Three: Jenner's Plan

Jenner's desires were growing by the day, he could not find a tidy way to deal with them that did not mean relying upon his companion and, the results were usually aimed towards something Jenner did not really want. He could not help it, being beneath any rat was just impossible whether in work or play. He'd attended the councils, complained that the dream was still too much a dream and that they could not keep moving forward to a dream when they had yet to even try out some of their own ideas and hopes here beneath the rose bushes. Thankfully, most were in agreement with him and he was thankful that his kind were naturally so cautious, but he was also frustrated that as always, Nicodemus was against him and Justin was always the sort to listen to the old rat.

Not to mention... that damned old mouse Mister Ages had been present again and insisted that their stealing was starting to get noticed. It was always the same old notion... if they were found out then surely the terrifying prospect of NIMH loomed over the horizon. But they had been here long enough and with enough time between to think that the humans would have forgotten as much as it was just nightmares for the pups to hear of the place. Still, Jenner knew he needed to find help to soothe his desires, or he might just lose his temper the next time council was in session.

Strolling around outside the rose bush and having left his companion behind, Jenner was an intimidating rat to shuffle through the farmyard at night. His eyes were gleaming as he looked towards the low light from the upper floors of the farmer's house, but there was a reason to head here. When the rats had first come they had met other rats that generally made the farmhouse attic and the barn their homes... not as smart as them but quick to learn, they'd made alliances and some had married into the ranks and were now producing intelligent offspring. They were friends to Jenner, appreciative that he wanted to know about how they coped and had taught them the poisons to avoid and the traps too.

Travelling towards the household he froze when he reached a few broken buckets but the cat flap shuffled. There was hope that they could sedate Dragon the cat soon enough to be able to achieve their goal of moving... but of course, for one rat shuffling around the cat was easy enough to deal with. Sometimes, Jenner even wondered if they should not just skewer the feline and leave it looking as if some fox had come by and decided to take his chance... it would certainly solve their problems!

An owl flew overheard and Jenner ducked down against the broken bucket, his whiskers twitching and his eyes gleaming, glad that this wander would aid his feral desires that were pushing through. When Dragon was then wandering off to go and hunt rabbits in the field, the cat's favourite past time, the big rat darted to the drain pipe and then shot up it. With huge leaps and his claws catching and scratching the edges with just the lightest of touches to launch upwards, he barrelled through the pipe and then reached the guttering at the top. Here he wedges his body across the hole, his nose twitching desperately for any signs of the enemy before instead he caught the scent of a familiar rat and leapt out onto the guttering.

He brushed whiskers and noses with one of the male rats of this colony, a big and terrifying brute with missing parts but one that was always in awe of Jenner's abilities. The rat spotted the clothing with a soft snort, knowing exactly who was present and then shuffling backwards in the gutter, leaving the opening to the attic under the roofing tiles visible to Jenner. The intelligent rat gave a snort of thanks, then clambered in, sliding through with ease and then straightening up as soon as he reached the attic floor. As he stood up, he swatted down the dust and muck from his clothing before tutting softly and strolled towards a hidden patch behind the boxes in the part of the attic the humans could not reach and then waved his paw in greeting.

An old doll's house was the seat of power for the rats in this community, each room had been turned into as close to a replica of the farmhouse itself as was possible and most of it was just for the rat who titled himself their leaders and his brood. Jenner though did not go to this house to pay homage or even to greet, which was a sign to most of the rats out and about gnawing and fetching their foods, that a NIMH rat had come for the sake of seeing the females. Jenner was not usually the rat to do such, but he had a friend up here who would be very useful to him in his plan.

As he bounded up one of the wooden beams in the loft, he reached an area where an old bird's nest had been stolen away to make the nest of another rat. As he clambered up, he could hear the tiny squeaking of pinkies and was scowling as he reached the top of the beam. The last thing he needed was to be concerned about a fresh litter when he had need of their mother, but thankfully it was not the rat he sought that was nursing in this nest but that rat's most recently grown daughter. Jenner paused as he clambered onto the edge of the nest and looked in at her brood.

"My, my... I thought you were only just old enough to think about it now Runty... whomever managed to catch you before you had fully left?" Jenner teased to the tiny softly furred brown rat that looked up at him with her huge and pretty eyes on her narrow face. He was amused that one of the youngsters from the last brood he'd actually taken time to get to know and teach and had thought to potentially bring down to the rose bushes, had already been taken. He looked at her expectantly but she seemed to be looking nervous before Runty's mother slipped down the beam to bounce beside Jenner and gave a coy chuckle.

"One of your own in fact... did you come here for gossip or just to be friendly, Jenner?" Jenner turned his head to look towards Lofty as she settled down beside him. She was a tall female rat, her father had been one of their own and she'd been of the first litter born up here from mixing, hence she was highly intelligent and enjoyable company at the best of times. She was also smart enough to use her rather more russet colour to attract the males and to barter for food from them. She had been encouraged to come down to the rose bushes by Brutus once, that big idiot having a lot of interest in her, but Lofty had not liked the ideals of the Rose Bush... that she might in fact stick with one of their males and produce at a steady rate, not just do as she wished with whomever supplied her the best food. "Did you want to know who?"

"I'm intrigued now Lofty... especially when I was coming to ask you to help me in a little... issue I'm having that I'm sure you would understand." Jenner chuckled softly, making Lofty's eyes widen in fascination before she gave a soft sort of chortle and then looked to her daughter. She hopped into the nest, grasped her daughter's head and gave her a few gentle grooming nibbles before then checking that each of the four pinkies were the same temperature and warm enough. She then bunched more of the soft innards of old furnishing around them to keep them warmer and bounded back up the beam, beckoning Jenner to follow.

The pair bounced upwards, sitting on a beam that spied down on the situation of the rats below. Lofty had been given her pathetic name by her less intelligent mother who'd just named the survivor for the place she'd been born in. Lofty had named Runty such because she hadn't expected her to live and the name had just stuck, but her other broods all had fancier names and most of them were amongst the NIMH rats now. But her eyes were flaring with intrigue as she looked to Jenner with a seeming appetite for whatever nasty scheme he had in mind. Of course, though other males approached her for the usual favours, Jenner had no interest in females and instead was here for company and for schemes... so Lofty was smirking as their whiskers touched and then Jenner chuckled.

"I'm looking for an opportunity to play with Justin... it's been bothering me greatly and... I needed some kind of inducement for the situation... something that would lure him in and give me the chance to purge this need from me." Jenner stated, wondering if Lofty would understand what he meant and what he was going to ask of her. In fact, Jenner was well aware that Lofty was a smart rat and knew him well enough to know what he would mean and what he would want from her in this matter. Even as he spoke, Lofty had her digits to her mouth and was smirking in amusement before she then gave a thoughtful sort of smile as she tapped her cheek.

"So... you want me to come back with you, give Justin the idea I'm hankering for a threesome between the two most eligible bachelors under the rose bush. Now I'm sure I can do that Jenner, it wouldn't be too difficult to ask him about it... more difficult to encourage him that such a thing would be... interesting." Lofty stated, looking thoughtful and rubbing at her chin as Jenner gave a soft scoff of irritation before she swatted her paw at him. She knew there was certainly a way to do this, but it would mean a lot of effort on Jenner's side and as she looked to him thoughtfully, his blows lifted and he looked confused.

"What have you got brewing in that wicked mind of yours?" Jenner chuckled utterly entertained that his companion had curious ideas clicking away already. He was utterly amused by the fact that Lofty was as interested in this situation as he had hoped she would be and he was amused as she started to chatter to herself in fascination over the situation. It made Jenner settle down onto the beam more comfortably, his expression in a smirk as he looked towards the chattering and busy city below. He could not help but wonder if they could not find a way to just stay here and take over even more of the farmer's lands and utilities to build a city here under the noses of the humans... but that would mean having to deal with the other less intelligent species out there.

"Your off in your dream world again Jenner... I can see the way you're thinking about the future and almost forgetting the here and now... but let me tell you what I think we'll do... but you'll have to trust me with it." Lofty stated, tapping her digits onto his nose to make Jenner give a sudden grunt of frustration at her touching near his whiskers. He then gave a deep intake, not sure he liked the way she was saying to him to trust her... it usually led to unfortunate things and he then eyed her up carefully.

"Go on..." Jenner's lips curled to show off his nasty teeth and his expression irritable as she gave a smug sort of snort through her own buck teeth as she tapped at her whiskers.

"You'll have to play with me as well as him... get him into the idea we're doing this as the three of us... that you both satisfy yourselves with me and then I'll tell you to play with each other. You might have to be on the bottom as well my old friend..." Lofty smirked, almost as if she was actually very eager with this situation and the chance to see Jenner being used up by a male. It was hilarious to think of such a proud thing being pinned down by the handsome young Justin, but making sure fair was fair was probably the only way they would ever get the chance to do anything with this and Jenner gave a sneer before rubbing at his moustache and giving a sneering growl before a hiss.

"I don't have much choice... but as long as you'll help me..." Jenner stated calmly and she gave a soft chuckle of amusement before nodding her head and then hopping up and patted his shoulders.

"Of course... I'll come by tomorrow in the evening..." Lofty chuckled in delight before bouncing back down towards her daughter with her babies. Jenner gave a sigh and then turned about to the beams, thanking his companion before then scuttling down and heading off on his way home. He was not sure what she was thinking or what was going to happen, but he would accept whatever help she was willing to give when he was so fiercely desperate for the chance to use that ridiculous Justin and remove this lustful thought from his head.

Dreams could only take you so far, when you were in every sense an animal... there were moments where you risked killing for the dreams to come true and that... that was so far just too much for Jenner to accept as a possibility, yet.

The next afternoon, Justin was enjoying himself after another training session though thankfully one on his own when he'd noticed Jenner seemingly finishing sword practice of his own. Justin was always a little cautious of Jenner, the rat was older, larger and certainly he was the kind of figure that Justin was uncertain of let alone a little fearful of. Certainly, he was not the kind of rat that Justin would approach for any reason but he was intrigued by the sight of Jenner finishing his sword practice before then putting the sword away. Justin was good with a sword but Jenner could hold heavier blades then him and he was sometimes eager to ask the rat what the key was... but he was surprised when Jenner turned to spot him.

"Ah... Justin... finishing up are we, why not come and join me for a moment?" Jenner called out, so cool and calm and charming that it was almost shocking to experience. Justin's ears strained forward and he was looking towards the other rat in confusion for a moment, more than a little surprised that he was getting attention from a rat that Nicodemus had always warned him to show some caution around. But Jenner beckoned him with a friendly paw and Justin had to admit, he wanted to have a go at trying the heavier swords this rat used and so he strolled over with a smug expression upon his face as Jenner gave a chuckle. "You've been practicing with a thin blade, they're excellent for speed but did you want to try with these blades?"

"Any particular way to hold them?" Justin queried as he strolled over, grasping his paws together and clapping them before Jenner pointed towards a chalk pot to rub his paws in. It was certainly interesting and so Justin rubbed his paws in the white powder before hooking up the sword form the rack by its heavy handle and squeezing it tightly. He was smirking thoughtfully as he could feel the weight of the blade already and Jenner was giving him no instruction before Justin hooked it up and then lifted it. He gave a groan, it was quite heavy but he got it out of the holder and Jenner nodded his head before watching the way Justin's feet were unsteady and he then wobbled a little. "Urgh... it's a really strain to keep it straight and balanced."

"The weight means you've got to put most of the focus into your feet and hips, hips to hold you straight and feet to move with balance." Jenner chuckled softly, almost as if he were helping Justin take this chance. Justin gave a smirk, like he didn't know that? He hoisted it up and then spread his legs, putting his back straight and focusing on the position of his hips before lifting the sword with a little more ease and looking as smug as he felt, though Jenner was the one smirking at him. However, the younger rat then began to swing the sword, tripping a little and then straightening up again whilst Jenner stroked his little beard and gave a chuckle. "You know... I was hoping to spot you today, you see... I have a friend visiting and they were quite eager to get to know the handsome young captain of the guard... unless that's really Brutus?"

"Heh... very funny Jenner..." Justin chuckled gently in amusement before then looking towards the older rat as if he were just making a joke. However, he was startled to see the firm look upon his face that was clearly saying he had meant it. Justin did not know what to say, he then pondered about what it might be, especially because Jenner had some very interesting friends and nearly everyone knew that all the best looking lady rats tended to talk to the handsome, swathe rat. "You... you were looking for me to meet someone?"

"But of course... everyone's been hearing a lot about you and they're very interested in you." Jenner stated thoughtfully, chuckling at his young companion as Justin tried to swing the sword a few more times but now he was completely intrigued by the offer being given. Jenner was chuckling in amusement as Justin put the sword away and then questioned what was being offered. It made Jenner look about a little carefully as he continued to smirk thoughtfully. "Well... my dear friend Lofty has always wanted to try something... but it's best if she were to explain it to you."

"Lofty? I think I've heard of her." Justin stated, glad he got a name because part of him was still a little cautious as to whom this rat was going to lead him to see. He knew that Jenner could be troubling but that Lofty was said to be one of the most attractive female rats around that came down to the rose bushes. It excited him and Justin had to give a shrug. "Alright... let's go see here then."

"Excellent." Jenner stated, his inner beast thrumming in excitement for what was to come.