The morning of their departure was cold and grey, the sky heavy with clouds. Jon stood in the courtyard, his pack slung over his shoulder and his axe strapped to his back. Ned and Robb were already mounted, their horses stamping impatiently as the Stark knights prepared to ride.


    Catelyn stood on the steps of the keep, her arms crossed and her blue eyes fixed on Jon. Her gaze was icy, filled with a resentment that had only grown since Jon’s success with the fertilizer. She saw him as a threat, a bastard trying to steal Robb’s accomplishments and claim a place he didn’t deserve. Jon felt the weight of her glare but kept his head high, refusing to let her disdain shake him.


    As the group rode out of Winterfell, Jon glanced back at the castle one last time. Mary stood at the gates, her white hair whipping in the wind and her tail flicking restlessly behind her. She growled softly, her blue eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and defiance. Jon gave her a small wave, and she responded with a sharp yelp before darting off into the courtyard.


    <hr>


    The journey to the Wall was long and quiet. Robb and Jon rode at opposite ends of the group, their silence heavy with unspoken tension. Shadow, trailing behind Jon, watched the two brothers with his glowing eyes. He could feel the distance between them, a chasm widened by Catelyn’s influence.


    “She’s poisoned his mind,” Shadow murmured to himself, his voice a faint whisper in the wind. “But perhaps this journey will mend what’s been broken.”


    As the days passed, the landscape grew harsher, the trees thinning and the air growing colder. Jon kept to himself, his thoughts drifting to Mary and the direwolves. He wondered how she was faring in Winterfell, whether she was causing trouble or if she missed him as much as he missed her.


    Stolen story; please report.


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, Mary had other plans.


    Despite the distance the group had covered on horseback, Mary was not far behind. Her small figure moved swiftly through the trees, her tail flicking behind her as she followed the trail of hoofprints. Shadow, sensing her presence, left Jon’s side to check on her.


    He found her crouched in the underbrush, her blue eyes gleaming as she watched a rabbit dart across the forest floor. She growled softly, her tail wagging furiously as she prepared to pounce.


    “Mary,” Shadow said, his voice a low hum in her mind. “What are you doing here?”


    Mary looked up, her expression defiant. She growled again, her tail lashing behind her as if to say, I’m coming with you.


    Shadow’s form rippled with something akin to a sigh. “You should be at Winterfell,” he said. “But I suppose there’s no stopping you.”


    Mary grinned, her sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. She stood and darted off into the trees, her movements swift and silent. Shadow watched her go, his glowing eyes softening.


    “Jon is safe for now,” Shadow murmured. “And Mary... well, she’s always been a force of nature.”


    <hr>


    As the group approached the Wall, Jon felt a mix of anticipation and unease. The massive structure loomed in the distance, its icy surface glinting in the pale sunlight. Ned called for the group to halt, his voice carrying over the wind.


    “We’ll make camp here tonight,” Ned said. “Tomorrow, we’ll meet with the Night’s Watch and assess the situation.”


    Jon dismounted, his dark eyes fixed on the Wall. He could feel the weight of the journey ahead, the challenges that awaited him. But he also felt a spark of determination. He would prove himself, not just to Ned or Robb, but to the North.