Chapter One

"It's a smart match, my lady."

Nyra said nothing as she tightened her grip on her reins. The snow was falling more now, and she could feel Soren pulling hard against his bit. There was always snow here just South of the Wall. She didn't remember it being so heavy. She adjusted her cloak again as her men moved in closer.

Nyra Lanius had just returned from a visit with her uncle. She could not wait to get out of this frozen land. However, she did not want to get to what was to come. Her captain rode up next to her. His dark cloak was paler from all the snow falling. He looked at her for a moment.

"My lady, I think we should stop soon," he said.

Nyra pulled Soren's bit and looked at the man before her. Captain Martain had been Nyra's personal guard since she was a child. She trusted the man more than her own father. At the moment though, she just wanted to keep riding and reach a warm fire with a roof.

"We are close to Winterfell are we not, Martain?" Nyra asked with an edge.

"My lady," Martain started.

"Martian, stop with this my lady. My father, mother, and uncle are not in this woods with us."

"Nyra," Martain said. "You can not kill your men because you want to freeze yourself to death."

Nyra glared at him for a moment. She thought of spurring horse and disappearing into the white dust. She knew better though. She traveled these woods only twice a year, and the paths never looked the same. She nodded. The men quickly started making camp. Nyra stayed on Soren, feeling his broad, black neck arching against the reins. He was tense and anxious. She glanced down at the direwolf by the horse. Nightshadow was sniffing the air.

"Shadow?" Nyra asked, looking around. She too could feel something in the air.

Nyra felt her hand run down her sword hilt. She loosened it in the scabbard when she noticed something in the distant. It looked like a black cloak. She thought it was only an illusion until Soren pawed at the ground, and Nightshadow began to growl.

"Martain," Nyra said. "Something is out there."

"Lady Nyra," one of the Lieutenants said. "There is nothing out there."

Soren moved listlessly under her and pulled at his bit. She could feel his body tighten under her. She gripped the reins tightly, knowing the horse was going to bolt. She turned to the men to see them making camp. The youngest member of the group was at the corner, gathering wood. Nyra started to dismount when there was a movement right behind the guard getting wood. She looked up to see a small girl stand there.

The little girl was dressed in a black smock that was filthy and looked as if she had rolled in the dirt with it. She could have only been about seven or eight. Her hair was once red, but it now took on a strange, dead hue. It even looked as if some pieces were falling out. She was extremely intrigued by the young man getting wood. She moved forward, and Nyra saw her eyes. They were a bright yet pale blue. Nyra could feel the scream in her throat but no sound came in.

Suddenly, Nightshadow let a out a loud growl. Nyra spun in the saddle to stand face to face with a man with the same eyes as the girl. He moved toward Soren with a strange sort of look. He didn't act as if he wanted to kill her, but Nyra knew that she could get her sword.

"Nyra!" It was Martain. "Get out of here!"

Nyra looked around. These creatures were all around the camp. They all looked the same. They had the same look. Hunger. Nyra thought of staying with her men, but she could tell it was going to be a losing battle. Martain was moving toward her as Soren reared at one of the things reached for his reins. The motion caught Nyra off balance, and she slammed into the hard packed snow.

It took Nyra a moment to catch her breath as she looked up. Soren had disappeared into the white wilderness. Nightshadow stood at her side. His fur stood on end, his white teeth shined, and muscles flexed as he got ready to jump. Nyra turned to see that most of her men lay dying. She felt hands reach out, grabbing her. She turned to see Martain. He drug her to her feet. The biggest of all the creatures were walking closer to them. Blood was all over his face.

"Run, Nyra!" Martain said franticly. "Run!"

Martain pushed her hard, forcing her legs to move. Nightshadow was at her side, blood dripping from his fangs. She drew her sword as she began to run. The ground was hard to get any sort of grip on. The snow was thinning out, making the ground slick and muddy. She tried to hold the sword and run. The ground gave away from her. Nyra hit the ground hard, feeling a splitting pain through her hand. She stood slowly, glancing back. The creatures had fallen back. She saw one standing at the edge of the snow. He was holding something at his side. It was dripping red in the snow. Nyra felt her breath go out of her as she realized it was holding Martain's body without a head.

Nyra could only scream. She had never seen anything like this before. She had only heard about these creatures, never believing that they really existed. As she faced the nightmares of the North, something in her felt sick. She quickly started running again. The last things she remembered was looking back, and then her world went black.