Lets Walk

Haydée had been trying to push herself to be a part of the world after she and Eltrys had admitted their feelings for each other because she had wanted to do, no be, better; for him. Yet the world is cruel and fate loves to play tricks with those whom are just finding their footing after tragedy strikes. The Bonfire Festival was supposed to a chance for her to heal; to show her face in a friendly, neutral place and be a part of the community once more… which she had so desperately needed.

Strict instructions had been given to her not to engage with Raiders and she had honored that, never once looking in their direction or uttering a single word to them but still, they had harassed her and cutting words had been thrown her way. After that, after realizing that she was not welcome in the world outside of the pack borders, Haydée had decided to shut herself away so that she could try and figure out what was wrong with her.

With her deepest apologies to the man who had stolen her heart, she had withdrawn to her den for some deep introspection.

Time lost all meaning to her as days began to pass without much to mark them in her candlelit den behind the falls. Sleep came and went, her thoughts her only company as she stayed hidden away from the cruel world. While she laid there, devoid of any real feelings expect worthlessness, part of her begin to hope that everyone would move on without her so that she could allow her body to quietly wither away.

But no matter how much she tried to rid herself of all attaches to this plane of existence so that she might leave, Eltrys kept pulling her back.

Meals were left for her, showing the depressed, listless woman that he still remembers her and he would sometimes even linger to talk. Haydée tries to hold on, for him, for her family that have lost their way and sought their paths outside of Polaris but she found it difficult as she replayed where she failed. Memories flicker across the dark walls of her den, playing out her life in vivid, technicolor detail as she quietly watches from the sidelines, wonder, trying to find where she had gone wrong.

Yet, somewhere, in those dark days where she sat feeling the victim of life, a spark of light began to flicker to life.

Eltrys.

His mere name sparks emotions so deep and powerful that they threaten to drown her with their sheer beauty. Haydée holds onto them, nurtures that kernel of love that he had placed within her heart and waters with each meal and visit he gives to her. Time passes and she grows stronger, making him her lifeline to the outside world as she slowly heals the wounds on her soul. Peace comes as she examines the traumas she has experienced and slowly, painfully, begins to come to terms with them while laying to rest the animosity and self-loathing attached to each event.

Life finally returns to the woman and each subsequent visit with the earthen male shows signs of improvement. This evening, like so many others, she emerges from the tunnel system, pausing to squint against the dying light of the autumn day until the soft light no longer hurts her eyes. There he stands, beside a meal and mid-autumn flower, handsome as ever and Haydée’s heart squeezes painfully in her chest as she once again wonders why he waits for her. Small paws tentatively approach, her ears falling back a moment as she hesitates, countless questions pushing up her throat only to die unspoken on her lips.

A smile warm, but small, tugs at her lips as she moves to him, needing to touch him and make sure that he is real but holding off just in case he no longer has the same feelings. His voice catches her off guarding and wide emerald eyes blink confusedly up at him as he softly demands that she walk with him. A teasing grin weakly tugs at the corners of her lips and she dips her head, saying, “Okay.” It is a simple word but holds so much in it. The steps toward healing have begun and she no longer feels compelled to hide herself away in her den day in and day out.

Moving up to him, Haydée looks down at the meal that he had brought her and pauses to tenderly pluck the autumnal flower from its resting place. Gently, she lifts the delicate bud, bringing it close to her nose as she inhales the sweet perfume. The smile returns, growing in strength as she carefully moves to twine the small stem into the fur behind one ear. It is difficult to maneuver but she manages to get the flower in place and it rests over top of one ear as she looks to Eltrys. Voice soft, she says, “Lead the way.” ready to follow him wherever he might wish to take her and not caring where that is, as long as he is with her.


"Haydée Kedieo"