Here's to the memories that make me fucking sick...

Haydée sits near her mother, a quiet offer to listen given by her mere presence. There is no anger, no shame on her features because the young woman does not have room for either in her heart; especially when it comes to her mother. While the older woman has carefully avoided the topic of life before Ethne, the past often has a nasty way of catching up to you and it happened at the worst possible time. Emerald eyes watch the still water of the pool; the juxtaposition from the turbulent water near where the waterfall feeds it to the calm area further away seems to be reflective of the two wolves that sit by the water’s edge.

When Bellamy speaks, remorse thick and heavy in her tone, Haydée does not say anything and simply allows her mother the space and time to get out everything that she has been holding in. Features remain calm as she listens to all the grisly details, her eyes never leaving the calm water that reflects the dark clouds above and her mother’s sorrowful features. It makes sense that the past trauma had been building for years, simmering underneath the surface until the moment she thought that her family had been threatened had caused it all to be unleased.

Bellamy goes on to instruct her that she should have Haydée release her mother from Ethne so that they are not caught harboring a monster. The older woman’s voice falls away, the turmoil and worry that she has been struggling with for years is now laid bare for them. Fear often causes one to assume the worst, to think that they will never be accepted for some secret they consider too horrible to voice. Yet, healing cannot begin until those skeletons that have been hiding, molding in the closest for years can see light and be given the proper burial they deserve.

So, after a couple beats of silence, Hay simply says, “No.” The clouds above rumble, the lightning in their bellies voicing its anger to the world below and promising more rain soon. A gust of wind tugs at their still frames, sending ripples to dance across the crystalline surface of the pool, obscuring their forms in its reflective depths and the young Leader finally lifts her green gaze from the water to bring them to rest on her mother’s face. What she has to say is important and it takes her a moment to gather her tired thoughts into a coherent string of words.

A sad, knowing smile blooms across her face as Haydée slowly begins, “What happened at the raid was… bad; I won’t lie. However, you are family… hell, you are Ethne and we do not turn our backs on family just because life gets difficult. We are all in this together, no matter what lays ahead of us.” There is a confidence in her words that Bellamy seems to be lacking right now and she quickly pushes on, “Your past does not define you mom. It shaped you, made you into who you are now but it is not the only thing that you have done.”

Pausing for a breath, Hay directs her attention to the area around them, lifting a paw to indicate it as she continues on, “You built this. With dad and wolves who looked up to you, who saw something wonderful and strong in your leadership. They flocked to you for protection, for understand, and for love and you never once hesitated to give them that. So, no. I will not turn you out into the cold because of one mistake. And that is exactly what it is, a mistake. I only hope that, now that you have given voice to your past, you can begin to heal.”

Lifting a paw to stall any words her mother might have tried to insert as Haydée firmly says, “However, since you cannot distinguish the battles of your past with those that happen now, I will not allow you join any raids or fights until you seek out help at the Hallows. You do not have to stay but I hope that you will take this opportunity to heal so that, one day, you may join me in defending the pack without seeking to horribly harm those who trespass.” As her paw falls back to the earth, all the wind seems to leave her sails and the exhaustion that the young Leader feels is written deeply into the lines of her face.

Green gaze slides back out over the water as Haydée contemplates everything that she must do in the wake of the raid and silence once more falls between the women.


"Haydée Kedieo"