The meeting is behind her and Haydée has a few things she wishes to do before leaving for Avalon to retrieve Alex. One of those things is to check in with Dagrún and see what she thinks about the pack’s defenses. It is a mild summer day, the noonday sun offering warmth but nothing extreme as she makes her way to the northern borders of the Falls. She plans to run a patrol with the woman while they talk over a few things.

Of all her fellow pack members that are not family, Hay feels like Dagrún is some she can rely on completely. Small paws reach the beach that butts up against the back of the falls and she stops to toss her head back and issues a polite invitation for the woman to join her. It is not urgent and she settles in to wait as the call drifts off into the afternoon air.


"Haydée Kedieo"

Dagrún had accepted the news they'd received at the meeting even though she had a hard time understanding it. She knew Bellamy was in pain but to leave one's pack? One's family? She couldn't understand that, no matter the pain the other woman was feeling right now but perhaps it was because Dagrún had never had such a connection to another wolf. Her family and her pack scattered when she was still relatively young. She was used to connections breaking and wolves disappearing. She preferred spilling blood to weeping.

Speaking of blood… Dag wiped a paw across her left cheek. She'd gotten in a tussle with a bobcat but had swiftly mauled and scared the creature off. it wasn't going to be causing Ethne any more trouble. She was on her way back to the falls to clean up when she heard Haydée call. It didn't sound too urgent but Dag was grateful for the distraction. She headed to the source and dipped her head in greeting to the girl. "Alphess?" Her lip quirked up in a grin. "How can I help you?"

Even with the unhurried quality of her summons, Haydée is not left waiting long for Dagrún to appear. A bright smile is on the younger wolf’s lips and her tail wags behind her as the woman’s form appears but worry quickly knits her brows together as the girl’s gaze finds the blood on the woman’s cheek. As Dagrún’s greets her, the smaller wolf steps forward in an attempt to inspect the wounds closer.

All thoughts of what she actually wants to discuss with the woman are gone as she questions seriously, “Dagrún are you okay? Do you want me to summon a healer?” While the wounds do not seem serious, Haydée takes the well-being of all her pack-mates seriously. A frown has tugged her lips downward as she gazes worriedly up at the woman, memories of her own run with a tiger making her stomach churn with anxiety.


"Haydée Kedieo"

Dagrún shook her head gently at the girl's concern. "Naw, don't worry about. Had to scare off a bobcat from our food stores. It'll stop bleeding soon I'm sure." If not Dag did know a little first aid and could tend to the injury. She hated to waste too much of the healers time, especially as she'd probably see them sooner or later for a more serious injury at the rate Ethne was going with dangerous encounters. Hopefully now that summer was here the bountiful prey would have predators more scattered and not so focused near the pack.

"Now, then. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Dagrún took a seat, wrapping her tail around her paws to listen.

The girl’s worry tugs her features down and Dagrún’s words do little to assuage that concern. Still, Haydée trusts the woman and she nods in understanding, allowing her to steer the topic back to the subject of why the girl had actually called her. Seating herself on the sand, the small girl cannot stop the smile that wiggles her lips upward as she says, “Well… Dagrún… I really trust you and I wanted to talk to you about few things. First, do you have any ideas about how we, as a pack, can better protect ourselves?”

Pausing to take a deep breath, she explains, “Since my dad… er, Gavroches’s death, I find myself worrying more and more about the safety of everyone with our borders." Sadness glitters in her emerald gaze even as she lifts a brow in question, hoping that the woman has some better ideas for protecting the pack than what she has come up with… which, all she really has is, ‘don’t let anyone else get hurt’. Hope burns in her eyes as she looks up at Dagrún, small tail thumping the ground as stares up at the warrior she fully trusts.


"Haydée Kedieo"

Dagrún considered the girl's question for a moment, a frown tugging at the edge of her mouth. "Well, for one thing we need more adults in the pack. Whether that's waiting for our Fledglings to become fully grown or recruiting more members the fact of the matter is we don't have enough adults to cover the area this pack holds." For every adult there were 2-3 young ones and that was an alarming prospect. While they would grow and fill in Ethne's ranks for now they needed protection and education and that requirement would thin out the adults that could patrol borders. The need to hunt in preparation for the eventual winter would further thing the patrolling adults. Bellamy's unfortunate departure had left them down yet another wolf. They simply didn't have the man power to ensure pack safety.

"We could also hold training sessions, make sure those that have an inclination to fight, hell even if they don't, that all wolves are able to defend this pack. That said… death with still happen. No patrol is perfect, no fight a guaranteed win. We can't prevent what happened to your father perfectly but we may be able to minimize the risk."

Haydée carefully watches Dagrún as she asks about the woman’s thoughts on how to keep the pack safer. The frown that tugs at the edge of the Combatant’s mouth does not escape her notice and the words that are offered has the girl humming thoughtfully. It is true, the pack does need more adults within the ranks and Hay has been remiss in her duty to finding them more help. With a nod, she listens to the idea of training sessions and making certain that all the wolves in Ethne at least know how to fight. Brows knit together in deep thought as she absently nods, mulling over what to do.

Finally, she blows out a small sigh and she looks up at Dagrún, softly admitting, “I feel unqualified to be Ethne’s leader and I am worried that other packs might see my youth as a sign of weakness.” A small shake of skull is given as Haydée tries to shake off just how scared that thought makes her feel. Meeting the older woman’s gaze, she says, “Dagrún, you have been loyal to Ethne for so long and I have come to trust you… well, completely. Would you consider being my deputy and helping to make sure that everyone in the pack is trained in defense? Will you work with me to strengthen our borders so we can do our best to prevent any more lives being lost… Please?”

The words start out strong but as she nears the end, the last part is almost begged because Haydée feels like she is floundering as the Leader and needs all the help she get.

"Haydée Kedieo"

Dagrún kept silent as she watched the yearling process her words. Haydée explained that she felt unqualified and that other packs might see her youth as a sign of weakness. Dag frowned. She made some fair points, but when Hay spoke again Dagrún flinched. This conversation was shaping up a lot like the one she'd had with Bellamy after the tiger attack. She just didn't see herself as the leadership type, nor did she want the constraints that came with it, especially now as she was trying to navigate her relationship with the Warlord's daughter.

"Haydée, I will help patrol the border and train and spar with the wolves of the pack as I'm able, however, I don't wish to accept the role of Deputy. Please understand, it has nothing to do with you. Your mother also asked me to move beyond my rank of combatant and I refused her as well. I'm happy where I'm at and the whole leadership thing…" Her voice trailed off and she fidgeted for a moment before returning her gaze to the young alphess. "Look, I'm happy to offer my thoughts and advice, to be an unofficial advisor if you will as you learn to navigate alphaship. I just don't want the expectations and pressure that come with a higher rank. Does that make sense?"

The flinch that Dagrún gives at the young woman’s words has worry flickering across her youthful features. As the monochrome woman speaks, Haydée feels herself slowly beginning to wilt, ears drooping, shoulders sagging, and a frown tugging at her lips. While she completely understands what Dag is saying and her wish not to step into a leadership role, the young Leader had been hoping to fill the vacancy that Fenix had left in her Deputy role with someone that she really trusts. Nodding as Dagrún agrees to be an unofficial advisor to her, the girl offers a small smile.

Nodding as Dag asks if that makes sense, Haydée releases a small sigh and says, “That does makes sense Dagrún and I respect your wishes. Fenix recently stepped down as Ethne’s deputy and I have been struggling to understand exactly why. He wouldn’t tell me but I feel like it is because I am the leader. Like… I did something wrong.” A shake of her head forces that rabbit hole to close and she turns her eyes down to her paws. Still, she understands Dagrún’s position on the situation and she will not push her to do anything that the woman does not want to. However, as an ‘unofficial advisor’, maybe there is something the older wolf can do.

Emerald eyes lift to catch Dag’s green gaze and hope blooms across the girl’s face. Not wishing to force the woman away, Haydée cautiously asks, “Would you be willing to help me find a trustworthy Deputy? Maybe test a few of the fighters out and see if anyone shows a desire to advance?” The young woman is uncertain if she is asking too much of Dagrún since the woman just told her that she doesn’t want more responsibility. Quickly, Hay adds, “You don’t have to! Just… if you happen to spar with someone or come across a wolf who voices a desire to advance you can just let me know.” A wobbly smile is offered.


"Haydée Kedieo"

ooc: so so sorry for the wait!!

It stung to let the younger woman down, but Dagrún had always been fiercely independent. She was keenly aware that she had only one life to live and she was going to live it how she wanted, unweighed by another's expectations.

Thankfully, Haydée seemed to understand and then went on to explain that Fenix had stepped down from the roll and that the girl did not know why, fearing it was something to do with her. Dag's brow knit together. Her initial instinct was to say that was incorrect, though she didn't know the man well enough to assume. Still, it didn't seem logical. "I find it unlikely it's because it's you. He was Deputy for Bellamy, wasn't he? He respected her didn't he? If so why would he suddenly drop the post when one of her children takes the alphaship?" Dag shook her head. "It doesn't make sense to me, if I had to guess he's got something personal he is combating right now." She knew all too well what that was like.

Haydée asked if she'd keep an eye out for any potential Deputy's and she nodded, offering her alphess a soft smile. "Of course, I'd be happy to. Maybe once the Fledglings pick areas of focus we can start to see how they do in specific roles working for the pack. As they grow, who knows, maybe one will show promise as a Deputy if none of the older wolves feel like a fit for the task."