A Song of Ice and Fire: The Hunt Begins

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Chapter Two: A Day at Winterfell.

TWUMP

The arrow struck itself into the middle of the target, not hitting the center but still close.

Jon lowered the bow in his hands, he was a bit unsatisfied that the arrow didn't hit the center. However, he ignored it as the arrow was still in the middle of the target. That showed he was improving.

Walking up towards the target, Jon took the arrow and placed it back into his quiver.

"Seems like the bastard is getting better. Though not as good as me." An irritating and arrogant voice spoke from behind Jon. He knew who that voice belonged to, and he was the last person Jon wanted to see early in the morning.

"Theon." Jon gave a blunt greeting. Not even bothering to look at Greyjoy heir.

"Someone's got their balls in a twist." Theon joked as he walked up to Jon.

"I'm not in the mood for your japes Greyjoy." Jon said as he got ready to leave.

"Off to see your lady love, Snow?" Jon stopped in his tracks. He turned his head slightly and glared at the man. Though the glare didn't deter Theon.

"I don't blame you, a hot piece of ass like is an ass to die for. Especially a royal one." Theon chuckled.

Then, without warning, a fist connected itself onto his face. Theon stumbled back, looking at an enraged Jon. Who then proceeded to grab Theon's collar.

"I'm only going to say this once, Greyjoy. If you ever think of doing anything perverse or uncloth towards Mya, I will personally hang you from the tower by the balls." Jon threatened as he shoved Theon away.

Theon put his hands up in surrender. He felt a bit intimidated by the ferocity from the Stark bastard.

"Can you two not try and kill each other for five minutes?" The two young men turned to see Robb Stark walking down the stairs from the balcony.

"You should be in bed." Jon told his brother.

"I'm fine. The Maester said I should be good to move around. Though he said I should take some herbs just in case." Robb explained as he walked towards the two.

"Alright, as long as you over exert yourself." Jon said.

"What are you, his wet nurse?" Theon japped.

"Shut up Greyjoy." Jon replied. He then turned to Robb. "I'll see you later Robb." He proceeded to leave the area.

"Where are you going?" Robb asked.

"Uncle Arthur wants me to do some training." Jon answered.

Theon scoffed. "Ya know that's a bit unfair that you're learning from the Sword of Morning while we're stuck old Rodrik."

"That I'll agree to." Robb added in. There was nothing wrong with Ser Rodrik but he was Arthur Dayne.

Jon simply rolled his eyes as he walked away to meet up with his uncle.

ARTHUR

Arthur Dayne prepared the yard for Jon's training. The moment Jon was able to walk, Arthur made sure to train the boy in all forms of combat and warfare. Arthur did this because he knew that if anyone found out about Jon's true heritage, they will hunt down and kill him. Most notable, that comes to Arthur's mind, was Robert Baratheon.

The Dayne male scowled. He remembers all too clearly what transpired that day in King's Landing. The brutalized bodies of Elia and her children haunt his mind every single day. Baby Argon and sweet Rhaenrys, butchered like animals while Elia was raped and murdered by a monster of a man. A reminder of his failure as a king's guard.

Arthur sighed, recalling more of his failures. Him not going with Rheagar at the battle of the trident. If Arthur was there then the usurper would've been as good as dead. But no, he was sent to the tower of joy in Dorne to watch over Lyanna Stark as she gave birth. His misplaced hope in Jaime Lannister, thinking that he would've protected Elia, Aegon, and Rhaenrys while he was away. But no, instead Jaime thrusted his sword in the back of King Aerys and sat on the throne while his father's men murdered the royal family.

His mind finally drifted to his sister, Ashara. Sweet little Ash. He remembers breaking down by the news of Ash taking her own life when she gave birth to a stillborn and Robert Baratheon annulling her marriage to Ned Stark. He wondered what made her take such actions.

None of this was supposed to happen.

'Where did things go wrong?' He mentally asks himself. He then heard footsteps, thinking it was Jon, Arthur turned around to greet his 'nephew'.

Only to see Eddard Stark, the Lord of Winterfell.

Arthur's face grew cold, he respected the man, for he was an honorable one. However, his actions after the rebellion made him lose all trust in him. It was mostly two things; one Ned not put up a fight when his marriage to Ashara was nulled and arranged to marry Catelyn Tully, two, and this was what made Arthur very angry, was Ned's refusal to help Jon take back the throne. Ned's reason was because Robert won the throne by right of conquest. He scoffs at that. That drunken oaf only won the throne because the fucking Lannisters helped him by turning traitor.

"Lord Stark." Spat out Arthur.

"Ser Arthur." Ned replied.

"What do you want?" Arthur asked.

Ned let out a sigh, "Maester Ludwin came to my chambers this morning. Says that you've decided to take over Jon's studies."

"Aye. What of it?" Arthur asked, frowning a bit.

"Normally, Ludwin would be happy that someone would help out with the children's studies." Ned spoke. "However, he finds it concerning when you're only teaching him the history of house Targaryen." He emphasizes the 'only' in his sentence. The Lord of Winterfell narrowed his eyes at the sword of the morning.

Arthur glared back, "What's wrong with Jon learning his family history?"

Ned scowled at Arthur's words. "The Targaryens are not his family." Ned said.

"Not his family?!" Arthur shouted. "Jon is a Targaryen as much as he is a Stark! To deny him knowledge of one side of his family is cruel and unfair to him!"

"You don't think I know that?!" Ned shouted. "I feel horrible about it, however, you and I both know of the dangers that would appear for Jon if he knew the truth."

"What truth? That Jon is the rightful heir to the iron throne and that he should be ruling the seven kingdoms!" Arthur shouted.

"Silence!" Ned hushed Arthur, before sighing. "That might be true that Jon is the heir but Robert won the throne by right of conquest." There was a brief silence after Ned said this.

Arthur scoffed at this unbelievable. "You are an idiot, Ned Stark."

"Am I?" Ned asked.

"Yes." Arthur answered.

The two men stared each other down, neither moving a bit.

"Did I come at a bad time?" The two turned to see Jon standing across from them.

"Jon," Ned began, "how long had you been standing there?"

"I just arrived." Jon answered truthfully.

Ned nodded at his answer, he turned to Arthur for a brief moment. "I'll take my leave." Ned said.

Arthur replied. "As you should."

Ned scowled a bit at Arthur before leaving, patting Jon on the shoulder on his way out.

Jon stood quiet for a brief moment. He stared at Arthur who was also quiet. The silence was broken by Arthur.

"Let's get started."

MYA

"Alright, Arya, do it just like I said." Mya instructed as Arya Stark held a bow in her hand. The two of them were in a field outside of Winterfell's walls. This was their secret spot where Mya trained Arya with all kinds of weapons.

"Elbow up, close to the chest. Accuracy over speed." Arya mumbled as she did what she spoke. She closed one eye and aimed at the target in front of her. A shiny red apple placed on top of a fence post. With a steady breath she lets loose.

The arrow flys across the field and hits the apple dead in the center. Knocking it down onto the floor.

"Yes!" Arya cheered as she managed to hit the apple.

"Good job Arya." Mya congratulated.

The youngest Stark daughter ran to where he arrow had fallen and retrieved it. As soon as she did she went back to Mya.

"I think that's enough for today. Wouldn't want your mother to get worried now." Mya said, causing Arya to grumble.

"Do we have to?"

"Not unless you want your mother find out about this." Mya argued.

"No." Arya said in defeat. Mya smiled as she ruffled the girl's hair. Arya playfully smacked it away in response.

"Come on, let's head back inside." Mya and Arya began to make their way back when suddenly Mya felt nauseous. Mya's cheeks bloated as her stomach churned. She felt bile coming up her throat. In a quick haste, Mya ran to a nearby bush and emptied out the contents of her stomach.

After a full minute of throwing up, Mya groaned as she got up and wiped any remaining vomit in her lips.

"Are you alright?" Arya asked as she approached Mya.

"I'm fine." Mya responded.

"Do you need to see a Maester?" The youngest Stark girl asked.

"No, I'm sure it's just something I ate this morning." Mya shook her head in dismissal.

"Alright then." Arya reluctantly accepted as the two made their way inside.

VIKING

It watched carefully, like it had always done when it arrived at this place.

The creature it was stalking was limbless, slender, and scaly. The creature brought out its forked tongue, sensing the pheromones in the air. In front of the creature was a small furry critter. Oblivious to the danger present. The limbless creature, slowly and quietly lifted itself up in the air. It coiled itself, like a spring. Just like that the creature launched forward and snatched the little rodent.

It let out a panicked squeak as the creature brought it closer to itself.

The rodent squirmed around rapidly before it's movements became sluggish. The creatures venom had began to take effect of the little rodent. And soon, it stopped moving. Dead.

The creature was about to devour its meal when it spotted it. The one that was stalking it. Immediately, it dropped its quarry and let out a threatening hiss.

This did not preturbed the hunter, as it simply analyzed it. It was much smaller that the beast it had killed when it first got here but it was very deadly. Deadlier even. Thanks to its venom.

Seeing as its stalker had not backed away, the creature moved to strike.

Hiss!

SQUELCH!

Sharp blades stabbed into it's neck, killing it instantly. The hunter raised the corpse of the creature to his face. It admired the quick kill, though this was not the challenge it was looking for.

However, like before, a trophy was a trophy.

Grabbing onto the head of the creature, the hunter tore it off with great force. Taking the spine and skin in the process. It dropped the skinless body onto the ground as it began the twitch violently. An involuntary response, it was only natural.

Putting the skin away, the hunter got up. Clicking and silently growling, it scanned the area. There were many signatures of other animals but they were docile. Not worth hunting, other than for food of course.

It needed something bigger, something fiercer.

That was when he noticed it, a giant heat source that was flickering in the distance. Turning on the cloak, the hunter hopped onto the tree for a better view. It saw smoke coming from an area not to far from it. With great stealth the hunter moved forward towards the heat source.

Upon arrival, the hunter spotted bipedal creatures huddled around the blazing fire. All of them were asleep, which annoyed it a bit. There was no honor in killed such vulnerable prey. Judging by the weapons around them, it would seem like these new creatures would give it the challenge it wanted.

But for now it would simply wait and watch for an opportunity.

To Be Continued.