Hunt 006 ~ [Dictated]

[squirrelhunter]

There's some fuckin' big wolves in this place.

[Hello, Paradisa. This is your resident redneck with the Hunting Review. His lazy voice makes it seem like he doesn't care.]

S'odd, though. Ain't seen many animals 'les I'm lookin' fer 'em, but these tracks? Huge. Ain't seen nothin' like 'em. Definately wolf, though. I know what that looks like.

Jus' a fair warnin' t'you lot who like walkin' in the woods. Watch yer backs.

Comments

[wintercat]

A direwolf. [Granted, she thinks it's just Ghost, but she knows what it is, at least.]

[squirrelhunter]

Direwolf? Ain't them just stories?

[Then again, this is Paradisa.]

[wintercat]

Perhaps in your home. In mine they are rare but present. And I know that one from my home has come here along with his master.

[squirrelhunter]

Yeah, well, it ain't safe fer 'em t'be let off the leash. Wolves're wolves. Can dress 'em up like dogs as much as ya want. He best stick with it. Didn't see no human footprints 'long with the paw-prints.

[wintercat]

[Catelyn is not a member of the Jon Snow fan club. And initially, the direwolves had frightened her as well. But something about the image of them leashed makes her bristle. Even she understands, on some level, that the Starks and the direwolves are one.]

It is possible Ghost went hunting. Regardless, I assure you he will cause you no harm unless you first threaten him. Each of my children has a direwolf to their name.

[direwolfbastard]

Wolf tracks, and bigger than usual? It could be Ghost, my direwolf, but he's not been out in a few days that I'm aware of. How fresh are the tracks?

[squirrelhunter]

That you're aware of?

[Uh oh.]

Y'mean y'don't keep tabs on it?

[squirrelhunter]

Say what y'want. I ain't comfortable with no wolves runnin' 'round unchecked. There only th'one?

[wintercat]

My son and I would be dead, if not for these wolves.

To my knowledge, yes.

[direwolfbastard]

I do, but Ghost occasionally goes out on his own at night. As I said, he hasn't done so recently, and even if he had, he would never attack someone from the castle unprovoked. He's better trained than that.

[squirrelhunter]

The tracks're pretty damn fresh. Y'sure it couldn't've slipped out?

[squirrelhunter]

We best hope it's owner's kept decent tabs on it.

[wintercat]

He has. [She will unfairly fault him for many things, but not for this.] Jon and Ghost are inseparable.

[direwolfbastard]

Ghost is here with me right now, so if the tracks are fresh, it wasn't him.

[Ghost, knowing he's being talked about, approaches Jon's journal, snuffling big wolfy snuffles at it. He sounds even bigger than the tracks would suggest, as Ghost has two years on the direwolf wandering around now.]

If it is a direwolf, I advise you to be very careful. If you're the one Arya was talking about, I've no doubt about your skills as a hunter, but a direwolf is much more than even the most experienced hunter can handle, especially if it's wild.

[squirrelhunter]

I hope that ain't true. 'cause if it is, then there's some other wolf runnin' 'round out there.

[squirrelhunter]

[Yep. That sounds like one big wolf. Daryl wants to see it, even if he'd never ask...]

Well, he's a loud fella, ain't he?

An' I know how t'deal with wolves. I'm sure a bigger one ain't gonna be much diffr'nt. 'specially after dealin' with th'Walkers.

[wintercat]

I can't imagine there would be much for it to feed on. [She certainly hasn't seen an abundance of wildlife. He might also notice that she sounds remarkably unperturbed by the thought of another giant wolf wandering around.]

[squirrelhunter]

I find plenty o' game runnin' 'round the woods. Y'just gotta look fer it.

[wintercat]

That is reassuring. [The lack of wildlife around the castle is rather eerie.]

[squirrelhunter]

Fuckin' weird's what it is. [Excuse him, Lady Stark. He's not known for his manners.]

Y'out walkin' an' it's dead, but th'second y'start lookin', there's tons of animals about.

[direwolfbastard]

Only when he wants to be heard. Otherwise Ghost rarely makes a sound.

Fair enough. Still, if you decide to actively hunt this wolf, I should like to come with you, with Ghost. If my hunch is right, it might be Nymeria, Arya's own direwolf from our world. Ghost and Nymeria are littermates, so if there's a way to keep her from attacking someone, Ghost will know it. Direwolves are much more intelligent than their smaller kin.

I'm Jon Snow, by the way. Arya's half-brother, on our father's side.

[squirrelhunter]

I ain't goin' huntin' no wolf. I ain't fuckin' stupid. If it attacks, I'll attack back, but I'm leavin' well enough alone.

...Name's Daryl. An' I ain't seen no direwolves before.

[Hint hint. :3]

[wintercat]

[She's heard that and worse. Her lips might tighten in that characteristic sign of disapproval, but he can hardly see that.]

No stranger than the rest of this place.

[squirrelhunter]

I'm only stayin' fer th'free hot water'n the electricity. Spend most've my time in the woods.

[Like a total loser loner]

[wintercat]

[Yes, electricity and running water are awesome. Catelyn likes them.]

We all cope as best we can.