Wolves and Hounds Work Together Chapter 25, a game of thrones fanfic

A/N: This chapter is a little shorter, but I had to split my idea into two chapters because this one would be too long if I kept my ideas together…sad day. You will be seeing the second half of this chapter later this week. Enjoy and please review! I do not own any characters other than Borin. I also do not own the song.

About an hour before sunrise, Sandor groggily opened his eyes, struggling to see as they adjusted to the darkness. He had fallen asleep hours after the others, anxious to ensure Borin was not going to try anything in the night. Luckily for him, Stannis' man was a heavy sleeper and did not notice when Sandor stood watch over his smaller frame. Once he was satisfied Borin would not become a threat to them, Sandor leaned back against a tree and fell into a sleep that only men who had seen battle would know. Those were dreamless nights and any noise, whether it was the rustle of a tent flap in the wind or a sword being unsheathed, guaranteed that you would not be sleeping well out of fear of the unknown.

Once he could make out the shape of his horse several yards away, Sandor glanced towards the area Sansa had slept in. He strained his eyes, trying to make out her sleeping form, but only saw an abandoned sleeping roll and his cloak he had placed over top of hers to ward off the chill. Looking right and left, he could still not see her and panic set in. Disregarding his armor, Sandor quickly jumped up from the base of the tree with his sword belt in hand. In one motion, the belt and scabbard were secured across his muscular waist and he rushed off towards the sound of the flowing river nearby.

Sandor ran through the brush, hand on the hilt of his sword, but did not dare call out her name. Never know who could be out in these woods. Gods, she better be safe. He was nearing the tree line and stopped suddenly when he heard a woman humming. Sansa. Sandor listened where the soft noise was coming from and followed it a couple of yards away from where he stood. Looking at the river from behind a tree, Sandor saw his Little Bird kneeling at the edge with her hands in the water. She cupped some of water and splashed it onto her face, letting the drips fall back into the river. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of cool morning air. This is the most beautiful sight any man could ever be privileged to see. How is it that an ugly dog like me gets to have this moment?

Realizing how awkward the situation would become if he were to be caught, Sandor turned to leave for their camp when he accidentally stepped on a twig. It snapped, crack, in two and the sound cut through the air. He stood in silence, hoping Sansa had not heard. Inwardly chastising himself when he heard her gasp, Sandor turned around and thought it best to make his presence known. The leaves rustled under his boots and Sansa cried out, "Who's there? Don't come any closer!"

He smiled and answered, "Shhh, Little Bird. It's just me. Now quit your chirping or else everyone else in this godforsaken forest will hear you."

Sansa let out a sigh of relief when he spoke and stepped out of the trees. "Thank the Gods it is you, Sandor. For a moment, I feared it was someone from Kings Landing out to get us."

Sandor chose to disregard what she had said, knowing that if anyone from the capital were to be within the vicinity, they were sure to know about it. That prick Joffrey would be guaranteed to send out an entire army for this girl. We would hear them coming before we see them. He made his way to the river bank and laid down on his side next to Sansa, propping the unburned side of his face in his hand. She, in turn, kneeled to face him.

A moment of silence followed, each lost in their own thoughts. Curious, Sandor asked, "What was it you were humming?"

Sansa looked back out over the water and off into the distance. "It is a song of the North. I remember hearing it as a little girl back in Winterfell. Arya and I would sneak out sometimes and we would hear our Father's banner men singing into the night. It wasn't until now that I really understood what it meant."

"Sing it for me," Sandor requested which shocked both of them. Sansa looked back at him and stared into his eyes. He could see there was pain within them and almost regretted asking for the song, but was taken back when she started to sing in the sweetest voice he had ever heard.

Land of bear and land of eagle

Land that gave us birth and blessing

Land that called us ever homewards