1 Wolves and Bastards

The day was cold. The coldest Derren could remember, a clear sign of the summer finally coming to an end. The chill seemed to have no effect on the young boys however, as even the younger Bran barely noticed it.

Derren:

The Stark family and its two bastards had gathered outside a small holdfast in the hills. They only ever came here for a beheading, and this would be Bran's first time coming. The now seven year was sat on his pony clearly trying his best to compensate for his lack of height when compared to his tall older brothers he between. As he sat as straight and tall as his little body would allow him, Robb and Derren shared a small smirk.

"Focus Bran. It's almost time." Robb told him.

Robb spoke to Bran but Derren knew the comment was meant for him as well. He had always struggled to stay still when there was nothing for him to do and often couldn't help but start his near constant fidgeting. It was one of the few things that set him apart from his twin brother, who he saw after turning his head to the left.

Jon was sitting still and brooding, something we were all was used to. Whilst Derren had trouble being still and doing nothing, Jon seemed content to do nothing other than that half the time. Outside of their training he could nearly always be found looking off into the distance, thinking about god knows what. Today he was most likely thinking about the unfriendly and disapproving look Derren had noticed the Lady Catelyn give him earlier. These were looks he was familiar with himself but unfortunately for Jon, he got most of them. Somehow always being the first in her line of sight.

"Ice."

He heard his father say after he had gotten off his horse. His ward Theon Greyjoy brought the sword forward. The sword named Ice was a dark coloured blade, due to it being made of strongest metal, Valyrian steel. It was as wide as a man's hand and longer than Robb was tall.

Taking his gloves off, he took the imposing blade and said, "In the name of Robert of the house Baratheon, the First of his name, King of the Andels and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, by the word of Eddard of the house Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, I do sentence you to die." He said and started raising the greatsword high above his head.

"Keep the pony well in hand" whispered Jon whilst moving closer to Bran on his horse, "And don't look away. Father will know if you do."

Robb said the same thing to us when we first came here, despite it being his first time as well, Derren remembered.

Jon noticed his brother looking at him. "What?" He asked. "Nothing." Derren grinned, "Just glad you finally stopped brooding."

"Whatever." He scoffs but one could see an amused smile rising on his face - if they looked closely that is.

The sound of his father's sword swinging regained the boy's attention, though it would unlikely be able to keep it for long, and he twisted his head around just in time to see Ice take off the man's head in one go. No surprise there he thought.

The three older brothers and even Theon quickly looked towards Bran to make sure he was ok. They saw that the boy's eyes were glued to the blood pouring down the ironwood stump and onto the light snows around it, dying them in the now dead man's memory.

The head rolled and bounced, ending up in front of Theon. The lean, dark-haired older boy kicked it away with an entertained smile on his face.

"Ass." Mutters Jon. Placing a hand on Bran's shoulder, he tells him, "You did well!"

"Aye." Robb chimed in.

Bran turns to him expecting similar praise. Grinning, Derren's hand reaches for his head and ruffles his hair, "Clearly you have a heart as strong as Father's." He tells him. A large smile blossoming on his young face, reaching all the way up to his deep blue eyes.

"Of course I do," he cheers, "I'm going to be just as strong a knight as him one day!" Robb, Jon and Derren look at each other, smiling, believing him with all their hearts.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The journey back to Winterfell was peaceful, though it seemed even colder than before. The brothers rode well ahead of the main party with Bran and his pony working extra hard to keep up.

"The deserter died bravely." Robb states.

"Did he?", Derren asks, "Can't lie, I wasn't really paying him much attention."

"No surprise there I suppose." He responds slyly. Making the boy roll his eyes in return.

There was a small moment of silence before Jon decides to quietly add his own thoughts. "I don't think he was brave. To me he seemed dead of fear." Jon looked unsure of himself but continued, "You could see it in his eyes, Stark." Jon's always been very observant, so I was more inclined to believe him, not to mention him being my best friend.

"The others take his eyes," Robb said unimpressed, "He died well. Race you to the bridge?"

"Done!" Jon said, kicking his horse forward. "Fucker!" Robb curses, kicking his own horde and galloping after Jon. The snow the hooves of their horses was kicked up in both Derren and Bran's direction, surprising the seven-year-old and making me scowl a little.

Knowing Bran wouldn't be able to keep up with them his brother stayed behind to keep him company. "If I wasn't on a pony, they would never be able to beat me in a race." Comments the boy. "You've never ridden on a horse by yourself Bran, you'd have to have some more lessons before you can race."

"Maybe," he notes before asking, "Who do you thinks going to win Derren?"

"I'm not sure. Jon had a head start but Robb's got the better horse." Derren states simply.

"We'll see soon enough boys." A familiar voice sounds out from not to far away. Knowing who it is immediately the boys turn their heads. "Yes Father," Bran says.

"Not racing yourself son?" Asks the Lord of Winterfell. Derren's lips form a smile. Usually father wouldn't refer to Jon or himself as his sons in case someone hears him and informs the Lady Catelyn, who on queue, would always cause a fuss about it. However, as it was just him, Bran and Derren, he could allow himself to say 'son' without any qualms.

"No reason to," is all he say back. "Is the satisfaction of winning not enticing enough for you?" he questions. "Just knowing I can beat them is enough for me." Derren's confidence was earned, he had always been the best horse rider out of the three of them. The Lord of Winterfell just smiled at his son's words.

"Father." Bran calls.

"Hmm?" Father sounds, giving his attention. Looking up at his tall and well-built father Bran said, "Robb says the man died bravely, but Jon says he was afraid."

"Well, what do you think?" he asks the boy.

Bran started thinking about it and soon after, "Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?"

"That is the only time when a man can be brave," their father tells him.

He smiles as he watches both his sons think about his words.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soon Jon came into view and he shouted to them, "Father, Bran, Derren, come quickly, look at what Robb has found!" before running back off. They followed after him, moving faster than before. When they came across Jon again they found he was with Robb by the riverbank north of the bridge. Robb was off of his horse and knee deep in snow. His thick red-brown hair was shining in the sunlight and he was cradling something in his arms.

Theon had caught up and was the first to make it to Robb and Jon, "Gods!" he exclaimed, "What in the seven hells is it?" the Greyjoy said.

"It's a wolf," Robb told him.

"It's a freak!" Theon responded not noticing the Tully Blue eyes of Robb glaring at him.

"It's no freak, it's a direwolf," Jon and Derren both said at the same time before turning to look at each other and laughing.

"There's not been a direwolf south of the wall in centuries," said Theon.

"Well there's one here now," Derren stated.

A small cry was soon heard from Robb gaining everyone's attention and making them look his way. Derren knew it wasn't his brother who made the noise, so he dismounted and started moving closer to him. Bran quickly jumped off his pony and overtook him however, and reached the oldest brother first. Another whimper is heard before Derren was able to see what is in his arms. Once he finally made it to him he could see a grey-black tiny ball of fur and immediately realise what it was. A pup!

"You can touch him Bran," Robb says with a smile.

After giving the pup a little stroke, a second pup is then placed in the small boys arms by his half-brother, Jon. "There are five of them," Jon tells him.

"Where will they go?" Bran asks worried, "their mothers dead."

We all look to father. His shoulder length brown hair fell over his eyes before he swiped it away. Derren knew his father didn't want to say what he was about to, as Jon said, it's in the eyes. Those grey eyes much like his own. He crouched down and motioned to Robb, "Better a quick death," he said, "they won't last without their mother."

Moving forward Theon pulls out his knife and grabs the pup in Bran's hands, "Alright, give it here."

"No!" Bran screams.

"Stay your blade Greyjoy!" Robb says in a commanding tone.

Feeling compelIed, Derren started walking away to have a look around the riverbank. The land is uneven with many small hills and ditches. He thought to himself.

'Maybe I can hide one of the pups and look after it in secret' he thinks in his head. 'I know I likely won't be able to get away with it but something inside me knows I can't let them all die today'.

His ears pick up something by the river and he moves closer, looking around, scanning the area hoping to find a little direwolf pup. After searching all around the river, but not seeing any other new-born wolves. About to give up he sighs, turning around and them started walking toward the others. Derren stops to give one last look at the river, and then he sees it. Not by the river, but in it!

'It must have wondered away and fell down a slope into the river and drifted off'.

Derren moved quickly, still unnoticed by the others. Behind him he could hear his brother Jon, "Lord Stark?" he says, "There are five pups. One for each of the Stark children. The direwolf is the sigil of your house. They were meant to have them."

Derren can't help but feel saddened by the reminder that the two twins are not Stark's, but instead bastard children surnamed snow, and he knows Jon must feel even worse having to say it himself. However, he knew he couldn't stop waking. After making it back to the river hurriedly, he stepped through the waters to get to what he saw.

It's a small pup, cold and wet. Derren picked it up, cradling it. Noticing its breath is weak and the boy panics. Not sure what to do, he does all he can do and just holds it closer to him. Suddenly, he starts to feel hot, as if there's a fire inside him burning. It doesn't feel foreign, but instead feels like it's always been there and is just burning brighter than before. Whatever it is he's feeling, he knows it can't be a bad thing as he can feel that the little pup's breathing is getting stronger. The heat fades but he knows the fires not gone but instead just deep inside him waiting for when it's needed next.

He looked down at the wolf in within his arms properly for the first time. Its fur is black, pitch-black, save for a left white paw on its front leg and a small white spot on its chest. The boy focuses on its face. Its eyes are closed but he knows that they are about to open somehow and he definitely didn't want to miss it. Derren watches as the wolf slowly the wolf opens its eyes and meet his own. With his light grey eyes staring into the direwolf's pale blue ones, a connection Derren is unable to explain forms.

He turned to see what had been happening over by the others. After walking a bit closer with the pup underneath his cloak he notices Bran and Robb walk off with direwolves in their arms.

'I guess Jon managed to convince father not to kill the beasts'. He then hear Theon talking. "The runt of the litter. That one's yours, Snow." Said the Greyjoy with a smirk before spotting me, "Sorry Derren, guess you'll have to share."

Knowing there was no longer a reason to hide the pup if they were allowed to keep them he grins, "No need to worry Theon." Derren said whilst unveiling the pale eyed wolf, "There won't be any need to share."