Oh no, Oh no! What was she going to do now? She'd be such a disappointment to her late parents if she died with her head stuck in a log! Rue had been following a little brown bird that had been hopping along the ground a little funny. She was worried that the little guy was broken and was intent on helping it somehow. The little bird, a sparrow she though, had hopped into the hole of a log and disappeared inside. Without thought, Rue had stuck her head in after, only to see the little bird hop out the end of the log and fly off. What a trickster! Much to her surprise and dismay, Rue found that her head was quite stuck.

"Hello! Can anyone hear me!" Her gentle tones called out, echoing within the log. She hoped that someone would come along soon. Someone that hopefully wouldn't want to harm her in any way. She'd met some bad wolves on the road. The cocoa colored girl gave a little tug, trying once again to free herself but she was stuck very tightly. Rue didn't regret trying to help the bird, but she did regret rushing in without thinking. What was she going to do? "Heeeeeeelp!"

Indigo was a year old now and he was given much more freedom that he was closer to a full adult. The mohawked boy didn’t explore much to beging with, on his own he’d barely left the Empire his whole life. With Short Round by his side he took his first solo mission to find some summer herbs not available in one of the gardens at home.

He made his way to a place that was enviously lush, bright blue eyes grew wide with wonder. A grin played on his dark purple lips as his huge form wandered down the gulley carefully. He was half way down the side when he heard the voice and he froze with uncertainty. He was already looking out for the source, but Short Round raced that direction.

”Yes!” He called out, he had heard her, but he couldn’t see her from up here. Hurriedly Indigo rushed down the rest of the hill, but tripped slipped and tumbled down. Indy was young and spry and though the collision with the ground hurt he popped back up as Short Round grunted and led him to where the fawn was stuck. For a moment he wondered if he should try and make the unfortunate deer dinner, but then he realized the scent of her was completely wolf.

”Should I try and pull you?” He asked worriedly, eyeing the log that held her captive. ”Maybe dig at the wood?” Indy didn’t want to hit her with his sharp claws, but Short Round could get in on some digging too.

A muffled response met the girl's large ears and a sort of excited panic sent her heart banging in her chest. She thought that she heard a thud and some scuffling, but she couldn't be sure. A voice called out to her, asking what it should do. Claw at the log? Pull her out? "I, uhh..." She laughed nervously. "I don't really know. I just know that I can't stay in here. Help? Please?" She couldn't give her hero any sort of advice. She didn't know how things were looking from the outside. The log around her head was a tight fit though. It had been easy to get it in, but was impossible to get it out. Maybe it would have to be clawed at after all? Ohhh... she didn't know!

"Please..." she said again, struggling a bit against the log. Her sweet voice was soft, but held an edge of the panic that she was now feeling intensely. Rue hadn't realized that she felt a little claustrophobic until she knew that someone else was there and she couldn't see them. She hoped that whoever had offered to help would be able to get her out soon.

She didn’t know any better than he did, or at least that’s what it sounded like she said from how muffled her voice was by the log. Indigo would be forced to make his best call. She just needed to get out and sooner rather than later. B>”It’s okay! Calm down!” He told her reassuringly as he placed one huge paw on her shoulder for comfort as Short Round got into position. ”Hold still, I don’t want you to get hurt.” He rubbed her shoulder lightly before focusing his attention on freeing her.

The log was further decomposed at the bottom so Short Round got to work there while Indy started working on the side. They dug carefully at the flaking wood, slowly making the hole bigger so that she could pull free. ”Try and pull,” He told her as he worked away a bit more of the wood, hoping it was enough.

Oh. Oh that was a really big paw! Within the log, Rue's blue eyes went wide. The owner of the paw certainly seemed friendly enough, but still, they were so big! Or maybe they were small and just had big feet? She wouldn't know for sure until her head was out of the log.

The voice told her to hold still, but she really didn't have a choice. She was stuck fast. Skittering and scraping was heard above and below. Rue was quite confused but said nothing. Suddenly a little striped head popped up in front of her and the earthen girl gave a startled eep of surprise. What had that been?

The voice outside told her that it was time to try and pull her head out again. Inhaling then exhaling, Rue closed her eyes tight and pulled backwards with all of her might. There was some resistance and at first she thought that she was still doomed to be stuck, but the rotting wood cracked and her head popped free.

Rue went flying backwards, colliding with whomever had saved her. "Ohhh!" She groaned. "I'm so sorry! And after you were so nice to help me!" The leggy girl jumped top hat paws and spun around intent on helping get savior to their paws. As she extended one paw to help the girl brought her giant, doe eyes upward. Her mouth formed into an O of surprise. He was purple! He was huge, handsome and purple!

Indigo and Short Round were efficient in their work, and careful. There were no stray nicks and cuts here. The badger did most of the work but Indigo worked on very specific places so when he told her to try again her efforts would produce freedom. Maybe he should have found a better place to stand, but he was glad to catch the smaller she wolf as she popped free of her trap.

Indigo was stable on his feet even as she rushed to turn around and help him up. Her attention was quite unexpected when her face showed her obvious surprise at him. Dark ears fell to his skull as he lowered himself to his haunches. ”It’s no bother, I’m glad I could help.” He told her honestly as his words were wrought shyly. His lack of socialization was becoming obvious in her presence but Indy was caught off guard. She was pretty and the way her eyes went wide when she looked at him scrambled his brain a little. ”I’m Indy,” he offered his nickname straight off, already feeling like the traumatic event that brought them together formed a bond of camaraderie.

The young wolf was shy and it was terribly charming. As he tucked his ears, Rue did the same. She was also a little shy and awkward. My, was he ever big! She'd never seen a wolf so large in all of her, well... one year. Okay, so she'd been a sheltered girl, but he was still huge.

The plum colored guy gave his name as Indy and Rue smiled up at him. "Hi, I'm Indy. I mean," her eyes went wide again and her cheeks filled with heat. "Rue! My name is Rue." Ugh, what an idiot. How embarrassing! The girl looked away and shook her head in disbelief as she collected herself .

Taking a deep breath, Rue exhaled. Only then did she look at him. "Well, Indy. You and your little friend here are my heroes. I surely would have died if you hadn't come along." Blue eyes crinkled in their upturned corners as she smiled again. "So thank you."

She didn’t press him, and even mirrored his shyness, likely she felt similarly. He didn’t talk to strangers often, especially not ones like Rue. She was sweet, her voice innocent as she stumbled over her words even more than Indy had. He lowered his head and smiled good naturedly, he didn’t feel less foolish but he did feel like he was in better company. He chuckled with her at the mistake as he lowered himself to the ground so she wouldn’t be forced to look up and he wouldn’t have to look down at her.

”It’s good to meet you, Rue.” He returned with a dip of his head even if she’d turned away from him. He would have felt embarassed too. ”It’s okay I… I understand.” He told her sheepishly as he tried to put her at ease. Even if he hadn’t quite found that state yet, he didn’t want to see her distressed.

”You’re welcome,” He told her as she explained the dire predicament she found herself in. ”I’m sure you would have figured it out though.” It took a while to starve, she could have dug herself out before then, he’d just help speed the process along. ”Do you need help getting home?” He offered, not missing that she didn’t seem to have anyone with her.

It seemed that he had more faith in her than she had in herself. She surely would have died with her head in that log. As Indy laid down, Rue's haunches folded. Her little bobbed tail swished back and forth behind her. Really, she hasn't noticed how awkward things were. She was used to awkward. It came from being an only child, and a sheltered one at that.

When he'd offered top help her home, the girls smile slipped for a moment, but she forced it back in place. Her eyes closed with the force of her smile, mostly so that she didn't have top see any pity on his face. "I, uh... don't really have a home." It was sad, but true. Lifting one paw, the spotted girl absently rubbed her cheek. "My parents had me at a very old age. I was their miracle pup. My mom passed away and my dad followed her soon after." The smile was still there. If she let it fall, she'd cry. "So I guess you could say I'm on my own."

"How about you? Do you need help getting home?" It was only fair to ask. He'd asked her, after all.

She seemed to be a little more comfortable as she settled back onto her haunches. Short Round curled up beside her, leaning heavily against her hip. Indy didn’t miss the way her smile faltered when he asked his question. He wasn’t left to wonder long as she told him that she was without a home. She lost her parents and she didn’t have anyone else.

Indigo felt a surge of empathy, was this how his father felt when he brought home strays? He suppressed a soft whine as he restrained himself from grabbing her and carting her home with him. ”You don’t have anyone?” Indy asked softly, wondering how far his desire to help might go. Would his dad even let him invite her home? ”I’m sorry.” He added softly, knowing there was nothing else he could do.

When Indigo made up his mind it was very hard to change. The young man lifted himself to his paws and closed the distance between them. He placed a paw gently over top of hers and aimed to find her pretty blue stare before he lost his confidence. ”You have me.” He promised, not knowing how logistics would work but, ”you should come back with me, Rue.”

He almost forgot what he’d even come here for, ”After I find a few plants to harvest.” Indy returned her personal space to her as he looked around. ”Do you know much about the plants here?”

Indy seemed taken aback by the fact that she had no one in the world. It had been about a month since her parents had passed and the girl had accepted it. The purple boy apologized and Rue continued to smile. Eyes remained shut to keep the tears within until she could get over the moment. "It's okay. It happens to us all, right?"

A giant paw over one of her smaller ones brought the girl's brilliant blue eyes opening. She hadn't had enough time to bite back the tears and they were swimming with the unshed liquid. Indy stared into her eyes and Rue's heart skipped a beat or ten. He told her that she had him and then invited her to come back to his home. The girl's eyes widened for a moment and her mouth dropped into that surprised O shape again. "That's really kind of you, Indy, but I..." She shook her head, tall ears tucking back against her skull. "I've never been around more than two wolves at a time. I'd be so nervous."

When Indy spoke of plants, Rue perked up. "Plants? I don't really know the plants around here, but I know the plants back ho... back where I used to live." She'd almost said back home, but that wasn't her home anymore, was it? "What kinds of plants do you eat? You must eat a lot of them to be that big." Blue eyes scanned the area until they landed on a group of mushrooms. Strolling to them, the spotted lady gave them a sniff, then popped one into her mouth. "These are particularly good."

She was obviously sad, and Indigo hadn’t meant to bring her to this place. She opened up to him, bravely, as bright blue eyes searched his own. He couldn’t miss the tears that were left unshed for her parents and the boy’s heart broke for her. She thanked him for his offer, ”...but, I…” there was a complication. She couldn’t be around anyone, and she wouldn’t be comfortable. The boy frowned. ”You could den close by, and I could be close to help you.” For some reason he didn’t like the thought of the little deer like wolf being alone. If she wouldn’t join him at least he could be within shouting distance right?

”They’re not really for eating…” He started, but trailed off as she bound over to a cluster of fungi. Indigo tilted his head curiously, aunti Io season thee meats she prepared but he’d never just eat plant unless it was used for medicine or tea. It wasn’t a huge leap, but he didn’t think he could get this big off plants.

”Not many plants at all. Meat. Animals. Sometimes birds and bugs if one looks particularly crunchy.” He chuckled as he moved closer to the mushrooms, quite intriuged. ”I only eat plants as medicince, spice, or tea. I’d have never thought to make a meal out of them.” He inhaled deeply as he lowered his head over the fungi, not convinced he wanted to try.

The girl frowned. "I don't know how to be a pack wolf, Indy." Her blue gaze scanned the area. "Maybe you could help me find a place out here somewhere? Some place safe so that you don't have to worry?" She tilted her head in a very doe like manner. It was interesting that he would even worry. They had just met, after all. She assumed that was a testament to his character. The purple puffball was a very good wolf. Rue was glad for that.

When Indy said that he didn't eat plants often and that he ate meat, Rue's eyes widened. "Really?" Her jaw dropped in disbelief. He ate... animals? Would he have eaten the little bird that she had tried to save? What else did he eat? Indy went on to say that he did eat birds and Rue frowned. "You eat animals?" The thought made her feel a little sick. She had eaten fish, but never any red meat. "My family has always eaten fish and plants."

Indy looked at the pile of fungi with an apprehensive expression on his face and Rue giggled. "It's not bad. I suppose I grew up on them though and you didn't. You might find them as horrible as I might find the taste of red meat." The girl popped one small mushroom off of its stalk and held it close to Indy's mouth. "Want to try though?"

She wasn’t like him in more ways than one. She was a loner her whole life and Indy had grown up in the pack. They were the same in that crowds made them nervous, Indy hadn’t realized before his birthday party. Without Asla he’d felt vulnerable.. alone. Incomplete despite the family and friends that surrounded him. Here poor Rue was, no one in the world but her and she seemed so brave. ”I’d really like that. I can come check on you, maybe bring you some of my garden plants.” He offered softly.

”We’ve always lived off hunting. I haven’t had much fish, and no plants.” He wasn’t sure what kind of wolf didn’t eat meat. Different upbringings she supposed, and he would have agreed. Rue giggled at him and his uncertainty about her snack. She told him it wasn’t that bad and offered up a little fingi puff. He really really didn’t want to put that thing in his mouth. The way she looked up at him and offered the mushroom overrode all of his senses. Gently as was possible Indy leaned forward to take a bite of the cap.

He didn’t like it. He didn’t like the texture, the taste was.. weird. Indy wouldn’t let those thoughts show on his face. He wore a curious expression and that was all he’d let on. ”Eh…” He decided to go with as he swallowed. ”I don’t know if I want to try that again.” He was impressed he’d managed to get it down, and though he wasn’t eager for a second course Indy would have tried anything else she put in front of him.

For a minute she was sure that he was going to insist she join his pack. When he said that he'd be happy to come visit her, Rue beamed. "I'd really like that, Indy." Tall ears tucked against the girls skull. "You know, you're the first friend I've ever had." The earthen girl have a slight shrug. "It really has only ever been me and my parents."

Indy offered to bring her plants and the girls eyes widened. "You have a garden? Wow. I'd love to see it sometime. I used to have a garden too before i... " she broke off, a frown settling on her face. "Before I left." She finished. Oh, there it was. Home sickness. She missed her garden. She missed her family. Rues bottom lip began to quiver, but again she held back the tears.

Thankfully the subject changed to mushrooms and Indy popped one into his mouth. She could instantly tell that he didn't like it and she couldn't help but release bell like laughter at his discomfort. "I'm sorry, Indy" she giggled. "Thank you for trusting me and trying it though." Blue eyes sparkled as she looked up at the big boy. She was back to smiling. No tears in sight.

Indy definitely wanted her to join the Armada, but she insisted she wouldn’t be comfortable and the young boy wouldn’t push her. He grinned with what she did agree with though, she liked his plan but he suddenly felt the mood change and slip back to sadness as she reminded him that it was just her. He was her only friend. ”That makes me your best friend too.” He chuckled softly as he tried to lighten her spirits.

Really it was his sudden reaction to the mushroom that really got her giggling again. He swallowed and offered a sheepish smile as she thanked him for making an effort. He chuckled softly, but couldn’t forget the way her lips trembled a moment ago. How her heart had broken when she mentioned her home.

”I could help build you a home. We could make a garden... together.” Maybe he was getting ahead of himself, but he wanted to grow too. He watched as his brothers and sister continued to reach new heights while he felt like a weed plucked and left on the pathway. He could feel himself gaining a purpose in making Rue feel like she had a home. With him.

Indy's words brought her heart fluttering in the girls chest. She smiled, her eyes lifting at the corners. "Yes, that does make you my best friend, Indy." She had a friend. And not only a friend, but a best friend. It was a good feeling. It was a normal feeling. With so much turmoil and foreignness going on lately, it was good to feel okay, if only for a little while. Indy offered to help her build a home as well as a garden and again Rue's heart thumped in her chest. "Oh, Indy... that would be so nice, but..." She felt a little ashamed for having him help her. Why couldn't she just join his pack? It was such a scary thought. She had never been around so many wolves. Add one more to Indy, and that was the full amount. "I don't want you to go out of your way for me." Besides, what if she eventually mustered up the courage to join him in his pack? "Maybe we can just hollow out one of the dead trees here. I can sleep in there. Maybe..." The girl lowered her big eyes bashfully. "Maybe I'll eventually join your pack. I'm just scared." Admitting fear wasn't a weakness, she'd always been told. Honesty wasn't weakness. Would he think of her as weak because of her admission? "Speech"

He was only barely keeping himself back from hugging her, best friends. They were best friends. Indigo didn’t have anyone his age he was close to besides Aslatiel and they were forced to keep their distance. He was used to holding himself back, but that didn’t make it any easier. Maybe he didn’t have to hold himself back with Rue. Very carefully as she spoke about how wonderful her own garden would be, Indy tried to curl himself around her. He moved slow enough she could escape his loose embrace.

She gave him other options before finally admitting her fear but willingness to join the pack. Indy leaned in closer, offering his support in silence for a moment. He smiled softly, knowing how difficult a confession like that could be. ”You don’t have to be scared, but I won’t push you into anything. You.. need a home and I want to give that to you.” There were a few wolves who might look down on him for that, but how many of his siblings had already brought home strays? Indy had a big heart, this was further proof. ”If it’s in the Armada or somewhere else close by.”

As Indy moved and began to curl himself around her, the earthen girl gasped softly. It wasn't unwelcome at all. She had simply been surprised at his willingness to embrace her. As Indy brushed against her right foreleg, Rue winced and pulled back. She shook the appendage a bit and settled it once he'd stopped moving. "A few days ago," she admitted, "A couple of big wolves tried to catch me. I think they said they wanted to sell me. I got away, but they hurt my leg a bit." There was a set of cuts on her leg as though she'd been bitten. The girl had tried to clean it, but she knew very little about healing.

Indy told her that she didn't have to be scared and the spotted girl chuckled. "You've been around lots of wolves all your life, of course you'd say that. But..." she cast him a blue glance beneath her heavy lashes. "If you were there to help me, I might be okay." And then he suggested that she go to another pack and Rue's features dropped into a frown. "I... don't think I'd want to be far from you, Indy. If I was going to join a pack, I'd want to be close to you. You're my best friend." She reminded him with a smile. If she was going to join a pack at all, it would have to be the one that he was a part of. Otherwise it would be pointless for her.

He had to be more careful with the small girl, she gasped softly and winced when he got too close to her wounds. Indigo slowed himself, and let her relax into him so that she would be more comfortable in his embrace. ”I can try and make it feel better if you want. I don’t really have anything with me though.” Indy told her quietly, enjoying the closeness that she shared easily with him. ”How’d you get away?” Indy asked softly, wondering if he wanted to know the answer as they spoke about pack life.

He had indeed lived around them all of his life, but he was much more reclusive than even his siblings were. ”Of course I’d be there to help you,” Indy hesitated only slightly before offering a nuzzle where he wouldn’t aggrevate her injuries. ”I want to be close to you, Rue.” He admitted, somewhat surprisingly. She was so sweet, and Indigo just wanted to protect her. From whoever was chasing her and her ghosts. ”You’re.. My best friend.” He hesitated only slightly as he accepted his fate. He couldn’t continue on with that title belonging to Aslatiel. He’d only hurt too much in the end.