The Little Wolf

The Shadow of a Warrior

Kings Landing

The days had done nothing but drag.

They moved along so slowly, Lyra was surprised when the sun wandered down from his place in the sky, and the moon, who Lyra much preferred, took up her spot for the night shift, keeping watch over the sleeping world.

Her days had been spent either in a secretive Helai-lesson with Maester Leland, or in her chambers. That, or avoiding Sansa. She was still mad, and Lyra doubted if her older sister would ever forgive her. Weeks ago, when the King had ordered the death of one of the Direwolves, either Sansa's or Lyra's, Ned had spared Chief. The decision confused Lyra, though she was immensely grateful, but in Sansa's eyes it was all Lyra's fault, and a slur on her father's love for her.

Sansa brought the storm, and Lyra tried her best to attain shelter.

Such shelter, Lyra sought, was time learning with Lev and Maester Leland, lessons that had been abruptly ended on their departure from Winterfell. And now, with more opportunity to find solitude, the lessons were, at long last, able to resume.

"Be authoritative, my child", Leland instructed. For an Outsider at four years old, it was expected that a Helai could do more than Lev could do. Lyra could occasionally instruct Lev to come when his name was called, or when she whistled a specific, yet brief, harmonious tune, and periodically make herself feel an emotion in order to let Lev change species in mimic of her soul. Yet, according to Lyra, it wasn't enough.

Outsiders had a varying degree of skill. Some had no authority, and their Helai would simply remain, and settle, as the one creature, some outsiders were able to call their Helai's and verbally command their change into one or two separate species, some, like Maester Leland's Helai, Sella, were trained to change in hundreds of different species with just one simple command.

The very best Outsiders, however, were few. Only a couple had roamed, and most were butchered with the rest of their kind. Any survivors would undoubtedly be residing, in hiding, in the Land of Souls.  These Outsiders were Lyra's inspirations. They were united to such an extent with their Helai's, a simple thought of an animal would be a great enough command to change the Helai's species. In the space of ten seconds, the animal would change from a butterfly, to a hawk, to a wolf, to a tiger.

Alas, Outsiders and Helai's were lethal in battle. Outsiders were warriors, and Helai's were their shadows. Sly, but deadly. They were the shadows of a warrior, and they were powerful.

"Lev, come" Lyra ordered, trying to be authoritative as her Maester had instructed. Lev, a baby white owl, shook his feathers and pecked under his wing, ignoring Lyra's command.

"Lev, come!" Lyra said again, following it with his special whistle. Still the baby bird would not budge.

"Think it child! He is your soul, communicate with your mind! Come on now!"

Lyra stared intently at Lev, her blue eyes boring into him, commanding him mentally to come to her. It was useless, a minute passed with nothing but Lev childishly hooting at Sella, who was perched as an Eagle by Maester Leland. Lyra sighed out, frustrated, and broke eye contact with Lev.

Almost instantly, Maester Leland was announcing, "Don't break focus, my child!"

"It isn't working. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Lev isn't in the mood" Lyra said, regrettably. She braced herself for a lecture from her old Maester.

Maester Leland relented with a sigh, but Lyra noticed a sympathetic, and rather understanding, fog in his grey eyes.

"Sit down, child" he instructed, patting the bench next to him.

"I failed?" Lyra asked sadly.

"No child. You are right, but you are also very wrong. Sometimes things don't work, which means you must try it another way. Find another way to control Lev. You are both young, you are both innocent, you have years to connect. Yet, my dear one, you are also wrong in your words. You claim Lev lacks understanding, but it is truthfully you. Lev can hear your words, but not your mind. He is your soul. To understand him, you must understand yourself."

Lyra thought about his words of wisdom, and though she nodded and pretended to be deep in thought, the truth was she was confused. She always heard Outsiders were supposed to feel connected to their Helai's, yet Lev just seemed like a pet, not an extension of her-and certainly not a reflection of her soul.

Maester Leland looked at his little student's morose face and sunken shoulders. He put his arm around her feebly, feeling his age and certainly sounding it with a painful groan.

"I didn't connect with Sella until I was seven, three years older than you are now. My father, an Outsider before me, was my teacher. He showed me his way of communicating with his Helai, yet it never worked for me. Much like my method isn't working for you."

Lyra looked up at him and tried to smile, though very weakly.

Leland rose slowly, groaning and creaking, and began shuffling to the door, his grey cloaks trailing behind him and his grey beard glowing with sweat from the workout. He clicked and Sella flapped to his side, transforming into a loyal dog by his side before he left the room. He turned around and smiled at Lyra, giving Lyra hope that one day she could be in control of Lev.

Just as he was about to leave the room, Leland spoke in a hushed tone, "Sometimes great heartache is the only way to truly unleash your soul, to connect with your Helai. It was only then that Sella understood me completely. The dark side is more important then the light, it shows what you are truly made of."

The hairs on Lyra's neck stood on end, quickly asking, "what do you mean?" But it was too late, her Maester had left the room and any further talk of Outsiders and Helai's were against the rules outside the walls of the room.

Great heartache, Lyra thought.

What heartache had her Maester endured, and what heartache would Lyra have to endure to connect with her Helai. Her family was slowly getting scattered. Her mother had departed Winterfell for a reason kept secret from her, three of her brothers were still at home, Jon was at the Wall, and, thankfully, her father and sisters were still together.

Before she left the room, she looked at Lev and he looked at her. He tilted his head in curiosity, and Lyra couldn't help but smile. He was annoying, but he was sweet, and quite frankly Lyra would be lost without him.

She turned to leave the room, and Lev soared to her side. He might not listed to her, he might not understand her, but he would always follow her.

She would be the warrior, and he would forever be her shadow.