At Danyla's command, all five lizard-lion cubs stayed perfectly still. Danyla was very pleased, while Bennard watched with keen interest beside her.
"Leo, step forward!"
Leo was the name Danyla had given the bravest of the lizard-lion cubs.
As though sensing something, Leo looked toward Danyla. Once he understood her command, he excitedly pounced on the flock of geese and snatched one up. He easily sank his teeth into the fat goose's neck, and although his teeth were not yet sharp, he quickly tore it to pieces and swallowed them.
"Lina, attack!"
All five lizard-lion cubs soon understood Danyla's commands, and before long, they had finished off the dozen or so fat geese. Their bellies were round and swollen from the feast. Once they were full, the little creatures grew drowsy.
Worried that spending too long out of the water might harm them, Danyla had someone put a large horse trough in the kennels. Clearly, however, she had worried too much. As amphibious predators, lizard-lions suffered no ill effects even when completely removed from the water.
"Danyla, training these lizard-lions doesn't seem any different from training dogs!"
Bennard, who had watched everything Danyla did, finally could not resist commenting.
"Haha! You're right, but first you have to make the lizard-lions submit to you. Unfortunately, I doubt you'll get that chance. Why don't you start by training a hunting hound instead?"
"Isn't House Stark's sigil a direwolf? I think you should catch a direwolf cub and raise it. That would suit your station!"
Bennard could not help feeling thoroughly discouraged at that.
"How could a direwolf be that easy to find? I've heard they're only seen north of the Wall or deep in the Wolfswood. In all my years, I've only ever seen direwolf pelts, never a living one!"
"Don't lose