Insert witty disclaimer here.

Chapter 1

The large, black-haired boy was much larger than the others. He stood back a few feet, his gaze intent on Yoren. He had the build of a bully; she'd seen them before at Winterfell. They figured because they were bigger they could do as they liked. Arya hated bullies. The only reason they never picked on her, despite her slight build, was her last name. But she was Arry now, and she had nothing but Needle and her wits as protection.

The raggedy band of boys sneered at her as Yoren introduced her as their newest recruit for the Wall. They were all taller than her, some rounder but few as well fed. They eyed her with mistrust and even dislike in some cases; only one face was neutral. The large one in the back eyed her with interest and she shifted from foot to foot. She knew no one would recognize her, but logic couldn't settle her heart as it beat in her chest. Before she knew it, Yoren left and the boys scattered, a few staying behind to throw taunts at her. A round little boy eyed her clothes. She hoped her disguise would hold.

"Lemme see your sword," the round boy demanded. She shook her head. "It's probably just a stick." He turned to smile at his small companion. Arya stamped down her desire to draw Needle on the little brat. It was probably for the better if they thought a wooden stick hung on her belt. No one knew about Needle, at least no living person. Still, it was a beautiful sword and obviously expensive. She would have to fight him off without Needle and the boy weighed much more than her. She would win, but she would have to fight dirty.

"Leave him alone," she heard the large boy rumble. The fat boy spat on the ground, but ambled off with his friend without a word. The fat boy was large, but his body was soft and doughy where the dark-haired boy was hard and strong. She studied him thoughtfully, expecting him to demand her sword for himself. He looked at her for a moment but turned around and walked away so that she stood alone in the clearing.

They left King's Landing the next day. Most of the boys were soft from life in the city and they trailed behind the wagon, mumbling and cursing the whole way. Arya was used to chasing after cats, and walking at a wagon's pace was easy. Gendry, as she'd learned the dark haired boy was called, walked next to her in silence. She was grateful for the silence. Her heart was heavy and she didn't think she was capable of speaking on the weather or the city gossip as if everything was okay. Gendry didn't seem very talkative. Anyone walking by would probably assume the odd pair were mutes. When they stopped to eat and sleep for the night, Gendry placed his bedroll near hers.

Sleep overtook her quickly and before she knew it, she was rising before dawn and packing up her things. Arry and Gendry quickly slipped into a routine walking next to each other during the day in comfortable silence and placing their bedrolls near each other at night.

"Are you going to miss King's Landing?" he asked her.

She didn't even need to think of an answer. "No." Her voice was quiet but firm, "I hated it, with the crowded streets and everyone shut inside like animals. I'm glad I'll never go back there. What about you?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I've never been anywhere else. There was nothing there for me. No family and all that."

Arya didn't respond; the topic of family was a dangerous one and she quickly closed her mind to that branch of thinking. "What did you do in the city?" She tried to steer the conversation away from talk of families.

"I was an apprentice to a blacksmith." That's where his muscles came from. He didn't elaborate and she didn't question him further. She was nervous about her own cover story. They fell back into silence, but when they stopped for the night they spoke to each other as they set up their rolls.

They rarely spoke of their past lives. Neither seemed interested in rehashing old stories.

Slowly, Arya grew more comfortable around the large boy. Yoren commented that she had chosen well for a friend. Gendry was the only one of the lot who wouldn't throw her to the lions at the first chance. Yoren's approval confirmed what she had slowly begun to accept, that Gendry had honor and could be trusted.

Arya woke up, her bladder screaming. She hadn't been able to sneak away to relieve herself before she fell asleep. She slipped out of her bedroll and ran, quiet as a cat, into the bushes. She emptied her bladder with a large sigh. She slipped back into her bed roll as silently as she could. She was sure she saw the gleam of the fire reflected in Gendry's eyes. He remained silent and unmoving and she fell into an uneasy sleep.

The next day she was sure she could feel Gendry stealing looks at her all day. They barely talked, and she would feel someone watching her but when she turned to glare at him he was staring everywhere but at her.

Arya tried to remain calm. She told herself there was no way he could have possibly figured out Arry was actually a girl.

That night she waited for what felt like hours after everyone was asleep before she slipped out to relieve herself. She listened carefully, and only heard the steady breathing of sleeping bodies. She stared hard at Gendry's back until she was certain he was asleep. Without making a sound, she was off making her way into the trees.

She had just finished as she heard a rustle in the bushes. She straightened, and yanked her breeches up around her waist. She spun and saw the large shadowy shape. She could barely make out the person's features in the faint moonlight but she knew who it was.

"Hello Gendry." She tried to act nonchalant. "What are you doing up so late?" She went to brush past him, but he grabbed her arm halting her movement. She yanked her arm, but his grip was firm and she couldn't pull away. She didn't know what to say, there was no logical explanation for why she had gone so far away from the fire in the middle of the night.

"I wa-" He cut her off before she could start to form a lie.

"What I want to know," his words were clipped, "is why a girl is travelling with a company of rapers, murderers and thieves." She avoided his gaze. He was staring right through her and for a moment she was sure he knew anything.

"I'm not a girl." She stared at the toe of her boot. Her protest sounded weak, even to her own ears.

"I'm not stupid." She knew he wasn't stupid. He was quiet, and people often mistook his silence for some mental deficiency.

"I wouldn't say stupid, maybe bull-headed." He didn't even react to her joke. She realized with dread that he was going to require an answer and the only one she could think of was the truth.

She thought about what Yoren had said about trusting Gendry. She either had to trust her instincts or she had to try to come up with a believable lie. She looked up at Gendry's stony face and decided that she should trust him.

"My name is not Arry." She wasn't quite how to start her story. "I was born Arya Stark of Winterfell. My father, Eddard Stark, was the Hand of the king, and he was beheaded for treason." It took him a second to process her words. She watched as he realized what she had said. Gendry looked shocked and horrified. He yanked his grip off of her arm and stumbled back a step away from her.

"You're a lady?" His voice rose shrilly at the end of the question.

"Shhh. No one can know." She waited with bated breath to see if she had judged him wrong. Would he run off to the rest of the group shouting 'traitor'?

"My father wasn't a traitor. He was a good man. After they killed him I had to get out of the city so Yoren helped sneak me out with you lot. You can't let anyone know who I am, Gendry."

"I'm not an idiot Arry. Ehh.. Arya?" He still looked uncertain. and then horrified in a flash. "You've seen my cock, Arya. Shit, you're just a little girl." He sounded distressed at his own conduct, but Arya grew angry at his response.

"You have to call me Arry, and treat me like any one of the other boys. You're going to get me killed." He shook his head as if to clear it and looked at her. He nodded once.

"So I shouldn't stand every time you enter a room milady?" She looked up to check that he was joking, but punched him in the shoulder anyways.

"Shut up, you bull-headed boy. Let's go back to camp before someone misses us."

Oddly, she felt like a burden had been lifted from her as she drifted into sleep.

Gendry stayed mostly silent the next day. They were gathering wood for the fire that night when Arya looked up to find Gendry watching her intently.

"What?" She was fed up with his staring at her, when he thought she wasn't looking.

"I was just wondering what you plan on doing when we get to the Wall? You can't be a brother of the Night's Watch." He chuckled. "There's no privacy, you'd be found out before a day passed."

"I'm going to Winterfell," she told him. "I'm going home."

"I'll go with you, then." He said, his voice was calm and sure.

"You want to come with me to Winterfell?" She looked up in surprise. He nodded once.

"Someone needs to protect your skinny self."

She knocked his wood out of his arms. "I can protect myself," she insisted. She stomped off towards camp, but turned around to see Gendry laying on his side, chuckling at her. He hadn't even bothered to pick up the wood.

"You really want to go with me?" She kept her voice neutral.

He nodded once. "I'm willing to bet it's better than the Wall. Even with you there to bug me." She still wasn't used to Gendry teasing her so much. Out of habit, she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Fine. You can come." She spun on her heel and stomped back to camp. It wasn't until an hour later that she realized with a start that she truly wasn't alone anymore. Gendry was with her, and soon she would be home with Robb, Bran and Rickon. She was even looking forward to seeing her mother, who would probably die of shock at seeing Arya in such rags.

The peace didn't last very long. She heard the shrill whistle from one of the scouts to announce armed forces were approaching. The boys fell into chaos, unsure of what to do.

Arya looked around in panic, searching for Gendry's black hair. She made eye contact with him and they were standing side by side in moments. Neither of them spoke. They didn't need to. Men were here from King's Landing; they both knew they had come to take Arya back. She fought back panic. She wouldn't go back to that lion pit without a fight. Arya fingered the hilt of Needle nervously as the riders from King's Landing approached their group.

She felt a hand settle on her shoulder and squeeze it reassuringly. She looked up into the face of her only friend. Gendry smiled grimly.

"Don't worry, Arry. I'll protect you." Arya was grateful for the sentiment, but there was only so much an unarmed, untrained blacksmith apprentice could do against six fully armed warriors.

They both watched with bated breath as Yoren walked forward to meet the riders.

"You are harboring a fugitive from King's Landing. We're here for Gendry." Gendry gripped her shoulder tighter. She resisted the urge to turn around and look at him.

"These men are for the Wall." Yoren sounded strong to Arya's ears.

"The Queen says otherwise." Yoren craned his neck to look around the rider.

"Is she here right now? All I see is six soldiers coming up against forty armed men." Yoren called back to the group, "What do you lot see?" They all roared. Arya even heard one of the younger boys her age lower his voice an octave to sound menacing.

"We'll be back with more men," the soldier assured Yoren. With a shout, the riders were galloping back down the road.

When they were out of sight, Arya turned on Gendry, questions brimming out of her.

"What does the queen want with you?" Her tone was clearly one of disbelief. Gendry's face darkened.

"I don't know, milady. I'm sorry if my ignorance inconveniences you in any way." Arya glanced around quickly to see if anyone heard him.

"Shut up, you bull-headed boy. Someone will hear you!" He looked slightly chastened.

"I really have no clue why." He shrugged his broad shoulders helplessly. "My master told me men were asking about me and I needed to get out of King's Landing as soon as possible. This lot seemed the easiest way to do that."

For the rest of the night, some of the men glanced at Gendry with appraising looks. It made Arya nervous. She woke up from a light sleep, a hand pressed over her mouth. She gasped for breath preparing to scream. With a start, she realized that it was Yoren. She stilled her body and he pulled his hand away. He pressed one finger to his lips.

"If they come back with more men, I won't be able to keep you or Gendry safe," he whispered. "You two need to make for Winterfell on your own. I'll make it look like you two ran off south in the night so the lads won't be able to tattle on you even if they want to. I have some food packed for you, but you need to leave tonight." Arya listened carefully. 'Map?' she mouthed to him. "In the pack," he assured her. "Gendry is about ten yards that way," he pointed. "Go now. May the old gods and the new keep you safe."

She gathered her pack quietly, pausing to hug Yoren briefly before dashing off into the night after Gendry. Gendry thought she was the one who needed protecting, but he didn't know that she was a wolf. Wolves protected themselves. Gendry was a bull. A big, kind bull who the queen wanted to dead for some reason.

It was time for the wolf to protect the bull.

A/N: Please leave a comment if you liked the story. Or if you didn't. But mostly just if you did.