Sansa sat in the sunlight, watching Arya practice with her sword. It had been two days since they left Branwen's farm, traveling by night and lying up by day, and she was beginning to get used to the pace set by the Hound. She rode her own horse now, and found pride in being able to ride all night and take care of the horse when it was time to stop. They were still well within Baelish' sphere of influence, but today they had finally made it out of the Vale and Sandor thought they could begin traveling by day. That was a relief. The moon was almost gone and Sansa had begun to worry that one of the horses would put a foot wrong in the dark and someone would get hurt.

Arya moved back and forth, weaving her sword from one hand to the other, a look of intense concentration on her face, and Sansa could almost forget they were fugitives. Then her sister froze, her sword at the ready. "People coming."

Sansa looked down the hill and saw a big blond woman, followed by a sturdy young man toting saddlebags on his shoulder. "I know her! That's Lady Brienne of Tarth. She was at Joffrey's wedding."

Arya didn't seem to have heard. Sandor was off in the bushes and she called to him, "You can shit later! There's people coming."

Sansa, blushing for Arya's language, realized her sister and the Hound didn't know who Brienne was and she scrambled to her feet as the woman climbed up to them, smiling pleasantly. She smiled back. "Lady Brienne."

Brienne stopped dead, staring at the girl. "Sansa Stark. What are you doing here?" She looked past Sansa at Arya, who was still in a guarded position with her sword ready. "And your sister, Arya?"

Sansa nodded as Sandor came around the rocks, fixing his belt. He took one look at Brienne and stepped in front of the girls. "You want something?"

The young man behind Brienne came to her side. "Sandor Clegane, the Hound."

Sandor put his hand to his sword. "I asked if you want something."

Brienne ignored him, staring at the two sisters. "I swore an oath to your mother that I would bring you home."

Arya said coldly, "Our mother's dead."

"I know." Brienne took a step forward. "I wish I could have been there to protect her. I swore a sacred vow to protect her."

"Why didn't you?"

Brienne's eyes fell. "She commanded me to take Jaime Lannister to King's Landing."

The Hound had heard enough. "You're paid by the Lannisters. You're here for the bounty on me."

Brienne shook her head. "I'm not paid by the Lannisters."

"No?" Sandor walked forward. "Fancy sword you've got there. Where did you get it?" Brienne's eyes darted between Sansa and Arya. They were both silent, waiting to see what she would say as the Hound went on, "I've been looking at Lannister gold my whole life. Go on, tell me that's not Lannister gold."

Brienne gripped the hilt of Oathkeeper. "Jaime Lannister gave me this sword." Sandor looked back at Sansa and Arya and the younger girl pushed her sister behind her. Brienne saw the distrust in both girls now and she said passionately, "I swore a sacred oath by the old gods…"

"I don't care what you swore!" Arya held her sword out.

"You heard the girl." Sandor had not drawn his sword but every muscle of his body had tensed. "They're not going with you."

Brienne drew her sword halfway. "They are. I'll take them to safety."

"Safety!" The Hound's face twisted with anger. "Where the fuck's that? Their aunt in Eyrie is dead. Their mother is dead. Their father is dead. Their brother is dead. Winterfell is a pile of rubble. There's no safety anywhere. If you don't know that, you dumb bitch, you're the wrong one to watch over them."

"And that's what you're doing, watching over them?" Brienne sneered at the Hound and a muscle jerked in his face, but he answered her with a quiet finality.

"Aye, that's what I'm doing."

She drew her sword, he followed suit, and Sansa ran between them before she knew what she was doing. "Stop!"

Sandor grabbed Sansa and pulled her close as he swung around to shield her from Brienne with his own body. Arya ran forward and he caught her as well, holding her tightly as she screamed and swore, flailing at Brienne with Needle. The blond woman took a step back in confusion and Podrick hurried to her side. "Milady, I think there is some misunderstanding here."

She gave him a thoroughly exasperated look, then laid her sword on the ground and straightened up, her hands out. "Perhaps we should all talk."

The Hound looked over his shoulder, then turned around fully, still holding Arya in an iron grip. She was silent now, her expression full of hate, and he shook her arm. "Put your sword away." Sansa clutched him, tears pouring down her face, and he stroked her hair reassuringly. "It's all right, little bird." He glared at Brienne. "What the hell do you want to say now?"

Brienne took a deep breath. "I don't think I understand the situation."

"Oh, you don't think you understand the situation?" Sandor spat contemptuously. "All you need to understand is that these girls have a protector. You can take your sacred oath and shove it up your…"

"Sandor!" Sansa pulled at his arm with trembling hands and he wiped the anger off his face to look at her. "I know this lady. She was in King's Landing at Joffrey's wedding. I never heard any wrong of her. Maybe...maybe we should listen to her."

"Do you want to go with her?" The Hound held his breath as he waited for Sansa's answer.

"No, of course not, but she knew my mother." Sansa gazed up at Sandor appealingly. "I want to hear what she has to say."

Arya had put Needle away but she still had her hand on the hilt. "I don't care what she has to say."

Podrick had been searching through the saddlebags and now he stepped forward. "Arya, is it? I have a gift for you." He held out a large canine-shaped cookie and Arya's eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?"

"From your friend Hot Pie." Podrick smiled. "He's quite a cook."

"I know." Arya took a hesitant step forward and Podrick handed her the cookie. She retreated back to the Hound and her sister. "Sansa, do you really want to talk to them?" Sansa nodded and Arya looked up at Sandor. "Maybe it wouldn't hurt."

Sandor was disgusted. "So they have a cookie that looks like an animal and you want to listen to them?"

"It's not just any animal." Arya waved the cookie at the Hound. "It's a direwolf. It's my direwolf, Nymeria." She looked over at Brienne. "You can eat with us." The blond woman nodded and bent to retrieve her sword. "Leave it! If you want to talk, you'll talk unarmed."