The Riverlands that they were travelling through would eventually bring them to one of the three great rivers. Then they would make their way to the Twins and then to Winterfell, where Arya believed her family to be. Once again they were running low on food, but they still had water.

"I wish I had a bow, then I could kill a rabbit or something to eat." Arya said as her stomach grumbled.

"We have these swords to kill something with," Hot Pie countered.

"I can't exactly throw this to kill anything and nothing will let us close enough to slay it," Arya explained impatiently.

Gendry nodded, "she's right, these swords are useless, except for battle."

Hot Pie kept his eye out for anything he could eat; plants or rodents, he'd eat anything if he had to. "What about making some kind of trap for a critter?"

"That could take days to catch something, it's better if we just keep going."

He sighed unhappily. When they eventually stopped to eat the last of the bread, Gendry gave up his share to Arya. He didn't want her fainting again, it had scared him badly the last time. At first she wouldn't take it, but he insisted. She saw the stubborn look in his eyes and finally took the food. As they got up to move on, Gendry stopped them.

"I heard something over there," he pointed ahead and to their right.

"Man or animal?"

He didn't have to answer, because they all heard it. Men were hunting. The shouts and thrashing in the bush, told Arya that the men were hunting beasts and not other men. Still the three of them hid behind a rock covered in vines, hoping they hadn't been seen. Their hope had been in vain.

"Who is it that hides behind the rocks and trees?" Anguy asked.

Arya sprang from behind the boulder and stood sword ready. "Who are you?" She countered.

"The girl asks who am I," Anguy restated to the men.

One of the men laughed and said, "he's Anguy the Archer and member of the Brotherhood With No Banners."

"What are you doing here?" Arya demanded.

Anguy laughed, "we are hunting. Now, who are you and those two that still hide? And why do you hold castle forged swords?" His sharp eyes missed nothing.

Gendry joined her, but not Hot Pie. So Anguy said, "the fat one is a coward."

Finally Hot Pie stood behind Arya and Gendry, looking like he wanted to bolt. They tried to stand united and show they would fight. But a well aimed arrow, changed their rebellious minds quickly. "We'll take them with us, for entertainment if nothing else."

"Touch me and I'll kill you," announced Arya defiantly.

The men laughed. Anguy said, "feisty isn't she? No wonder she's dressed like a boy, she doesn't know how to act like a girl." Then growing impatient, he pointed an arrow at her heart, "get a move on now or die here."

Arya, Gendry and Hot Pie lowered their swords and followed the men. Anguy walked behind them to ensure no one tried to run away. They met up with the rest of their group and Anguy explained to Thoros, who the three newcomers were. Thoros looked them over, stopping in front of Arya. "This girl is dangerous, watch her."

Anguy explained who he was. "This is Thoros, a Red Priest of the Lord of Light from the Free City of Myr."

Then they continued on through the forest, eventually arriving at the Inn Of The Kneeling Man. Thoros and Anguy sat down at a table, motioning for Arya's clan to sit down across from them. Bowls of stew, bread and ale were brought to the men and the three young people. Thoros questioned them about how they had escaped from Harrenhall. Arya explained that Gendry worked in the armoury as a smith and had stollen the swords. To avoid explaining how they escaped, she went on to say that both she and Gendry knew how to use swords. Thoros and Anguy laughed, until she drew on them. She stood sideways, as she had been taught. Thoros narrowed his eyes, he could see from her stance that she had been trained by someone, but when he drew his own sword, he easily disarmed her. Everyone laughed again.

"Who taught you how to fight?"

Arya was surprised and her bravado lessened. "My brothers, but the swords were made of wood."

Thoros grabbed the ale and toasted her brothers. Arya picked up her sword and once more sat down at the table. She kept her mouth shut until the meal finished.

"Are we your prisoners?" She finally asked.

"I haven't decided, for now you will be our guests. You shouldn't travel alone in the woods anyway," Thoros declared.

"Where are you taking us?"

"To our home of course, our commander will choose whether to let you go or make you stay."

The men finished their meals and then everyone went outside. Thoros had Arya put on his horse behind him, then a hood put on her head. Hot Pie and Gendry were also put on horses and had hoods put on. Then the group of men, rode away, returning to their camp. Once they arrived, the hoods came off and everyone dismounted. Then they went into a large cave. It was well lit within and more men lounged about. Arya could tell the Brotherhood was made up of knights and peasants. They were a band of misfits too. A one eyed man came forward and was introduced as Lord Beric Dondarrion, Lord of Blackhaven.

To Anguy Lord Dondarrion asked, "bring back any food?"

"There's a buck strung up outside, tomorrow we'll have venison."

"And tonight?"

Thoros answered, "ale."

Lord Dondarrion rolled his eyes. "Bring back a few rabbits and we'll have a stew."

Anguy nodded, "come on you three, you'll earn your keep."

Thoros stopped Gendry, "leave this one with me, my armour needs mending."

Hot Pie and Arya followed the archer and a few men that came with them. "I know how to use a bow," Arya declared.

"Just as well as you can use a sword?" Anguy taunted.

She grabbed his bow and an arrow from his quiver, she sighted and then shot at something in the forest. Her aim was true and the reward was a pheasant. He nodded, "you're not bad, but not as good as you think."

"What do you mean? I hit and killed what I aimed at."

Anguy replied, "aye but you took your sweet time doing it. Anything faster than a fat pheasant and you'd be empty handed. In a fight you'd be dead."

She looked at him and wondered if he'd just berate her or show her how to be better. After he caught a few rabbits, he gave her back his bow.

"Show me your position," he demanded.

Before she could do so, Hot Pie yelled. The men saw him chasing a wild pig. Anguy quickly took back his bow, notched the arrow and fired. The pig dropped dead in his tracks, an arrow jutted out of it.

"Now we know what the fat one is good for," laughed one of the men.

Their pig was picked up and they returned to the cave. The rabbits and pig were skinned and the birds plucked. Hot Pie then went inside to help with the cooking. Arya stayed outside with Anguy. She retrieved his bow and an arrow, then lined up a shot with a tree that had obviously been used for target practice.

Anguy moved up to stand closely beside Arya. Gendry stopped hammering to watch. The archer put his hands on Arya, one on her arm and another on her back. "Get your elbow up higher. Not too high, that's better. Let your back do all the work."

Gendry didn't like that the guy had his hands on Arya, worse was that his body was pressed up against her. Gendry's hammer rang out loudly, as he pounded the metal in his anger. When Anguy whispered into her ear and she smiled, that just made his anger flare up. He didn't realize it just yet, but he was jealous that Anguy could make Arya smile. Anguy wasn't as old as the other men in camp, but he wasn't a teenager either. Gendry didn't like what was happening.

On the other hand, Arya was eating up the attention. The instruction that Anguy gave her, improved her arrow wielding abilities. Next he told her not to hold her shot, before making it. She turned around a little too quickly to argue with him, and lost her balance. He caught her, but his hands landed on her ass. He pretended that he was sorry and it was accidental, but Gendry saw the look he shared with one of the other men. Anguy was playing a game and Gendry didn't like it.

Arya recovered and stepped away from Anguy. Even though he flustered her, she didn't show it. "What do you mean don't hold my shot? How am I supposed to aim?"

"You're hands will obey where your eyes land. Try it, just look and shoot."

She didn't believe him, but did as he said, looking at a knot on the tree. She let loose without holding and hit her target. She turned around and gave him a wink. "You're a good teacher."

Gendry had enough, "Arya I need more wood, can you go get it?"

She handed the bow back to Anguy and went to get the wood. After she was gone, Gendry heard Anguy joke to his fellow men, "keep her around long enough and I can teach her a lot more than just how to handle a bow." The men guffawed and then followed him into the cave.

Gendry knew he'd have to keep a closer eye on her, because she was too young to realize that Anguy was manipulating her. Arya was in more danger than she knew. He just hoped that he was wrong and that Lord Dondarrion's men were honourable.