Chapter 8 The Hunt

The Hunt began at dawn. Ned wouldn't have allowed his eldest sons to join the hunt if not for Prince Joffrey joining it too. Of course Lord Stark couldn't have stopped Torrhen even if he wanted to.

Besides Torrhen wanted to show Robert how the Direwolves hunt. He had to get close to the King if he wanted to use the influence and power the King has, to prepare House Stark for the winter that was coming.

Bran had wanted to come to the Hunt too, Torrhen knew. But Lord Stark wouldn't have allowed it, the hunt can be a dangerous place for a boy. The prey they were hunting today was boar, King Robert wanted to have it for the feast tonight. They would be leaving for the South on the morrow.

Only Cleyton and Owen from the pack had joined the hunt along with Uncle Benjen, Jory, Theon Greyjoy, Ser Rodrik, and even the dwarf Tyrion had ridden out with them.

The Dwarf bought his horse beside Torrhen's, "Are your Direwolves trained to hunt?" He said as he looked at Winter and Grey Wind, who walked on their four paws ahead of the hunting party, sniffing the air for signs of Game.

"Yes," Torrhen said. "I trained them myself." Torrhen turned to Tyrion. "This is our first time meeting each other isn't it? I have heard of you. My name is Torrhen Stark."

"Of course you did," Tyrion said with a grin. "After all everyone knows of the Dwarf who is the sweet Queen's brother. I was at the welcoming Feast, of course you did not notice me with the raucous wild celebrations you started."

Before Torrhen could reply, Winter raised his Snout into the air and let out a bark of excitement turning his head towards Torrhen.

"Go! Hunt!" Torrhen said and Winter broke out into a sprint into the forest of the Wolf's Wood, Grey Wind trailing after him. Torrhen went to the front and turned to the party. "Take your positions and spears quickly, the Direwolves have sensed a prey."

Torrhen got off his horse, the others followed him as they got ready to hunt.

"Where is it?" King Robert asked as he took a spear from his squire. The fat KingsGuard trailing him.

Winter's howl and barks came off in the distance, with the squeals of a wild Boar.

"There," Torrhen said, pointing in the direction of the noise as he took his Spear from Owen. Robb beside him was excited to be here, Torrhen could see it in his eyes. "The Direwolves will lead the Boar to our location. It will be in a hurry with the Direwolves at it's heels."

The hunting party got excited as the noises started getting closer. Joffrey boasted that he could take the Boar if he wanted to, as he stood behind the Hound and Lannister men.

Lord Stark left the King's side and came to where Torrhen and Robb stood. "Hunting a Boar is no laughing matter, experienced men with years in their belts have lost their lives hunting a Boar. The king will take the Boar. Both of you will watch. Do you understand me? "

"Sure," Torrhen said with a grin as he turned the spear in his hands. His Father knew that he would not listen. He gave a sigh and went to King Robert.

"There it is!" someone shouted. "I can see them."

"Stay back with Owen, Robb," Torrhen said. He advanced to the front in the direction of the coming Boar. The King and Torrhen stood ahead of the party, no one had the courage to seek the displeasure of the King by taking the first kill away from him. But Torrhen was not like other men, and it was his Direwolves that were bringing them the prey and he could not take his mind off the prey when a hunt was started.

"Steady!" Torrhen could feel the excitement of Winter, the blood pumping like crazy in his heart, his feelings all on the brown Boar that escaped his jaws. Winter wanted nothing more than to sink his sharp teeth into the meaty flesh of the Boar but like always Winter could somehow hear Torrhen's instruction to not to do it. He would snap at the air in frustration, but he would always listen when in an hunt, outside the Hunt though Winter wouldn't obey his command with a passion for rebelling against Torrhen.

 They were still off in the distance but they were advancing fast. Winter and Grey Wind behind the Boar on both the sides, steering it towards the location of the hunting party and towards King Robert.

"Any one who hurts my babies will die a slow and painful death!" Torrhen shouted to the party behind him just in case they thought that they could treat the Direwolves like an animal and hurt them in the excitement.

King Robert was eager for the kill as he stood a little distance away from Torrhen. He turned his head away from Torrhen towards the Boar, "HA! The first kill is mine, boy. Watch and learn how I take the beast down."

Torrhen only smiled and let out a piercing whistle.

Winter burst forward and snapped his jaws at the boar's face. The boar turned the direction of its run sharply, away from the King and towards Torrhen as Grey Wind stopped it from turning too far away.

Robert said something but Torrhen didn't hear it as the Boar advanced towards him, its eyes locked at Torrhen and preparing its head to smash the sharp tusks into Torrhen's belly. Torrhen readied the spear in his hands.

When the boar was just ahead of him, Torrhen lunged towards it, piercing the spear towards the Boar's neck and bracing himself feet firmly planted towards the ground as the Boar took the spear inside its body.

The Boar stopped struggling after a minute, dark red blood flowing from its neck. The Direwolves circled them in excitement, letting out barks. The hunting party cheered, as Robert came towards Torrhen laughing and patting his back. "You did well Torrhen. Held your ground as it charged at you, you have some balls on you I have to say." The party started to chat and make plans.

Torrhen removed the spear from the dead body and leaned down on his feet. He looked into the Boar's dead eyes, Torrhen felt nothing as he watched it. When he was a child, he used to cry when he scratched Whitefoot by mistake, but now he couldn't even feel a single feeling when he killed a man with his own hands.

Torrhen was bought out of his thoughts when Winter gave a primal growl as he turned his head one way and another. There was only the primal beast a Direwolf was, in its fear inducing growl. The men, Lannister men, around him backed away and pointed their spears at Winter.

Torrhen was on his feet in a moment, his spear pointing at the nearest man to Winter. "Point your spears away from Winter before I use it to spike your heads with."

They reluctantly lowered their weapons. The excitement gone from the air, replaced with fear as everyone started backing away from the Direwolves.

But now Grey Wind was acting strange too. Winter howled into the sky with his brother following him, and Torrhen felt that there was something wrong.

"To me Winter," Torrhen said. Winter came to him, restless, his breath fast. "What is it boy? Tell me."

Winter turned towards the direction of Winterfell and along with Grey Wind started once again howling that dark song.

Torrhen turned his head towards Winterfell and he heard the howl of a third direwolf. He could hear the anguish in it's voice.

"Can you hear that?" Torrhen said softly fear laced in his voice, as he rose. "Something's wrong."

"Hear what Torrhen?" His father said as he approached him and pulled Torrhen's head towards him. "What is it? You can tell me son."

The others looked strangely at Torrhen, his face was pale with fear as the headaches started once again.

"That howling," Torrhen said, letting the spear fall to the ground, as the Direwolves gave another howl towards Winterfell. Winter was getting restless by the minute, and Torrhen was too. The Howl getting louder and louder in his mind, banging his skull trying to escape.

Summer. Bran's Direwolf.

The headaches battered his mind in a new wave, a war hammer started pounding into his thick skull. His legs gave way and he would have fell to the ground if not for his father holding him.

Robb started towards him, others too. All speaking with concern but Torrhen could not hear their voices only the grief-filled-howl of Summer.

Winter moved a few steps in the direction of Winterfell. He snapped at the air in anger and rage. The Direwolves were getting out of control and Robb went to calm them only for Grey Wind to snap at him. Robb backed away in fear. The men in the hunting party readied their spears once again.

"No!" Torrhen wrenched away from his father and moved towards the Direwolves.

"Get away from them Torrhen," His father said. "They are turning rabid."

King Robert had his spear with him once again. They would kill them, Torrhen came to the realization, not Robb but everyone else they would kill the Direwolves.

"Something's wrong," Torrhen said as he tried to ignore the pounding headache. He was face to face with the Direwolves, "Go!" He shouted and they burst off into the forest towards Winterfell.

There was a commotion at his back and he turned to see his horse fighting the men holding him and galloping towards him.

Torrhen got onto his horse scrambling like a mad man.

"To Winterfell! Now!" Torrhen shouted at the hunting party as rabid as the Direwolves were, with spit flying from his mouth. "The hunt is over. It's Bran."

And Torrhen was off towards Winterfell darting after the Direwolves in a mad rush as he held onto the reins tightly to make sure that he didn't fall off.