video;

[wolfdreamer]

[Bran's smile is only a little wan--and that is only because he is distracted, because Summer is distracted. The great direwolf is sitting at his feet, but Summer has grown large enough that he is still visible in the video feed. Something is ailing the direwolf, making him skittish. He huffs a whine as the video begins, and Bran looks down at him, and lays a hand atop Summer's head.]

Be still.

[Summer's ears flick, nervously; he blinks, and whines again. Bran looks to his device, his hand still resting atop his direwolf's head.]

I am looking for paper--perhaps twenty or thirty sheets of paper, that is not being used. Most things on this ship are written by typing, but there must be some paper somewhere. I can make a trade for it, if it is necessary. And I will need tape-- [That is a new word, but he says it smoothly.] --and scissors, with which to cut. They must be able to do fine work, I think.

[Restlessly, Summer raises his head. The video jars a little, and Bran quickly reaches to steady it, as he gives his direwolf a slightly anxious look.]

In Westeros, great tourneys are often held, where knights prove their merit in the lists. That means a joust, though there is sometimes melee fighting as well. I have never seen a tourney, only heard tales of them--and we have very few knights here. So we are going to let our direwolves race instead, and have a feast, just as if it were a true tourney. [Summer whines again, more plantively. He shrugs out from beneath Bran's hand, turning in a tight circle.] Summer, quiet. It is only a shadow.

There must be a prize, at the end, and I have been trying to think of something good. I have ideas, but they aren't very good, so I thought--

[But what he thought is never realized, because Summer moves quite sharply then, twisting away from Bran and the video with a sharp growl. Bran's face pinches in worry, and he grabs hastily for his device, to steady it again, before he shuts it off. It is an ungainly end to the message, but his concern trumps his good manners.]

Comments

[wolfchild]

I don't know. I think they might be. There's always that feeling when you wake up again. Like you're being watched.

[ after a time the jumps all began to meld together in the monotony of repetition. only a few stand out. arya was paranoid from the beginning, spent so long believing the ship to be a trick — wanting it to be — but she does not think her firsts were like these ones.

smiley's warnings come to mind again. arya remembers every cryptic red message. ( what would the kindly man make of such a creature? could he understand smiley? neither are themselves.

maybe that's why she continues to seek him out. the kindly man never told a lie either. ) ]

Something's happening, [ she says slowly. ( do you think or do you know? ) ] And whatever they are, they've got stronger now so we can see them. Or they're more daring. I think.

[wolfdreamer]

[Watched. Like a thousand eyes. Bran thinks of the smell in Summer's nose as he ran, flat and dead and cold--and yet the feeling of being in the wood, the feeling of eyes.]

Then we must know how to fight them.

[If they are watching, if they are growing more daring--]

Or else we must learn about them, too. If we could know what they are, and what they intend--if we could know anything of them--surely that would help us.

[Help when the shadows do act--for they will act. They must.]

[wolfchild]

There's no one to ask. [ nothing to consult, no wise men. ] The only one who ever talks to us is Himself and he only ever talks in riddles.

[ and smiley only appears so rarely. arya wishes she could track him down somehow. or that he would stop disconnecting every conversation before she can get something useful. ]

[wolfdreamer]

[The red face, that wears the smile. That's who she means, it must be. Everyone is afraid of the smiling face, and Bran does not much like it, either.

But a man is brave, when he is afraid. He remembers the weight of his father's hand on his shoulder, and he lays a hand on Summer's head. He can feel the little twitches of his direwolf's eyes, as he looks around.]

We could seek him, then. If he knows the answers, we could find him and ask. And if he answered in riddles, then we could learn their answers too. Everyone is afraid of him, and that means that we should find him.

[wolfchild]

He won't say where he is. Just that he's "inside." [ whatever that means.

arya chews her lip as she thinks. ] We could try to call him out. But we can't make it obvious that's what we're doing. [ or risk the guard dogs falling on them. ]

[wolfdreamer]

[There are many places to be inside, aboard the ship. Bran frowns, and knits his fingers in Summer's fur. Many people have gone against this force, but he will not be afraid. He will have Summer, and Arya, and Nymeria. They will learn something.]

Then we should do it. There are places in the ship that are far from people. We can go there, and try to summon him. If he truly wants to help, he will show himself.

[wolfchild]

We can try. [ grounded forever, fuck yeah. ] When do you think we should?

[wolfdreamer]

[He smiles, a little--just a little. It will be dangerous. But if they succeed, if they learn something of the ship--then the danger will not matter. (And maybe it is childish, but Bran likes that he will get to do this task with Arya.)]

Soon. We should not wait too long. If these shadows are getting bolder, then we should learn what we can of them. We can tell Robb and Mother that we will be in the shuttle bay, and we can go then, instead of working. If we take Nymeria and Summer, we will be protected enough.

[wolfchild]

[ nymeria and summer, their comms, and food and water in case they need to be there a few hours. arya could borrow some daggers from gendry; maybe she could give one to bran to keep always. ]

I'll get what we need. You can tell them. [ cat and robb won't suspect bran, but they will ask questions of arya. ]

[wolfdreamer]

[He does not hesitate so that Arya can see, but--there is a hesitation in him. To betray Robb and Mother's trust--well, when they are successful, even and Robb and Mother will be grateful to them. Their anger will be less.]

All right. I will come to your room once I have told them.

[wolfchild]

[ she doesn't feel any better about it. but what other choice do they have? arya lays her hand on bran's arm. ]

Come on. I'll walk with you to your room.

[wolfdreamer]

You don't have to.

[But that will be his sole protest on the matter. He is glad, for Arya's company, as long as she will grant it to him. And he will be glad to have her beside him. The shadows do not frighten him, not really. But it will help, having her there.]

[wolfchild]

I don't do things because I have to.

[ really bran when have you known your sister to be otherwise. ]

But if you don't hurry, I will kiss you again.

[wolfdreamer]

[That gets a laugh out of him, even if he pulls a disgusted face.]

Don't you dare.

[He's already climbing to his feet, steadying himself against Summer as he needs it.]

And if you want me to hurry so badly-- [And then he grins at her, and pushes off from his direwolf, springing into a run down the corridor.] --you'll have to keep up!

[wolfchild]

[ rude. forget kissing, when she catches him, he's going in a headlock. ]

Seven hells! Bran!

[ caught unaware, arya swears before racing after him. ]

[wolfdreamer]

Don't swear--

[He doesn't mean it; he doesn't care. He's only saying it to be contrary, and anyway he nearly doesn't say it at all, because he's laughing too hard. Summer has taken off running, too, and he passes Bran easily, but he is still ahead of Arya--though for how long, who can say--]

You'll never catch up, you're too slow!

[wolfchild]

Shut up! [ she's laughing too even as she's yelling. arya takes off her boot and throws it at him. ] Just wait until I catch you!

[wolfdreamer]

[He yells, like her boot is actually going to hurt him. Summer's ears prick at the thud of the boot hitting the floor, and he wheels around, to try and pick the boot up.]

You can't run without shoes! You'll slip and fall, and never catch me!

[wolfchild]

[ arya throws her other shoe his way too. by this time nymeria is waiting for it, thinking this a game, and she jumps after it. arya ignores her and summer to give chase. when she gets close enough, she snags the back of bran's shirt. ]

[wolfdreamer]

No--

[He shouts his protest, but she has a grip on him now, for all that he struggles to break free.]

Let go! This is cheating--

[He tries to reach around behind him, to beat at her hands, with no success.]

[wolfchild]

[ the yells roll off her back. if anyone cheated, he did, starting early. arya gets a firm grip on him, locking her arms around his torso. ]

Yield!

[wolfdreamer]

[Her grip stops him abruptly-- he yells again, this time more of a laugh, and tries to struggle forward--]

No! I won't yield--

[wolfchild]

Yield! [ she crows. arya digs her feet in so he cannot break free. ] It's what you do when a wolf has you!

[wolfdreamer]

No--

[But she has him, and there is no escaping--and anyways, he is too breathless with laughter to protest much more. He sags a little as he stops struggling.]

I yield, but you didn't win the race. A wolf wouldn't make a race into catching me.

[wolfchild]

[ those are the only races for wolves. ]

You didn't win either, [ she says instead. ] Where are my boots—give it here, you!

[ arya lets go of bran to corner nymeria. ]