A Northern Rose - Game of Thrones // Robb Stark

The Wolfswood

Hey guys! Sorry this paragraph took a while to be posted, I've been working on different parts of the story so some bits are complete and some aren't! This one is a bit longer I hope, so enjoy!

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We managed to slip through Winterfell unnoticed. It was early and no residents in the keep were awake yet, but I was sure guards would be on alert. Watching, even from afar.

We exited from the road towards the Wolfswood. I followed Arya and Bran, but I wasn’t far behind. The trees quickly enveloped us, covering the sky above and leading us down a dark, wiry path. The forest’s eerie name seemed apt for the place, just the thought of riding deeper into these woods made me shudder. In a quick trot, it didn’t take long to make our way down the path, passing small streams and large boulders as we went.

Once we were a fair distance away from Winterfell we reached a straight path, flat and even, perfect for a gallop. “To the end of this path then, just before it bends at the end.” I announced to them, waiting as their smiles turned into grins.

“I’ll say go.” Said Arya, sitting up tall in her saddle and bringing her reins in tighter. I too readied myself in the saddle and watched as Gilly’s ears pivoted upward, knowing something was about to happen.

“Three, two, one. Go!” She said, allowing herself to flee forward on the word ‘go’. Bran also raced off after her and I followed, quickly matching the pace of Arya.

My hair flew back in the wind, trailing off behind me and fluttering like a ribbon. I allowed Gilly to run at her own pace, not spurring her on any more than necessary, but she took me forward anyway.

I passed both of them soundly, racing off before them and leaving them a few lengths behind. But as the path began to twist, I slowed Gilly and let them both fly past me; reaching the finish line almost simultaneously.

“I won!” “No I won.” Their quarrels barked almost instantaneously, just as I expected. “I think you got there at the same time.” I tried chiming in, but failed miserably. “You saw me, I was ahead of you!” “No you weren’t.” I left them too it then, patting Gilly on the neck and ruffling her long flowing mane – it had grown since we left Highgarden.

Abruptly, the chorus of squabble ended and Arya and Bran’s interest had moved to something else. “Look at that tree!” Said Bran, turning his horse around and trotting towards it.

A peculiar thing, its brown bark twisted around itself as if it were trying to conceal something and its leaves a beautiful hue of emerald.

“Can we climb it?” He said again, hastily dismounting. I gazed over it, the branches seemed low enough and fairly close together, just like the tree’s I would climb when I was younger. “I suppose so.” I said, warily. But what harm could a simple tree do?

Arya also dismounted from her horse and they both tied their reins to a tree just opposite the one they had their eyes set on. I too slid off from Gilly, tying her to a low branch.

“Careful! Don’t fall!” I called to them as they raced up the tree. I could have climbed with them, but I thought it best not too. I watched as they scrambled past one another, trying to reach the highest point first.

Then from behind me, I heard the whinny of Arya’s mare, followed by similar noises from Gilly and Bran’s horse. I turned around slowly, expecting a bird or rabbit had spooked them as it raced through the trees.

What I did see completely shocked me – a pack of wolves, three maybe four sweeping in and out of the trees.

I stood paralyzed for a second or two, completely shocked by the creatures only a few steps ahead of me.

They didn’t seem interested in me or the children, and I didn’t fear for my life. I feared for the horses.

Arya and Bran were completely unaware, their giggles and screeches moving further and further away as they ascended up the tree. “Both of you keep climbing, don’t come down.” I spoke to them calmly, not wanting them to panic as they were safer where they were.

The wolves were beginning to close in around the horses, their bodies low to the terrain and ears perked high above their skulls.

I began to walk towards the horses. What was I doing?

I smacked my hands against my legs, causing an audible ‘clap’ to pierce through the woods. The wolves retreated back, but it wouldn’t be long before they returned.

I quickly undid the knots in the horses’ reins that we had tied to the branches, sending them scattering into the forest and back towards Winterfell.

I untied Gilly last, smacking her as gently as possible on the backside and sending her flying after the other two horses.

But that wasn’t fast enough.

The wolves weren’t going to allow a meal to escape that easily, much to my dismay.

I watched them bound after her down the path, jaws snapping and ravenous for the taste of flesh.

That’s when I saw it, something I’d never have wanted to see.

A wolf leapt forward and soon enough it’s jaws surrounded my Gilly’s hind leg, her shrieks and screams filled the air.