aryaunderfoot | 3rd Winter [Action/Video]

[Another wave of incoming New Feathers is slowing down, and again there aren't any familiar faces added to the village. Arya hadn't realized just how much her hopes had gotten up until she was suddenly aware of how much it ached that she hadn't seen her father walking through town, or heard Jon's voice. Even stupid old Gendry or Hot Pie would've been a relief. As it is, she's frustrated and hurting, once again thwarted by a bunch of people who would rather make Spock's hands not work than bring her father back for her. Maybe Thoros said he couldn't bring back someone without a head, but the Malnosso can.

But they won't. Of course they won't. And she's stupid to think they would.]

[Early morning finds Arya out at the barracks, viciously attacking straw dummies with Needle. With each strike, she goes through her list aloud: Ser Ilyn, Ser Meryn, Ser Gregor. Dunsen and Raff the Sweetling. Queen Cersei. The Malnosso, the Malnosso, the Malnosso. By mid-morning, she's tired and sweating and no less hollow. Not wanting to talk to much of anyone, she skips going back to House 2 to change and just cuts through the edge of town, over a bridge, and back out in the general direction of the Battle Dome, only straight into the trees instead. And she keeps on going, Nymeria padding along silently beside her.

It's mid-afternoon when she stumbles upon it. Deep in the woods, with nothing but the rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds around. And she stands there a while, just soaking in the familiarity, before eventually going to nestle down among the roots with Nymeria.

Much later, just as the sun is going down, she opens the journal she's been ignoring all day and carefully follows the steps she remembers to sending a filtered message... not that she's mastered this art yet.]

[7% Filtered to Natasha Romanoff, Logan, Luke Skywalker, and Konan]

I lied to you all before. About my name, that is. It isn't Cat. [And here, with the bone-white bark of a weirwood tree at her back, Needle on her hip, and a keen-eyed direwolf at her side, she knows she can't deny being a child of the North any longer. After all, you can't lie in front of a weirwood. Fierce pride shines in her grey eyes.] I'm Arya, of House Stark.

I'd say I'm sorry for lying, but I'm not. It wasn't a safe name back home. But all of you should know the truth.

[/filter]

[She pauses for a moment, changes the filter back off, and then decides to address the rest of the town. The video clicks on with a good view of the white trunk at Arya's back, stretching up into a blood-red canopy of leaves. The tree definitely has a striking look to it. Arya seems pleased.]

Back home, these trees are sacred to the old gods of the North. Years and years ago, the Children of the Forest carved faces into them so the old gods could watch over the people and the woods.

In the north, every great castle has a godswood with a weirwood heart tree in the center. All of them have different faces. [Beat.] This one doesn't have a face, but I guess that makes sense without any of the Children being here.

Do we have other trees like this anywhere else in Luceti? I only found the one. Or does anyone have something like this back home?

[[ooc: Anyone who wants to hack the filtered, feel free!]]

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[Well, that's got her curiosity. She perks up a bit.]

What kind of something? Nymeria and I are coming back to the village soon. We can meet you on the way.

A small present. I'll explain more when we meet in person.

[Because she knows Arya can keep secrets, but the journals aren't completely secure.]

[Arya nods. She's already learned that the journals aren't safe enough - thanks, Tony - so she's not going to argue about doing things the safer way.]

We'll meet you by the Battle Dome, then.

[She was just about to start getting her things together anyway.]

Until then.

[Konan shuts off the feed and heads over to the dome. The gift she's crafted is a small origami wolf that can easily fit in a pocket. It's got a bit of Konan's chakra in it, though.]

[It takes Arya a decent amount of time to get back to the Battle Dome, but Nymeria goes loping along ahead of her and trots over to Konan once they do get there. As the direwolf sniffs at Konan curiously, Arya comes into the clearing. She gives the ninja a quick, small smile in greeting.]

Nymeria, to me.

[The direwolf is getting much more obedient again, but she still gives Konan one last sniff before turning to go back to her partner.]

[Konan still isn't afraid of Nymeria, though she's got the sense not to make any sudden movements when Nymeria is sniffing at her.

She briefly returns the smile as she approaches Arya.

Reaching into her pocket, she withdraws the little origami wolf and holds it out for Arya to take.]

Do you remember when I showed you what I could do with my chakra and paper?

[Arya takes it carefully, turning it this way and that so she can get a better look at it. A little paper wolf. She's never seen anything quite like this.

She nods in answer to the question and looks up at Konan curiously.]

Yes. Does this one do something?

It does. You can use it to send messages to me without relying on the journal. Think of it as functioning like a voice message that will only reach me.

[She's been able to do this for surveillance of her small country. Even with her powers cut in half, it's easy enough to leave a few people with these.]

If your enemies ever arrive here or if you want to send a message without anyone else knowing about it, you can use that to contact me.

[Arya holds up her little origami wolf to eye level, taking a much stronger shine to it already. It means more to her than she can even think to say, to have something like this available. This kind of thing could have saved so much trouble and pain, back home.]

Thank you. [That has to be the first time she's uttered those words in a long, long time.] All I have to do is talk to it, right?

That's right. As long as we're both in Luceti, I will be able to hear you.

[She's a light sleeper, too. Konan offers a slight, teasing smile.]

A wolf seemed more fitting for you than a flower.

[Arya smiles back, maybe a little self-deprecating.]

My sister was more of the flower type. I've always been a wolf.

[Although saying that makes her feel like she's calling her sister a Tyrell and that is. Not the case. Although it would have been much better than the wedding she did get.]

A small but fierce one.

[Konan says it fondly, though.]

Were you close with your sister?

[Hey, she accepts that she's small. The fierce part is the part that counts. Arya starts to grin, but it fades at the question. She shakes her head.]

We fought a lot. We never agreed about much of anything. But she was my family.

[Which means that, Sansa being Sansa aside, she's part of the pack.]

[Konan smiles a little at that. Even people who were close could argue from time to time, and even moreso if their personalities clashed.]

If she ever comes here, you have my word that I will help you protect her.

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