Her entire body was numb, limp.
Her exposed neck was on the beheading block, wet from Lord Eddard's blood.
She couldn't hear anything, everything she saw seemed to be painted in black and white, the only colour she could see was Eddard's red blood splattered in front of her.
She could feel Joffrey's eyes on her, and Cersei's smug smile.
"Joffrey, dead. I want her dead, you don't understand what she's capable of, please!"
Cersei's voice was distant, it seemed miles away.
I lost another father.
I'm lying in his blood.
It's alright though
I'll be with him soon
This is what was meant to happen to me anyway, right?
Executed at Kings Landing?
Well I'm glad
Now I can keep Robb's promise
I'm going to die a Stark
~Carvers POV~
It took the entire clan to restrain Carver, Luna and Quiver, as they fought to get to up front.
Carver still couldn't believe what he had just witnessed, they killed him. They really killed him! And now, they were going to kill his sister. He hadn't stopped her fate, only delayed it.
"Cullen! Let me go! I am your leader!" He snarled and twisted in his grasp, but his arms may as well have been made of stone.
"You go after her you die! Look at all these guards! Look at her Carver, she's not even fighting!"
At his words, the three looked up with tears blurring their vision to see a horrible sight.
Cullen was right, Kat just led there. Unmoving. Slumped over while the Lannisters laughed and mocked her.
"What's the matter with her?" Luna whispered desperately,
"She... she's gone into some state of shock!" Quiver was shaking, biting down on his lip.
"She's not going to fight back, her hands aren't even bound!"
Carvers heart was beating fast, and he could feel a vile taste in his mouth.
"I can't lose her again! Not like this!"
Closing his eyes, tears began to flow down his cheeks and his body racked uncontrollably with sobs. He felt like a child.
"Tears won't save her now" Cullen said coldly, but his voice was high and cracked.
"Neither will you lot holding us back!" Quiver snapped, glaring at the clan.
"Shut up will you! You'll draw attention! We can get out of here, now!"
Suddenly Astrid stepped in, "We can't leave without her! She's one of us, in fact she's been apart of this clan for longer than any of us here"
This is ridiculous, she's up there about to be killed and we're stood here bickering.
"But we can't just go running up there, we'll all be killed!"
Carver hated it, but Cullen was right. His heart dropped like a stone,
"I'm going to lose her again" he choked, going limp in Cullen's hold. Suddenly, beside him, Carver heard a snarl. It was Luna.
"No. We aren't losing her again"
Ignoring the tight hold Farkas had on her, Luna arched her back so her head was in the crook of Farkas's neck and howled.
"The fuck do you keep doing that for!" Snapped Cullen angrily, but the end of his sentence was drowned out by Quiver's added howl.
The clan were exchanging worried glances, as slowly the crowd began to notice them.
"Shit, not good" whispered Cullen, "Carver tell them to stop, or we are all dead"
But Carver had had enough of Cullen's bullshit, twisting his neck to face him Carver growled, making Cullen release him immediately.
"What the Hell?!"
The Twins were still howling desperately, and Carver joined in.
Please here us sister, please
~Katrina's POV~
Katrina turned her head slightly to look up at the crowd, were they cheering? Booing? She couldn't tell, she couldn't hear them. She didn't care.
She wriggled on the floor uncomfortably, still not being to process what had happened, which was good in a way as if she did... who knows what she would do.
Suddenly her ear caught a noise, a scraping sound.
He's picking up the sword
How strange, she thought. All those times she looked upon Ice and thought, what a beautiful blade. Now she was about to see what it could really do.
Her numb body was slumped on the floor, just waiting for death to kiss her goodnight.
Ah oohhh!
I can hear them, she thought. The Stark wolves are welcoming me home.
Ah oohhh!
Familiar, such a familiar howl, death was seeming more and more welcoming as Sir Illyn once more raised Ice above his head.
Why are those howls so familiar...
AH OOHHH!
It was like someone had just slapped her. All of her senses came rushing back like cold water, she heard the crowd cheering, she heard Sansa screaming, she heard her pack howling, she heard Ice cut through the air above her head.
SHIT.
Rolling to the right, Ice just missed her neck and skimmed her cheek, drawing blood.
The crowd gasped at this new scene, as Katrina stumbled to her feet and just stood there. Mouth half open, staring at the bewildered Ser Illyn, trying to process the scene in front of her. That's when the pain hit her.
Lord Eddard... he was dead.
His lifeless body had been just inches away from where she just led.
Katrina felt hot, salty tears flow down her cheeks, as she felt her body go numb again with pain again.
"Katrina?" she knew that voice, that innocent, tiny voice.
Turning her head to look beside her, which cracked the dry blood of Lord Eddard which had stained her neck, Katrina locked eyes with Sansa. The poor girl was rising from the ground, with the tiniest spark of hope in her eyes. Her gown was soaked in her tears, she had just watched her father die.
And Joffrey was laughing. "Look! Look my love, she's come to say hello before she dies!"
You evil bastard, Kat clenched her fists until they were white, her eyes grew wide and had such a dangerous look about them that Joffrey took a step back.
"Someone seize her quickly!" Cersei's voice shook, "She can't escape again!"
"Oh! Is that so" Katrina whispered, cocking her head to one side as she glared at Cersei.
"Kat, Kat please!" Sansa's voice was timid and small, as she cried out for help.
Suddenly, Katrina felt a twitch. She felt a burning sensation in her chest, and searing pain throughout her body as her muscles began to tighten.
"No, no stop her! Grab her!" Cersei was frantic, "Chain her up! Kill her!"
"What's wrong with her!" Shouted Joffrey, his voice laced with fear. Sansa was the only one who wasn't afraid, she ran to Kat and wrapped her arms around her protectively.
"Kat! What's the matter? What have they done to you!" Her pale blue eyes were terrified, but suddenly they grew wide.
"K, K, Kat?" She stammered, backing away.
"I, I'm" Katrina could barely talk though the pain."I'm sorry"
Her body was twitching, jerking. Every part of her burned as Sansa covered her mouth with her hands.
"Her eyes! Look her eyes! She's a demon!" Joffrey's voice was high pitched and terrified, but Cersei was worse.
"No she's worse... she's a skin changer"
Sansa let out a shocked gasp, whilst Kat hung her head in shame, away from Sansa's eyes.
"Run Joffrey, run inside now!"
And he did, the little golden lion ran into the keep with his tail between his legs, doing as his mother told him to.
"Katrina!" Shouted Sansa, watching her convulse, not knowing how to help.
The pain was all too much, Katrina fell to her knees throwing her hands out in front of her causing a stinging sensation as her skin was ripped off.
Sansa fell beside her, "Kat answer me!"
So she did, in a low, scared growl.
The young girl raised her eyes to Sansa, looking at the bewildered expression on her face as she looked at Kat's secret for herself.
Her pupils had doubled in size, their blackness so empty Sansa lost herself within them. Her iris's had turned from ice blue to pools of golden honey. Her dark curls were becoming wilder and wilder, twisting on her scalp while her teeth ached unbearably.
"Oh my god, Kat"
Katrina's teeth weren't, well they weren't human. She now had fangs, and they were growing larger and larger.
"I... I.. Kat look out!"
Some of the guards had finally listened to Cersei and were advancing on Katrina with weapons in hand, but she was in too much agony to even lift a finger.
"NO!" Screamed Sansa, throwing her arms over Katrina protecting her.
Ah Oooooooooooh
That was a howl. A real one.
Craning her burning neck, Katrina's eyes met a strange sight. The three guards were all on their backs, thrashing and twitching as their throats were being ripped out... by direwolves.
Three, huge, powerful direwolves with blood dripping from their jaws were ripping out the throats of the guards.
Katrina let out a cry of pain as the burning in her chest got worse, earning the attention of the wolves.
One had a gleaming silver coat, and mismatched eyes. One grey, one golden.
Luna
The next had a light brown coat, stuck up in tufts giving him a messy, shaggy look. His eyes were grey, just grey.
Leon
The last wolf was slightly smaller than the other two, with a deep, rusty red coat which clashed off his golden eyes. Golden like mine.
Carver
"Seven Hells" Sansa sobbed, this was all too much for her.
"GET THEM, SHOOT THEM DOWN"
Cersei had snapped, her eyes swimming with past memories of these skin changers.
"We.. we have to go. Now!" Katrina choked on her words, grabbing Sansa by the hand she got up, jumped off the platform and ran through the crowd with the wolves at her heels.
The crowd was no longer a problem, they made a path for her, no one wanted to be anywhere near her... or the wolves.
Katrina's body seared with pain, her body was rejecting the transformation, it had been so long...
Sansa was running beside her, Katrina couldn't even guess what she was thinking right now.
Ahead, the clan were waiting. All with open mouths and drawn weapons, but still forever loyal.
"Come on! Hurry!" Bellowed Farkas, looking behind them.
"DUCK!" Shouted Astrid, so they did... but there was no point.
"Agh!" Sansa screamed, loosing Katrina's hand and falling to the ground.
"Sansa!" Heaved Kat, running back for her.
Oh god, oh god no.
There was a crossbow bolt through her leg, Katrina ripped her dress back to reveal the torn flesh and muscle, and the pool of blood which was slowly forming around her left leg.
"Go, run!" Sansa sobbed, "Get out of here, I can't go on!"
But Katrina didn't move.
The blood did it, Sansa's blood fuelled the fire which had been growing inside of her, it gave her the spark she needed. Her muscles stretched and her heart burned as she convulsed... but Sansa wasn't scared anymore.
~Sansa's POV~
She felt a sudden sharp pain in her left leg,
"Ahg!" She screamed, losing Katrina's hold as the ground rushed up to meet her.
They've shot me down!
Now the true fear set in, I can't go on, I'm stuck here. But Katrina can still escape, she didn't care what she was! She couldn't die too!
"Go, run!" Sansa sobbed, "Get out of here, I can't go on!"
But Katrina didn't move, she just stared at the blood pooling around Sansa's leg... then began to convulse again.
She has to get out of here!
Sansa looked desperately at the three wolves, then behind her to see the guards approaching at the screaming Queens command. Cersei was on the ground, hammering the platform with her fists, her golden dress creased at the bend of her knees.
"KILL HER, MONSTER!"
She's not a monster! She's my...
Sansa turned her sobbing head back to Katrina, only it wasn't Katrina anymore.
She was now nose to nose with a huge, sleek black direwolf with gorgeous golden eyes.
"Kat?" She croaked, the wolf nuzzled her urgently yapping and jumping around in a mad panic.
"No! You run, find Robb he's called the banners! Just don't forget I'm here!" She was crying, shaking with sobs as all the wolves began whine.
"GO!" Sansa pushed against Kat's muzzle, and with one last sad stare... she turned her tail and ran.
Sharp fingernails dug into her shoulders, as she was picked up and thrown over the shoulder of one of the Lannister men.
"AFTER THEM!" The banshee Queen was still screaming, as was Sansa's wound. Her eyes throbbed, her leg was searing with pain, her head hurt and her heart was broken.
"RUN KAT RUN!" Sansa continued to scream as she was dumped next to her fathers lifeless body, she draped her arms over him and let out huge dreadful sobs.
Don't forget about little old me.
~Katrina's POV~
That's a second Stark she couldn't save, whined Kat as she ran through the cobbled streets.
"Watch your step Kat!" Barked Carver, who was running next to her in a red blur.
How did so much go wrong so fast.
Katrina's paws felt heavy and clumsy beneath her, she hadn't done this in a long time and was running like she had just chugged a barrel of wine.
She just wanted to get out of here, into the woods. Run until she ran into Robb's arms, begging for forgiveness.
"Close the gates!" A guard shouted,
Katrina charged and barrelled into several guards blocking the exit, as she ran under the rapidly closing gate with the clan galloping on horse back behind her into the safety of the open road.
That'll slow them down.
Katrina was all over the place, everything felt too big. Her ears, her nose, definitely her paws and oh, her fangs! They took up her entire mouth.
But her heart felt the heaviest, it almost felt like it down pulling her back, back to Lord Eddard's body.
"Katrina! Keep running!"
She shook her head of her thoughts as Luna yapped urgently in her ear. She'd practically stopped to a halt, too distracted from what she'd just been through.
"We have to get back to camp!" Carver commanded, the clan would have no idea what they were saying, they would just have to trust them and follow their lead.
I can't go back to camp, I have to find Robb!
Snarling dangerously, being led on by grief, Katrina held up her head and began to sprint. The Southern breeze licked at her coat as she ran, her pink tongue lolling from the corner of her jaw as slowly her new form began to grow on her.
I've missed this.
"Katrina! Slow down!"
But she wouldn't, if she hadn't of slowed down on the way to Kings Landing then maybe Eddard wouldn't have died.
She had always been a fast wolf, but now pumped with an overwhelming sense of fear and adrenaline no one, not even the Twins or Carver could catch her up now.
Soon the gallop of hooves subsided, and even the call of her pack had disappeared. The sky was painted in blood, and the sun was setting behind the hills.
By the Gods, how long have I been running for?
Digging her front paws into the dirt Katrina brought herself to a stop, her coat was slick with sweat and she winced as a stinging sensation overtook her paws.
Where am I?
She sniffed the air suspiciously,
Burning wood, water... I smell water
She crept forward, Familiar smells, familiar sight. I'd been here before... it was camp!
She couldn't be here she had to keep running! But her sides were heaving with pain and her eyes were heavy with fatigue.
I can't... I have to rest.
"GOTTCHA!"
"AHH!" Katrina yelped, as a huge figure tackled her to the ground.
"Hey! Get off me!" She snarled, feeling the weight of her attacker on her back.
"Not going to happen Kat!" It was Quivers voice, and he didn't sound his usual happy self.
The gallop of hooves reached the wolves ears, as did the heavy panting of more approaching wolves.
"It's alright!" Quiver barked, "I've got her"
Katrina could do nothing but lie there with her head in her paws, as she heard a sharp growl and Carver ran into her sight coming nose to nose with her.
"What were you thinking!" He snapped her her, his fur stood up on end like fire, "Running up there like that! What on earth was your plan meant to be? You almost died! We had to show ourselves to them, they know our faces now Kat! We're going to be hunted down!" He wouldn't stop, Luna was now trying to calm him down by tugging at his coat, as guilt swept through Katrina.
"Carver... stop"
"What?" He yapped at her teeth inches away from her nose.
"She just lost someone"
The three wolves looked down timidly at Katrina, as the clan finally rode up to join the scene.
"Is she alright?" Called Vilkas, she answered his question in a low, broken whine as heavy tears flowed down her furry cheeks.
"Oh.. Kat I'm" Carver looked at her, his head hung, eyes full of guilt. "I'm so sorry"
He padded forward and gave her muzzle a soft lick trying to comfort her, but Katrina was in no mood for it. Snapping her head up she yapped at his nose, just missing it with her teeth.
"Just leave me alone!" She whined.
Slowly Quiver climbed off her shaking body, watching helplessly as instead of heading towards camp she continued to head North. Her black paws dragged along the dirt path, her tail had drooped to the floor as had her head.
With every step she took a small whine could be heard emitting from her throat, and Carver couldn't bear it.
"Sister, please stay with us! Rest, you can't go on like this! We need to stay together, this can wait!"
All the clan could hear was Carver whining deeply after his sister, who paused in her tracks to tilt her head back towards them. But no words came from her mouth, no whine, no bark, no growl. It was just one sad stare.
"Sister..."
Luna's ears pricked up, as she jumped and changed her stance.
"Sister? What can you hear?" Quiver was straining his own ears, which had never been as sharp as Luna's.
"Horses...which means Lannisters"
A low growl erupted in Luna's stomach as she faced the Southern road,
They're hunting us, Kat panicked, dread filling her heart like lead. Carver began to bark at the clan, but by now they could hear the horses too.
"Into the forest!" Shouted Farkas, kicking his horse into action and leading the clan through the trees.
"We have to hide, quickly!"
Carver nodded his great shaggy head at Luna, who turned to run before Quiver began to bark.
"Where's Katrina!"
Carver spun on his paws, looking up the North road.
She was gone.