Bellamy had been bouncing between feeling okay and worrying over Saga. Each day that passed pained her… but with Ethne being newly founded and the little ones beginning to explore the woman could not afford to leave the falls for long. Outside of herself and Gavroche there was only one other adult in the pack - Dagrún. Bells hoped to see Fenix soon though, especially with her offer still open. That morning Bellamy left the comfort of their den. The sound of the falls was welcoming to her ears - it helped to quiet her troubled thoughts. She had a home for her family now… and she needed to build it up. She would rescue Saga too, and didn’t doubt there would be some sort of standoff between herself and Ignis before all was said and done. Soon she would need to call for any loners in the area seeking a home and, after tha, would need to sort a meeting for everyone to see each other and know the faces of their comrades. There was also the matter of training her little ones. As far as she knew all of them seemed interested in fighting to at least some degree and Dorian had expressed interest in gathering herbs. Making sure her children knew how to defends themselves and how to treat strangers, or a certain red wolf, was at the top of her list. There was no time like the present or teaching either. Bellamy tilted her head back and called for Haydée. Her priority had to be with her smallest children; they were the most vulnerable. And she wouldn’t put it past Ignis to try and claim another of her children. "Speech" 'Thought.'

The magical autumn that has settled over the falls brings with it, a myriad of wonders. Bright, crisp leaves flutter lazily through the air, turning slowly as they trail down to the ground. A small pup stands underneath one vivid red leaf as it flutters slowly toward the ground and Haydée slowly lowers her front end toward the ground. Front legs stretch out as the pup dips down into a play bow, neck craning backward to watch her target’s progress as the pup watches and waits for it get closer. Emerald green eyes track it with excitement burning bright in the pup as it gets closer and closer and…

A call rings out across the land and the pup’s attention immediately snaps in the direction of her mother’s howl. Frowning, she looks back up with all of the longing of a child not wanting to stop playing before she breaks away at a run. Short legs churn as she races toward where her mom awaits, a grin on her lips when the woman’s tall form comes into view. Haydée races toward her, applying the brakes when she is close but the pup miscalculates her young bodies responsiveness. As she tries to skid to a stop, the small pup’s legs tangle around themselves and send her tumbling butt over head.

As her small body comes to a stop at her mother’s paws, the girl’s belly facing up toward Bellamy, happy giggles fill the air. It is evident she is unhurt and her short tail thumps the ground as Haydée happily chirps, “Hi mommy! I’m here!” Paws reach up to her towering mother, inviting her to reach down and give her kisses before they begin doing… whatever she got called here to do.


"Haydée Kedieo"

Her daughter came running and, for a moment, Bellamy couldn’t help but allow a smile to cross onto her face as her little one tumbled to a stop before her. To be young, and innocent, how she hated to have to even suggest there might be times when the child couldn’t just enjoy herself and be a child. Bellamy wanted to protect the innocence of her children, to love and hold them, so when Haydee’s paws reached upward Bells could not help but give in to the temptation to lower her muzzle to assault her daughter with kisses and gentle nuzzles - something she hadn’t had near enough of as a child. Bellamy did this until she started to laugh, soon becoming breathless as she beamed down at her little one and drew back. “Hello, my little sweetheart.” The woman said at last. “Have you been having a lot of fun, playing in the leaves?” She asked softly, managing to keep from slipping into her more somber thoughts. "Speech" 'Thought.'

Small paws reach up to her mother and the big wolf does not disappoint. Lowering her head, Haydée is assaulted with kisses and gentle nuzzles as the girl fills the air with delighted squeals and playful growls. Body squirms as her mother’s kisses tickle her belly and she noms gently on one of Bellamy’s ears when it gets too close. They both dissolve into laughter and, when her mommy pulls back, breathless, the small girl stays on her back, panting as looks up at her mom with her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth.

Haydée thinks about how much she loves her family and, at her mother’s question, the girl happily chirps, “Yeah! I almost caught a yellow one today! Have you been having fun too?” Stretching from her place on her back, the girl then rolls onto her belly before bounding up to her paws so she can envelope her mother’s ankle in a hug. Tail wags furiously as she holds onto her mom, tilting her head back to beam brightly up at her while asking, “Did you want me to help with somethin’ momma?” Hay is always ready and willing to help!


"Haydée Kedieo"

Her daughter was adorable, and Bellamy grinned as delighted squeals and playful growls erupted from Haydée’s maw. How she wanted these carefree, happy days to last and not be stolen away. Hay even managed to get ahold of one of her ears, nomming gently on it in a playful manner. Her little one looked up at her, tongue lolling out of her mouth as she answered her about the time she’d been having playing. At Haydée’s question if she’d been having fun too Bellamy’s smile shifts into a sad one, and she shakes her head. “Not exactly, Hay…” It was time to talk to her little one about stranger danger, and the fact that she needed to learn how to defend herself. Hay was small, but Bellamy saw a lot of energy and potential in her little girl. Her little one hugs her, and Bellamy lowers her head toward her little one, the smile at last running away from her face. “Mama needs your help with something very important, Hay. She needs you to be ready, and to be wary of any stranger who does not smell of Ethne. Particularly big red ones.” Bellamy sighed. “You have another sister, but she isn’t a wolf like me or you. A giant red-furred man by the name of Ignis lured her away. He doesn’t like your mama at all, and I am worried he may try to turn you all against me. I have to get your sister back, but I need to make sure you and your siblings will be safe while I’m gone.” Bellamy hated this serious talk. It made her stomach churn. She could only hope that her daughter understood the weight of it. “So Mama is going to teach you about fighting, and first and foremost, how to defend yourself when doing so. Because you are small, you will need to rely more on your speed rather than brute forcing attacks.” Another small, sad smile appeared on Bellamy’s lips. “Do you understand? This is a really important lesson.” "Speech" 'Thought.'

Haydée lays on her back, smiling happily up at her mother as she asks if her momma is having fun too. Her mother’s face morphs into an expression of sadness and the pup immediately rolls over to get back on her paws so she can turn to face her mom. Wide, worried eyes watch her mother as her mom begins to talk and the girl offers her mother another, tight, heartfelt hug as she speaks of strangers and being wary of them… especially really big red ones. As Bellamy explains about the pup having another sister, little Hay leans back so she can catch her mother’s gaze easily and offers a wide, excited grin at the prospect of yet another sibling.

However, the talk is serious and Haydée can feel the heaviness in her mother’s words so she too, adopts a more serious expression. She listens to everything that her mother says, quietly absorbing the meaning that Bellamy is trying to impart on her while slowly nodding along. As the talk goes on, Hay shifts backward so she can easily meet her mother’s gaze and, when she speaks of defending herself, the pup nods in understanding. At her mother’s question, the little pup says, “I understand momma. I want to learn to fight so I protect you and my siblings if any strangers try to attack us. Please, teach me.”

Emerald eyes stare up at her mother with a sudden intensity that she has not shown before. The pup is not stupid and she knows that there are dangers lurking in the outside world and Haydée not only wants to be able to meet them head on but also be able to shield her family from said dangers. However, before the lesson begins, there is something else that the small girl wants to clarify, “Mommy, no one could ever turn us against you. We are family and will always love you. And I promise, we will be able to handle any danger that approaches while you are gone.” A child’s promise but one that Hay means whole heartedly. No matter what, they face any danger… together.


"Haydée Kedieo"

The warmth and compassion that her daughter shares, even for one so young, brings Bellamy a bit of reassurance. While she is afraid, and genuinely afraid, of Ignis turning her little ones against her, against their pack and their family, there is a part of her that knows her children love her and Gav dearly. That they would never do anything that might harm them. That darkness, that doubt, fights with that small flicker of faith, and though Bellamy does not want to talk to her tiny daughter about such a serious subject, she feels that she is doing the right thing. It was hard stealing away a piece of her daughter’s innocence, but Bellamy feels it is the right thing to do for her safety. Thankfully her daughter was bright, picking up on how serious the talk was, and even showing a bit of eagerness in the idea of wanting to be able to protect herself and her loved ones. But nothing would prepare the woman for the next words her daughter would speak, nor the intense confidence and faith that her child  has. It is enough to bring Bells to tears. But through the tears, there is a smile, and the black and cream-furred woman draws her tiny daughter into an embrace of her own. “I love you, Haydée.” Bellamy speaks to her in a softer tone, a tone that betrays the emotions she has been pushing down. Her fears, her sadness, and the love she has for her family, for her children especially. “I love all of you so very, very much, and I will always do everything I can to protect you and keep you safe.” The woman drew back. “I guess… I forgot that I don’t need to face those problems alone.” A bit of a heavy talk for her daughter, but one that Bellamy herself needed. “You’re right, families stand together, don’t they?” Bellamy took in a breath, relaxing a little more now. Her tiny daughter was able to shift more of a weight than she knew. That was the girl’s strength. “You help your siblings catch up on this too, okay? I may not be able to show all of you before I have to leave again, but I will try to.” Bellamy let herself relax for a moment before she shifted her stance, spreading her legs an equal distance apart as she aligned them below her shoulders and hips. At the same time she made sure to splay her digits on the ground and bite her nails into the earth, her gaze shifting back to her little one. “The first step to being able to fight someone is knowing how to defend yourself. I want you to mimic my stance - keep your stance widened but even, trying to align your legs below your shoulders and hips so you feel like you have the greatest center of balance. You’ll distribute your weight evenly across each limb, splay your toes, and dig your claws into the dirt to help you keep your balance. If you ever lose your balance in a fight it could be costly, so you must always remember to redistribute your weight so it won’t be compromised.” It was time for the lesson to begin. She’d start with the most basic part of a defensive stand, then move on to additional steps from there. The basics were necessary, the building blocks for success. "Speech" 'Thought.'

As her mother draws her into a hug, the small pup happily and eagerly returns the embrace. The words that Bellamy speaks are soft and filled with emotion but they are words that she hears often. With a huge smile on her lips, the pup softly replies, “And I love you too mommy.” The next words that Bellamy speaks have Haydée’s tail wagging, knowing that they are true. As her mother pulls away, the pup happily bobs her head in agreement while her tail continues to wag. At her mother’s question about families standing together, Hay happily barks, “Yeah!”

Then she talks about leaving again and Haydée tilts her head in curiosity but says, “Okay mommy. I’ll show them! Promise.” The smile never leaves her features as she looks up at her mother, waiting to see what she is going to teach her. Head nods as she watches as her mother adopt a defensive stance and she is quick to try and mirror it. Small paws shift outward until they are underneath her shoulders and hips. Toes splay as her claws are flexed to dig into the dirt. Looking to Bellamy, she asks, “Like this?” Her tail is still wagging as she looks at the woman, excited to be learning about defending herself. Was she supposed to keep her tail still?


"Haydée Kedieo"

Bellamy was glad her children were so willing to show each other what she showed them. It took a weight off her mind, especially since she couldn’t be everywhere at once, much as she’d like to be. Her daughter would mimic the motions as she explained them, doing her best to mirror them. But, seeing Hay’s tail going back and forth the Leader of Ethne couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. Such a sweet child… Her innocence was something Bellamy wanted to protect. It was something that deserved to be protected. Her gaze softened and, unable to resist, Bells, reached out to nuzzle her daughter’s cheek. “Good so far, my little one. In battle though, your tail must be still. There are two primary positions that your tail will have in battle. The first is straight out behind you, aligned with your spine. Your tail can act as a rudder, something to help guide you in balance and keep you moving around a little easier. However, there will be situations where that position can be more risky. Keeping your tail out or your ears up can make them seem an appealing target for other creatures that might try to grab them and rip them away from your body. So you can also tuck your tail between your legs to protect it. You also want to keep your ears flattened against your head to protect them throughout the fight. And, perhaps one of the more important ones, you also want to narrow your eyes. This helps protect them from attacks from fang and claw, or if your opponent tries to toss dirt in your face in an effort to blind you. Not all opponents will fight fair.” It was… a lot of information. But Bellamy was certain that Hay could handle it. Her daughter was very smart after all. Something Bells was sure the girl had gotten from her father. "Speech" 'Thought.'

[/color]

Haydée mimics the movements her mother shows her to the best of her abilities. Bright eyes look up at the woman and her tail wags with happiness as she questions if her stance is good. Her mother’s gaze softens as she reaches out, nuzzling the young girl’s cheek which has Hay giggling happily. As Bellamy offers instructions, the girl nods before stilling her tail. She puts her tail straight out behind her until she feels her spine align.

Mouth rounds as listens, nodding as she given the risks to her tail and ears and the girl tucks her tail in response while her ears flattens against her skull. Finally, she puts everything her mother has told her into practice, her tail snapping up to align with her spine, ears stay pinned to her skull, and her eyes narrow in response. Turning her emerald gaze up to her mouth, her mouth pulls into a smile as she silently asks if she doing it correctly.


"Haydée Kedieo"

Bellamy can feel pride welling in her chest as she observed Haydee follow her instructions. Her daughter was not only willing to learn but she was giving it her all, and Bellamy can feel her worry melting away to more positive motherly emotions. How could you remain discouraged when you had such wonderful children? She gives approving nods of her head as Hay tests each defense, her own tail even starting to wag a little bit. “You are doing so well, my little one. You now have the defenses you’ll need to keep in mind for battle.” The she-wolf took a few steps back. Though the lesson is serious, the woman can’t help but keep smiling. “But now, the best thing for you to learn is how to put it into practice. I want you to try and “attack” me. Think of it like playing rough with your siblings. You won’t actually aim to hurt me, but you should aim to try and get me to stumble, or get me to fall over. All while you are keeping up as many of the defenses I just told you about. You need to be able to wrestle me down while keeping them up. That will carry over into a true battle!” Bellamy slipped into her own defensive stance, winking at her daughter. “Come and get me, Hay!” "Speech" 'Thought.'

The small girl is always eager to learn and the fact that her mother is showing her some fighting stuff just makes Haydée all the more happy.  Adopting the defensive stance her mother has showed her, the girl looks to up for Bellamy’s approval. As the tall woman goes around her, testing her defenses, the girl adapts her stance to hold strong against each little push or pull that is offered. Finally, her mother steps back, wagging to the girl as she informs her that she now has the defenses she needs.

Shifting smooth out of her stance, Hay wags happily and smiles brightly up at her mother. Eyes shine brightly with pure, boundless joy as Bellamy suddenly lays down a challenge and the girl’s smile simply grows. Many wolves might underestimate the small girl simply based on her size but Hay knows that she is simply a mighty warrior contained in a smaller package. Her mother slips in her defensive stance and winks at her, calling out to come and get. With that, Haydée happily chirps, “Get ready mommy!”

Falling into the stance her mother just taught her, the girl snaps her tail up to align with her spine, ears pinning back, and eyes narrow. All the joy that had been on her features is traded for a seriousness that the young one rarely shows. Toes splay, gripping the earth as she settles her weight evenly over her paws. Taking a deep breath, Haydée coils her muscles in preparation for her next move. She holds the breath to the count of two, observing the way her body feels in the moments before a fight.

A smile ghosts across her lips as, without warning, she exhales and releases the all stored energy in one smooth motion. The distance between her and her mother is short and Haydée closes it in a matter of heartbeats as she approaches Bellamy head on. What she might lack in attack power, the girl more than makes up for in speed and the girl shifts her paws slightly so that she will race up toward her mother’s right side.

Excitement builds in her as she nears her mother’s front leg and Hay quickly strikes out and she attempts to bite the tender area at the hallow space at the back of the woman’s paw. Haydée does not stop or even slow as she attacks, hoping to continue the circuit around Bellamy’s right side after her attack.



Haydée vs Bellamy for Spar
Round: 1/?
Age: Under 1 year*
Size: Extra small
Build: Medium
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather Brace/Vest
Skills: Expert Fighter & Expert Intellectual

*At the time this thread takes place, Haydée is still considered a pup and does not have her offensive battle accessory or companion (I removed them from her form)


"Haydée Kedieo"