ARYA

The road was uneven and their cart quivered a lot. "We will stop in a few minutes," Oberos told her. The Dornish trader was a dark and portly man whose white beard was so long that it reached his stomach.

Arya mumbled in approval. She sat in the back nestled among the finest blood oranges. The heavy perfume was making her a bit sick. Her horse had died two days after she had left the Twins. The trader was humane enough to offer help. She never told him her true name. For him, she was Catelyn of Flint's Finger.

The night was growing darker and colder. Arya shifted restlessly amongst the fruits. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere around the Eastern road," the man said. He had a typical Dornish accent. "You mean to head towards King's Landing, right?"

"Yes. I have people to meet," she replied.

"Are these people very special?"

"Very," she replied smirking.

She went through her list once again. Cersei, the Mountain, Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr, the Red Woman, Valar Morghullis.

The moon was high up in the sky when they decided to stop. Oberos took shelter underneath a dried oak tree and fell asleep within minutes. Arya tried to sleep slanting against the giant tree but the coarse wood hurt her back. Needle was lying a few feet away. She picked it up and started sharpening it with a stone.

She did not know when or for how much time she slept but a swishing noise woke her up. Grabbing her sword, she shook Oberos awake. "Go to sleep, child," the Dornishman told her groggily. Arya pointed at the bushes behind the tree.

A pair of malevolent red eyes glared back at her. Another pair appeared from somewhere else and before she knew it, a thousand malicious eyes were looking at them greedily.

The creatures stepped forward. The bright moonlight reflected on their faces as they bared their were grey ones, there were brown ones, there were ones with missing legs but they all looked just as ferocious. We've invaded their territory, she reflected.

Arya heard a trickle of water. She looked at Oberos, only to find that he had pissed himself. "W… We should probably go…," he stuttered. "It's going to be okay."

A brown wolf leapt on him. The trader fell face down as the beast bit into his neck. Blood seeped out of the wound and trickled down to his ornate Dornish wear.

"HELP!" yelled the man. "AAARRGGHH!" Arya tried to take a step towards him but the others surrounded her growling fiercely.

Oberos tried to squirm free but it did no good. After a few moments, his body became still and the victor devoured on his flesh.

Fear clutched at Arya's throat as she turned to the others. They growled hungrily and advanced towards her snapping their jaws. She held onto Needle tightly. My last hope.

"Owooooooooooohooooooo." A fierce howl rang in the air. Suddenly, the howling pack fell silent as a ghost and moved aside. Arya wrapped her fingers tightly around the sword and tensed back, ready to fight.

A gigantic grey wolf emerged from amidst them, snarling and snapping.

All the breath went out of Arya. Needle slipped from her hand fell onto the crisp grass. She stared at the wolf, dumbstruck.

The wolf's jaw tightened and its golden eyes flashed a warning. Quivering, Arya stuck out her hand. "It… It's me…"

The wolf drew closer. Arya could feel its warm breath on her palm as it sniffed her. Her throat felt like a desert. Ages later, the wolf gave a yelp and started to lick her face.

"NYMERIA!" Arya yelled and hugged her long lost direwolf. Tears of happiness were streaming down her cheeks and into the direwolf's fur. Nymeria gave a soft whimper. For that enchanted moment, Arya forgot everything. There was no Cersei or the Mountain or the Red Woman. She was with someone she loved. She was with family.

After a long time, Arya broke free wiping her eyes. Nymeria licked her cheek again. Arya stroked the smooth fur underneath the direwolf's chin and got up.

The wolves in the pack stood stiff as a tree, gaping at them in awe. Laughing, Arya gathered her things. The horse cart stood a few miles away. She unhooked the mare from the wagon and pocketed a few blood oranges. Mounting the horse, she slowly rode it towards her direwolf.

Nymeria blinked at her innocently. Arya reined the horse a few steps further. The direwolf started to follow.

The wolves started to howl. The sound echoed into the night. The sound was sad and full of misery. Come back, they seemed to say.

Nymeria stopped. She looked at Arya and then back at her wolves.

Arya shifted in her saddle restlessly, palms covered in sweat. She drew a slow breath and gazed at Nymeria.

The direwolf had not made her choice yet.

The wolves howled again. She is the heart of her pack, Arya thought. They'll die without her.

Finally, Nymeria cast her one last fleeting glance and marched off to join the rest of her pack.

Arya had seen this coming but it still felt like someone had buried an axe deep into her stomach. She stared at the spot where Nymeria had disappeared, tears welling in her eyes. She wanted to call her to her, perhaps hug her for one last time. No, she thought sternly. If I look back now, I'll never be able to move ahead.

She kicked her horse and rode away from the place. Her dearest friend had chosen to live with her pack and she had to accept it, no matter what.

It is okay, Nymeria, she thought as she rode towards King's Landing. Our paths were different after all. She sighed sadly. I should have never let you go.