Thank you to all that have reviewed! They are most humbly appreciated. Short chapter this week but

a longer chapter to come! I apologize for minor typos in my last chapters; my laptop is slightly broken.

Enjoy!-Anna

T+ for mild/and a strong language

…

It was as if Her life had gone with the bloody Assassin's.

It took ages to calm her, for the Little Birds screeching to die down.
Her eyes never left the dagger. Her hands shook violently as her tears fell down like cascades.
She had killed a man. And she would never forgive herself, would she?

It must have been the old wench in the inn. The only one who eyed me from the corner.

I thought she was just another lunatic in the midst of drunk bastards.

She was not just a demented witch. Must have been a spy for the damn Lannisters.

Had me fooled.

I would have killed those damn snakes twofold. It was natural to kill; it was embedded into every fucking man.

But it had not come to the Little Bird.
She would have never tainted herself with such an act. But she saved me yet again.
I drove her to do it.

I carried her upon Nero, her eyes never leaving the sky.

Her tears had dried but that night would mark the Little Bird until the end of her days.

I rode as fast as Nero could stand it. I needed to get the Little Bird to a new tree, somewhere she could forgot the blood

from her hands.
Past Rivverun, I drove the beast as far North as I could. We still had days, maybe weeks till Winterfell.
But I didn't give a damn about the time it would take.
I needed to bring the Little Bird back to life.

We rode until the sunset. There was no villages or inns in sight; it would be safe to stay the night in the forest. Another moonless night, the stars a bit duller than the nights before.

The Little bird would not look away.

I tied Nero to a ancient looking tree near where we would stay the night. I was starving but I managed to find some berries from a wild bush.

I offered some to the Little Bird; she smiled a small, but nevertheless a beautiful smile and shook her head.

She still had that make-shift veil on; I knew it was uncomfortable for her but she wouldn't take it off.

It had been hours, almost a day, and she had not said a word. I couldn't help but stare; what was going on in her head?

Had she finally tired enough to stop her flight?

The rocky edge of the trees led to a small pond. My muscles ached from riding; a bath would have been perfect. But I knew I had to stay and watch the Little Bird. Hell knows what she would do.

Abruptly, the Little Bird stood quietly and walked to the edge of the pond. The night was dark; I had to make sure I did not lose her.

She kneeled into the water, wetting her blood soaked dress. The Little Bird looked once again at the sky and down into the water. She started to wash the dress, first softly then harder and harder as she tried to be rid of the scarlet.

"Little Bird...", I tried to call her. To bring her back.

She didn't respond, continuing her scrubbing, her eyes growing wide. I approached her once again, putting my hand on her small shoulder,

"Little Bird! Stop it, your making yourself bleed!"

It was true, her hands now had deep red scratches.

At this I couldn't just watch.

Seven Hells.

I grabbed her shoulders, going into the water myself.

"Sansa!", I cried as hard as I could.

At this she finally looked up at me, her eyes full of sadness and fear.

I shook her, I cried again out to her.

I wanted my Little Bird again.

"You are a Stark. You are no longer a frail little bird! You are a Lady, a future Queen. And in this game, you must bite or be bitten, strike or be struck down. Do you understand? You have killed a man, but you must pass ahead; this is war and here you cannot cry. You fight. The blood you shed will help you rise. And that life was going to take yours. But you fought back. And you are a Stark. Your winter is coming, Little Bird. And you must continue to fight back. "

I breathed those words as fast they came to my mind. I had wanted to say them for years. But now, at this moment, she had to hear them.

She never took her eyes off mine. I still saw fear, but deep in those eyes I could swear to all the gods I saw a flame afire.

I couldn't control it. I pushed her into my arms until I felt her breathing slow and her arms stop shaking. She was so small.

I could feel warm tears fall down my armor. She cried softly; she had realized what she had to do.

"You will be powerful, and you will be great. Your sons will be great. And your empire will be great. But first", and at this I raised her chin, her eyes locked with mine,

"you must fight."

The stars began to dim to a purple tint. Her tears had dried to nothing. Her eyes took upon a dark cerulean in the musky night air.

The dire wolf was alive.