The snow had let up slightly by mid-afternoon, leaving the group to trudge through the dense forest under a sky that was overcast but no longer threatening. The air was still frigid, but the brief reprieve from the wind allowed for easier conversation—though none of them seemed eager to speak at first.

Reynolds walked a few paces behind Jon and Katrina, his golden eyes flicking between the siblings and the path ahead. Ghost ranged further forward, his white coat blending into the snow, while Dream curled up snugly in the hood of Katrina's cloak, her small weight a comforting presence.

"You always walk this fast, or are you just trying to leave me behind?" Reynolds asked after a long stretch of silence.

Katrina glanced over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "If I wanted to leave you behind, you'd know it."

Jon smirked faintly but said nothing, his attention on the distant horizon.

Reynolds quickened his pace, falling in step beside her. "Good to know. I guess I'll just have to keep up."

"You're doing fine," Katrina said with a shrug, though her tone was softer than her usual sharp remarks. "For someone who grew up running from shadows, you're tougher than I expected."

Reynolds chuckled, shaking his head. "High praise. Though I'd say the same about you."

Katrina arched an eyebrow. "You didn't expect me to be tough?"

"No," Reynolds said quickly. "I meant… It's different, seeing you in person. I'd heard stories—about the fire woman who could take down an army. But hearing it and walking beside you are two very different things."

Katrina snorted. "The stories are exaggerated. I can't take down an army."

"Not yet," Jon muttered under his breath, earning a smirk from Katrina.

Reynolds grinned, the tension easing slightly. "Exaggerated or not, you've clearly done more than your fair share of surviving."

"Surviving is the easy part," Katrina said, her voice dropping. "It's everything else that's hard."

Reynolds grew quiet for a moment, his golden eyes thoughtful. "I get that. After my mother died… surviving was all I had. There wasn't time for anything else."

Katrina slowed her pace, glancing at him. "You never had anyone? No one to help you?"

Reynolds shook his head. "Not really. A few Wildling groups here and there, but they never stayed in one place for long. And most of them wanted nothing to do with me once they figured out who my father was."

"Sounds familiar," Katrina said bitterly. "People love to run when the shadows show up."

Reynolds hesitated, then said, "Did you have anyone? After him?"

Katrina's gaze flicked to Jon, who was still walking a few steps ahead, pretending not to eavesdrop. A faint smile crossed her lips. "A few. Some stayed longer than others. But most didn't."

Reynolds studied her, his expression softening. "It's different now, though, isn't it?"

Katrina's smile grew. "Yeah. It is."

They walked in silence for a moment before Reynolds spoke again. "Do you ever think about what it would've been like? If we'd grown up together, I mean."

Katrina let out a dry laugh. "You mean under him? I think we both know how that would've turned out."

Reynolds shook his head. "Not under him. With a real family. A mother, a father… people who didn't see us as tools."

Katrina's chest tightened. The thought had crossed her mind before, in the quiet moments she rarely allowed herself. "It doesn't matter," she said, her voice softer. "We didn't get that."

"No," Reynolds said, his tone laced with regret. "But we've got this now. You and me."

Katrina glanced at him, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. "What are you saying?"

Reynolds shrugged, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I'm saying we're stuck with each other, whether we like it or not. Might as well make the best of it."

Katrina snorted. "You're assuming I like you."

"You haven't shoved me off a cliff yet," Reynolds said with a grin. "I'll take that as a win."

Jon finally chimed in, his voice dry. "Give it time."

Both siblings laughed, the sound carrying through the forest and breaking the lingering tension in the air. For the first time since meeting him, Katrina found herself genuinely glad Reynolds was there. He wasn't just a reminder of their father—he was proof that they weren't defined by him.

"You're not so bad," Katrina said finally, her tone teasing but sincere.

"Back at you," Reynolds replied, his grin widening.

As they continued walking, the snow began to fall lightly again, the flakes catching in their hair and cloaks. The bond between them, though still new and fragile, felt like something worth holding onto.

And in a world full of shadows, that was no small thing.