At the End of the World

The call that rings out from the cathedral has Haydée dropping everything she is doing to race toward it. It was an alarm, issued to all of the pack from her father and, being Heir, that means that the young girl needs to take the call very seriously. While she was further away than her brother, the young heir still arrives shortly after Corbin. However, the moment the metallic scent of blood hits her nostrils, the small girl slowed her pace knowing that, by the amount of copper that permeated the air, she was too late. Fear begins to squeeze her heart as she nears the area where her father had called from.

It is easy to miss her small form as she comes to stop next to one of the large oaks, the grapevines that choke the once massive trunk easily hiding her from sight. Emerald eyes brim with tears as she watches Corbin stand in front of their father’s dismembered head and wings and her heart breaks into a million pieces at his soft, keening whine. So far, in her short life, Hay has only seen the kindness in others and the joy and love that brings out. Now, as she takes in her tiny father’s mutilated corpse, the white ribs that should never have been visible now cracked wide open, the girl realizes the darkness that the world also offers.

Hidden from sight, tears silently cascading down her cheeks, Haydée leans heavily into the tree as she understands what true evil looks like. It is obvious a wolf did this but only a deprived, mad, sick, hateful individual could do this to her tiny, sweet, loving father. He had never harmed anyone in his life, only seeking to heal others and this is the end that he is met with. Emerald eyes track Corbin as he lifts their father’s head from the rock, moving it to the flayed body to replace it near the stump of his neck. Right there, a part of Hay dies with her father; the naïve part that said all wolves are friends she just hasn’t met is laid to rest with the remains of her father.

A hardness enters her heart along with determination to never allow such an individual to harm another member of her family. Silently, Hay grieves for Gavroche and the time that has been stolen from them, will her heart lurches with each dry heave that Corbin issues. She stands as a quiet sentinel, watching over Corbin while allowing him time with their father’s corpse. Her raven-hued brother replaces the items stolen from their father, gently laying them next to his body before laying down next to their sire’s dead corpse. Anger has begun to burn hotly in her veins at the whole, shitty situation and she finally shrugs herself off of the tree.

Without a word, she reveals herself and softly pads over to where Corbin lays, moving around him so she can block out the macabre sight from his eyes. Tears still roll down her cheeks, she lays in front of him and offers her brother’s cheek a gentle nuzzle before licking away some of his tears. Softly, voice cracking with emotions, she says, “Corbin, mom is on her way. Why don’t you come with me? Mom will take care of dad. He… he won’t be alone. I promise.” Haydée tries to be strong for him, for the all of their family that will now have to try and navigate this world without Gavroche beside them.


"Haydée Kedieo"