Since her time at the Elysium festival now over a year ago things hadn't really changed. Though if she could sit down and think about it, she may have been more hopeful back then. Even before she lost Indigo's pups she had been in this unreachable state. She hoped things would change when she had those babies, but it simply wasn't meant to be that way. She settled into a routine life, did everything that was expected of her. Maybe not all seeming bad, but it wasn't a life she wanted for herself. It was just what she had to hold onto and keep moving on. Staying in the eastern lands recently, she was out searching for a hunt to bring home. Not as if she were on a mission though. Just making her steps across the lands in a haze, she'd figure out what to bring back before the end of the night. But the walk was well on it's own. Decent. The winter was coming to it's end and the nook wasn't in it's full glory. But still, it showed beauty in what the season had to offer. She could admire the blanket of snow across the branched trees, the trials along the grounds from previous travelers. But she was barely in tune with reality. She'd stop in her tracks for a moment, her gaze down at the ground in front of her. Her mind lost in noise and nothing at all. Just another day. Walk "Talk"

It wasn’t very often that Indigo didn’t have Aia curled up in his mane when he went out to gather up wild herbs. She was always so curious and interested in what he was doing. Indigo adored his little girl, and was having a tough time accepting that she was growing up and becoming her own wolf. She couldn’t stay curled up in his thick mane forever, he knew that. Still, part of him yearned for that to be truth. Indy couldn;t force that path though, he raised Aia to know he would always be there for her, but he wanted her to open her wings and fly on her own. She needed to experience everything life had to offer.

He knew that she would find both happiness and sadness just as he did, but that was what life was for. Experiencing the whole spectrum and finding triumph in the end. Something that Indigo had struggled with himself before Aia had come along. He was testing himself now, encouraging his little girl to go and be independent today. No matter how much i struck his heart to watch her happily toddle off.

To distract himself Indigo started to head south, finding his paws wandering the eastern lands, searching for hints of the first plants to pop up. Crocus, daffodils, rhubarb… he’d seen hints and guesses at spring all around him. His eyes were trained for the vibrant purple flowers, when he caught sight of Duchess he had first thought of the plants. Then her silhouette came into focus and Indigo had to stop. He didn’t realize his jaw had dropped, nor that he was rudely staring. He’d forced himself to remove her from his heart, after everything she had done to him he couldn’t continue with her finding her way into his mind.

He didn’t do much more than his first reaction beyond picking his jaw from the ground. He hadn’t mentally prepared for meeting Duchess again.

"Speech"

Lost in her own world she wouldn't notice as Indigo was right there nearby. She wouldn't snap back into her own reality, but she'd be brought back to some kind of life. Her head turning just slightly enough to catch eye of him. Her gaze was quick to see him standing just that distance away, maybe a little surprised. Though her expression had been mostly void of emotions for a long while, not that he would know. She'd just stand for a short minute or so, looking at him. Maybe wondering if he were real, if it was a dream. She knew better. A paw raised carefully and she considered taking that step towards him. Maybe he could tell by the way she looked down and forward in his direction but she hesitated. Aslatiel's encounter with her would still bear a heavy weight on her mind at this time. Maybe not for the better mind of Indigo. Duchess was and had been selfish. Even after all this time she wouldn't want to give Indigo up. The only thing on her mind is what she couldn't give him, and Asla could. It was the only thing that stuck from the 'attack'. But she couldn't take that step forward. Retracting her paw back into herself she wouldn't even look back up at him. Instead turning away to be on her way. Walk "Talk"

Indigo couldn’t move as his blue eyes lay upon Duchess’ thin frame. She looked well taken care of, not overly thin or any sort of ragged. If he was paying attention he would have realized the heavy scent of a man upon her pelt. She didn’t seem distressed or in trouble, so Indigo could at least feel a bit of closure knowing that she had found her way. Or that he could at least assume that she was doing well by her appearance alone.

At one time he would have been able to pick out every emotion that lingered in her features. He was stunned, and didn’t take even a breath as he watched her take a step, and then immediately change her mind. He couldn’t move and he couldn’t speak as he watched her turn and leave him where he stood. Indigo couldn’t stop her, he couldn't do anything. Part of him almost didn’t believe that she was real. He didn’t have to think about her anymore, but this sudden reunion had him completely upside down.

"Speech"