Cosette was young, and inexperienced in many, many ways, but she was pretty sure that winter should have been drawing to an end. Spring should have started to melt the snow and bring new life back to the world, but it somehow seemed colder. Was that normal in this region? She was new here, and maybe things worked differently. Maybe the seasons were different here than they were in her former home, but that seemed wrong to her.

She had wanted to stay tucked away in her warm bed that morning, but she had known that everyone in a pack had responsibilities, and she couldn’t get away with hiding out just because it was cold. And besides, she had been a bit anxious to go out and check things out. The strangeness of the weather was enough to make her curious, and as she walked she found herself subconsciously following Indigo’s scent. She wanted to ask him about what was going on, and to find out if this awful weather was something she should get used to, or if it was out of the ordinary.

"Speech."

Indigo was ready and then some for spring to finally come back, but as time went on it felt as though the weather was only growing colder and there was little to no sign of new plants life. The winter was beautiful, the snow that started to cover the land was gorgeous. Deep down Indigo felt depressed that everything was dead and buried still. He wanted the green again, he wanted his flowers, and to do what he’d been born to do: garden. The extended winter made him restless, and he often made himself patrol extra. To alleviate his paws and do his due diligence to protect the pack as well as his friend and Resin’s assigned responsibility.

He was working on making trails for the smaller members to make it through the thick cnow, of course it was like fighting a losing battle as it continued to come down. Still, he was practically made for this weather. His thick mane and massive size made the difficult winter easier. Indy walked and caught the scent of Cosette out and about. He still hadn’t mentioned Rue and all of the turmoil that came with her loss. Cosette was his friend, the closest he had in the Hallows, and if he could talk to anyone about her it should have been the tiny violet marked she wolf.

”Cosette,” he greeted her softly as he made his way through the snow towards her. ”Are you settling in well? Do you need anything?” Being able to look after someone that was not himself had indeed brought Indy from his self imposed shell. He still hurt, but outwardly he was working hard and ignoring the deeper feelings.

When the large man came into view, her tail began to wag, a smile lighting up her features. Despite the miserable cold, her friend never failed to cheer her up, without even trying. He began to move towards her, which she was thankful for, as navigating the thick snow had been difficult for her on such short legs. "I’m settling in alright. I guess I did think it would start to get warmer by now, though." There wasn’t much he could do about that, but maybe he knew what was going on. "Is it supposed to be like this?"

She had always liked the idea of snow, the fluffy cold substance seemed like it would be fun to play in, back before she fully realized how difficult it could make survival. It was pretty, too. Maybe not as pretty as spring was supposed to be, but if she looked at it objectively, the way freshly fallen snow sparkled in the sunlight felt almost magical. If it weren’t for the chill that seeped all the way into her bones, and the lack of life around her, she’d probably find a way to enjoy it.

"Speech."

Rue’s memory slipped from his mind as Cosette fully took his attention. She looked cold, but her smile would have warmed the iciest of hearts. She offered an answer swiftly, saying she was getting comfortable however cold it was. Indigo’s brows knit and he frowned slightly. He felt the same, he was ready for spring and plants. Flowers and warmth, green and blue skies. He was left with cold and gray skies. He wasn’t sure if he would ever see the sun again.

”We haven’t been here in Auster for very long, it could be normal but something tells me otherwise.” He huffed lightly to let his displeasure be seen. ”Someday we will see the sun again. I hope.” Indy frowned at the sky and huffed again before returning his attention to Cosette’s bright green eyes.

”Do you want to go on a walk with me?” He asked with a tilt of his head, eager to spend time with her. The young Fatalis realized how much snow she would be forced to wade through. ”By walk I mean ride.” He chuckled and grinned easily with her, the sensation was near foreign.

His answer wasn’t the explanation she’d hoped for, but it seemed that they were pretty much in the same boat as far as not knowing what to expect. It was disappointing, but they would both figure it out eventually. The important part was that, thanks to him, she wasn’t out there on her own. If he hadn’t brought her to the Hallows when he had, she doubted she would have been able to survive. Winter had been hard enough, and she had thought it couldn’t get worse, but the sharp turn the weather took recently had proven her very, very wrong.

"I’m sure we will." Her voice was soft as she voiced her belief that they would see the sun again. She would be lying if she said there hadn’t been moments where she had her doubts, but her endless optimism wouldn’t allow her to give the thought much merit. A world without the sun and new growth and greenery wasn’t a world she wanted to imagine.

She nodded eagerly at his invitation. "I’d love to." She would have been willing to walk, no matter how difficult it was, if it meant she could spend more time with him, but getting to ride instead was undoubtedly preferable. It was fun for the tiny girl to be so high up, seeing the world from a different perspective, but she also couldn’t deny that she enjoyed the excuse to cuddle into the plush fur on his neck.

"Speech."

Indigo wasn’t always so forward, but in this instance he knew he wanted to spend some more time with Cosette. The pair of them had only just met and he didn’t want his best friend to be a stranger. He said he was going to take care of her and Indigo would not shirk his duties. Even if he was eager for the sun to make its return. Her soft voice tried to comfort him, assuring himself as much as her he was sure, that they would one day be warm. Indy chuckled softly, glad to bask in her optimism. It was a virtue he was highly lacking.

She didn’t hesitate to accept his offer either, with a quick nod of her head and no argument from where he wished her to be. Indigo would gladly let her drape herself over his shoulders, she enjoyed the warmth but so did he. ”Me too.” He returned with a grin as he shifted, lowering himself so she could make herself comfortable on his back.

”Have you decided on a den yet?” He asked cautiously, he hadn’t really made himself at home yet either. Indigo still wasn’t sure how to make himself here. ”If you haven’t um..” He honestly hadn’t gotten this far into the conversation in his head, but he still wanted to press on no matter how dumb he sounded. ”I wonder if we could look together. I never decided on a real den.” Indigo had come to terms with the fact that he was lonely, the feeling dissipated when he was with Cosette but seemed to intensify on his own. If he always had her available he could both keep an eye on her, and more selfishly keep her close for his heart’s sake.

When he lowered himself to allow her to climb on, she didn’t pause this time. She was still a little uncertain about her place in the pack overall, and wanting to prove herself, but she felt far more comfortable around Indigo, even if they’d only known each other for a little while. He had given her a sense of security and stability she’d never had before. She didn’t feel judged or criticized by him, and it was a refreshing feeling. As soon as she was up, she settled against him, letting out a soft, relieved sigh as the warmth began to bring feeling back to her numb toes.

As he began to speak again, he seemed almost nervous. At first, she wondered why such an innocent question was being asked so carefully, but as he continued, warmth rose to her own cheeks. She’d never shared a den with anyone but her sisters and her mother, but she hated sleeping alone. Sometimes at night she woke up from a vivid dream and would forget that she was in the Hallows, and that she was safe, and she thought if Indigo was there with her she’d feel much better. "Like… A den to share?" She wanted to confirm her assumption before agreeing to something, in case that wasn’t what he’d really meant. There was a hint of hopefulness in her voice, hoping she wasn't wrong. Not only would she feel horribly embarrassed, but she already liked the idea of having him that close.

"Speech."

As Cosette made herself comfortable, a part of Indy was able to settle. He wasn’t the same confident young boy he had been, but he was working hard to get there. He had the dainty little she wolf to take care of, to find comfort in and care for as she made her place within the Hallows. He liked having her perched on his neck like a scarf, they were fast friends and the closer she was the better he felt.

She answered him with another question and his red marked ears fell to his head as he avoided looking back over his shoulder. She seemed… hopeful? That assessment could only be his imagination too though, Indy wasn’t sure. He wouldn’t be until he replied. ”Um, yes. I’d… really like that.” Indigo returned softly, but his voice still rumbled deep in his chest. There would be no substitute for Aslatiel or Rue, but Cosette was swiftly creating her own unique place in Indigo’s heart. That made her all the more special, but much more dangerous if he ever lost her.

She had been a bit worried about her question, hoping he didn’t think it was too forward of her to presume that he might want to share a den. Her mother would have frowned on such a thing, but her mother frowned upon most things that Cosette did, and she wasn’t around to make the girl feel guilty. Indigo was her only friend now, and the only one who she felt comfortable around. Hopefully, with time, she would meet others and make new friends and carve out a real life for herself, but he would always be special to her, and for now at least, he was all she needed. His words brought a shy grin to her face. "I’d like that too. I feel safer when you’re close." It seemed silly to say out loud, but it was the truth. She sometimes woke up in the middle of the night, forgetting where she was, and that she was safe, but if Indigo was there it would be much easier to remind herself that she was okay.

"Speech."