Osha, Rickon and Shaggydog left the ruins of Winterfell together. She remembered a map of Luwin's she had once seen. Directly right from Winterfell was the King's Road. So she went right. Her right. "Strange," she murmured. "I don't remember seeing a wood to the right of Winterfell... Oh, well..."
Prologue
Rickon and Osha trampled through the night, wet and cold and hungry. A light snow trickled down onto their heads as they walked slowly. Shaggydog walked alongside them, his bright green eyes like headlamps. His head turned, looking one way and then another, keeping constant watch over the thick wood around them. "I'm tired, Osha..." whined Rickon. He could hardly be blamed for complaining. They had been walking in the snow for a few hours now, and his little eyes drooped a little more with each passing second.
It's easy to forget that he's only eight years old, mused Osha. "We'll get some rest soon, little cub," she said. They had been away from Winterfell for ten odd days now, crossing the snow between the ruin of the Capital of the North and the King's Road. Osha's plan was to follow the road northwards and take it all the way to the Last River, where they then would take a right and pass through the forest to the castle of Last Hearth, and rest there a while. That was the plan, anyway. But plans had a habit of failing.
I've been lookin' at too many maps 'gain, she thought. She remembered Maester Luwin reading and writing in his little room. Once, when she was bringing his food, she looked at his old maps. They were strange names and places all over it. She couldn't read any of it, but when she had asked Bran, he had named a few to her.
A few minutes later, the snow cleared up and they came across an overhanging of rock in a small clearing. It was relatively clear of snow, and there was a small fire with glowing embers in the middle. It looked like heaven to her tired eyes. They sat down together. Shaggydog growled, but Rickon made him quiet, and soon even the direwolf lay down next to them.
An hour passed. Osha left at one point and came back a few minutes later with a rabbit. They were half-way through eating the little mammal, when they heard a noise in the surrounding wood. Leaves crunching and a twig snapping. Shaggydog leapt up and started growling manically, practically frothing at the mouth. "Who's there?" asked Osha, standing.
Four large men walked out of the woods. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" asked the largest of the four, grinning slightly. He was wearing chain-mail, with an unsheathed steel longsword in his hand.
The others wore boiled leather and a small amount of chain, but the big one was obviously their leader. He stood straight, and Osha guessed he was at least six foot seven. He had chiselled features and a long yet comely face, with deep-set, shining blue eyes and a strong demeanour.
The fire, Osha realised. We didn't think who made the fire, and now we're payin' for it...
Author's note: This is just a really quick prologue for The Long Journey. In the end, I hope to make it quite a 'Long' story, and I hope you enjoy the Journey! Please let me know if you like it ^_^