Avacyn sat among a collection of stone ruins at the center of the Steppe, trying to make sure whoever she was meeting here would be able to find her while still securing them a mostly secluded place to discuss the plans that needed to be made. The sun was directly above her, but the heavy layer of clouds kept everything shadowed regardless. She tried her best to sit up straight and maintain the pride that was trained into her at such an early age, but the weight sitting on her shoulders and the grief that was heavy on her heart made it difficult. The strength she tried to exude felt forced and wavering, but it was the best she could manage. Having to go to Scylla for help yet again had been a tough pill to swallow, but at the very least it seemed like the Obscura leader had someone easily in mind for the job that Avacyn had for them.

After arranging with Scylla that she would have the gentleman she called Indigo come meet her at the Stone Steppe the next day, Avacyn had taken the evening to reconcile the loss of Elysium with herself. The grief over her child, uncle, and aunt would take far longer to heal, but she could at least come to terms with the fact that she was going to be handing over her family's pack to hopefully capable paws. The turmoil that had faced the pack under her family's leadership over the last several years made it clear to her that there needed to be a change. Whether or not the Mendaciums ever held leadership in this land again was something that could be thought about in the far future. For now she had to deal with the issues immediately in front of her.

"Avacyn Mendacium"

Life was so different now, he’d been through so much in the last year. He missed Aslatiel deeply, the pack he’d been born into had an uncertain fate, and now he was placed in the position again to test his leadership. Indigo was much older now, seasoned, and learned. He’d lived and made a plethora of mistakes, and he questioned his worth daily. There was no one else to step up though. It was him or Obscura’s ally would fall.

He steeled himself as he went to meet with the interim matriarch, his brilliant blue eyes fell upon her similar form. For a moment his band had been mostly made up of purple wolves, but their like had become scarce in Borean lands. He gave her a deep nod, knew that she was suffering from great loss as he was. Both of them were just trying to put the pieces back together.

"Lady Mendacium, I presume.” He greeted her with a small dip of his head.

"Speech"

The sound of approaching paw steps pulled her attention up till her dark eyes landed on the large, violet figure of the aptly named Indigo. The brief but accurate description of him that she had gotten from Scylla had been spot on so there was no mistaking who he was. She stood to greet him, returning the dip of his head with one of her own. "Please, just call me Avacyn," she told him with a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

As she settled back onto her haunches, she made a quick look across him, assessing him from with purely surface level judgements. He was everything that the Mendacium way of life taught their children to look for in a potential partner. Tall, strongly built, vibrant in his coloration, and gifted with long fangs and a thick mane of protective fur. Even the hue of his fur made him blend in perfectly with her mother's line. In another life perhaps she would be trying to pair him with one of her sisters or aunts, but that was not what they were here for today.

"I'm sure Scylla already gave you an idea of what has taken place in Elysium," she mentioned to break the ice, figuring that there was no use beating around the bush. She wasn't sure if she had it in her to go through small talk regardless. "My uncle was murdered, my son succumbed to his illness... My niece, our heir, is too inexperienced to take the throne and I... I can't. Not now." She used her own grief as an excuse and it truly was enough to make even daily life difficult to face at times, but with how she had chosen to live her life so actively against the guidance and laws of her family she couldn't imagine trying to lead them again. "My mother is too focused on finding her brother's killer to take up her previous role as our Matriarch. So... I turn to you." That was the long and the short of it. She turned to a stranger in hopes of saving her family's pack. She kept trying to convince herself that at some point they would find a turning point in the road, but the farther she got the more she began to wonder if there was ever going to be a light at the end of this tunnel.

"Avacyn Mendacium"

He was correct, this was the woman he was after and he couldn't deny how similar she looked to Manea herself. She urged him to call her Avacyn and he nodded his head slightly affirmation as he sat before her. Both knowing what was coming and feeling uncertain at the same time. He, again, was stepping into a position gained from trauma and horror. Not of his doing, and yet it still felt like this was a defeat of Elysium. He had no ties to the family beyond a few acquaintances. How would they feel about his ascension to the throne? How many would remain here under his leadership?

"You don’t need to give me excuses, Avacyn. I understand.” He offered to her as gently as possible. He did not know her well enough to offer any affection or support beyond his words. He understood the devastation she was experiencing and he would gladly take up her mantle despite owing her nothing.

"I know I would never be your first choice, but I will do my best so that you will never regret that choice.” Indigo promised her with a soft smile. Their family needed time to grieve after such loss, so he would gladly leadthem during that time.

"Speech"

"I'm certain you will," she replied to his assurances that he would do his best so she wouldn't regret this choice. She knew first impressions couldn't tell you everything about an individual, but at first glance she could tell he was a respectful man and of a softer sort than the Mendacium men. She wasn't sure yet how some of her family might react to his kinder demeanor, but she felt like this was what Elysium needed. It would be a shift in another direction and while some wouldn't find their home here any longer because of it she hoped that those–like herself–that needed the calm and the respite after everything that had happened would appreciate it.

"I only ask that if anyone wishes to leave that they're allowed to," she told him, putting her only requirement for his take over of the throne on the table. "I know there are several of my family that have only remained in Elysium because of their feeling of obligation to the family itself so I'm not sure how many of them will want to stay with that obligation gone... Me, my mate, and our children will be staying at the very least so you will have us to support you here. Otherwise the pack is yours to shape as you see fit." However her mother, herself, and her uncle had run it over the last several years hadn't led to much success so she hoped Indigo would have a fresh take on things that might hold more true.

She began to think to see if there was anything about the pack that he might need to know before he officially stepped into the leadership role. "Currently we hold the island off the coat that direction," she mentioned, pointing off into the distance, "as well as the Rock Garden and Firefly Lake. They've served us well during our time here. We're currently allied with The Hallows in the south and obviously have a fairly close relationship with Obscura. I've had contact at least with many of the other packs, but nothing more than acquaintances currently. At one point The Syndicate declared us enemies due to our alliance with The Hallows, but I haven't heard much from them recently. My sister has a relationship with one of their members though so we'll have to see how that plays into things."

"Avacyn Mendacium"