Now that Lois was dead, the Hound was taking Meg to her Aunt Carol in the Vale. He was going to get that ransom money one way or another. Meg had considered trying to run away, but where would she go? Other than Patrick, who was a prisoner, and Brian at the Wall, Carol was her last living relative. So, she might as well go to Carol's house.

They had set up camp for the night. Meg was reciting her list. "King Joffrey… Queen Cersei…"

"What the hells are you doin'?" the Hound wanted to know. "You're keepin' me awake."

"I'm listing all the people I'm gonna kill someday. It helps me get to sleep."

"And I thought I was messed up," the Hound commented.

"Polliver… Ilyn Payne… Meryn Trant… Gregor Clegane…"

"Whoa, hold on, you can't kill my brother!" he objected. "I've got dibs on him."

"Well, we'll just have to see who gets to him first, won't we?" Meg said.

The Hound glared. "Any other names on that list?"

Meg looked him right in the eye. "Just one. You."

He laughed. "Why would you wanna kill me, little wolf?"

"You kept me from going inside that castle to save my mother. As far as I'm concerned, you helped kill her."

"Well, you can try to kill me," the Hound said. "But you'll have your work cut out for you. Now shut up and let me sleep!"

Next day they came upon an inn. There were three Lannister soldiers there. And one of them was Polliver!

Polliver did not recognize Meg, but he did recognize the Hound. "If you're lookin' fer your brother, he went back to King's Landin'," he said. "King Joffrey sent fer him, to be his champion."

"Champion? What are you talkin' about?" the Hound asked.

"I fergot, you've been hidin' under a rock. Queen Cersei's dead. They say her brother the Imp killed her."

Meg's heart gave a leap.

"We're headin' to King's Landin' ourselves soon," Polliver went on. "You should come with us, Sandor. I bet Joffrey's dyin' to see you again, after you deserted him at the Battle of the Blackwater."

"Bugger that," said the Hound. "I'm not goin' back there again."

Polliver drew his sword. "You don't understand. We're not givin' you a choice."

"I was hopin' you'd do somethin' stupid," the Hound said, and he drew his own sword. They started to fight each other right there in the bar. One of the other soldiers tried to attack the Hound too but Meg picked a cup up off a table and threw it at him. It hit him in the face. He dropped his sword. Meg grabbed it before he could pick it up.

The third soldier came up behind the Hound and slashed at the back of his neck, but Meg stabbed the soldier in the back. He died.

The Hound kicked a bench to the floor. Polliver tripped over it and fell. Before he could get up again, the Hound planted a foot on his stomach. He beckoned to Meg. "He's all yours. Go ahead. Cross him off your list."

Meg walked over to them. Polliver was blubbering like a baby. "Mercy," he wept. "Please don't kill me. Mother have mercy."

"I'll give you the same mercy you showed Lommy," said Meg. She brought the sword down on his neck.

The other soldier had run away. Meg and the Hound stepped outside. She noticed the Hound was bleeding from his stomach. "You're wounded," she told him.

"It's nothin'," he said. "I've been hurt before."

But by that night, his wound had become infected. He was too weak to stand up. "Bloody hell," he cursed as he lay on the ground. "Bloody hell."

Meg still had the sword she had taken from the soldier. She advanced on him with it. He looked up and saw her. "Goin' to kill me too?" he asked.

Meg stood still as stone. "I… I was only…"

"Don't lie," he growled. "I hate liars. Well, go ahead, cross me off your bloody list too. I'm goin' to die soon anyway."

Meg lowered her sword. "Maybe I'll just leave you here. I can find the Vale on my own."

"Don't go away an' leave me!" For the first time since Meg had known him, he was afraid. "Finish me off! Your family's symbol is the wolf! A real wolf would finish a wounded animal…"

"You shouldn't have hit me with an axe," she said. "You should have saved my mother." She turned and walked away without a second glance.