A castle… was like a cave? That was worrisome to the small woman. Caves were hard to hear in. The sound bounced so much that she could never tell where it was coming from. Her father liked to trick her whenever they spent the night in a cave. She’d almost died in one once. Following his voice, she’d slipped and fallen down a shaft. If he hadn’t helped her out, she would have starved to death and died. He used the opportunity to remind her just how much she needed him and how she would be dead without him. So the prospect of entering a giant, cave like structure… not good.

The moment that her paws touched stone, she hesitated. Steeling her nerves, Gypsy continued to follow Indigo into the strange place. She could tell that they were surrounded by stone by the way that his footfalls echoed in the large space. It was difficult to detect exactly where he was, so she moved forward until she could feel the tip of his tail against her cheek. It made traversing the strange space much easier for her. Again, she wished that he’d kept the tether.

Stairs were another story. Gypsy had climbed things, but they’d never been… the same thing? The steps were evenly placed and it was very strange at first, but the diminutive fae quickly got the hang of them. There were so many! She lost count after a while. At the top, she’d almost fallen flat on her face as she’d expected yet more steps to come, but Indigo was there to brace her. Heat filled the girl’s cheeks and she righted herself, taking a step away and nodding her thanks.

Indigo led her into a room. She could tell it was a room by the way that the sound changed. The man’s voice made her jump. She hadn’t quite expected him to speak. This new place was an overload on her senses. Everything smelled differently and sounded differently. The stone felt wrong beneath her pink pads. It would take a lot of getting used to. Already she knew that it would be hard to escape if she needed to. She’d probably break her neck going down the stairs on her own.

A second voice nearly made her heart leap from her throat. A woman. That wasn’t as reassuring as it should have been. Gypsy had been hurt and abused by women as well. Mismatched ears tucked back against her crown and she sank in on herself somewhat. White claws dug into the stone and she flinched as the woman, Duchess, she’d heard Indigo say, stepped up and touched shoulders with her. The small dame’s heart began to pound and her silver eyes widened. She’d begun to trust Indigo, but the addition of a new wolf had wound her up once more.

Indigo did his best to comfort Gypsy, especially as she hesitated to take that first step into the castle. He wanted her to be comfortable but there wasn’t any helping the necessity of inviting her inside. It was a lot to take in, Indy felt for the tiny she wolf. The echoing halls were throwing her off, and he felt her touch his tail. Indigo looked back, and positioned himself so she could walk easier behind him. She couldn’t see what she was getting into her senses were obscured, all she had ever known was pain. The young man was determined to change that, and he found himself thankful Duchess was there eager to jump and help him.

He could see Gypsy’s reaction to the addition of another wolf, but there wasn’t much he could do to soothe her. Hopefully the poor girl could relax after they finished, at least she could get some sleep in the warmth of the castle. ”Gypsy,” He told Duchess, and tried to get the girl to focus on him. He knew that Duch wouldn’t hurt her, but Gypsy didn’t trust at all. ”I promise, we don’t mean to hurt you. Duchess is going to take you for the bath I told you about.” He told her softly as he brushed his paw against her tiny toes. A small comforting gesture without huge impact. Desensitization.

”She told me her father tied her to a tree, when I found her she’d been left for two days.” He only barely resisted offering a gentle caress behind her head. ”As soon as the two of you are done I’ll have dinner ready by the fire, and a bed waiting.” He could only make and fulfil his promises to her, there was no way to offer peace beyond time. ”I’ll be back soon.” Indy promised the tiny girl softly before he lifted himself to his full height once more. Indy couldn’t help the grateful nuzzle he offered to Duchess cheek, once this was all settled he would need some attention from her. He’d successfully bottled his emotions but the pressure didn’t stop building. He’d be careful around Gypsy but he knew he could break down to Duchess. Pulling away reluctantly he went to gather more fires from storage and fresh food from the larder.

Duchess still wouldn’t notice any shift in the girl’s internal emotions, she already seemed like a big ball of nerves so her being scared of Duchess went over her head. She tucked the girl’s name into her files, it wouldn’t be hard to remember her name with so few wolves she knew from The Hallows. Duchess kept her attention on the fragile girl while Indigo explained. She wouldn’t get baffled over what the backstory seemed to unfold, Duchess easily kept herself calm in times like these but mainly by not letting her emotions get in the way. She would have plenty of time later to let the explanation settle in, for now she couldn’t imagine the harm that came to this girl even if it was just the neglect of a father. “We’ll meet you in the main hall.” She told Indigo before moving herself forward, making sure Gypsy was staying along beside her, “Okay Gypsy, I’m going to take you to a room with a few baths. It’s not too far.” She was sure that keeping up with herself was much easier than keeping up with Indigo. She would lead Gypsy a round a few corners through the corridors, luckily the room they were going to was on the same floor as Indigo’s den. A fire was set on the opposite corner of the entrance to keep the water inside the half stone walls warm. Not many used the baths here, they were too tedious to take care of. But Duchess was willing to go through the extra work to get the girl a warm bath and get her clean and comfortable before having her meal, and then maybe staying with Indigo and the rest of his outcasts. She led her up the few stairs before the small pool, “Just let me get in real quick and I’ll help you in.” She carefully put herself into the bath and reached out to Gypsy’s paw outside, pulling gently to gesture her inside. There wasn’t enough water for the girl to accidentally drown, these baths weren’t fit for a wolf Indigo’s size. But she was sure the girl wouldn’t like not feeling the ground under her so Duchess would offer her own body to let her use if that made her more comfortable. While she was mostly careless to the horrors Gypsy had faced in her life, she was much more gentle while she used her paws to pour the bath water around her shoulders and back, rubbing carefully to not let her feel too threatened. Blind, with a stranger, in a bath. It wasn’t a thought that Duchess really dwelled on, but she wouldn’t blame the girl if she didn’t feel safe with her overall situation. When they finished, Duchess helped lift her out of the bath, draping a pelt over her before leading her to the main hall where Indigo would be waiting. She forgot a pelt for herself, she clearly wasn’t thinking about herself. The main obstacle they would have was going down the one flight of steps before the main hall. Walk "Talk"

Wait… Indigo told the other woman to give Gypsy a bath and… Where was the stream? Shouldn’t she be bathing in a stream? There couldn’t be a stream this high up, could there? The man assured her that neither he nor his woman intended to hurt her. Again, they always said that. Time would tell if they actually meant it. Even if Indigo meant it, how could he control the actions of his woman unless he did indeed mete out punishment?

Ears tucked back as she felt Indigo leave the room. The woman, Duchess, gently directed Gypsy down the stone hall. Gods, she really didn’t like this place. Too smooth. Too echoey. The smells were wrong and she couldn’t feel the wind or the sun. She was very disoriented and it got even worse when she was steered into the room with the water. The sound of the liquid drowned out other sounds. Gypsy was completely at the mercy of Duchess. Her anxiety was pretty bad and the moment that she stepped into the stone tub, her tiny frame began to quiver.

Gypsy couldn’t enjoy the lengths that Duchess went through to get her clean. Silver eyes were wide the entire time and she continued to shake until it was time to get out of the water. Thankfully Duchess helped her out of the tub. Had she been forced to do it on her own, she’d have fallen flat on her face, possibly breaking something. Once back on the cold, stone floor, Gypsy began to shake anew. This time because her bony body was chilled from the water. A skin was placed over her and Gypsy took one corner in one tiny paw and wiped the water away from her face. She didn’t like the feel of the droplets clinging to her short, pale fur.

With care, Duchess led Gypsy down the short flight of stairs and back to the main hall. So sensitive were the lady’s other senses that she could both smell and hear the fire long before they came close to it. Once they entered the room, she could feel the heat pouring off of the flames. The mottled lady shrugged the fur away and gingerly made her way across the strange stones towards the fireplace. She stopped before it became too hot and then settled down upon her stomach beside it. The heat of the flames killed the chill instantly, but she still couldn’t wait for her fur to dry.

He grabbed a couple of the thicker furs that were getting stored away for warmer weather and made up another bedding place. Positioned within the main pile of furs in the middle of the floor. Old blankets and tapestries, ancient cushions and mattresses, Indigo spared no effort to make this room warm, cozy, and comfortable for himself and his misfits. That now very much included Gypsy. The young man grabbed a couple more furs and headed down to get dinner. Sometimes he liked a good prepared meal, but mostly he was looking to get Gypsy fed.

Indigo threw the furs over his back, picked out a haunch of something, stuck a couple of skewers into it and headed towards the main hall and the fire to start making up dinner. He arrived before Duchess returned with Gypsy, just enough time to quarter the haunch and roast it over the fire. He wasn’t a great cook, but any healer knew a warm meal did wonders for an unwell patient.

The hunk was nearly cooked when he heard pawsteps on the corridor. Indigo looked up to see Gypsy rushing towards the warmth of the fire. Bright blue eyes lifted further to find Duch’s features as he offered a smile of thanks. Carefully the massive wolf removed the meat from flame and let it cool as he scooted closer to Gyspy’s tiny form. ”I’m not a great cook, but I’ve got a warm dinner for you.” He promised, but she could no doubt smell it. He could and his stomach was growling the evidence. ”I think you should dry off more first,” Indigo dropped the furs at her feet. He went back to dinner and shredded the hot meat before offering it to the poor starved girl. ”Eat as much as you want.” He offered before turning back to Duchess and offering the other cooked quarter before he skewered the second half of the haunch and put them over the fire.

When Gypsy moved forward on her own, Duchess would watch carefully but allow her to. She found the fireplace and stayed a safe distance away, feeling the warmth and knowing not to get too close. She only watched a few moments as Indigo finished putting together the meal, he offered her a genuine smile for her help but she was happy to do so. She wanted to care for Indigo’s band of castaways just as much as he did. Maybe because she was one herself. She was never one to boast about the things she had gone through, she certainly saw other’s experiences worse than her own. And generally didn’t find herself worthy of the love from Indigo, or anything alike. She did join them as he cut pieces for the three of them, offering Gypsy as much as she wanted. Duchess doubted that her stomach could suffer anymore than what Indigo had already served her, but she wouldn’t pester. She settled for her own piece of the meal, maybe not as good as her own cooking but sentimental to her. When she finished she laid by the fire with the other two, watching the flames and getting lost in what she believed the tiny girl had experienced. Now that she wasn’t busy tending to her, she could look back on what Indigo had told her and what she found on her body when they bathed. After a few moments lost in the crackling flames, she stood quietly and placed her forehead on Indigo’s while he was laying down and she was able. “It’s worse than it appears.” She whispered almost silently, but surely the blind girl could have caught on to her words, Duchess obviously had no experience with heightened senses. She didn’t think Gypsy could hear her, but she definitely didn’t mean any ill will towards her. She was finding herself just as concerned as Indigo. She was scarred much more heavily under the dirt and even discovered worse while she was mending her fur. Duchess was almost haunted by her shaking terrified in the bath with her, reminded of her own barriers. “I’ll meet you back at the room.” She spoke more loudly, pulling her head away from his with a gentle kiss on his cheek. When she was offering the alone time to them, she wasn’t expecting the kind that her and Indigo had shared. It was somewhat because of the girl’s own trauma that Duchess had peered into, but mostly she didn’t think there was anyone that could compare to herself through Indigo’s eyes. -Exit Duchess- Walk "Talk"

The smell of the cooking meat made Gypsy’s mouth water. Her stomach roared with a mighty desire to consume the food that was coming her way. If she got any sort of beating or abuse out of this experience, it would be worth it if she could finally fill her stomach. It had been days since she’d eaten anything substantial. While tied to the tree, Gypsy had eaten a few blades of grass simply to keep her stomach from raging. The meat though… that’s what her stomach really wanted.

Indigo moved forward and in the excitement of the incoming food, she didn’t even shrink away from him. Unfortunately, he didn’t offer her the food immediately, instead insisting that she dry off more. Furs were dropped around her and the small woman pulled them over her body, only her head and front paws still able to be seen. She hoped that this would satisfy the man so that she could finally eat.

Once the food was delivered and placed before her, Gypsy inhaled the meat as though it was her last meal. For all she knew, it could be. The instant that the warm, delicious meat hit her stomach, she began to feel queasy. The pale fae stopped chewing and allowed her stomach to acclimate to the sudden barrage of food. During that time, her keen ears picked up the words of Duchess. ‘It’s worse than it appears.’ Mismatched ears tucked for a moment. No doubt they were talking about her. There wasn’t anything that she could do or say about it, so she went back to eating.

In time, Duchess took her leave. Gypsy merely turned her head an inch, listening as the other woman left the room. That left her and Indigo alone together. It made her a little uneasy, but not enough to react to it. She hadn’t been able to finish all of the meat. Her stomach was bulging with as much as she had managed to consume. Being full combined with the warmth of the fire and the comfort of the fur was slowly lulling the young woman into a state of sleep. Though she couldn’t see, Gypsy could feel the warmth of the fire drying out her eyes. She closed the milky, silver orbs and nestled deeper into the furs. She would be content to stay here for the rest of her life.

Duchess joined them by the fire as Indigo doled out their meal. Sharing a meal together felt right, despite everything Indy felt accomplished? The emotion wasn’t one he often felt used to. But being able to bring Gypsy here, feed her and keep her warm, created a proud feeling in his chest. He watched her eat, realizing too late that too much all at once was going to make her sick, but she naturally slowed herself.

Indy might have stayed there all night, but his attention was drawn from the flames and back to Duchess as she lifted herself from the furs after finishing her own dinner. He leaned into her affection, pressing his forehead against hers as he squeezed his eyes shut. Ears fell to his skull at her words, worse than they had thought. She kissed his cheek and pulled away, telling him that she was heading to the room. ”We’ll be there soon.” He told her as she slipped away and his attention was returned to the little gem curled up by the fire.

Indigo watched as Gypsy slowly settled into her place by the fire. Sweet silvery eyes blinked closed and Indy was sure he saw contentment on her features. Clean, warm, and well fed, likely a better state than she had been in her entire life. The young man should have indulged in the feeling of accomplishment, but he knew how much more work she would need and deserved before she reached a semblance of normalcy. Or found a life that was worth living, instead of being an object… Indy tried not to think too heavily on what Duchess told him.

”Did you get enough to eat?” Indigo asked softly as he lay his huge head on massive paws. Gypsy was so frail and tiny, he still couldn’t comprehend someone abusing the dainty girl, especially not her own father. He’d told himself a million times already that he would do whatever it took to rejuvenate her broken spirit. ”You’ll have food every day, as much as you want. You’ll be warm, no one will lay a paw on you.” He made more promises, hoping that maybe this time they would get through, but he knew that only time and effort would prove him to her. ”What do you think about… everything?” Indigo offered an open ended question as he lay there unmoving, his brilliant blue eyes unable to be pulled away from her delicate features.

It seemed like he was trying so hard. It could all be an act, but Gypsy found that she wanted it to be true. It might be nice to have someone be truly kind to her for once. The young woman couldn’t imagine her father being in a place like this. He wasn’t one to run with a pack. That wasn’t his kind of crowd. He ran with seedier individuals. Drinkers, slavers, rapists, murderers… Every once in a while a wolf of higher standing would come just to… release some tension, so to speak. Was indigo one of those? Did he just want her here to release some tension on her?

Indigo lay down near the fire and Gypsy could feel the pressure of his giant form. He questioned her and she nodded. She’d eaten more than enough for now, though she was already looking forward to her next meal. She hadn’t ever had cooked meat before. Unable to hunt for herself, Gypsy had always had to rely on her father for everything. She was lucky if he threw her a chunk of meat or a dead bird.

Once more, Indigo made promises. She would always have food, warmth and safety. What did he want in return though? You didn’t get something for nothing. This, she knew. There was always a price. She would receive food and shelter, but they would expect something of her. Gypsy possessed no skills. No real skills, anyway. She could sing, but with her blindness and the lack of teaching, she couldn’t do anything worthwhile. She had nothing against working for her keep, but what work could she do?

Next Indigo asked her what she thought of everything. He wanted to talk? Gypsy lowered her head to her paws, all but disappearing into the giant fur atop her. “It’s fine,” she replied in her soft whispers. She was thrilled with the food and the warmth. Being clean for the first time in a long time was glorious. But still, in the back of her mind, she wondered how long it would last and what she would have to do to make it last.

She was stuffed full and looked like she had finally gotten warm. Indigo could take pride knowing this was likely the best she had ever been treated in her young life. Not that she was any younger than he was, but she had been caged and stifled where he was trained and flourished under both tough love and loving care. Indigo had come a long way from the lost boy he once was. Even if he continued to doubt himself there was growth that could be plainly seen. The combined efforts of many wolves he loved and lost to this point.

Tears stung at his eyes, however much growth he’d made he was still a sentimental fool with little control over his emotions. It was just everything. Gypsy’s sweet voice was the last straw of the weight on Indigo’s back. Each wolf no longer with him seared a hole in him as they took a piece of him with every loss. Meadow, Iolaire, Rue, Zee, Azure, and Resin. Gone. His heart was always miles away from him, nestled carefully with Aslatiel. Indigo didn’t remember what it was like to be complete.

And still. His pain was nothing in comparison to the girl curled up beside the fire. ”I hope it’s better than being tied to a tree in the cold.” He uttered softly, not meaning to let the bitterness towards her captor seep through but the words were off his lips before he could think. A frustrated sigh left him as he used one massive black paw to rub his eyes. She wondered what he wanted from her, and there was indeed a desire he had for her. However unlike anything anyone wanted from her before. Indigo wanted to see her smile, he wanted her to experience joy and happiness. He wanted her to find her purpose to become more than the object her father created.

”I’m sorry,” he apologized for letting his emotions get the better of him. ”It just baffles me… how anyone could do this to you.” Indigo’s voice was soft and deep, barely audible over the crackling of the fire in front of them. All he had were words, and they would never be enough. He sighed again. ”Do you want to sleep here? You look… comfortable.” That fact did brighten him slightly, bringing the corners of his lips up. ”Or would you feel better with us, up in the den?” He still didn’t make any movements as he watched her through lidded blue eyes.

The frustration in Indigo’s voice and the comment that he made about her being tied to a tree brought Gypsy’s ears careening back against her head. She didn’t need to be reminded that she’d been left out there. The man apologized a moment later, explaining why he was so frustrated. Well… no one had ever tried that before. Maybe he was being truthful afterall. It was hard to tell. She didn’t know him and she wouldn’t for a while. If he decided to let her stay here in this castle, that was. Gypsy still didn’t know what her fate would be.

Indigo asked where she’d like to sleep, giving her the option to sleep where she was or to go back up to the room where he and Duchess would sleep. The young woman weighed the options. If she stayed here… she would be able to be by herself and thus, safe. She didn’t know if anyone else lived in this castle, but it surely smelled like they did. If she went back up with Indigo, she would at least know who was around her. Waking up to strangers around her wasn’t the slightest bit appealing.

“I’ll go with you,” she admitted meekly. She wanted to ask if there was a fire in the den like there was here, but couldn’t bring herself to speak out of turn. Gypsy got to her paws, the skins sliding away from her mostly dry body. She was pure snowy white now instead of the dingy grey that she’d been before, though she wouldn’t know that of course. She knew that she felt cleaner though.

Not knowing if she was supposed to leave the furs there on the floor or take them with her, the tiny wolf tilted her head slightly and gave a blank look to the space where she thought Indigo stood. Taking up one of the furs between her teeth, she took a few steps through the room, aiming to where she believed the doorway had been.

Gyspsy wouldn’t be forced to stay in the castle for very much longer, hopefully she could settle here for a while, at least until Indigo held the power to split off and lead his own band of misfits. For now he’d focus on the girl before him, hoping he could help her find her way. Somehow, if he didn’t screw everything up. She shrunk when he spoke out of turn, but seemed to appreciate his apology a little bit, along with his offer of a decision to make. He knew she would be safe in here over night, but that didn’t mean that she did.

It only took a moment for Gypsy to make up her mind, back to the room he had for himself and the ones he personally saw to the protection of. She looked ready to fall asleep anyway, so he wasn’t surprised when she stood, ready to go. Indigo lifted himself to his paws as he watched her emerge from the damp furs like an old cocoon. He thoughts she was a brilliant gem before, but as he gazed at her now clean fur the young man found himself dumbstruck for a moment. Transfixed, and again baffled at what had been done to her. The anger pressed at his chest but Indy shoved the emotions down harder.

Ignoring the build up he found himself grinning slightly as she picked up the wet fur. She looked determined, like maybe there was still a spark of hope within. Indigo hoped so bad for her. He’d prove himself to her, she deserved someone on her side. ”You can leave it there, I’ll pick them up when they’re dry.” He told her as she walked towards the hallway. His longer stride brought him ahead of her slightly. Indy flicked the tip of his tail against her shoulder and left one claw unsheathed for her to listen to the steady click. It echoes slightly but you could easily tell the difference between the real sound of sharp claw on stone. If she wanted to walk independently he wanted her to. ”Besides, I’ve got better ones waiting for you when we get there.” The two he’d given her earlier were for drying, not sleeping in. The ones he had prepared in the room were plush and perfect for her tiny form.

He’d lead her like that back up the stairs, careful to watch her in case she stumbled. He’d give her a warning before the last stair and tried to tell her when they were taking a turn to the left or right. Hopefully helping her feel a little better about navigating the unnatural place. He’d lead her back into the cozy room. There wasn’t a fire, but there were warm bodies and lots of plush blankets, furs, and cushions to bury into. ”Right here,” he whispered softly and presented her with her own space in the warm room.

Little ears perked as Indigo began to move. He instructed her to leave the skins and she did so, dropping them from between tiny, sharp teeth. The young woman gave a nod and waited for the giant man to walk past her. He assured her that there were better furs up above and she was genuinely looking forward to them. The ones near the fire had been incredibly comfortable, so she imagined the ones in the chamber would feel heavenly.

Gypsy was pleased to feel Indigo’s tail against her shoulder and hear the obvious clicking of claws as they ascended the staircase. That meant more to her than he could imagine. He was taking her feelings and position into account. Going up the stairs this time was much easier than the first time. Up was easy. Down was a little more difficult. Indigo’s gentle verbal reminders as to the last step and the turns that they needed to take were welcome as well. It was like a tether with his voice. She rather liked it.

Once they were back in the room, she was directed to a pile of plush furs. Gypsy gasped lightly as she stepped into the pile of extreme comfort. Never in all of her life had she touched such luxurious furs. The small wolf took a few turns in the middle of the pile and curled into a tight ball. She let the soft, clean hairs of the top pelt drift between her pink toe pads. It was enough to make her eyes fill with tears. “Thank you,” she spoke in a barely audible whisper. Perhaps it was because she was so tired, but her inhibitions were low. The girl’s small body began to shake as she cried quietly into the furs.

She didn’t harbor any hesitation as Indigo led her onwards back towards the suite that he had claimed for himself and the strays that he was collecting. Gypsy didn’t say as much but he couldn’t help but think his verbal assistance was helping and appreciated. She didn’t stumble nearly at all, and almost looked confident in her stride if you ignored the exhaustion. She needed to sleep. Duchess looked comfortable already, but he couldn’t imagine she had found sleep so quickly. Not after today. Indigo easily showed her the place he intended for her to sleep, very close to where he naturally curled around Duchess every night.

His attention was fully on Gypsy though, bright blue eyes watched in the dimness how she daintily placed tiny paws in the thick furs. He heard the surprised gasp from her lips as she experienced his gift to her. Gypsy took no time in curling up within the soft pelts. He thought he saw a sparkle in her silvery gaze, surely she wasn’t crying? But the sound of her voice led him to believe her emotions had gotten the better of her.

Indigo understood more than she could know, he was often too emotional for his own good. While he was looking after Gypsy he didn’t have to think about his own problems and issues that plagued him, he could focus on the damaged girl. He could make a difference in her life, there was little to be done about his own.

Brows furrowed as he watched her cry into the furs, and very carefully and quietly he lowered himself beside her. Placing his massive head against her side in the semblance of an embrace. ”You are more than welcome.” He returned in a similarly toned whisper. ”I want to make up for what you’ve been through.” Indigo promised her quietly. He could continue to make promises until he turned from purple to brown and never convince her, but maybe she was beginning to believe him. ”I don’t want you to have to live in fear anymore.”