He hadn’t really been the same since Aslatiel left but Indigo had forced himself to return to his regular duties. Finding his routine again helped him greatly but he was still shell like as he went through the motions that became his life. Indigo took almost a week after he spoke to Emersyn to call the band together to address the situation they were forced into. He was the leader, he was the one who chose this path. At the time he hadn’t known how strong he had to be, but there was no choice anymore. He hurt everyday but that was the burden he placed on himself and the punishment he would bear for misplacing his trust.

After his first patrol of the day Indigo returned to camp, everyone was at least stirring from their beds as Indigo made his way to the campfire that served as their hearth. He restrained the heavy sigh that wanted to fall from his lips and remained serious as blue eyes lingered on the small flames before him. Indigo lowered himself to his haunches and closed his eyes.

"Everyone.” He asked for their attention. "If I could gather all of you.” Indigo continued, opening his eyes as he searched for Duchess and motioned her to sit closer to him before he began to speak about what they faced.

"Speech"

Duchess had been growing farther and farther from the group, she felt like she was burdening everyone and kept secluding herself during the day and now finding it harder to be close to them at night. Still away from the others and laying while feeling the sickness that came with pregnancy as well as the physical weakness. Her head turned slightly while she noticed Indigo coming back into camp but she turned back to make herself comfortable again. But when he called for all of them to join, she wouldn't pull the covers over her. She carefully rose and approached, finding her place next to him as he suggested but not too close. She personally felt a physical, heavy tension between them and she sat there without being able to look up at anyone, turning her head away from the others and looking down near her paws and scanning the grasses in front her. But she wasn't expecting or knowing what Indigo was calling them together for. Walk "Talk"

The band had been different since Duchess had done Indigo wrong. The lot of them had been more solemn than usual. They were all a little separate. All a little down. Gypsy had been doing her best to stay positive. She was sure that everything would work out eventually. They all just needed time. It was no secret that Indigo was unhappy with Duchess and he had every right to be, but Gypsy didn't think that he would do anything rash.

As usual, Gypsy had slept curled up amidst the herd of goats. When Indigo's voice met her mismatched ears, the young woman's eyes opened, though they saw nothing, as usual. Having heard his voice, Gypsy didn't need Bertha to guide her towards where Indigo sat. The plum and snow fae took tentative steps until she could feel the warmth of the fire. Only then did she slide down to lay upon her slender belly. From where she lay, she could smell Indigo and Duchess. She wondered what this was all about.

"Gypsy"

**Gypsy's past is full of some extreme abuse. Be warned.**

Indigo may enter any of Gypsy's threads as he sees fit.

Segin blinked open his eyes and lifted his head from Emersyn's dusty purple fur at the sound of Indigo's call. He had been hovering somewhere between being asleep and awake for the last couple hours, but he hadn't yet convinced himself to get up. With as cool as the mornings had been in the autumn days he was more and more inclined to stay snuggled up to Emersyn for as long as she'd possibly allow. Sometimes he would cuddle with Indigo, going back and forth between the two wolves that held the biggest pieces of his heart, but more and more these days he had felt himself gravitating toward her.

He couldn't ignore Ignore Indigo calling for them from the campfire that was just outside their dens though so he reluctantly unfurled himself and got to his paws, giving his fur a shake. He couldn't resist giving Emersyn's cheek a little kiss once she was on her feet as well, giving her a small smile before he walked outside with her where Duchess and Gypsy had both already joined Indigo. He settled onto his haunches with them as well, giving Indigo a curious glance.

Segin Epsilon

In the past week, Emersyn had noticed the rifts and shifts within the band more keenly than ever before. It took Indigo some time, but at last their giant leader was starting to become involved in the group again. Patrol routes that Em had been running doubles on now were taken over the Indy, affording the dusty violet fae some much needed rest. Between Indy's moping and Duchess being useless as ever, Em had taken on all the patrols, taken over the hunting whenever their food rations got low, brought fresh wood for their fires at night as the days grew shorter and cooler. Never once did she ask for thanks, taking solace in knowing that this was all necessary for the survival of her new family. But the stress and fatigue had been getting to her, as was evident by her usually dour expression she wore about her days. Duchess had thoroughly broken down their family, fractured it into factions with her on one side, everyone else on the other, and Indigo caught somewhere in the middle.

This particular morning, Emersyn had taken some needed rest, allowing Indigo to take the morning patrol while she remained snuggled up in the pile of warm furs with Segin snuggled at her side. Sweet little Segin had been her rock throughout this ordeal, making sure she ate and was taken care of while she looked after everyone else, cuddling with her at nights to keep them both warm, and just always being present so she was never alone. He probably didn't know how much he was doing for her, but Em appreciated Segin beyond words for the support he offered. Feeling the smaller male stir beside her caused Em's eyes to peek open, lifting her head as Indigo called to them all, calling a meeting to order around the fire.

The autumn morning was crisp and chilly, with beads of frozen dew on the blades of grass around them. She slowly unfurled her larger body from around Segin with a weary groan, allowing the brute to get up and smiling when he kissed her cheek. She managed to sneak a quick kiss to his forehead before they headed over to the meeting together. Emersyn said nothing, sitting alongside Segin near the warm fire and almost directly across from Indigo and Duchess, leering at the tiny woman with disdain. It almost felt like she was positioned squarely against the unhappy parents-to-be. She looked to Indy with a raised brow, wondering what this was all about and when she could go back to bed. Gods, she was still so tired...

"Emersyn"

Indigo had never felt so alone. Despite the band that surrounded him, the man had spent the last few nights alone. He could have found Gypsy, or tried to coax Segin away from Emersyn, but nothing would have felt right anyway. Nothing would ever really be aligned and right ever again. He’d thrown himself into his work, patrols, herb gather, and he tried to hunt but he had never been any good and even with practice wasn’t very successful. He had to keep going, he had to prepare, because the winter wouldn’t wait for anyone, not even unborn innocent puppies.

He again withheld a soft sigh as Duchess crept closer and took her place where he asked. Gypsy was next, appearing from the herd of goats as she lay by the fire, closely followed by Segin and Emersyn. There were some confused looks, but no one said a word as they gathered before him. The atmosphere was incredibly different from the day they left the hallows. A stark and depressing contrast to the hopeful future they set out to grasp. How a season could change everything.

Indy opened his eyes as almost everyone gathered. Cosette had been distant for a long time now, and he felt like even she realized he wasn’t worth following. He took in a deep breath and looked to Duch, her guilt written plainly on her averted features. "What do you have to say for yourself, Duchess?” He asked her softly, but there was little warmth in his voice. "How can you work towards making your transgressions right?” He continued, waiting for her answer and allowing her to talk before he looked to the other members of the band.

"And what do you say?” He asked, much more uncertainly as he looked to each wolf before him. Gypsy, Segin… Emersyn. She had given her testimony already, but if she wished to repeat herself for the rest of them he would not interrupt.

"Speech"

Duchess remained to herself, still looking at the grasses in front of her and even avoiding the legs and paws that had formed around her. She felt the eyes on her even beside Emersyn, even when the others weren't looking at her. She felt a tension that made her stiff, and almost angry looking. But she didn't want to confront it. She nearly ignored Indigo until he spoke out to her through her name, taking a moment to pull back the first few words he said as well as the ones that came after. She grit her teeth, almost ignoring his first question entirely before glancing up if only for a second towards him and then her eyes went back to their original, ground, non-target. Her appearance may have appeared more agitated, frustrated, but really she was feeling regretful and shameful. She had felt like she had burdened the others, as much as she didn't voice that to them. "I'm able to fish with the net for now." She spoke nearly mumbling, clearing her throat before continuing, "I can hunt more once they are here." Her eyes turned to Indigo, but she didn't pick up her head again, "I told you I'd take care of them." Walk "Talk"

The reason for the gathering was a little surprising to the tiny woman and her eyebrows lifted as Indigo asked the band what they should do about Duchess' indiscretion. The woman in question spoke her piece, saying that she could still hunt with a net and that she would be able to hunt again once they were born. They were being asked to decide the woman's fate. Indigo was the leader of the band. He should have made his decision in private. He knew as well as they did that all of them would go along with whatever decision he had made.

Surprise still etched on her face, Gypsy was next to speak. Though her voice was as soft and whisperish as ever, she was far from the timid, broken creature that she had been when Indigo found her. "What Duchess did was terribly wrong and I won't try to justify her actions, but I can see things from both sides." Funny. Blind. Haha. "No matter her transgression, the children are innocent." Punishment for a pregnant wolf was absurd to Gypsy, a wolf who had received enough punishment to be almost irreversibly damaged.

"I'll watch them when they're born so that Duchess can hunt. I'll do what I can to pick up slack." Gypsy gave her tiny, delicate head a shake, Gypsy continued. "She knows what she did is wrong and things will never be the same for any of us. Duchess will have to fight tooth and nail to regain a semblance of the trust that she one held with the band and I believe she will work to do just that." Gypsy's normally placid face hardened. "I believe that's punishment enough."

"Gypsy"

**Gypsy's past is full of some extreme abuse. Be warned.**

Indigo may enter any of Gypsy's threads as he sees fit.

Segin blinked with surprise when Indigo started questioning Duchess on what she was going to do to make up for what she had done. By now word had gone around for the details of her pregnancy and how it had come to be so he wasn't necessarily surprised by the questions, but he was surprised that Indigo questioned it in a meeting like this. His ears folded back uncertainly and he leaned into Emersyn's side while he watched Duchess start to look more irritated and uncomfortable, telling them she could fish with a net and would be able to hunt once the pups arrived. There were only a few areas of healing that he actually felt confident in, but birthing was one of them from the many unfortunate times he had helped deliver his father's children and he knew that it wasn't as simple as that. It took time to recover after giving birth, especially if the pups were large which they were likely to be with Indigo as the father. Young puppies had to eat so often and so constantly that it would still be weeks until she was free to go back to her duties even if she did bounce back right away.

He held his tongue though as Gypsy spoke, voicing how the children were innocent no matter Duchess' actions and how she would watch after them so that Duchess could hunt, that Duchess knew what she did was wrong and that she'd have to work hard to regain their trust. He couldn't disagree with anything she said. He had thought of Duchess as a friend after all the traveling and exploring they had done together, all the days they had spent scouting and collecting, but now... Now he just felt like he was looking at a stranger. How could a friend and member of their family do something like this? He shifted uncomfortably as a beat of silence passed after Gypsy spoke, feeling as if he should say something even though he wasn't sure what he would do himself.

"I think Gypsy is right, but I think it's good to be realistic too," he said, glancing toward Indigo. "It takes time to recover after giving birth and by that time we'll be into winter by the time that happens." He knew Indigo was a much more skilled healer than he was so it wasn't something he needed to tell him, but it was still good to mention. "At this point I feel like all we can do is prepare the best we can and do what we can to minimize the damage that's been done. Perhaps moving back to Auster where it'll be warmer and prey will be more readily available would be a good idea. Restart our travels in the spring when the pups are a little older and at least able to ride on a cart safely."

Segin Epsilon

Indigo called the meeting to order, and began in the most surprising way she had not been expecting. He asked Duchess what she had to say for her actions, what she planned to do to set her actions right, then asked each of them what their take was. To no surprise, Duchess showed a true lack of remorse. She looked like she shrugged it off, shooting back that she could fish and that she'd take care of it. Em's eyes narrowed to the little violet woman. Of course she wasn't fucking sorry. She had gotten exactly what she wanted and was basically getting off scot-free! No one had the balls to do anything to truly punish Duchess other than scolding her like they would a small pup after playing too rough. This was asinine, it was offensive, and it pissed Emersyn off. Indy looked to them, waiting for their responses.

Gypsy, the sweet little dear, did reprimand Duchess for her crime, but refused to allow the pups to be the tool of punishment against her. She offered to watch the children while Duchess performed her duties and tried to regain the trust of the band. Segin, who was currently leaning into her side so hard she thought he might topple over if she moved even a fraction of an inch, spoke logic and sense. Recovering from a birth and getting the pups to a point where they could be weaned so Duchess could hunt and fish would take a tremendous amount of time, and by then they'd be well into the winter months. He suggested moving back to Auster until the pups were old enough to travel where it would be warmer and easier to raise and provide for them.

Then it was her turn. Em could feel the eyes of Indigo on her, but she didn't bother looking at him. She was too busy glaring daggers at Duchess. Everyone was so easy to forgive Duchess, to find a silver lining or give her an excuse for what she did, but they were all forgetting that Duchess had done this with a motive. Her intention to keep Indigo selfishly to herself by any means necessary, even if it put them all at risk. She didn't give a damn if the rest of the band starved or froze or worked themselves to death if it meant she could have her own little world with their leader. Emersyn saw through the facade Duchess put on though. She had seen the spitefulness and venom of the girl personally. She knew if given the chance again, Duchess would have no qualms doing anything to get what she wanted, and the dusty violet fae had not survived a lifetime of abuse and pain to be led to slaughter by a succubus like her. It was because she had seen the true mind of Duchess that Emersyn knew she could never trust Duchess again. Never.

But Emersyn didn't say anything. Oh, how she wanted to though. She wanted to berate Duchess, to tell her what little worth she actually had to the band, how the trust she'd had could never be regained and that if it was up to her, Duchess' puppies would be a thing of the past already. That was the only punishment she saw fitting enough to make the little bitch actually feel anything for jeopardizing their lives. She wanted to turn on Indigo, to snap at him for being so irresponsible and gullible, to demand he act like the leader he wanted so desperately to be, to yell at him for how he'd betrayed her trust to keep them safe, and to tell him that his sister hadn't been wrong when she wanted to kill Duchess. But she didn't say anything. Emersyn just looked away from both Duchess and Indigo, smoldering duo-hued eyes turning to the ground instead of looking at either of them. Her silence said everything she didn't though. Emersyn would not participate in a mock trial that had no real bearing on anything. There would be no justice, not unless she made her own.

"Emersyn"

Indigo was mostly disappointed in what Duchess had to say, there was no remorse and she looked annoyed at even being brought to confrontation. The nomad leader hid a sigh as she offered her solution, but didn’t even hint at apologizing for her crime against all of them. Indigo looked to Gypsy as she spoke, his heart aligning the most closely with her. These were his pups. In the end he had to claim responsibility for every move made by the wolves that called him leader. They were all an extension of himself, and Duchess had made him blind to her glaring faults. She wrapped him around her little paws and he hadn’t been able to see the truth until it was too late.

Segin’s take was similar to Gypsy’s, and Indigo watched the man and his hopefulness and positivity shine through. Indy felt the corners of his lips pull back in the hint of a smile as he watched the man speak, but any semblance of the joy Segin gave him was wiped away as he looked to Emersyn. Her gaze averted and the tension within her obvious from where he sat across from her. She wanted the puppies if not Duchess dead. The only justice she could see. Indigo swallowed the emotion the thought overwhelmed him with.

He was a kind and gentle soul deep down, there was nothing that would ever change that. He would never be able to sentence his own children to death, no matter the circumstance. "You put all of us in danger, and you won't even give us an apology?” She wouldn’t give him an apology for her deceit? There was no remorse, and he could see her selfish nature as plain as day now. The hole in his heart Asla created ached and burned with fervor as he looked back to Duchess and hurt deep within.

"I believe we can overcome this failure, and I appreciate your willingness to help me do so,” He spoke softly as he looked to Segin and extended a paw to rest over Gypsy’s. He needed them, all of them, to get through this. Emersyn was by far the most upset, but he didn’t know what he could do. He’d never be able to follow through with her desires, it went against everything he’d ever stood for. He cared deeply for Emersyn, but he couldn’t change himself for anyone. "And your honesty.” He finished as his eyes returned to Em. He knew how close he was to losing her completely, but he didn't know what he could do. He’d made his decision, and he wouldn’t change course. He could only learn from it.

"Speech"

She really couldn't be more thankful for Gypsy and Segin's support. And with their acceptance she couldn't help but sigh with relief, but she still couldn't look at them with more than a glance. This entire meeting felt embarrassing to her. To her. It was about her and what she had done anyway. After finding kindness in the two understanding band members, Duchess waited for whatever ever brutal demands, explanations, or whatever Emersyn had in mind. She held her breath as she did the others, but she was never relieved by her voice. She felt a hidden tension inside and outside herself, and she may have even appeared like she was about to get hit. Until Indigo spoke again. She was almost surprised, her gaze finally came up to fully look at Emersyn, the first time in this meeting she was able to have a hold on anyone. But Emersyn was looking down at the ground like she had, though with different emotions than what Duchess felt. Her gaze flew right over Gypsy and Segin and straight to Indigo. This time she really was feeling defensive, and it was in line with her inward and outward emotions unlike her entire performance within the last few moments. "I did apologize. To you!" Her voice nearly whined in the crack as it rose, her tone was nearly angry but also mixed with hurt as she went along. "I appreciate what everyone has said to help me, and to help them. But I don't understand what this has to do with the band." She truly didn't see her fault in hurting the band as a whole, and therefor didn't see why she had to apologize to the others. It didn't mean she was right, but it was how she felt. "So if it's that much of a problem for everyone, if I really am going to hurt everyone else because of this, then I'll just leave and take care of them myself like I've already said." She turned quickly, ready to walk away. Not leave camp today, but she had hit her end at this point. She stopped, turning to face Indigo's back side if he was still facing the others, "But if I leave, you can consider yourself nothing to these pups." -Exit Duchess Unless Stopped- Walk "Talk"

Had she apologized? Did she even realize the gravity of what she had done to him and the band? Duchess was obviously distressed, her expression, her demeanor, her voice. "Because you are a part of this family. Because this decision does affect more than just you and I.” Duch’s features turned defensive as she responded curtly. She would do it all herself if she had become so much of an inconvenience. She bore no responsibility or remorse for her actions, and that was what hurt the most. Before this he had romanticized the idea of one day calling her the mother of his children. Down the road when he felt more confident in his role as leader and they had established themselves to the point the whole band could accept new life. Not this disaster Duchess created.

"Make no mistake, Duchess.” He spoke softly as he shifted himself to block her path with his shoulder. "Those are my pups too. With my choice taken or not.” What she did was wrong, against everything he’d asked of her. And for what? So the band could crumble at her paws? What she did was vile and had, very obviously, fractured the band. All of this ended with him though, her actions were a consequence of his own. "You shouldn’t have to do this on your own. We should have been working together instead of against each other.” But how could they not be when she had gone against his wishes so clearly stated?

He shook his head in frustration and stepped out of her way. Short Round would keep an eye on her, for now he had to throw himself into work or he’d surely go mad.

"Speech"

Emersyn had long-since stopped caring about what was being said. When it had become blatantly obvious that she would not accept responsibility for her actions and instead continue to play the victim and paint everybody else as the bad guy, what little bit of civility Em had towards her dissolved. She no longer saw Duchess as a wolf. She was a parasite, a leech taking from everyone for her own selfish demands. The pups within her were innocent for now, but there was no doubt in her mind that with the whore as their mother, they too would grow to be more trouble than they were worth. Duchess made a big show of trying to leave, throwing accusations out that everyone saw her as a problem and that her actions didn't involve the band. She was a child throwing a temper tantrum and it was disgusting. What Indigo had ever seen in her was lost to the dusty violet fae.

Realizing there was no more to be said or done here other than watch the lovers quarrel, Em rolled her eyes and got to her paws. What a terrific waste of time this had been. Nothing had been garnered, nothing had changed, no justice had been dealt, and the status quo remained the same. All they had was a maybe plan of where to go for the winter so the pups didn't die immediately. What a shame, thought Em, that is couldn't be that simple. Nothing in life ever was. "I'm going for a walk," she told Segin—and only Segin. "Stay with Gypsy for me, please." With that, Emersyn excused herself from this mockery of a trial and headed eastward toward the coast. She needed to be alone with her thoughts for a while.

- exit Emersyn -

"Emersyn"