First Snowfall [Action]

[aryaunderfoot]

[Beneath a thin blanket of snow, she stirred. The world had turned to snow and ice, trees mostly bare or covered in thick layers of needles, braced against the cold. This was not the cool, snowy world she had been born into, however; her nose told her as much. Still, the smells were familiar, if a bit confusing. She had been here once before. She and her human had once roamed these same woods. The smell was a bit different now, but she was sure her little human must be close. She put her nose to the wind, sniffed. Turned. Loped off into the trees, following the familiar.

The search did not take long. She stood over the girl, pushed her nose into her face.

Arya awoke to her direwolf breathing right in her face, hot, humid breaths melting the snow that had started to cover her.

A few moments later, she had found the journal. Memory stirred. Not all was clear quite yet, but with Nymeria by her side, she could face anything.

The hard part would be remembering which way the town lay in. That didn't bother her at all, though. Snow and ice just reminded her of home and of running through fresh-fallen summer snows with her brothers. It was a bittersweet memory, but one she was willing to take her time with as she started to walk back, Nymeria leading the way.]

[Arya arrived in town near sundown, barefoot but seemingly not bothered at all by it, flanked by her massive direwolf. First things were first: find something to cover the weak point of her wings, then find Needle. All else could follow after that.

She can be spotted at the clothing shop, digging through to find something warm that will block her wings from being visible, mostly just looking like some beggar girl with her hair all uneven and her elbows all scuffed up. Once she's bundled herself up in something thick and wooly, it's off to the blacksmith's to dig through and find Needle. And finally, properly armed and clothed, she heads to the grocery to snatch up something for Nymeria to eat... and maybe even a chunk of bread for herself.

Then, she figures, she should probably try to see if those people she was staying with before were still around...]

Comments

[aryaunderfoot]

Her name is Nymeria.

[Definitely reminds her of Bran. Nymeria watches the small girl curiously, tilting her head. Arya rests a hand on the scruff of her direwolf's neck just to be sure she won't move unless she wants her to.]

If you like, you can pet her. She likes having her ears scratched, and she'll stay if I tell her to. Nymeria, down.

[Luckily, the wolf sits, all obedience. Her tail gives a slow, lazy wag. You'd almost never know she's a known maneater around the Trident.]

[rutagraveolens]

Nymeria. Hi, Nymeria. It's a pretty name.

[Rue approaches the direwolf slowly, first offering a hand for Nymeria to sniff. Only then does she gently scratch the direwolf behind the ears.]

I'm Rue.

[aryaunderfoot]

[Nymeria's eye close halfway, all blissful direwolf, her tail wagging a little faster. A faint smile twitches onto Arya's face...

What an odd name, though. Who would name their child for something they rue?]

I'm Arya. [And also a bit proud of Nymeria for behaving herself so well here.] Do you not have wolves where you come from?

[rutagraveolens]

[Even with the flowers, it is an odd name for a child. Then again, naming conventions in Panem were strange; why would someone name their child Blight?]

It's nice to meet you, Arya. And I'm not sure. There are big dogs around, but that's because they patrol the fence and the area with Peacekeepers. I guess if there were wolves, they'd all be outside the fences. It might also be too hot around District Eleven.

[aryaunderfoot]

[She may not be sure what District Eleven is, but she still nods thoughtfully.]

Direwolves don't ever go too far south. My brothers found Nymeria and the rest of her litter up where the summer snows started, and they've never been so far south before.

[rutagraveolens]

You get snow in the summer? It must be very cold where you're from.

[Still petting Nymeria, yep. Such a nice face-eating direwolf.]

[aryaunderfoot]

[Nymeria allows a bit more petting before she gets to her paws and pads back over to Arya. Pets are all fine and dandy, but she prefers to stay by her human. Arya ruffles her wolf's fur affectionately.]

So the southrons say, but it was never very cold to me. I hear it gets near unbearable in winter, but I've never seen one. 'Til the winter here, that is.

[Her off-handed tone makes it clear that she doesn't consider this much of a winter.]

[rutagraveolens]

I guess the weather's not so bad if it's something you're used to. It was always pretty warm where I was from, muggy and sticky too. So this is a change for me.

[Rue gave a light shrug. She could bundle up here, was was better than most places. Still, she couldn't wait for the spring.]

Are you new here?