(Male lead's point of view)
After sending the Warg on his final journey, I took one last look around. Killing was becoming more commonplace by the day; I still couldn't decide whether that was good or bad. Just then, my gaze fell on the polar bear, and I slapped my forehead and said.
"You're such an idiot; I knew I forgot something. Why didn't I ask where I could find polar bears before killing that damned Warg?"
(Shrug)
At least I had found one of the animals I was looking for; I would come back next time. Even if it was the last thing I did, even if I had to search every corner of this frozen wilderness, I would find a Direwolf.
I returned to the cave, took Sith and the wolf cub sleeping in the basket, and headed out again. The Wildlings hadn't gotten far, but I didn't want to waste time hunting them down. I could send Bo after them. But for now, five wind bullets seemed to be her limit; I could feel her exhaustion. So I decided to continue toward the Wall.
After a week-long trek, I reached the south side of the Wall, a day's journey from Queenscrown, and decided to make camp. Now I had to settle on a route. Should I head east, or go west to the Northern Mountains? I could visit the mountain clans. For one thing, they weren't welcoming to outsiders, but I had a pass from Lord Stark, and I thought they would welcome me.
I used the "Mold Earth" spell again to build a small earthen mound for all of us. During winter travel, this spell was the most useful of all my spells. I looked at the wolf cub and Sith sleeping beside the makeshift fireplace I had created with a spell.
I tossed a few pieces of rabbit meat in front of them and watched their little noses slowly begin to twitch as they smacked and licked their lips in their sleep. A few minutes later, both began sniffing the air, their eyes half-open and drowsy. Noticing the meat in front of them, they lazily reached for it without getting up, held it between their front paws, and began gnawing on it.
"I could keep calling you little wolf cub, but what should I name you?"
Hmm, a name fit for a she-wolf.
"Finn..." She tilted her head, seemingly trying to understand what I meant.
"Yes, not that good, right?"
"Hmm, how about Skye?" She didn't react and kept gnawing on her meat.
"Yeah, you're right, that name doesn't suit you at all. How about Lika?"
"Lika?" she yipped.
"All right, Lika, that's the one." As usual, my magic fluctuated when I named her, and then Berus raised his head and spoke.
-Master, you know she can't understand you, right? She's not like us.-
-Thanks for telling me. I had no idea.-
-You're welcome.-
Yimu slipped free from around my neck and said.
-Berus, you're an idiot. Master wasn't actually thanking you.-
Berus asked in confusion.
-Master, you weren't?-
I smiled and said.
-No, I wasn't. Berus, that's called sarcasm.-
I spoke as I scratched his head.
-You'll learn in time.-
-Then why do you talk to her when you know she can't understand?-
-We humans do that with animals sometimes. Don't worry about it.-
I was getting closer to House Wull's mountain settlement. The settlement was quite large, but it consisted entirely of wooden houses, built quietly into the mountainside, and small patches of farmland beneath the snow were faintly visible at the bottom of the valley. Only one road led to the settlement, and a wooden wall and gate stood across it.
As I approached the gate, a guard shouted.
"Who are you, dwarf? What business do you have here?"
Did they think I was an adult? Yes, that was a logical train of thought. No normal person would think a ten-year-old child would come here in winter. I took out my pass and showed it to them.
"I have a pass from Lord Stark. Could we talk somewhere warmer?"
"Show your face first."
I unwrapped my scarf and looked at the guards. After a moment of surprise, the guard said.
"You! You're a child. For the Old Gods' sake! What are you doing in this godforsaken place? Open the gate! Bring the child inside and fetch Woer."
They took me to the settlement's most prominent building, a round, three-story wooden structure. Hugo Woer was a big man, about two meters tall. He was built like a strongman, with a large belly and thick arms. His long hair and beard were unkempt, and countless harsh winters had left his face stern and resolute.
"Boy, what are you doing here in the dead of winter? Why would Lord Stark send a child in such a dangerous season? And who are you?"
"Lord Stark didn't send me. My name is Aermir Drasil."
"Then why do you have his sigil?"
I raised the pass and waved it.
"Oh, this. Lord Stark gave it to me to help me on my travels around the North. In case I needed help or somewhere to stay."
"Then whatever you need us to do, House Wull will do its best to provide. If it is Lord Stark's will, it will be done."
"I don't need anything tonight except a hot bath and a place to sleep."
"Then, little lord, you'll have what you want." He nodded to a man standing beside him, and the man immediately left the room.
"I'm not a noble, Lord Woer. I merely come from a knight's family. I'm just a humble commoner."
"Oh, stop calling me lord. Just call me Woer like everyone else. I've met plenty of humble commoners, but few could look me straight in the eye, and I've never seen a commoner cross mountains and rivers to get here just for a bath and a place to stay. Your origins may be ordinary, but you're certainly not just another humble commoner."
"Why did you come here, boy?"
When I told him why I had come here this winter, he nearly collapsed with laughter.
"Ahahaha! You mean the only reason you climbed this icy mountain was that you were curious about the mountain clans, and you'll keep heading north. That still doesn't explain why Lord Stark gave you his sigil. I don't think the 'Quiet Wolf' has the guts to sire another bastard, so I'm sure you're not his. Why are you so important that he would give you his sigil? Of course, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. You have his sigil, so even if you don't answer, we'll provide what you want."
"Lord Stark has some appreciation for my skills, since I've shown a certain proficiency with the sword and bow. As a reward, he gave me his sigil so I wouldn't be troubled on my travels."