The Journey We Face (A Sandor Clegane Fanfic)

He's coming?

Reader's POV:
It was the next morning of the nasty encounter with Sandor and Nymaria was doing her best to not let it bother her. She was still tired from the sleepless night so when Jon attempted to hold a conversation before her the words fell on deaf ears and a drained mind. "Nymaria? Hello?" Jon began to wave his hands in front of her face in the hopes of grabbing her attention. "Sorry." She muttered. Beginning to rub sagging eyelids. "I take you didn't sleep well last night?"

"Very little, actually. Excuse me one moment."
Nymaria walked over to a barrel of water. Nearly frozen over from the exposer of the snowy night's touch. Taking a deep breath, she dunked her head inside. Staying still for a few seconds. She quickly burst from the water and gasped by the shock. Jon began to laugh hysterically by his cousins actions. Barely unable to make out the question why in seven hells would she do that. "Laugh if you will. But it did refresh me."

She smiled, flicking some water onto Jon. "You are quite something aren't you, Nymaria." He said more to himself than he did to her. Smirking, she twisted her now drenched auburn hair into her hands, releasing drop after drop onto the ground below her.

"You're about to find out." Jon made a smooth turn and threw his wooden sword up in the air, catching it with one hand as he began to move in a ridiculous manner. Anything to earn even a chuckle from Nymaria.

"That doesn't look much different from how you normally fight, Jon." She jokingly remarked. Jon formed a serious look on his face and he got into position. Waiting for her to do the same. "Don't trip now, Stark." Jon smiled. "Worry about yourself, Jon."

Nymaria took the first swing and it came right onto Jon's wooden blade. Holding for a few seconds, they soon broke apart and went to clash again. Jon making a swift move of his body as he turned to aim at Nymaria's legs. But before he could, She jumped, missing his action. She winked when she had turned back to him. They started to clack at each other. Swinging and dogging each other's attempts to best the other. Nymaria gracefully danced around the courtyard of Winterfell.

She almost had him in victory. But before she could step back, she came to a halt as Jon swung the blade faster than she expected. Nymaria lost her footing. On her back, Jon put his feet on either of the girl's sides and gently pressed the amateur weapon into her chest as he smiled. Satisfaction plastering his warm and dark features. "I believe that means I win."

"Dear cousin, don't you know? The war isn't over after a single battle is won." Nymaria extended her hand as Jon grabbed it. Pulling her weight up to him. "You've learned some new tricks. Perhaps, before you leave for the Wall you could teach me." She inquired, wiping a layer of sweat that formed around her brows. "I haven't perfected them yet. You'd be better off taught from the teacher himself."

" I will as soon as winter is warm and the summer freezes children in their beds." She scoffed by the idea. "It's just an idea. He isn't exactly the most cheerful person. But he is good with a sword."

"No. I'd rather learn from you." She smiled and smacked the blade against his shoulder, looking at Jon with a challenging grin. They had started round two.

After refreshing herself from the training of the morning Nymaria took the opportunity to see what where all the rustle and loud clunky clanking of armor had been coming from. Looking down from up the castle wall down to the court, she saw her two older cousins Robb and Jon. Then her two younger ones Bran and Arya. Wondering as to what was going on, she walked down to meet them in the courtyard. The mud squished beneath her shoes as she came face to face with one of the horses.

"Hi, there." Nymaria greeted the horse. Petting the creature's face and admiring its wild beauty. "Where are you guys heading off too?" She questioned, looking from the horse to Robb. "We're going riding out in the woods!" Bran excitingly chirped up with a big grin on his face. "Would you like to come?" Robb looked at her as he placed another saddle on his own horse. "Hmm," She pressed her finger to her chin as if she actually needed to think about it. "Yes!"

"There's a few horses still in the stable. Pick one and if you can't find a saddle then you can use mine." Robb informed an Nymaria thanked him as she walked off and towards the stable.

A beautiful sight caught her eye. One of the horse's who was resting in the stable. A dark and powerful image. His color was as black as the night sky, his eyes like two endless obsidian orbs. Like none she had ever seen before. His tail, long and thick like that of a great Knight's mighty sword. His stance was strong. And even while resting, he looked like he could out run even the fastest of horses. Gently, She approached the horse. Reaching her hand out to touch him. "My, you are quite the sight aren't you?"

"Aye, he is." Nymaria jumped when the all too familiar voice came from behind. Oh no. She thought to herself, knowing who the voice belonged to. Not bothering to turn around, Nymaria went back to brushing the horse's main gently with her hands.

"You have to stop sneaking up on me. It's annoying."

"Doesn't matter, girl." he trailed off, "I could startled you a mile away." Finishing his sentence, he threw a saddle harshly on the horse's back making Nymaria take a step back. "This is your horse?" She questioned. "Aye, Stranger is." The name suited the animal. Seeing as he was taken, Nymaria made her way to the other horse whom was beside Stranger in the stable.

She was beautiful. A blatant juxtaposition from Stranger. Instead of dark, her color was creamy and her main golden. Soft to the touch. Although she wasn't as strikingly fierce, she had her own beauty Nymaria respected.

She saddled up the horse and had everything prepared. She smiled when she caught sight of the Starks all ready to head out. However, her smile died when she saw Sandor mounted and sat beside her cousins. "He's coming this time too?" She walked over to Jon who was already on his horse. The boy simply nodded. Nymaria had been annoyed by his company, but it was going to take a whole lot more than Sandor Clegane to stop her from going.