Bastard // Ned Stark

10. Dire wolf

'What is it?'

'A mountain lion?' Theon suggested.

'There are no mountain lions in these woods.' Ned told them they walked around the dead moose cautiously looking for the creature that killed it before they stumbled across a wolf, a dire wolf and a pack of puppies.

'It's a freak.' Theon exclaimed.

'It's a dire wolf.' Ned corrected. 'Tough old beast.' he pulled the antler free of its chest attacking the moose, an antler must have gotten stuck, killed the dire wolf.

'There are no dire wolves south of the wall.' Robb remarked

'Now there are five.' Jon said picking one up 'you want to hold it?' jon passed one off to Bran

'Then where will they go?' Bran questioned 'their mother is dead...' he held the puppy in his arms

'They don't belong down here better quick death.' Ned told his son honestly. 'They won't last without their mother.' Ned added

'All right give it here.' Theon said trying to pull the pup away from Bran but he cried out.

'No!' Bran screamed

'Put away your blade.' robb demanded

'I take orders from your father not you.' Theon reminded him

'Please father,' Bran begged

'I'm sorry Bran,' ned told him

'Lord Stark?' Jon said 'there are five pups one for each of the stark children, they are your house sigil, you were meant to have them.' Jon reasoned and Ned knew that when they got back Bran would cry to Everly and she would give him that accusatory look about killing an innocent direwolf and he would feel awful seeing her sad face staring up at him, he could picture it now. Theon still held the blade to the pup still waiting for command.

'You will train them yourself you will feed them yourselves and if they die... you will bury them yourselves.' ned agreed and Theon handed Bran back the puppy back, as Jon picked up the other ones handing them off to Robb and Theon

'what about you?' Bran questioned

'I'm not a stark.' Jon answered as the puppy snuggled into Bran, Ned stared at jon a moment longer, yes he was. Jon was his and Everly's. Jon was their child, their only child, the one he had to pretend not to love as much but he was so proud of Jon, he was a fine man had a great heart, everly raised him well, without Everly he didn't know what would have become of Jon. If everly had died giving birth, he would have been alone and isolated because Catelyn would have made it be but Everly made him loved and appreciated. Like he had value beyond being a bastard. They were leaving when they heard the wrestling's of another puppy Jon pulled it free it was all white

'The runt of the litter.' Theon said 'that one's yours snow.'

'Everly will like him.' Jon suggested.

'You know everly will want you to have the pup.' Ned told him giving jon's shoulder a squeeze. 'but you know she will steal him from you too.' Ned added.