(2) Fostering

( POV Thorin Stark )

The wind was cold up here in the high branches of the Heart tree. I like to come here to think, right now I'm thinking about how everything changed ever since that day four years ago. That was the day I got Fenrir and Synin my ever faithful companions, it was also the day Jon got Ghost and Robb got Graywind.

A moon after that day father was called to war by the King because the Grayjoys thought they could rebel against the iron throne, the fools. After father went to war we where started in our training of arms. We where taught how to fight with a sword and shield, but Ser Rodrick was hesitant to teach we how to fight with an axe.

And when he finally relented he said he didn't have much to teach me as he trained with a sword himself. So to get around my lack of technique I wielded the axe with my Weirwood arm which was much stronger than any man had a right to be.

In fact since we got our blessing from the Old Gods we have all gotten stronger than we should be at this age, nothing supernatural but it seemed we grew faster than other children and combat came to us like breathing. But it was different with me where Jon and Robb picked up fighting faster than other children for me it was as if I had done it all before.Like I was just going through the motions.

Climbing was the same before the blessing from the Old Gods I had never climbed before but after it was as if I had climbed all my life. It was the same with sneaking it seems as if I just naturally know how to blend into a crowd.

After father returned from the war he brought some pretentious shit with him, Theon Greyjoy. I remember the first feast we had with him, it was for fathers return and he was upset because we seated the 'true born heir to the iron islands at the same table as a bastard' Robb told father he agreed with Theon, that a hostage shouldn't be sat near his brother and asked father to seat him with the servants. I was about to beat the little squid bloody for what he said and I would have if Jon hadn't placed a hand on my shoulder.

Then Arya was born a little sister and a week after her birth I was praying in the Godswood with Robb and Jon, the wolves had gone to play amongst the trees and when they came back they where followed by two wolves one that was mostly white with a little bit of light grey on her head, back and tail and another that was mostly grey though a lighter grey than Greywind with a white stomach, tail, legs and some of its face.

When we returned with them and presented them to our sisters the lighter one ran to Sansa while the darker ran to Arya.

Sansa named hers Lady while Arya named hers Winter. And a year later when little bran was born he got a wolf of his own that later he named Summer.

The wolves kept getting bigger until Fenrir, Ghost and Greywind where the size of Warhorses while Summer, Winter and Lady grew to the size of ponies. Of the three bigger wolves Greywind and Fenrir are the same size though Fenrir is the fiercest, Ghost is the smallest of the three the silent brother who still hasn't made a sound. Even though Fenrir is the better fighter Greywind is the alpha.

Just last week we were called to fathers solar he had important news to tell us. We were to be fostered, Robb with the Manderlys, Jon with the Umbers and me with Mormonts. We are to leave in a few days it will be the first time since I was born that I'll be separated from my brothers and I'm going to miss them.

"Stark get your lazy arse down here!"

"Aye brother we need to clean up for dinner!"

I drop from the branch I was sitting and landed in front of my brothers.

"Who you calling lazy Snow"

"Shut your yapping you two and call Synin and Fenrir"

"Fenrir! Synin!" Synin flew down from high up in the branches of the Heart tree and Fenrir came bounding out of the trees he greeted his brothers before coming and resting next to me.

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( POV Meage Mormont )

Being asked to Foster the young Stark boy was a great honour especially considering the shame that Jorah brought on our house, but when I questioned Lord Starks decision he said that since the first Wing in the North the Mormonts have been loyal.

I was standing in front of the keep though compared to Winterfell the keep could barely be called a hall. I had lined my whole family up i front of the keep to welcome the boy, it was said that he had an arm made of Weirwood and a great black Direwolf the size of a bear.

It was then I heard the sound of hooves, and the gate opened and in rode a tall young lad with midnight black hair pulled into a long braid that rested on his shoulder, and one deep blue eye on his shoulder was a raven twice the size of any I'd seen before and at his side a Direwolf the same size as the horse he rode.The raven flew of his shoulder as dismounted then rested there again as he approached us.

"Lord Stark it is an honour to host you." I spoke with all the respect he deserved as my Lords son.

"No Lady Mormont the honour is all mine" he replied with just as much respect.

"Allow me to introduce you to my daughters. Dacey my heir, and Lyanna second daughter." I pointed to my daughters the eldest who is out of her armour for once and my Lyanna who is just a child.

"My Ladies it's a pleasure" he said bowing to both of them

"Shall we go in my Lord" I asked

"Yes let's" he replied

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*AOOOOOH*

The sound of a war horn blowing to alert of a Ironborn attack awoke me from my thoughts. It wasn't my first battle, that was last year a moon past my twelfth name day so without hesitation I began to equip my armour fastening my cloak around my shoulders then I strapped my sword to my back closely followed by Weirwood shield, then I grabbed my axe in my left hand, pulled up my hood and made for the door.

When I made it outside I saw men rushing down to the water and heard the sound of battle. Fenrir came beside me as I mounted my horse and we rode for the sound of battle where I knew I would find Dacey clad in armour mace in hand.

When I arrived I found chaos the smell of blood and death was in the air jumped from my horse and cut the head off a raider who was approaching me. Then I took my shield from my back and began cut through the raiders.

With Fenrir at my side the raiders stood no chance and very soon I found myself nearing Daceys location but when I arrived I found her on the ground with a wound on her arm, she was surrounded by six men all of them had looks on their faces that I didn't like and I heard mutterings of salt wife.

So I put my shield on my back and unsheathed my sword and attacked from behind. The first man lost his head to kingmaker the second died from an axe to the face when I threw Winters Fang the third and forth died to Fenrir the fifth got Kingmaker through his gut and the sixth to Fenrir again. I looked to Dacey lying on the ground and helped her up. On closer inspection she also had a cut on her cheek and her leg.

"Are you okay" I asked with urgency

"Never better Wolf Boy" she replied in a weak voice.

I called out to some of the men near and told them to take Dacey back to the keep to Lyanna and I set out to find Meage to tell her of her daughters condition. When I did she thanked me for my help and told me to finish the chase the retreating men.

We had finished most of them off and only about fifty remained, they where making for a longship and I gave pursuit though they where gone when I reached the shoreline leaving three of the four longships. But I was high on battle and my bloodlust was up as was Fenrir's. So I rallied the men and packed as many as I could into the remaining boats.

I lead men like I had done it for a lifetime and sailing a longship was the same even though I had never done so before it was as if I had done it a thousand times before. But still with nearly a hundred people we were much slower than the ship we where chasing.

That's when the runes on horn I had strapped to my belt began to glow white. I had never blown the horn before believing that the Gods would show we when I needed to, and they had it was now. So I raised the horn the horn to my lips and blew.

*AOOOOOOOH*

Suddenly the wind grew stronger and as it caught the sails the ships sped up getting closer and closer until we were nearly beside they raiders and when we were beside them I jumped on to their deck others Fenrir following after then the others after him.

We finished them quickly and questioned them to see where they came from apparently they came from Old Wick and there was more ships there so again I rallied the men and led them onward and when we finally reached Old Wick it was midnight and poorly guarded.

Under the cover of darkness I lead the men into port and when there slaughtered any man we found, we left the women and children but the men paid the iron price. When the bells rand the gates of the great keep opened we returned to the ships but while we came in three we left in six and the others where burned along with their port.When I returned Meage wasn't to pleased with me but when you have six longships to use as a bribe you can get out of most punishments.

After that day I got a new name from the men. The Bloody Wolf they began calling me.

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( POV Meage Mormont )

*Knock* *Knock*

When the door opened a few minutes later a maid exited in disheveled clothing bowing nervously when she saw me and scurrying down the hall.

"Come in" came a voice from inside the room

When I entered I found Thorin sitting by the window a mug of mead in hand, his shirt hung loosely on his muscled torso and I knew the maid wasn't I cleaning a spill.

"Would you like a glass"

"Aye lad"

"Mead or wine"

"Mead will do" he poorer me a mug and handed it to me

"So why did you drop round I imagine it wasn't just to interrupt my fun with Tansy was it?" He questioned me

"No lad, it seems after four long years of your fostering your going home, and not a visit this time your stay."

"Sad new My Lady Im sure to miss youse all, when am I to leave."

"As soon as possible, apparently the King rides for Winterfell and he'll be there in a few weeks." I replied with a sad smile

He was like the son she never had and he was like a brother to Lyanna though not to Dacey, what they did isn't something you should do with your brother. 'You lay with a bear I lay with a wolf I don't see what's so wrong' she had told said.

"If that's true My Lady then I should get to packing." He replied with a sad smile of his own.

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( Authors comments )

Im about to get my GCSE results in a few hours wish me luck guys.