1st Winter [Action]

[aryaunderfoot]

[Early this morning, somewhere deep in the woods, there is a wolf howling.

It's a long, mournful howl, and the wolf doesn't seem to want to stop. Occasionally, she'll pause for breath, and then throw her head back again after a moment's rest. This place isn't right. Her cousins aren't here, the smaller ones of her pack. The air is too warm, too full of the smells of spring. And the more she searches, the more she howls, trying to get some sort of answer out of these unfamiliar trees.

Around mid-morning, the crumpled form of a small girl can be found on the path leading from the village to the Battle Dome. She's not hurt, just very much asleep (and scrunching up her face with each wolf howl) and very much covered in grime (and smelling faintly of fish cart). And there's also the fact that she's in a New Feather dress. As the howling reaches a higher pitch, she awakes with a start, freezes, and tries to figure out what this place is. There's a chill in the air, yes, but it isn't winter building up to full strength. It can't be the Summer Islands, and it most definitely isn't Braavos. This place...

...is less concerning than the fact that there is a journal right next to her with "Arya Stark" printed right on it. She gives it an incredulous look for a moment before deciding that this must be a test of some kind. The kindly man must be behind it. With a shake of the head, the girl stands, pushes the journal with a foot until it's tucked out of sight under a nearby bush, and then turns back to the task at hand.

And tries to ignore the mournful howling that is practically tugging her in its direction. That's not something she needs to worry about. That was Arya Stark. Not her. She's nobody.]

[With so many things glaringly wrong with this place, she figures it's time to try scoping it out. The girl very cautiously approaches the village, keeping to the trees for cover until she's sure there aren't any Lannister banners flying anywhere. When there aren't any, it isn't much consolation; the buildings are huge, and the architecture isn't anything she's ever seen before. This place may not be full of lions, but it's not exactly a safe zone, either. She's not even sure what it is.

Eventually, she finds her way into town, going around to see what exactly there is to see here. She doubts she'll spot any familiar faces, but she still makes her way through all the shops in the main square, trying to get some kind of sense of what kind of town this is. The smith shop is familiar, the fashions in the clothing shop completely outlandish, the foods in the indoor marketplace entirely alien.

And she is so, so very lost. As she makes her way through town, the old phrase starts repeating in the back of her mind: Fear cuts deeper than swords. She can do this. She has to do this.

Towards nightfall, after much exploration and poking around, the girl makes her way back to the stables she passed by at some point. The horses are horses. That much is familiar, at least. This much she can understand completely. And the familiar, earthy, horsey smells are something of a comfort when you're trying to wrap your head around what in the world happened to bring you to a place such as this.]

[[ooc: Feel free to run into her at any point!]]

Comments

Nightfall

[theboywiththebook]

[Having been back to himself for the past few days, he's decided to go visit his horse down at the stables.

He remembered taking care of Graham as his older self... but that was when he was sort of made crazy during the time it was better to see his horse now that he was himself again.

Arriving at the stables, Henry would have gone to his horse's stall...when a girl catches his eyes. He wouldn't question the fact that she was here at night, because hey, he's here at night too. The thing he does take notice is the dress. It takes only a moment to realize that she must be new. Gotta be smoooooth...]

Uh, hi there.

[Smooth.]

Nightfall

[aryaunderfoot]

[The girl definitely isn't comfortable in the dress, but she's also really not sure what - if anything - is appropriate to change into around here. So while she may look a little restless, she's also wearing the New Feather flag proudly. Sort of.

She looks up at the greeting, though, momentarily distracted from staring at the hay-strewn floor.]

Hi yourself.

[...Yeah, that came out a little combative. Oh well. Cat of the Canals isn't a refined little lady anyway. Not that Arya is either. To be fair, she doesn't look irritated. Just lost.]

[all7seas]

[At some point not far from the stables, a rather fat Shetland pony with an amazing amount of fluffy hair is going to come galloping straight at Arya. He is holding a pirate hat between his teeth.

The pirate it belongs to is trailing behind the equine, shouting:]

OI! Bugger, Murphy! I take it back! She didn't look like Catherine the Great!

[aryaunderfoot]

[The girl doesn't take too long to dwell on the weirdness of all of this, because there is a pony bearing down on her. Hat aside, this isn't too far out of her comfort zone, and it shows in how she draws herself up, stands her ground, and when the pony doesn't change courses, she steps aside just one step.

And then grabs a hold of the pony's halter neatly. And turns so that the pony will trot in a circle around her to slow and stop.

This isn't the first pony she's caught, obviously. She glances over a shoulder at the pirate.]

Chasing him only makes him run more, you know.

[complicatedliar]

[Well, and who runs the stables? Why, Loki of course. (Well, and Rogue, but she's not here right now god help us all.) He's stopped in to spend a bit of time with Vakri, just to take a break from his current project.

He eyes the girl curiously.]

I don't believe I've seen you here before.

[aryaunderfoot]

[The girl meets that curious look with an expression of carefully controlled blankness. She's suspicious, as she is of just about everyone here, so she'll approach this cautiously.]

You wouldn't have. I only just got here.

Afternoon

[widows_kiss]

[Natasha is coming back from the Battle Dome and heading into town, thinking of stopping for a meal or something to take home with her. She's lost in thought, but not so much so that she doesn't notice the small figure doing very well at keeping out of sight near one of the stores.

Natasha doesn't immediately give away that she's spotted the girl, but she lets her path meander in that direction all the same, pausing in front of the shop window to see what the girl will do, if she will approach. Her posture is calm and relaxed at all times, but there is still something watchful in her presence, curious.

After a moment, she calls out quietly.]

There are warmer clothes to be found in the shop here, if you're cold. The clothes you wake up in here don't offer much protection against the weather.

[Because she'd spotted enough of the figure to recognize the outfit new arrivals showed up in.]

Afternoon

[aryaunderfoot]

[The girl stiffens a bit at the voice, but glances back at the woman curiously all the same. The woman doesn't seem to be out to get her, but sometimes that's exactly what you need to be careful of.

With a small frown, the girl holds herself up to her full not very high height.]

It's not very cold here. [Beat. Appraising look.] ...Are all the clothes like yours?

[greenjacketed]

[ he's about to walk into the smithy when he notices the girl bee-lining for the same building. drumming up a scratch of courtesy, richard sharpe grabs for the door handle and tugs it open. he gestures for her to head on in ahead of him. ]

After you, lass.

[ the rifleman is tall. he's dressed in green. and he has a wicked sword -- likely taller than arya herself -- on his hip. but he smiles when he invites her past. ]

[aryaunderfoot]

[The girl is about to just nod and brush on past this stranger without looking, because hey, she has important things to check on here, but then the voice makes her stop dead in her tracks.

And whether she likes it or not, she's entirely Arya again, not Cat of the Canals or anyone else, turning slowly to glance up at this man with an expression like she's seen a ghost. Which, in a way, she has.

Somehow, Eddard Stark has found his way here. And has apparently gotten a haircut. But that isn't important because this isn't possible unless someone is wearing a face and Arya really doesn't want to think about that too much.

She's trying to summon up something to say, but her voice doesn't seem to want to work. Even if it did, she's not sure if she wants to cry out in joy, anger, or horror. As it is, she just backs away from him a step or two.]

[paladinlost]

[A young girl in a New Feather's dress, poking around the smithy? Why, she must be a fellow shopper who's already received the welcome speech, obviously! Which is why Cecil turns to her quickly enough, a small smile on his face.]

I can understand trying to regain or obtain a weapon as quickly as possible in these circumstances, but you might want to find your clothes first. The weather is still somewhat chilly.

[Surely being suddenly addressed by a tall, armored and armed man with white hair and purplish eyes in a shop filled with weapons is not alarming at all?]

[aryaunderfoot]

[Not entirely alarming, although she is wondering what a Targaryen is doing here. Wasn't there supposed to be some Targaryen princess still alive somewhere in the slaver cities? Maybe there's a prince or two running around as well. There's a slight flicker of uncomprehension in her eyes before she shakes her head.]

It's not that cold here at all. Clothes can wait.

[Especially when Needle might be hidden in here somewhere. Needle is infinitely more important than any stupid old clothes.]

[snikting]

[Sitting outside the grocery store, despite the heat, is one foul-mooded Canadian opening up a pack of cigars he just picked up. Naturally this involves using a single claw coming out his forearm to do just that. This is how he relaxes.]

[aryaunderfoot]

[That. Has to be the coolest thing she has ever seen. Jaqen's trick was amazing, but that is a very sharp claw attached to an arm. That kind of thing could be amazingly useful.

Don't mind the scrawny girl watching in complete wonder. She's not afraid. Just completely fascinated.]

[action -> the stables] [oh gosh, that I've almost missed your intro]

[not_a_troll]

[It is not one of Loki's habits to be around the stables at night but he is unable to sleep. He feels restless and that is why he has chosen to grace Frakki's manes with braids.

Eventually he busies himself with saddling up the horse, deciding that it might help to go for a nightly ride into the forest.

That is when he hears a noise. Someone is obviously having the same idea...]

Who goes there?

[action -> the stables]

[aryaunderfoot]

[The Ghost of Harrenhal, she's tempted to answer. For a stable, this place is awfully busy at night. It's almost like being in a castle.

But she answers with basic honesty. At least, of the sort she's gotten used to in the House of Black and White.]

Just a girl.

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ Kirk, despite his attitude, thinks he's quite good with children. Hell, he's a perpetual child on some levels, and quite a few people would agree with that assumption he was sure. And he recognized that look about what he thought was a young boy - angry, and lost. He had spent a good portion of his life with those same two looks.

Still did, sometimes.

He was munching on a sandwich - a large one, but he was a hungry man.

He finished chewing and swallowed, raising his hand at the kid.]</sub>

Yo, you new in town?

_{[ That new feather outfit was kind of a give away.]}

[aryaunderfoot]

[It took the girl a moment to realize that he meant her, but she stopped and looked over in his direction all the same. The first thing that registered was that he had a sandwich that would've made King Robert proud, but then it registered right after that, hey, maybe this man could point her in the direction of food. She was really hungry.

And so, she tentatively walked over to where the man was sitting, apprehensive but still curious. She nodded once she was close enough that he would see it.]

I just woke up here this morning.

action; needs more starks

[alloys]

[Tony doesn't leave his house much these days, but this was serious. He was out of his life force, aka coffee, so he was making his way to the grocery store when he passes the girl who looks a little lost.

Or really lost. Which, honestly, is about the only reason he bothers.]

...Let me guess. You're new.

action; ALL the Starks!

[aryaunderfoot]

[The girl glances up at him, a little taken aback that this guy just launched right into conversation without any further preamble, but okay, she can go with that. Although she does give a slight frown.]

Yes. I only just woke up here a few hours ago.

[thefinaljedi]

[Luke's out doing his weekly grocery shopping, keeping the kitchen well stocked with food and hot chocolate, among other things when he spots a young girl looking rather confused at all the food. And she's in a New Feather Dress. So...that means she's probably lost.]

Hello there. Are you looking for something to eat?

[aryaunderfoot]

[All these unknown foods are definitely a little overwhelming. Especially the clingy clear film on a lot of it. That can't possibly be edible. She glances over at the stranger with a frown.]

I found the things to eat. We just don't have a lot of these things where I come from.

Late morning

[origami_ninja]

[Konan has been training in the woods. It's such a novel thing to experience a day without rain, and her homeland doesn't have the large healthy trees that Luceti does.

As the young ninja is training, she spots a girl who looks just a little older than her carefully sneaking through the woods. She's curious as to what the other girl is up to, and begins following her. Konan's movements are quiet and stealthy up until she steps on a little twig that snaps under her shoe.]

Late morning

[aryaunderfoot]

[Something isn't right, the girl can sense it. She can feel something watching her. The moment that twig snaps, she immediately whirls around, snatches up a rock out of the path, and scans the trees for who or what could have made the noise. With all the howling going on earlier, it could be a wolf.

Except that it's a girl.

She goes still, but it's the stillness of the predator ready to lunge if need be.]

Why are you following me?

Mid-morning

[knightofratatosk]

[It's not a lion that approaches her as she makes her way through the plaza, but it does bear a vague resemblance to one... aside from being far too small, that is. Lions don't usually chirp curiously to demand attention, either.

And they DEFINITELY don't roll over to reveal a fuzzy belly for petting. So. Pet this strange creature, Y/N?]

Mid-morning

[aryaunderfoot]

[Sorry, fuzzy thing. No petting coming from this one. She's cautious around strange animals anyway, but ones that look like some kind of strange lion? Definitely not. She hasn't had the best track record with lions.

She does, however, give the thing a curious look, trying to figure out what it is. And circle slowly around it.

As if this morning hasn't been strange enough.]