The Lannister Wolf Series

Chapter iii

Day 1

Zinzi perked her head up. The sun was not yet up, but she felt that something was off. She set off a soft growl in her throat and Lady woke, perking her ears up. She heard it too.... The silence. Usually when they woke up, they would hear the steady breathing of Evelyn or they would feel her feet moving under her. When they both lifted their heads and looked around, they remembered where they were. They were not laying on the king-sized bed in King's Landing. They were in the middle of the wilderness.

The two wolves were on their feet in an instant and smelling around the camp. The spot where Evelyn had fallen asleep the night before was empty and her bedroll was rolled up and ready to go. The scent of her was still there but the warmth that the girl had left behind was long gone.

Lady stuck her nose in the air and smelt the air. Her smell still lingered but didn't say where she had gone off to.

Suddenly, they heard a twig snap behind them, and both turned to see their mistress standing there. She was panting, having just come back from an eight-mile run. She was sweating but she had a smile on her face.

"Morning Zinzi, Lady," she greeted, coming to pet both of them. "Sorry if I worried you."
Zinzi gave her owner a look as if to say 'Nah, you didn't worry us in the slightest'. Evelyn smiled.

"Come on, we should at least try to get seventy miles in. That will give us about a three-day journey to mother and Robb."
Both wolves looked at her skeptically at this, but Evelyn just shrugged, "What? The average person can travel fifty miles a day. The extra twenty are partially because we are running for our lives, we're fugitives and there are only three of us.... Well technically only one because you two aren't humans and you could travel a hundred miles in a day if you wanted to. We could make ninety miles, but I have a tendency to slow down when I'm hungry.... Or tired.... You get my drift."
Zinzi huffed but Lady nuzzled her white nose against Evelyn's hand to show her support which brought a smile to the girl's face.

"Come on."
With that, Evelyn grabbed her satchel, swinging it onto her hip and pulled her backpack onto her back. She was about to load the sat that contained the lightweight leather but Zinzi approached her, giving her a firm look. Evelyn didn't need to understand dire wolf to know what she was trying to say.

"Thank you," Evelyn said, tying the sack to Zinzi's back so that it wouldn't wobble and cause issues. "Let me know if you want me to carry it."
After scuffling the leaves in their campsite so no one would see that they had lain there, the three headed back through the woods, heading due Northwest.

*******

They stopped after about thirty miles to stop for a midday meal. Evelyn had eaten a light breakfast while walking and had stopped a few times to water and to let the wolves run off and catch a squirrel to eat.

Now, Evelyn sat leaning against a tree, enjoying some bread and salted ham Shae had packed her while the wolves took a nap. She finished her meal before leaning back. They could spare thirty minutes of rest before they traveled the last leg before nightfall. It was barely noon anyway.

Reaching into her pack, she drew out the three knives that Tyrion had given her to pack as well as her dual swords. She couldn't risk anyone recognizing them. The daggers held the Lannister crest etched into the metal and the golden, red hilts gave them away immediately. The same went for the swords. They had been gifts from her father and were Stark weapons to the hilt. The hilts were silver and blue while the blades were etched with the Stark sigil.

Evelyn glanced over at the wolves. It would be better to make a small fire at night. That way no one would see the smoke and she could use stones and logs to ensure that no one saw the light.