The bull and his she-wolf

Chapter 3

His words hit her right in the face, she knew how many times she had to remember herself that she only wanted him close to protect her, not having any feelings for him. Back then she was just a stupid girl who wanted someone to protect her and not being like her older sister, believing in love, but now, she knew something had been growing between them and it had still been growing although they have been parted. Back in Braavos she would remember his face feeling her heart ache in sorrow for her loss of him, before she had become No One, his face dimmed into nothing, her family forgotten and left behind the high walls she had built to protect her mind. Arya Stark being locked down behind those walls as she let No One take her place. His face was the hardest one to forget, but she had managed somehow, but when she heard that the King in the North lived, she became Arya Stark once more.

She remembered him with every cell in her body, she missed him, now being a woman grown she would think of her feelings for him may be more than just fondly. And she was scared to death by these feelings. She remembered hints in his actions back then, hinting her of his feelings, yet he had covered them up because of his honor. But that was also why she loved him, because he was honorable like her father had been. Her rage began to fill her, how dared he tell her she didn't want him as much as he wanted her. "Oh, you have no idea what I been feeling, what I have been through and if you only think you know me, let me tell you this, you don't know me Gendry, you know nothing about me now!" Her voice rose and echoed in the woods, the silence after being deafening. He let out a breath, before opening his mouth. "I still do know that you have your own demons inside you, still battling, I still do know about those pictures inside your head, the horrible pictures of what you have seen, I still do know that you have built up walls, strong walls to keep your heart safe, safe from all the hurt around you, yet you have let your family back again in your heart, and I do still know that those feelings are scaring you half to death because you know your own walls are faltering." With every meaning that left his mouth, he came one step closer to her. She felt intimidated by his size, yet she felt as a familiar feeling of being safe in his arms creeping around her... Like his arms have been around her in Harrenhall to shield her from any harm, yet he couldn't shield her from the noises she had heard. He couldn't shield her from her nightmares. She felt her anger falter and tears prickled her eyes, his arms came around her, pulling her to his chest, comforting her in his silence. She breathed in his scent, so masculine and yet so boyish mixed with the smell of fire and smoke, making him smell like Gendry, just like she remembered him. She closed her eyes for just a moment, letting go of everything, the war, their complicated friendship/relationship, everything and just allowed herself to be consumed by the feeling of being safe, the night's darkness helping her to forget.

She remembered this path, she remembered running here with her brothers and her sister. Now her sister was gone but yet her brothers were here, Greywind missing along with his mate. She lifted her nose to the stars above and let out a howl out, begging her brothers to come and join her. Soon, the answers reached her ears, Ghost were busy working with his human mate, Summer were watching over his human, never wanted to leave his side, but Shaggydog ran not far behind her. He would catch up with her, sooner or later. She loved the feeling of the soft ground underneath her paws, her strong legs carrying her body wherever she wanted to, feeling her muscles work beneath her fur, her fur that kept her warm through the cold winter, the fur that kept her safe, and in return she wore it like her crown, like her cloak of pride. Her eyes never failing her in the darkness and her nose so sharp that not even Ghost could compare, not anyone, her jaws stronger than ever, her jaws that could kill anyone, and her jaws that would feed her.

The sound of angry voices reached her ears and as soon as she recognized one of the voices as her human, she changed the direction abruptly, running towards the sound. She slowed down as she neared, wanting the moment of surprise on her side if she needed to attack. The moon reflection on the lake made her see the scene before her as sharp as in the brightest sunlight. Her human stood there with her mate's arms encircled tightly around her, she heard her human sob silently and a growl ripped through her throat, but the sounds of their language, soft words falling from her mate's lips made her realize that he was soothing her. She watched for a moment, making sure she didn't got it all wrong, then she left her human with her mate on their own, feeling comfortable with her being with him for she knew he would to everything to protect her human. She fell in step with Shaggydog and they went out on a hunt. She knew she would beat him easily.