Lone Wolf

Chapter One

Lyanna

The Dreadfort was one thousand five hundred miles, there was no way we were going to get there that night. We made camp late that night. Roose Bolton's men were holding torches before we set out. I tied my gelding to a tree, watching the men make camp.

I sat down by the fire when Roose came up to me. "I apologize, but we only have 2 tents, which means you'll have to sleep in the second tent with Ramsay." He told me.

"Wait, I can't sleep with him!" I yelled in outrage and fear. My maidenhead was still intact, I was amazed this was even brought up. Didn't he know that was sacred, only to be lost on my wedding night?

"You can always sleep with my men if you wish." He said in that whispery way of his and went inside his tent.

I felt eyes looking at me across the fire, I glared into the glacial eyes of Ramsay, daring him to look away. He refused to look away, it was a battle of wills and I intended to win. His eyes held desire, anger, sadness, kindness, a hardness I wanted to know. He abruptly got up getting in the second tent. 

I sat and stoked the fire lost in my own thoughts. I looked over at one of the men. "Can you tell me about Ramsay?" I whispered to him I didn't want to be overheard.

"House Bolton's motto is our blades are sharp, and the banner is the flayed man." He began.

I shook my head. "Flaying has been outlawed in the North." I said.

The man laughed. "Doesn't stop Ramsay. My advice, don't cross him. Keep your nose cleaned kid." He told me.

I watered the horses, the sun was starting to rise. I went into the tent, laying down on my side the furthest from Ramsay I could get. I could hear him breathing, his breath warm against my neck. How could I sleep with him so close? I closed my eyes, willing myself to sleep.

****

I didn't sleep, I just laid there my mind running wild. 

"You awake?" Ramsay whispered.

I sighed. "I can't sleep." I whispered back.

"I can't either."

I moved onto my back, my hands at my sides. "I've never left Winterfell. Father would go on hunts and take my brothers and I. We would camp like this." I paused. "Knowing I'm not going back there is kind of frightening. I know it wasn't home, but everyone there was my...." I sighed, shaking my head, not being able to go on. It was too painful. 

"I understand." Ramsay said, and I believed him we were both bastards after all. "Want to go hunting?" He asked.

I turned my head looking over at him. His hair was tousled from laying on it, his lips in a smirk. He looked younger looking over at me like that. I wanted to kiss him right there. I'd never kissed a boy before. 

"Let's go." I smiled.

****

Ramsay grabbed two bowes and two quivers, debating on giving them to me. "Can you work a bow?" He asked.

I nod. "Yes My...." About to say my lord before stopping. "Yes, Ramsay." I say instead holding out my hand. 

"Good." He said, handing me the second set.

We set off for the forest on foot. The forest was lush and green, I stopped smelling the rain and soil closing my eyes, listening to the birds and the nature sounds. 

I opened my eyes, there was a smell of decay over by the river to the right. I needed to know what it was, the smell was pulling me to it. 

I went down the bank aware that Ramsay was right behind me. 

"That's..." Ramsay didn't finish, his voice was of utter surprise. 

"A direwolf." I finished for him.

It was a direwolf but a stag had also pierced its throat. It was dead, but I could hear a soft noise. I went closer and found a direwolf pup. It was midnight black with golden eyes. I picked the pup up in my arms looking at it as it licked my nose and I giggled. "Ramsay can I?" I asked.

"You'll have to ask Father." He said with a shrug as he yanked the stag's antler from the direwolf's throat. 

I nodded as I looked down in the mud holding onto the pup as I did. "Hey there's deer tracks here." I told him. 

I followed the tracks closely, aware that Ramsay was behind me. He was always there and I had a feeling always would be there. Ramsay was beginning to be a shadow or maybe I was beginning to be his. We didn't say a word to each other but it didn't seem as if we had to. The silence was comfortable. 

Then we saw the stag. He was tall, graceful, strong, a perfect kill. I set the pup down and notched an arrow, being as quiet as I could. I hit the deer in its flank and he scurried away with its white tail held high. 

"You're holding the bow wrong." Ramsay said from behind me. His breath was on the back of my neck and I could feel his body almost touching my back.

"I am not." I said defensively.

"You are." He said. "Allow me." Before I could answer he pressed up against me. "We're going to aim at that tree." He instructed. He moved my limbs into position. "Your stance was really well, but the pulling of the arrow needs work." His lips touching, my ear as he whispered. "Notch your arrow." He told me. I notched an arrow and held it with three fingers. "Now, use your mouth as an anchor." Ramsay whispered, pressing his chest into my back. 

"My what?" I asked blushing furiously.

"Your lips as an anchor." He said again I could hear the grin in his voice. I drew back the string, my fingertips brushing my mouth area, I took aim to the tree he mentioned and let the arrow fly. The arrow struck the center of the tree. I sucked in a breath. "Well done My Dove." His lips brushed my ear one more time and then he was gone. Ramsay was ahead of me retrieving the arrow from the tree. 

We went forward, the pup following us as we hunted the stag. Finding the stag was pretty easy, given I had injured it. Ramsay spotted it first, "Now get in the correct stance, notch an arrow, and take aim." He whispered not wanting the stag to dart away again.

I did as instructed using my mouth as an anchor and sucking in a breath. I aimed and this time hit the stag on the mark. The pup ran up to it and attacked the stag's neck. "Hey stop that." I said about to stop him. 

"Don't he's learning how to hunt." Ramsay stopped me. "We can cut that part away anyway." He added. 

I shrug. "Grab the stag. I can't carry it myself." I said putting the bow around my back with the quiver, holding the stag's antlers in my hands.

****

We get back to camp around mid afternoon, my arms and legs exhausted from carrying the heavy stag. I was sitting by the fire with the direwolf pup. He was sitting at my feet, while I pet him.

"What is a direwolf doing here?" I looked up at Roose.

"We found him in the woods. His mother was killed." I said biting my lip. 

"It'll die without its mother. You should end its life so it doesn't suffer." He whispered, giving me the chills. Did he ever raise his voice? His whispered voice scared me.

I didn't answer when Roose grabbed the pup by the scruff holding a dagger to it.

"Father, stop. It's a direwolf, it's the symbol of her house. Let her keep it." Ramsay spoke up. 

Roose sighed, thrusting the direwolf into my arms. "You will raise it yourself." He said.

"Thank you My Lord Bolton." I said with a big smile.

The pup fell asleep in my lap. Ramsay sat next to me. "This shadow needs a name." He said stroking him behind the ear.

I look down at the black as midnight direwolf. "His name is Winter." I say with a smirk. 

"Why Winter?" 

I looked up at him, still smirking. "Because winter is coming." I told him.