restlessly seeking images a child needs

[wolfchild]

Who: Arya and you!
What: Escaping the clinic
When: Noon-ish.
Where: Lobby/Satis Tower stairwell


[ two days in the clinic is too much for one arya stark. earlier she had shoved her blankets on the floor and dropped down on top of them. gripping them, she had given the end to nymeria for the direwolf to pull her out.

the plan had worked. until they came to the stairs. nymeria has enough strength to pull her up. she also has enough strength to pull arya's arm out of its socket. arya had struggled up two of them herself before sinking on them, breathing hard and sweating copiously. a week asleep and her legs refuse to work right. even her arms feel weak. she feels weak. she hates it. she hates the castle for changing her. and she hates the fucking stairs.

with no journal on her to call someone, she stays at the bottom of the stairs, the blanket pooled around her legs. nymeria lies on the floor, blocking the entire way, panting heavily. to make it look planned, arya makes herself comfortable and even sings a few verses of queen nymeria's song as she picks things out of nymeria's fur.

pajamas and blankets are totally the fashionable look, man. ]

Comments

[wolfchild]

[ both girl and direwolf turn to the sound. it proves somewhat comical: two so dissimilar acting at the same time, even adopting the same tilt to their heads as they take in the whistler. ]

I'm not alone.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess notes the synchronicity. Creepy.]

You're not gonna tell me that a dog's your guardian.

[wolfchild]

No. [ she smiles a little. ]

Nymeria's a direwolf.

[ arya pats the wolf's back. ]

[dog_eat_dog]

[She comes a bit closer.]

Never heard of 'em. Now, is that a fancy word for a dog, or a fancy word for a guardian?

[wolfchild]

Neither. You ever seen a wolf before?

[dog_eat_dog]

Haven't seen much more than coyotes and foxes in the way of wild carnivores in a while, though yeah, I've seen a wolf before. In a zoo.

[Tess sits down next to her, not bothering to wait for an invitation, and she offers Nymeria a hand. When's the last time she pet a dog? It feels like an experience from another time.]

I've just never seen a girl with a pet wolf. I thought he was a big husky or something.

[wolfchild]

Wait—

[ arya can see it happening. nymeria, seemingly at ease, suddenly snapping. the woman's going to lose fingers, if not her whole hand.

to her shock, nymeria only smells it. then she tucks her head back between her front paws and closes her eyes.

at a loss for words, she can only manage: ] She's not a pet.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess reaches to scratch Nymeria behind the ears, a little smile playing on her lips.]

Well, then, I'm just gettin' it all wrong today, aren't I?

[wolfchild]

Today's not a good day anyway.

[ arya is still waiting for the moment nymeria will show her true colors. but the direwolf seems content to stay where she is. ]

Why does she like you? She hates everyone she meets.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess keeps on scratchin'. Not bad, these direwolves.]

I don't know; she's your wolf.

What makes today so bad?

[wolfchild]

[ she shrugs. ]

It's not a good day.

[ arya picks a stray string from her blanket. she squints at tess. ]

Have you been here long?

[dog_eat_dog]

About three days.

[She leans an elbow on her knee.]

It got something to do with you being out here in your pajamas?

[wolfchild]

No. [ her shoulders hunch slightly in discomfort. ] I don't feel like changing yet is all.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Ah, well.]

Well, I'm not your mother, so I'm not about to stop you. Go wild, kid.

[wolfchild]

[ nymeria growls. arya's hands clench. she doesn't look at tess as she says: ]

No, you're not.

[dog_eat_dog]

Hit a nerve, huh?

[wolfchild]

That's not your concern.

[dog_eat_dog]

That I hit a nerve? Sure it is. I can't apologize if it isn't.

[wolfchild]

I don't care for apologies.

[dog_eat_dog]

Alright, then. I don't like givin' them out anyway.

[wolfchild]

Why are you still here? Don't you have somewhere else to be?

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess shrugs, not one to pick fights with kids.]

Not particularly. You want me to go, just say so.

[wolfchild]

I don't care.

[ with a quiet whine, nymeria nuzzles her belly. arya hugs her one-handed. ]