6-Feed The 'Beast'

298 AC, Winterfell, Seven Years Later

"BEGIN!" Ser Rodrik instructed as Jon and Robb instantly locked into an intense duel.

Wielding his weathered wooden dragon hammer in one hand and a sparring sword in the other, Jon parried a large overhead strike from his cousin, leaving him wide open and allowing him to slam his foot into his chest, throwing him to the ground as the air momentarily left his chest, giving Jon the chance to place a sword at his throat.

"Too slow on recovery, my Lord. One must take on opponents wielding all sorts of implements," Rodrik instructed.

"Including the few with more than one," Jon, now a man grown, standing at an almost unheard of 6.4 ft at just sixteen, said as he offered Robb a helping hand.

Catching his breath enough to let out a laugh, Robb accepted the offer as Jon almost effortlessly pulled him off his feet, a strength that came as a great token from nature.

"That there is why I take to the bow, so big buggers like you don't get the opportunity to get close," Theon chuckled as he spectated, getting no negative reaction from Jon, but the stink eye from Rodrik.

"The offer still stands, your grace. I'll beat him back to where he belongs," Rodrik said in a hushed tone to Jon.

"That would defeat the entire reason for him being here, Ser. Pay him no mind, he's harmless...for now," Jon replied, patting his teacher on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Bloody hells, is there going to be a day any time soon where I beat you?" Robb asked with a small laugh.

"Likely not. Don't be too dismayed, cousin, I believe you'll be more capable on the field now than ever before. You'll be fighting children compared to me," Jon replied as he patted the heir to Winterfell on the shoulder.

"You excited to see your father, Jon? Not often does the King make his way North," Theon asked before loosing an arrow, the last in his quiver to occupy his morning with practice as he always did.

"One would certainly think so after not seeing him for eight years, but him coming all the way up here only means two things. Now Lord Arryn has 'passed,' he'll ask your father to be Hand, and I'll need to leave the North in exchange for a stinking city cesspit," Jon replied as he quickly pointed to Robb.

"I thought the people of King's Landing loved you?" Theon questioned.

"They do, it's the management that makes it a cesspit," Jon replied.

"Hand...My father would never leave Winterfell...all that happened in the capital all those years ago," Robb was almost stifled with stunning thoughts at learning this.

"Oh, he'd rather do anything else, but an order from his best friend and King? Unlikely, no man is so foolish. Hey, that may be us one day. Perhaps I'll order the future 'Lord of Winterfell' down to be my cup bearer," Jon laughed while all else present, now including Arya and Bran, followed in making fun of their older brother.

"Very funny, always so quick with the jokes 'King of Fleabottom,'" Robb smirked as he took his leave to put away his and Jon's sparring swords on the nearby rack.

"So, what did your parents say, lad?" Jon asked Bran, who looked up at his giant of a cousin with a sparkle in his eye.

"They said yes, but only if Lord Barristan is with us. Mother doesn't like me climbing, but I think that's the only reason she lets me go riding with you; she knows I won't fall," Bran replied.

"Perhaps, but it's also because you're not as stupid as other boys your age, a rare gift, remember that, but also remember not to flaunt it," Jon said before whistling Eikthyr out of the Godswood.

"Will Eikthyr get any bigger?" Bran asked.

"Thankfully not. He stopped growing when I was about your age. He's as big as he bloody needs to be, but then again, he has a lot to carry around," Jon replied as he mounted his steed before effortlessly lifting the little lord up to him.

"Can I come too, Jon?" Arya asked.

"Sorry, little lady, your mother has her limits, and I'm sure I'll know her wrath when she discovers Ser Barristan isn't with us. Wait for us to get back, I have a present for you!" Jon replied with a smile.

"OK!" Arya said excitedly.

"Ser Barristan is busy riding out to meet the King, but what your mother doesn't know won't hurt her, and I won't tell if you don't," Jon whispered into Bran's ear before Eikthyr took off out the gates of Winterfell.

"I think I might have had one of those dreams you told me about," Bran said.

"Oh? What was it about?" Jon inquired.

"I think I was a wolf, running in the woods, but it only lasted a few more minutes with nothing else happening," Bran replied.

"Interesting. Are you sure you haven't had any others like it?" Jon inquired further.

"I don't think so. Well, if I have, they weren't this vivid and memorable. It's like..." Bran thought to himself for a moment.

"You were actually the wolf, as if you were there. I've had them along with some as Snow," Jon said as he pointed to the beautiful falcon who followed them from above.

"You mean you could fly in your dreams...I want to do that!" Bran said frustratedly.

"All I can tell you is this: think of a kind of animal that would be nearby you when you fall asleep, a field mouse, a rat, a raven, that kind of thing, and it might just work. Now, I'm going to show you something, can you promise the secret will never leave your lips?" Jon asked.

"I hope it's not a few sewing needles like you have Sansa..." Bran muttered to himself.

"Not quite a present, but definitely a surprise. Do I have your word you'll take it with you to the grave if need be? As I'm not quite sure if I could one day let you be a Kingsguard if you don't!" Jon jokingly pleaded.

"I promise!" Bran reassured as he offered his pinky, an unbreakable vow Jon had taught him.

"We're going to meet the 'Siren of the Woods' herself," Jon said as Bran gained a mixed expression of excitement and skepticism.

"THE siren of the woods? I thought she was only a myth..." Bran replied.

"Oh, she's very real, and don't worry, she won't use her song on you," Jon laughed while the little lord hid the knot that formed in his stomach.

Riding deep into the Wolfswood and into a small rocky hill range devoid of trees, it would be difficult for even the most seasoned of mountain horses to pass. Jon rode high and low before eventually coming to a large hot spring with geysers everywhere. Dismounting before helping Bran do the same, Eikthyr backed away from the cave entrance, indicating to Bran that the fearless stag knew the Siren and was...scared of her?

Jon suddenly let out a high-pitched but tuned whistle, not too unlike a song. The air fell silent but heavy for a moment as all the bubbling springs and geysers ceased activity altogether. From the darkness of the cave, two large and demonic-looking eyes suddenly presented themselves, causing Bran to take a step back in fear before feeling Jon's hand on his shoulder as his older cousin knelt to his level.

"It's okay, Bran, this is Stormfyre, the 'Siren of the Woods'!" Jon smiled as he introduced Bran to the massive she-dragon who emerged from the shadow of her cave to reveal bright, beautiful deep-blue scales.

"A...A...A Dr, Dragon!" Bran stumbled over his words as shock filled his body. Standing in front of him was myth itself, the reason that the names Valyria and Targaryen lived had their places in nearly every historical text and tale.

Releasing an almost quiet chime-like rhythmic hum that Bran deduced to be a lower-pitched call that her legend grew around, Stormfyre lowered her head closer to the ground in intrigue for who her only friend and rider had brought with him. With the psychic signal Jon was giving off, he was not food. Far from it, he was friend, a friend who he'd ride with today.

"I think she likes you," Jon whispered into his ear with a smile.

"H-how can you tell?" Bran asked.

"You'd know if she didn't. We share a bond words can't quite describe. I found her as an egg, raised her in one of the secret hot springs around Winterfell until she was old enough to take care of herself, and she has been here ever since. Do you want to go for a ride?" Jon asked as Bran seemed immediately hesitant for a moment before the little Lord closed his eyes, took a deep breath and agreed.

"Sorry I couldn't get much more than this girl. The cattle rancher's been stingy despite giving him more than enough gold. Plus, you don't appear in dire need, been doing some fishing have we?" Jon spoke as he grabbed two saddle bags full of fish from Eikythyr, opened them, and dumped them all into her mouth but one.

"Do you want to feed her?" Jon asked Bran while Stormfyre gulped down the dozens of fish like they were nothing as she lowered herself to the ground once more, curious as to why she can't have the last one.

Slowly taking the fish with a visible shake that wasn't from the cold, Bran slowly approached the beautiful creature who opened her mouth full of hundreds of razor-sharp teeth to accept his offering. Quickly throwing the fish into her maw, Stormfyre snapped down, her sense of humor in her attempt to scare the little human, but Bran stood strong.

"Before we get on, here," Jon said as he pulled Bran aside to show him two large looped belts, one far larger than the other.

"I got the impression early on that she doesn't like saddles, so I improvised. It's just a waist harness that will keep you latched to me. I shiver at the thought of your mother discovering her son had fallen from a dragon, prince or not, she'd have my head!" Jon chuckled as he fitted the larger loop to himself, then the smaller one to Bran.

Carrying Bran up onto Stormfyre's shoulder as she lay down completely to allow easier climbing, the two got situated comfortably, Jon gripping the purposefully overly long reins attached to her horns as Bran gripped two of her many spines. Slowly rising to her feet and walking out the cave, she got situated on a higher hill before extending her wings fully out, leaving an astonished look on his face as her scales and wing membranes glistened in the sun like flawless sapphires.

"I hope you don't get horse-sick because this is much worse," Jon said.

"Let's go!" Bran almost ordered, putting a smile on his cousin's face as he sent the mental signal to Stormfyre along with a soft whip of her reins.

Slowly gusting her wings as they began picking up more and more speed, she leaned forward before kicking off the ground with her powerful hind legs, rocketing into the sky with astounding speed.

"WE NEED TO GET UP HIGH SO WE'RE NOT SEEN! HOLD ON!" Jon called out as Stormfyre climbed higher and higher into the sky.

"WE CAN SEE EVERYTHING!" Bran yelled excitedly.

Climbing up to almost a kilometer in the air, the two cousins took a moment to admire the view they had given themselves.

"Do you think I could get a dragon one day?" Bran asked.

"Likely not. But I can say this for certain, you will one day fly as one. We're now going to dive. HOLD ON!" Jon shouted as Stormfyre suddenly dove like a falcon, causing a constant almost head-splitting torrent of wind to rush into Jon's face as he shielded Bran with his right free arm.

Releasing a happy chirping-like sound one could almost make out to be laughter, Stormfyre rejoiced at occasions such as this. She flew amongst the clouds almost every day to fetch her meals elsewhere, but the bond between both rider and steed could be felt both ways, doubling the enjoyment, like a mother making her child laugh and laughing in return. Getting chillingly close to the ground before pulling up and sailing over the treetops of the forest below at dizzying speeds, Bran shouted something that made Jon's stomach sink.

"DRACARYS!!" Bran shouted as Stormfyre reared her head in confusion and Jon looked down on the woods beneath them, thankfully mostly covered in snow.

"You're one ballsy kid. DRACARYS!" Jon roared.

Slowly opening her mouth and aiming towards the ground, aetherial red, orange and primarily blue fire mixed within as an audible pressurizing sound Jon could only describe like a stove kettle ready to explode. Blasting her flames in a concentrated torrent across the woods below, Bran cheered at the beautiful sight. If Jon hadn't had a similar experience on his first flight, one might've thought the little lording in his lap was truly the rider. Leaving utter destruction in her wake as her flames passionately roared but inevitably died down due to the cold and damp environment, they took their leave from the near-ground and soared back up into the air once more.

Landing some time later back near her cave, Jon and Bran both dismounted to allow Stormfyre to walk back into her dwelling where she nestled up in the warm environment the hot springs provided.

"Now I'm going to find horses boring..." Bran said as he made his way over next to Eikthyr, waiting for his cousin to assist him, but Jon was preoccupied with vigorously brushing her with a steel wire brush to loosen her dead skin and scales, her favorite reward right next to the cows her rider delivered her every so often.

"Will she get any bigger?" Bran asked as he'd find himself astounded at any response.

"Oh MUCH bigger. If I estimate correctly, she's around one-fourth to one-fifth the size of the Black Dread at his largest. If she keeps a steady diet, activity, and proximity to magic, she'll be that big by the time I'm around fifty," Jon replied.

"Balerion...wait, did you say magic?" Bran asked.

"Sure did. Dragons are perhaps the most adaptive creatures in the world. While Stormfyre eats a lot, that's because she's a big girl, but normally dragons hate the cold, requiring them to basically clear out farms like they're only the first course. But she not only has adapted to it but taken in the latent magic that's plentiful in the North. Not even the Black Dread would've grown this fast in Old Valyria...I suspect. Now, let's get you back before your mother has your father send the entire garrison out to find us," Jon said as he helped Bran up onto Eikthyr before quickly joining him and taking control of his reins.