Unless you've got that, you can screw everything else,"[/color] he said. Despite all the running, he seemed practically fresh, asides from beads of sweat coming down his forehead. [color=f26522]"Once we've got you a foundation, the real hell begins."[/color]

Oh he had plans. In italics for emphasis. Just in case that didn't get through: [i]Plans[/i]