ooc: takes place only the day after the raid <3

If all of the kings The bruiser had woke early this morning, and had gently untangle himself from where his wife had decided she would be sleeping on top of him to try to keep him in their den. He had fought in their defense. But there was another worry. He needed Haydee's help. He had returned home and of all the children to not be there when he had come home, even bearing food for his family, it was Ikuchi. His ears pressed, mumbling to Lucette that he would be back as soon as he could. He would be searching for his son. He had a sinking feeling in his gut. Ikuchi would never miss a meal. It was one of the boys favorite things. So he moved, stopping by a trap on the falls side, pulling a hare from it, and resetting it. He then made his way to Haydee's den. They had three things to discuss. He needed to know where to go to get metalwork done to custom fit him, as well as discuss Bellamy and Ikuchi. He strode carefully toward's Haydee's den. Hopefully she wouldn't be gone for patrol yet. He stopped in the doorway and lowered the hare to the ground before clearing his throat to quietly catch her attention. "Haydee, may I come in? I brought you breakfast." He would wait then for her acknowledgement. Walk, "Talk", Think Have their queens on the throne

_{Art by Asena}

The raid had happened in the dead of night and Haydée had not slept. Not before the realization that Ethne was being raided and definitely not after the battle. Walking has always helped her think and that is exactly what she has done since the healers had begun tending to the fighters. While she had not been surprised by the fact that Raiders were raiding them, the young Leader saw that several of her wolves had not taken this fact as lightly.

Supplies could be replaced and they have a friend in Avalon who would happily supply them with more chicks but, in spite of those wolves being no true threat, her mother had not taken the attack lightly. Paws absently trace pathways around Ethne lands until her pads ache and exhaustion weighs heavily on her shoulder. With a small sigh she turns back toward the falls where her warm den waits for her.

Absently, she thinks of taking a bath before heading inside as the cake mud and grit still hang on her coat but the lack of sleep has caught up to her so she slowly winds her ways through the tunnels behind the falls. A voice from up ahead catches her attention and Haydée does her best to push away the tiredness as she shifts into alpha-mode. Rounding a corner, she stops short and softly calls out, “Good morning Bae-Syl. Come in, just try to be quiet.”

A paw gestures to the entrance opposite her own where her mother slumbers deeply, the herbs and tonics that had been administered had helped relax the woman and pulled her away into dream land. For a spilt second, the exhaustion and worry that she feels are etched deeply into the lines of her face, aging the young woman by years as she looks at Bellamy’s doorway.

However, just as quickly as they appear, it is gone and one may mistake the appearance as nothing more than a trick of the light. Careful paws pad silently to her doorway, pushing aside the fur and inviting Bae-Syl in as she quietly asks, “What is on your mind?” Of course, the raid was on at the forefront of all their minds but she is curious what has pulled her wounded bruiser from his bed and to her doorstep at this early hour. Surely Lucette will be upset that he isn’t resting.


"Haydée Kedieo"

When I fall apart, Promise in the dark He had expected Hay to have been in her den this early in the morning, so when she answers from behind him he is surprised. Not enough that he jumps, but enough that he turns his eyes to her quickly and his eyes tell her of his shock. He tries his best to swallow that down and whatnot by clearing his throat though. He gazes over her form and his eyes narrow. She's still caked in mud. There's other signs that have him regarding her like a father would a renegade pup. His eyes go to her's as she invites him in and he nods. He's more than aware of Bellamy's condition so he doesn't need to be told twice. He doesn't miss the look that passes her face for a second. He moves after he bends to grab the rabbit and lets himself into her den. His eyes move to the most likely bed spot and he nods to it for Haydee as he moves and puts the rabbit there for her. "You look like shit, and your sister will have both our asses if you aren't sleeping by the time I send her in here after me..... when was the last time you slept Haydee?" his tone is much softer with her than it had been with Bellamy. But he was in a different mode than the one he came here in. Haydee had lost alot and taken on the responsibility of leader at a young age. He was in dad mode again. She may not of been his, but that didn't mean the care stopped for her. He waited to hear her answer before he moved to the next thing. "Let's get through this quickly then. Gav never returned from the battle, and Ikuchi missed dinner and wasn't there when I woke this morning.... on top of that, your mother is slipping. Its time I tell you that she and I promised each other dark things once, before you were born and when she had first met me. I don't want to have to but so I dont have to keep that promise, I'm forbidding her from fighting in raids against us ever again. I'll not be the one to take her life and have to deal with my family hating me because I made a damned promise." his tone was serious. She needed to know just how bad her mother had been once, that they had a serious problem on their paws. He may only be bruiser but he did have the balls to look Haydee in the eyes as he decreed his decision to her. Raids were serious but he wasn't about to have to worry about more than that. "if the pack from last night comes seeking retribution against her, know I will answer and take her punishment on myself. She maimed a pup. And I wont have her put in a place of harm..... she's had enough of it well before we were even thoughts in the world. And if you want to know what I'm speaking about, ask ears, he will tell you wat you need to know." His haunches lowered as he silenced himself then. He waited for the backlash. Lucette was going to be angry when she found out, but he would take any punishment for his family with pride. He was their knight they didn't know they needed. Walk, "talk", Think You'll be my nightlight

_{Art by Asena}

The surprise in her Bruiser’s eyes from the fact that she answered behind him is not lost on Haydée and an amused grin tugs at edges of her lips. His eyes rove over her form, probably taking in all the mud that is still caked to her coast but his gaze snaps to her own as she invites him inside. Stooping to the grab the rabbit, Bae-Syl enters her den and she allows the fur to drop back into place, muffling their voices from any prying ears. He places the rabbit onto her bed and she obliges the man, moving to the thick pile of furs and seating herself there.

Bae-Syl’s words pull a dry chuckle from her as Haydée makes a face and says, “Gee. Thanks. I uh… slept the night before last.” The words are light, gentle, and teasing because she knows just how horrible she must look. As she slides down to her belly, a gentle relieved sigh rolls past her lips and she pulls the rabbit up onto her forelegs. However, before she can take a bite, the Bruiser speaks up and his news sends a chill racing down her spine. Expression falls into a neutral mask as her tired brain scrambles to figure out what all needs to be done.

Green eyes lock with the man as she takes in all the different bits of news and Haydée feels as if she has emotional whiplash from all the recent events. When Bae-Syl lapses into silence, the young woman allows the quiet to stretch on as she considers her options. Finally, she says, “I see. Gav probably went after the Raiders to offer his help. I will leave tomorrow and go after him and, hopefully, find Ikuchi along the way. I will need you to stay behind to guard the pack just in case something happens while I am gone.”

With a short sigh, she dips her head and says, “That is good idea for Bellamy but I would take it a step further and not allow her to fight at all right now. I will be seeking advice on how to help her heal.” Haydée then leverages herself, the forgotten rabbit tumbling from her forelegs as she raises up. Leveling a stern gaze at the man, the Leader calmly says, “As long as both you and Bellamy are in Ethne, the pact you made is null and void. Neither one of you are to act on it or I will be forced to take drastic actions. Do you understand?”

Allowing him a moment to agree or disagree, she then continues, “As for punishment, you will do no such thing. If the pack comes looking for retribution, I will be the one to answer them; alone.” The last word is stressed because, as the alpha it is her job to handle relations with other packs and she alone is responsible for the actions of her members. All the exhaustion she had felt in now gone as her mind tumbles with information, trying to form a plan of action for everything she has found out. After a moment, she asks, “Is there anything else?”

The tone she uses is firm but not unkind after all, the young Leader has just been given several live grenades and told to defuse them.


"Haydée Kedieo"

Code © Skelle/Witchdogtor DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

His eyes never falter. He will take any punishment for a promise made when neither of them were in a state to make it. But still a promise was a promise.

There's a pregnant silence between them. His face betrays nothing, there's no fear in his heart. Nothing but love for his family is held there. He doesn't doubt his news brings ire to the surface. But the silence feels short lived as Haydee finally speaks again. He nods his agreement about gav. He'd seen how he treated the raider boy. Ikuchi was just a confusing story though. The boy hardly left home, why would he suddenly disappear. He was the only child Bae-Syl had never worried would get into trouble. Well aside from eating too much from someone's prey stash.

He nods agreeing about bellamy and not allowing her to fight. Bells wouldn't take that well he knew, but he knew how to ensure haydee felt supported when she told her. "And I'll stand beside you when we tell her our decisions. She won't be happy and im here to support you both." he fell silent as she spoke again.

She was voiding the promise. He gave a stiff nod. Bellamy would think him a coward. But he had a bomb with it, to drop the biggest flaw to the promise he had made. "I wouldnt ever be able to do it. I vowed to protect Lucy, fell in love with her. And then I fell in love with Ethne, ethne has had my vow to stand for it and against any that would harm it. I'd sooner kill myself than kill Bellamy and hurt my family, and ethne is my family." he gave her a look as he stood there. His declaration unfaltering.

He silenced again as Haydee spoke more. The moment she declared she wanted to face any retribution against Bellamy alone his face contorted. His need to protect being called forth. "i dont like that one bit Haydee. You are just as much my family as anyone else. I implore you not to do so. If you are harmed because my lapse in judgement and me believing Bells was okay to fight, because I had a chance to send her off that battlefield before anything happened, then im at fault for your injury as well. Just let me take this one, if she gets called for retribution stand by me as I take it. That baby was someone's baby, its my fault Hay. Ill take the maim in your mother's place, whats a few more weeks cooped up annoying Lucy with my need to work?" he lowered his head to meat her eyes at her height. Guilt played there as well as his plea. He needed to protect her as well as Ethne. No one would like it if he was in a place to keep hay from harm and he hadn't. Sure he wasn't her equal or second in command but he was something more, he was part of her family.

"You all have had enough hurts, let me do this for you. I'll stay here and I trust you with my sons, trust me with this Hay."

"Speech!"