Wolves

The group would return home by the main road to return back to Winterfell. Everyone was silent the whole right, Ned keeping a stern look during the whole time, ignoring Jason when he rode up close and seemed ready to talk. Yet Ned slows down as he'd see something ahead, making the Surgebinder focus his gaze ahead to see what it was.

"Dead elk." He simply stated, using his sharp vision to confirm.

The group came to a stop and dismounted, yet Jason was the first to move close to the dead beast. It was easy for him to tell that the elf had been killed for not too long, considering the decay. "Broken horn…split belly…hide seems to have been bitten and torn into." He muttered, a usual habit he when investigating. His sharp gaze scanned the road, noting the hoof prints of the elf but then saw very law paw prints. "Wolf…biggest one I've ever seen. Size of the elk even." By this point, the others were looking at the elk, along with overhearing Jason's mutterings curiously. The Surgebinder continued to pace around the area, sharp eyes finding every detail.

"Wolf chase it here, then surprised it. Bite right into the underbelly and knocked it over. Started to disembowel yet dropped guard as elk thrashed about. One set of antlers struck, possibly at the face or neck region." He'd pace towards the side of the road, nearing a slope by a creek and bridge that crossed over it. Quickly he saw the wolf itself, a massive creature as he suspected. Yet what really got his attention was the small canine forms huddling at the wolf, suckling at its underbelly and giving low whimpers. The bigger wolf was decaying as well, face already having maggots eating away at it.

The group followed, amazed looks at the massive creature while Jason moved to the wolf pups who scampered around yet didn't try to escape him. Even for ones so younger, they were much larger than normal wolf pups.

"It's a freak." Theon suddenly remarked, making Jason and Ned glance back with an annoyed look, silencing the young man.

"It's a dire wolf," Eddard muttered as he'd reach to grab the snapped antler, yanking it out with a sickening sound before tossing it aside. "A rare beast."

"Interesting," Jason remarked.

Robb nodded. "Aye…there are no dire wolves south of the Wall. Makes you wonder how this one got here."

"Well, there is five here now," Jon remarked as he'd move to pick up one of the pups, the grey furred creature whining cutely before Jon looked to Bran. "Want to hold it?"

Bran nodded as he'd take the pup, wrapping it up in his cloak to warm it and cuddle the soft fur. "Where will they go? Their mother is dead." The young Stark asked softly.

Jason could see the Northern men glance aside, hinting at what they were thinking. In the end, Ned spoke up quickly. "They won't last without their mother. It is best to give them a quick death."

"Right then!" Theon was quick to react, getting his dagger out and grabbing for Bran's pup, who whined out in fear. Yet Jason was quick to intervene, a strong arm shoving Theon back. "Cut it out." He growled, making the Iron Islander pale slightly. "Thought I taught you some self-control after all these weeks."

"He's right Theon, put the bloody knife away," Robb remarked in agreement, making Theon look about with a torn look.

"Please, father!" Bran pleaded as Ned moved past them for the road, making him pause to look at his son, a mournful look showing in his eyes.

"Lord Stark," Jon spoke up, making everyone look to him. "There are five pups, one for each of your children. The dire wolf is your house sigil. Your sons were meant to have them."

Jason didn't expect such a formal remark from Jon, since privately he spoke of Ned as just his father. Perhaps the formality was meant to calm and reason with the troubled lord. "He makes a good point Lord Eddard." The Surgebinder remarked. "Their young enough to be trained and should grow up quickly. Give a month or so they'll be big as a hound, easier to manage."

Everyone looked at Ned, he thought for a moment before speaking. "You'll train them yourselves. Fed them yourselves. And if they die you'll bury them yourself." The last few words had a sternness to them yet Jason understood the man was putting the gravity of this responsibility to his family.

Everyone nodded as Ned marched back for the road, while Jon began collecting the pups, handing them off to Robb and Theon to be carried back. Yet Bran paused, looking at Jon before speaking up.

"What about you?" He asked.

"I'm not a true Stark…just go on now." The bastard muttered, shooing Bran who'd follow Robb to the road.

Jason took a moment to walk up to Jon and speak privately with him. "A good thing you've done." He assured the young man, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "Your family will care and raise them well. They'll be good protectors for your siblings."

Jon just nodded, remaining silently as he'd slip by the Surgebinder, yet stop as he heard some low whines at the nearby tree. The young man crouched to find a white-furred pup, the smallest one of the group as he'd pick it up to examine it.

"Looks like the runt of the litter," Jason remarked. "Seems you'll have your own wolf in the end."

"Guess fate works in strange ways." Jon chuckled, mood softening as he'd hold the pup closely. He'd give a thankful nod to the Surgebinder before going to rejoin his family, leaving Jason to himself.

"Fate…not sure if I should curse it or thank it." He'd mutter before his sharp ears heard the crack of a twig in the woods. By reaction, his hand reached for his steel sword, yet paused in drawing it as he saw the source of the noise. It was another dire wolf, full-grown and white-furred, a bigger than the slain female wolf. The wolf was far enough to not be seen by the others as Jason stared it down. He noticed how its face was scarred, a claw mark across one side and eye, no doubt from a bear by the looks of it. For a long, while he stared at the wolf, wondering if it attacks to reclaim its pups or not. Yet its look away after a long moment and slip away into the woods. Jason relaxed his grip on his blade, watching the white-furred beast disappear among the trees.

"Old white wolf…." He muttered before Robb yelled out from the road.

"What's the matter, Jason?" The Stark questioned out.

Shaking his head, Jason moved back to the road and for his horse. "Nothing. Thought I saw something in the woods" He answered back before moving his horse forward as the group continued back to Winterfell. Yet riding along he kept thinking about the wolf and that knowing gaze it had.