Sandor Clegane stared ahead at the snow covered road. He had sat in silence on the cart the whole trip to Winterfell, the home of the noble Stark family, and from now on it was to be his home too.

"Almost there boy". Sandor didn't have to turn his head to see the man give a furtive glance his way, fear or disgust seeping into his eyes as he beheld his scarred face. The same look he had received from everyone since he was six. Since his brother had shoved his face into the flames. Sandor gave a grunt in response.

In the distance Winter Town had come into view and just beyond that the great walls that surrounded Winterfell; soon the snow falling from the sky thinned and the great castle was in his view. He would have been more amazed by it if he hadn't grown up in the shadow of Casterly Rock his whole life.

Eddard Stark walked swiftly to the gate, his family waiting there already for him. He smiled at his wife holding their youngest daughter Arya, Brandon was still indoors at nearly a year old there was no need to have him outdoors unnecessarily. Sansa shifted anxiously at her mother's feet, she smiled up at him. Robb and Jon greeted him first, Eddard placed a hand on each of the boys shoulders proud of how well they were growing.

The cart carrying Sandor Clegane rode through the gate, Eddard watched their ward exit the cart, he was taller than his sons though he couldn't be much older than them. "Hello Sandor I am Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell" He smiled kindly, Sandor's expression never changed from his set grimace "This is my wife Lady Catelyn, she's holding Arya, and there is Sansa, Robb and Jon, our youngest, Brandon, is inside resting"

Sandor looked to the Stark family. When his eyes landed on Sansa she frowned and clutch at her mother's skirts, she looked like a scared little bird, her large blue eyes gleaming with fear before she turned her gaze to the ground.

"Hello" Robb stepped forward, holding his hand out to Sandor who hesitated before extending his own "It's nice to meet you. Would you like Jon and I to show you around?"

Sandor looked to his new Lord who gave an encouraging nod. "Alright" he responded.

The three boys walked off and Sandor quickly learned the layout of the grounds. "Over there is where we train, we learn to use swords and bows, do you know who to fight?"

"Yes."

"How old are you" Jon peeped up.

"Eleven."

"You've got two years on me then, how about we spar later?" Robb challenged.

Sandor smiled, the burned part of his lips twitched "I would like that"

"Robb? Jon?" a small voice behind them squeaked.

"What is it Sansa?" Robb asked his little sister.

When Sandor looked to the girl she avoided his face, a small hand tangling into the curls of her red hair. "Mum says to come in for supper now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ages: 12 & 6 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sandor stalked to the edge of the field heading into the woods. He had been at Winterfell nearly a year now and he had made a habit of taking a stroll while the stark family visited the Godswoods.

There was a crunch of leaves behind him, he slowly turned and saw red hair dart behind a tree he smirked at the little girls attempt to follow him. He continued on his way smiling to himself every time she made a miss step or broke a twig but he never let her know he had heard until he reached a small pond "Alright little bird come on out now."

"How did you know?"Sansa Stark peeked out behind an oak tree slowly approaching Sandor, her eyes tentatively darted to his scars. The Starks had been kinder than most when faced with his horrid appearance.

"You are not as sneaky as you think" She pouted at his words.

"Why don't you ever pray to the Gods?" She knelt beside him her hand making little circles in the water.

"Don't see any reason too, have never done me any good" he grunted. Sansa frowned slightly then jumped up, startling the boy, she stared up into his eyes happily, once again he thought of how small she seemed compared to him, "Let's play a game Sandor! Ill hide and you must find me".

Before he could respond the girl was running off to the woods giggling the whole way. Sandor closed his eyes and waited a few minutes before turning and chasing after the little bird.

Later when the sun was low in the sky and their breaths were visible in the cooling air Sandor and Sansa trudged back to the main house. "Can I come play with you again next time we go to the Godswoods?"

"Of course" Sandor answered knowing it wouldn't matter if he had said no this little bird had been following him around the keep a lot lately.

"Robb, Jon and Arya can come too?" She smiled at the ground careful of her foot steps in the building snow.

"Sure little bird that would be fun". Sometimes he still felt unsettled in the North, the Starks were generous to him and he wasn't use to having someone wanting him around and wanting to play games with him. His own brother would never play silly games of hide and seek.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ages: 13 & 7 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sansa settled down on the edge of the training grounds, she had just finished her lessons and her mother had let her take some lemon cakes with her while she watch the boys. Arya tottered behind her watching the boys practice intently, eyes sparkling and little gasps escaping with every swing of a sword.

Sansa smoothed her dress out "Arya if you want any sweets you have to sit down." Her sister ignored her and soon ran closer to the boys standing beside Jon asking questions a mile a minute.

Sansa daintily bit into a lemon cake. More for me then she smiled to herself loving the burst of flavor on her tongue

"Sweets already little bird?" Sansa jumped, she hadn't noticed Sandor approaching her, she nodded to him softly. "How were your lessons?"

"We learned about house sigils! I know all the Stark Bannermen House sigils off by heart".

"Do you now?" Sandor eased down on the ground, sitting across from her, he sat slightly hunched his body dwarfed the little girl, he had grown more over the last few weeks.

"I'll tell you them there is House Cerwyn: black battle axe, House Bolten: red flayed man, House Mormont: black bear, House Glover: silver mailed fist..." Sansa continued to prattle off Houses and their respective sigils with calm practice, but as she neared the end she felt her common disappointment that they did not have prettier sigils she could remember. "My favorite is House Manderly: white merman with green hair" she smiled proudly at her accomplishment, Septa Mordane and Maester Luwinļ¾§ were always praising her.

"Aye I bet seeing as it is the closest thing to pretty you could daydream about while in lessons. I imagine your sister enjoyed the lesson very much." The two turned to watch Arya swing a stick at Robb while Jon cheered her on.

"She liked House Cerwyn and Dustin most of all"

Sandor smirked and turned his gaze back to hers. "I always liked House Ryswell sigil."

"A black horses head with red eyes and mane" Sansa quickly supplied the imagery. "Why do you know the Stark Bannermen sigils? Which noble house is your family sworn to?"

"I was taught the house sigils just as you and it is the Lannisters: golden lions" he supplied when her face scrunched up trying to think of their sigil "You will like learning the others, House Tyrell is a golden rose" Sansas smile brightened

"How beautiful" She sighed then reached for another lemon cake but before she bit into it she handed one to Sandor

"Thank you little bird" he didn't care too much for sweets but still accepted her offer knowing she would not easily give them up to anyone. Sansa frowned

"Why do you call me that I am not a bird I am a wolf" she was clearly referring to her own house sigil.

Sandor chuckled "Robb and Jon are wolves, seven hells even Arya is a wolf but you are a little bird through and through" Sansas face reddened at his cuss even though it was not nearly as bad as the ones he used when alone with the stark boys. She didn't seem happy to be called a bird among her family of wolves... she was nearly as out of place as him.

"What is the House Clegane sigil?" Sandors face darkened, his scars twitched the way they always did when he was asked of his home

"Three hounds. I am a hound. In the wolves den."He murmured staring at the little cake in his hand he didn't expect to feel the girls tiny hand pat his head gingerly avoiding contact with his scars

"I'll keep you safe." She smiled kindly "You are my hound." Sandor felt a pang in his chest when he stared into her Tully blue eyes then pulled his face from her hand and scarfed down the cake. Sansa giggled and ate hers with the same vigor.

"Sansa are you bothering Sandor?" Robb asked as he and the others joined the two, he scooped up two cakes handing one to Arya who munched happily.

"She's no bother" Sandor's voice seemed gruffer when the other boys were around. Sansa liked that he would be more soft spoken to her at times. Jon snatched the last cake and split it with her. The five children spent rest of the day together, laughing and play fighting with sticks. The hound felt more at ease than usual in this den of wolves that contained one little chirping bird.