"Speech"


The late morning breeze wound its way through the thick maze of trees. It carried the scents of a spring meadow and a lake. The eerie wood was still dark in its depths and the sun barely made a difference to the mists within. Even though many of the branches were still thin and sparse with buds there were still many places of deep shadow under the towering conifers.

Eltrys had previously spent an uneasy and active night hunting a young buck barely budding. After taking his fill he felt it a shame to leave most of the carcass there, for the bears and foxes and coyotes. He worked hard for his kill and since he could carry it with some effort draped over his back, he would.

He followed the scent of the meadow and lake through the maze. He was not frightened of the mists and the twists and turns, it was unnerving for sure, but he spent so much of his life honing his senses for other things, that he didn't feel overly scared of it. Spending most of his days in caves certainly helped him hunt in the darkness of these woods.

He emerged from the dark recesses into the light of the meadow with the fawn on his back. He saw the lake as his ice-blue eyes adjusted and licked his lips with a heavy thirst. He let the carcass thud onto the grass next to him as he approached the lakeshore and tested the waters with a sniff. It seemed clear and pristine. His mouth watering he began to lap the waters, unknowing if there was company upwind of him, as his eyes were still squinting at the bright morning light, he had only seen the green of the meadow and the sparkle of the lake.

The raid had been a disaster for Haydée and she had ended up walking away with more wounds that will undoubtedly turn into scars. Worries pull the earthen fae from her warm bad, driving her out into the early morning light and into the Wraith’s Wood. Thoughts swirl as the mist that hangs low in this eerie place greedily swallows up her form; the shadows and her meager height working to camouflage the young woman’s frame as she slips silently beneath the dark canopy of trees. Here, hidden from prying eyes, the small wolf allows herself the luxury of reflecting on past events while wandering alone.

Whispers of curses and spirits that roam through this land, moaning their pain out to the world, are often shared around crackling fires on warm summer nights, underneath a blanket of stars to wide-eyed, eager children. But those days are far behind Haydée and no longer does the young woman believe in those ghost stories that once made this place taboo. Birds trill in the branches above her as the trees reach their broken, bent fingers down toward the small wolf, beckoning her onward as she traces trails previously unknown to her.

Pools of sunlight bravely brake through the thick canopy, spilling their early morning rays onto the ground below and illuminating the beauty in the world around her. Twists and turns are taken without a pattern as Haydée willingly loses herself in the labyrinth of trees as she goes, confident in her ability to find her way home when the time comes. Suddenly, ahead of her, an oasis appears in the form of a meadow, cutting a large swath of light into the darkness of the surrounding lands.

Pulling to a stop at the edge of the tree line, Haydée hesitates to leave the aninmoity that the dark has to offer her and the small wolf quietly admires the serene scene that lays before her. Suddenly a form, not too terribly far from her, breaks from the shadows out into the morning light and, for a moment, the young woman stands there, shrouded in the darkness and watches as the taller man carries the carcass of a deer draped over his back. Curiously, she watches as the earthen male drops their prizes, the dull thud of the dead body hitting the ground reaching her in her temporary hiding place.

The man then moves to the clear waters of the hidden lake, drinking deeply as Haydée continues to silently observe. For a brief moment, she is self-conscious of the scars that not only mark her face but the back of her neck as well. Summoning up her courage, the young woman finally breaks from the trees, offering a soft, ‘woof’ to alert the stranger of her presence. Everything about her speaks of the smaller woman being nonthreatening and she keeps her stance open and loose so he knowns she does not mean to attack him.

Moving close enough to the male so that they can easily converse without shouting, Hay comes to a stop and warmly says, “Hello there! Mind if I take a drink as well?” One tiny paw jaw juts out toward the still waters beside them as she politely asks his permission. While he may not own this lake, the young woman knows that some strangers can be more… territorial than others and she would rather not risk getting yet another wound to add to rapidly growing collection of scars.


"Haydée Kedieo"

"Speech"

A soft canine alert reached him from across the water. Without lifting his dark head he opened his eyes to watch the reflection of the other come closer, his ears perked and listening. He noticed her amble, friendly and loose, warm and inviting. Like the others he had met, her scent was mixed with many others, but hers also had a tinge of recent battle.

As she came closer he lifted his head from the water, his dark square jaw still dripping wet and watched her with his piercing eyes. She was a lithe young woman, warm and inviting in countenance, polite in her request to join his drink. He couldn't help but notice her eyes were the color of sunlight streaming through warm summer leaves, but she had fresh wounds over her face... the muscle tone of her body was lean, she must be a fighter... Or was she forced to fight?

"Of course." He allowed warmly, lowering his head to consent. He even took a step back to give her his spot silently.

He could sense... grief and worry? She was a stranger to him, but he had been taught many ways to see through the masks people put up. What better way to lead others spiritually than to see through their lies, even the ones they told themselves. Not that it helped him see through the mater of lies... his uncle.

Had she just escaped from some harrowing fight? Those marks were canine, they could not be from a rough hunt.

"You are wounded... are you running from someone? Are you safe?" He looked up to the treeline on alert, wondering if she could also be a decoy for an ambush. Were her captors hunting for someone else to fight for them?

Small form slips from the cover of the tree line and out into the early morning sunlight that dances around the lake. The taller man lifts his head from his drink and water drips from his wet jaws as he watches her approach on the mirror-like surface of the water. Stopping a safe distance away since she does not wish to startle him and risk further injury, Haydée questions if the male would mind her drinking from the same lake while a friendly, warm smile fills her face. Their answer is amicable and she notices that he steps back to allow her his own spot that he been drinking from and, with a grateful dip of her head, the young woman steps up the crystalline surface and gratefully, lowers her head to drink deeply from the cool waters.

The scars are face are obvious as distinctly canine bites to her right brow and cheek have been carefully stitched closed recently but the flesh there is still pink and raw. As her neck bends so she can pull a drink from the water, the scars from her struggle with the Raid King are put on full display as well. Although these ones are distinctly different as the once vivid pink, ragged flesh on her scruff have finally begun to dull as they settle into their natural state and it is obvious that they are older. For a moment, she simply focuses on drinking, allowing the worry and doubts to scatter in the face of being grounded in the moment.

There is beauty to be found and the reflection off the still water forces her to squint against the brilliance and she spies fish darting away from the ripples her tongue makes on the surface. Suddenly, the man speaks up and Haydée nearly chokes on the water that she had just pulled into her mouth. Head snaps up and swivels so she can catch his icy eyes with her own vivid greens and a sheepish smile curls her lips as she swallows the liquid and steps back from the water so that she can turn and fully face him as she says, “I am safe. My pack actually isn’t far from here and I just needed to clear my head before the day begins.”

Straightening up, Haydée then dips into a polite bow as she introduces herself with practiced, easy words, “I am Haydée Kedieo, Leader of the pack Ethne.” Once the formal greeting is given, she folds her haunches and comes to sit lightly upon the ground as she explains her appearance, “As for my, uh, wounds, they are the result of two raids that happened at different times. I am just… very unlucky when it comes to fighting.” Blowing out air in a rolling, soft chuckle, the embarrassed woman shuffles her front paws as heat floods her face and she is thankful for the fur that hides it.

Pausing to allow the man time to digest her words, Hay wonders if he will wish to know about the events that had transpired or if will be satisfied with her glossing over of them. Either way, the woman is an open book and, whatever he wishes to know, she will do her best to supply him with the information.


"Haydée Kedieo"

"Speech"

He raised his dark brows as he seemed to have startled her from her drink. Commenting on her wounds must have touched a sore spot within. She relented that she was safe and seemed earnest as she sat up straight. Eltrys eased into his haunches and tilted his head ever so slightly as she fully introduced herself and explained her battle scars.

"Hardly unlucky, Haydee Kedieo, Leader of Ethne! To walk away from such battles with your life intact and wounds that barely hinder your hunting is incredibly lucky!" He straightened, awed by this tiny battle-scarred leader. "A wonder you still stand when most of your opponents must be taller than I!" He shook his head in admiration, he had come from a land where he towered above many of his brethren, to him this was a land of giants.

"I am..." He signed solemnly, remembering again a title that would have followed his own name, "Eltrys."

After a breathy pause, he continued.
"Do your priests make sacrifices before such battles? Do you fight often?" He asked, unsure if the answer would delight or dismay him.  

As they talk, Haydée feels the flush of heat intensify as the male offers encouraging words and a bubbly, albeit weak, laugh fills the air as she gives she says, “Well, almost everyone I have met is taller than me and, when you put it that way…” A bright, genuine smile fills her lips as she bobs her head and says, “Yeah, you’re right. I tend to get caught up in my shortcomings… a lot.” Then, he introduces himself and the young woman dips her head in a respectful bow, as she says, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Eltrys.”

Then, Eltrys asks about priests and battles and Haydée cannot contain the mirthful giggle that slips free as she shakes her head in the negative. Meeting his icy blue gaze, she explains, “In Ethne, we celebrate our differences and, while some members may be religious, no one view is forced onto everyone. I, personally, did not make any sacrifices before I went on the raid.” For a second, she hesitates thinking over how to explain their recent spat with the Raiders Hollows.

Taking a deep breath, she decides honesty is best as she slowly continues on, “Ethne is normally a peaceful pack but, a little while ago, we were raided by another pack for some of our chickens. While it was a close battle, they were victorious and claimed ten of our flock.” Another short pause as Haydée chews her lip for minute before saying, “We did not wish to be taken lightly and sought to bring back the number that been taken, so we launched a counter raid on the pack that had taken our chickens.”

Voice falls off as she shrugs her shoulders, eyes slipping down to her paws as she says, “I don’t think it was worth it because several of our members left with similar wounds that will eventually lead to scars and the pack had already killed our chickens.” Those intrusive, dark thoughts that the young woman is all too familiar with, begin to pound into Haydée again but she pushes them away as lifts her emerald eyes to meet Eltrys’s icy-hued gaze.

Another, this time slightly shy, shrug of her shoulders is given as she admits, “We usually don’t like to fight and are more of a ‘live and let live’ kind of pack. Our rules are simple; love who want, be kind to others but do not be easy, and accept others as they are.” With that, Haydée lapses into silence, curious what the man thinks about the information she has given.


"Haydée Kedieo"

"Speech"

He couldn't help the soft delight that appeared on his maw, his tail subtly swishing behind him as she smiled brightly and authentically during their conversation, saying his name back to him. When her mirth filled the meadow and lakeside his piercing glacial blue eyes squinted into elated half-moons. He didn't mind that she laughed at his question. A tenseness in his shoulders from the question itself relaxed at her laughter.

Well, I'll be... He thought to himself as she went on. A pack with many differences, a pack without a sole religion? Something he had never even thought to exist! She hesitated before she continued and he watched her intently as she admitted to the circumstances of the raid and the unfortunate outcome of their retaliation. He could almost see the heavy burden of leadership creeping back onto her shoulders... A heavy weight of shame. She had all but admitted the mistake, and now regret seemed to chase her like shadows.

He tilts his head the other way slightly as she shrugs and admits that Ethne doesn't typically fight and has fairly simple rules to live by.

He lets the silence linger for a moment as he gathers his thoughts. He shifts his gaze away from her warm spring greens to the sky for a moment to remember. While his gaze wanders beyond the horizon he sighs and admits his own truth.

"Leadership is never easy. Even as I was molded and taught everything about it, it didn't prepare me for the reality of the cost. The way others hunger for it..."
He brings his attention back to the experienced leader before him, her scars are testaments to her strength and resolve, "I was taught nothing else but to be a spiritual leader of my people alongside my brother, but before I could even take up the mantle I failed to acknowledge my shortcomings and it cost me everything I had known and my mother's life."

He inched closer, if only to lower his voice sincerely, and maybe to see her radiant eyes a little closer, respectfully, "Practice and experience have given you more than study has ever given me. Own the mistakes you make and learn from them."

He was intrigued by this different way of life, freedom, no rituals, no gods to summon or appease. Love who you want, kindness and strength, acceptance.

He then continued in a lighter tone, to shift the tension away from consequences and leadership roles.
"I'd like to see your merry pack, perhaps I'll make a gift of this fawn I hunted! How does one join?"

The smile grows as the man’s face softly lights up with delight and her own tail softly swishes the grass behind her. Haydée had meant no ill-will with her laugh and Eltrys seems to understand that as the tension that had pulled at the muscles in his shoulders as the question had been posed, relax. As she explains about Ethne, it is easy for her to fall into the familiar rhythm of introducing her pack and any doubts and misgivings she had melt away as she confidently shares about her pack.

Her voice falls away, silence seeping in where her gentle, melodic tones had been mere seconds before. Emerald green eyes watch as Eltrys mulls over her words and Haydée gives him and space to digest everything without interrupting him. When his voice fills the space between them, his icy blue eyes have wandered away but the young woman listens with quiet understanding and head dips into a small nod as she remembers how woefully unprepared she had been when the reins of Ethne had been handed to her before she was even two.

Brows lift slightly as he shares about being raised to be a spiritual leader of his people and how he failed to acknowledge is own shortcomings and her features morph into sympathy as Haydée feels a sudden kinship with the earthen male. Head bow in understanding as she softly says, “I am sorry or your loss. If I ever stop owning my mistakes then I know I will have failed as a Leader.” The words are filled with unvoiced sorrow and weighted with the heavy burdens she has had to carry all by herself for so long.

Suddenly, the heaviness that had been slowly creeping in lifts as Eltrys states that he would like to join Ethne and Haydée is struck dumb for a moment. Eyes fill with delighted surprise as her turbulent thoughts screech to a halt in favor of giving the man more information. The smile reappears, growing in brilliance until she is practically beaming at him while she says, “Well, if you want to join, all you have to do is ask me or my mother, Bellamy! She is Co-Leader of Ethne right now.”

Front paws shift, almost tippy-tapping the ground with the Leader’s barely contained excitement while her voice remains calm and warm as she adds, “Also, if you would like to come and see Ethne before you decide to officially join, then I would be happy to lead you there now and give you a tour. As for the fawn, it would be greatly appreciated and I will see to it that it is broken down and that no part goes to waste."

Tail is swishing faster behind her now, almost a blur as the grass bows at its passing.  Finally, Haydée stands, beckoning for Eltrys to come with her as she prepares to show him the path back to where Ethne waits.


"Haydée Kedieo"

"Speech"

Eltrys bows his head and hums as Haydee offers her condolences, a soft wordless thanks. Nothing more is needed and grateful for her promise to always own her mistakes.

He then lets out a loud hearty laugh at her exuberant response to introducing him to others of Ethne. He couldn't help but beam as well when he nodded his head,

"Yes! By all means! Lead the way!" He responded in turn. He took a moment to hike his prize back up over his strong broad back, still fresh from the previous night. He was grateful for the creature's life and the chance it offered him to give a useful gift.