The Wolfswood was coveted in silence this evening. Normally bustling with the sounds of leaves agitated by the wind and the direwolves howling deep within the foliage, all Lady Evelyn could hear was her horse's hooves crunching on the dead leaves carpeting the ground. Ever since the other Houses began settling down in the Wolfswood with her House, House Silverwood and House Stark it has been harder and harder to find game and forage. The creatures have been moving deeper into the woods and it is almost like the plants are uprooting and going with them. Only the bravest hunters are able to go deep into the woods, for fear of being taken down by a direwolf pack outweighs the need for food.
Lady Evelyn set out to find more herbs for her healing poultices which have begun to diminish after the patch by the keep died from rot. Luckily for House Silverwood, they have been settled for a good number of years and have been able to farm for themselves and no longer rely on the surrounding woods to support their people except for a few certain plants. This includes the Moon Deliah, a rare flower which only blooms during the full moon for a few moments, revealing its pollen which is the secret to Lady Evelyn's potent healing poultices, then dying.
She slowly scanned the ground as she guided her tall Friesian mare among the trees and thorn bushes. Lord Emmerson strongly disapproved of his beautiful wife wandering the Wolfswood so late in the night without protection of the guards but she put up her hand stating how she cannot risk others knowing her secret healing ingredients for the same ingredients can be used to poison a whole village. She sighed thinking of her sweet Emmerson always looking out for her well-being, which made her almost topple off her horse when a giant beast burst out of a bush in front of them. The horse reared up in surprise and it took all of Evelyn's strength to hold on. The direwolf barred it large teeth, growling and snarling. The horse then took off into the trees with Evelyn holding on for dear life. She eventually regained her seating and was able to reign back control. The direwolf vanished.
"Where did it go?" She breathed to herself. The horse danced underneath her, agitated and afraid. She walked her in tight circles trying to calm her down while looking into the ever darkening trees for search of the beast. Then the growling continued from a source unknown, but she knew the direwolf could see her. She spurred the horse back into a gallop in the direction she thought would take her back to Silverwood.
The farther they went, the more her fear grew because she did not recognize these woods. When her horse darted off, she honestly had no idea which direction they had gone. All she could think about was the pain she would feel by the sharp fangs of the direwolf ripping into her body if she did not get away from it. She reigned in the horse to a brisk walk and listened. No growling, no other sounds indicating another creature creeping after them. She took a deep breath to slow her racing heart, but it was no use because she realized how lost she was. None of the surroundings looked like the woods by Silverwood. The trees were giant, knarled, twisted things which depicted their age as old as the First Men. Only the old Gods know how far she has gone.
Evelyn rode a little while longer until she heard water running somewhere close by. Her spirits began to rise for a small stream traveled by Silverwood. If she could follow the water source she may be able to find her way back home. She trotted her horse in the direction of the rushing water and pushed past the flowing branches of the largest willow tree she has ever seen, then her horse stopped dead in her tracks. Before them was the most beautiful waterfall spilling into the bluest lake she had ever seen. It was a giant clearing, but the waterfall wasn't what made her gasp in surprise. There grazing the crisp, green grass were at least 50 horses with a large horn sprouting from their foreheads.
"My god," Evelyn whispered. Slowly all of the beautiful creatures turned their long faces to look at her, like she was the strange creature invading their home. Evelyn dismounted and tied her horse to a stump. She walked slowly into the clearing, afraid to make any sudden movements. She wasn't sure if they would run off in fright or impale her upon their mighty horns.
One of them came forward from the waterfall. She was mighty, with a large strong body. Dappled gray with a long flowing silver mane, this one looked to be the eldest of the herd and possibly the lead mare. She made her way to Evelyn, who had not the slightest clue what to do. Her first instinct was to sink to her knees to show remission and that she meant no harm. The movement made the mare stop for a split second but then she continued with more grace than caution to where Evelyn kneeled. The mare lowered her head and blew air into Evelyn's face before she too lowered her magnificent body to the ground and put her head in Evelyn's lap. The mare's big brown eye's looked up at her. Evelyn could almost sense a sadness radiating from her. She rubbed the great mare's face.
"Unicorns. The wonders these woods hold," she said softly. "It's a miracle no one has yet to destroy these beautiful creatures. I will keep you safe." At that, the mare got to her feet almost knocking Evelyn over. She then trotted over to the edge of the clearing heading east and tossed her head. Evelyn went and grabbed her horse, "Do you want me to follow you?" Evelyn said as she lead her horse over to were the mare was standing. The mare tossed its head again and walked out of the clearing. Then all at once the rest of herd followed, catching Evelyn and her horse in the tide.
She didn't know how long she walked with the herd. She tried to count exactly how many unicorns there were but she couldn't keep track. The lead mare stayed at the front, walking in a straight line to where, she did not know. That was until something inside her made her heart flutter. Her surroundings looked familiar all of sudden. She knew these woods. The unicorns led her home.
Eventually they made it to the back gate, horns were blowing to alert the keep that something has arrived. The guards stood there with confounded looks on their faces, even more so when Evelyn made her way to the front of the herd.
"Sirs, please go alert my Lord that I have made it back from my journey. Then please fetch every available stable hand you can find or anyone willing to help. Also tell Maester Gwuin to send a raven out for Bran the Builder, we have work to do."