A loud howl ripped from me as Summer jumped, tackling me. It cut off and I erupted instead in grunts and laughter as we rolled around, play wrestling. In this moment, it was just me and Summer. My eyes were on his and my grin became wolffish. We both pushed and pulled and rolled around. Suddenly I wasn't me. I wasn't in the middle of a war and afraid and stressed and worn thin. I wasn't dragged down and on the run. I wasn't being watched and I wasn't aware of anyone or anything except the moss and the dirt and the leaves and the trees and sky and Summer. I wasn't even human. I was wolf.

There was a whistle and Summer stopped playing and pinned me, looking up to see who had called him. I looked over too, both of us responding to the whistle. Jojen stood there, his eyebrow raised and a deep frown on his face. "Summer, you have someone to attend to," Jojen reminded evenly. Summer sulked a bit but moved to Bran. The young boy looked confused. Bran loved when Summer and I roughed housed - especially when he and Summer were connected. Jojen looked to me next. "It's not a time to be messing around and causing a bunch of ruckus."

My face twisted in a dark glare. My hands curled in frustration and I opened my mouth to argue, but I stopped, remembering. Remembering the battle. The woods. The people watching and the feelings I held for the boy who stood before me now. The boy who hated me. I remembered I was human. Looking away to hide my contorting face, I pushed to my feet. "I'm going to get some more firewood."

Mira sighed. "We have enough-" she began.

Jojen held her as I made my way away from the others. "Let her go," he whispered to her. I heard though. Once I was out of sight from the others, my firm walk burst into a light sprint. I took off, running hard but making sure my feet still fell softly so as not to make a bunch of noise. Humans. Reminding me I'm human. Stupid humans.

I'd grown up in the woods running wild with my parents. My dad got sick and he died of whatever he'd caught eventually. When my mom caught it, she told me to run. To take our dog and book it. She didn't want me to get sick. She didn't want me to die. So I went on for years completely separate from humanity. Our 'dog' was half wolf and though he was incredibly loyal ever since I'd saved his life when I was very young, taking him in and keeping him warm while he was dying from the cold and lack of food one especially harsh winter, he was still a wild animal. My parents were my anchors. Without them, I became more animal than human.

Jojen and Meera had found us hunting one day on the way to find Bran. Jojen had been stunned to see me. He was silent and on edge and awkward. I won over Meera with my incredible hunting skills. I never won over Jojen. He was always bitter and nasty towards me, but when I tried to leave, he always made comments that made me wonder if he secretly wanted me to stay. When we found Bran, Spirit - my wolf - died.  Osha killed him. We'd been trying to distract her while Jojen and Mira approached Bran, but Sumer's smell had thrown Spirit off. Even though I was wolf-like, I was still human and Spirit was excited to meet another animal he didn't have to kill for dinner. Unfortunately, he never got to meet Summer. Osha had run off to get Bran while I sat with Spirit until Mira and Jojen found me. It was the only time Jojen had been truly gentle and caring towards me. That night he'd pulled me to the side in private and held me as I'd sobbed when it hit me. When I'd had to bury Spirit. He'd held me and whispered soft words in my ear. He'd rubbed my back and whispered a phrase I'd heard Mira whisper to him while he had visions. "I'm here. It's Jojen. I'm right here with you." I'd never forgotten those words. Next day, though, he was regular Jojen again. Cold and passive toward me. But that seed was planted. For whatever reason, Jojen was pretending he didn't like me at all while he cared about me in some way.

Now I was in love with him. I was in love with the way he guided Bran. With the way he protected Meera. With the way he fought Osha to try and deliver the truth and it's importance, but also knew when to stand down. With the way he was so gentle and caring and helpful to Bran, relating to the boy and helping him with his fear and confusion and uncertainties. I was in love with the way Summer adored Jojen the same way Spirit had. With the way he was the sense in the craziness and the stone in the storming river or chaos.

When I'd run the anger off and brought up the old memories, the pain consumed me and I crumbled to the forrest floor. Alone and sweaty and exhausted, I curled up and covered my mouth so I would muffle the sobs. Images of Spirit filled my brain. Images of the spear skewering Spirit. Him falling, limp. The outcry of pain and the life slowly slipping from his eyes. I'd forgiven Osha eventually when Bran had snapped at Meera and Osha to stop bickering. Bran had taken me aside and we'd had a heart to heart. Our group had to be untied. Osha had killed Spirit in self defense. She didn't know that we were just stalling. That we meant no harm. She was sorry. The lot. Bran was my soft spot, along with Jojen, so I caved pretty quickly. Summer had stepped up to comfort me. Not take Spirit's place but to make a new place. I couldn't be surrounded by humans all day every day. It drove me mad. Summer became my best friend. Bran, though Summer, had become a friend as well. They weren't Spirit though, and I envied their connection. With Jones pulling me away from them and keeping everything so serious and everyone so focused, it was hard not to feel Spirit's presence. It was hard not to have moments like this.

As sobs took over me, I felt a nudge in my back. I jumped, whimpering, but I recognized Summer's fur and whine the second I turned around. I calmed as he cuddled with me on the Forrest floor, his nose bobbing as he soothingly rubbed his face against my head to show affection. "Bran?" I whispered. Summer whined in confirmation. I sighed, pulling Summer close. "I miss him, Bran. I miss Spirit so much. I've forgiven Osha. I really have. Just like I promised. But I miss him. He was the only family I had..." My eyes closed and I went limp in the moss. Summer whimpered, worried. "Maybe I'll just stay here. You guys can keep going. You don't need me. Just leave me here, Bran. Leave me here and tell them I was attacked. Let me join him..."

Summer slipped his body under me. I groaned, helping him put me on his back. Summer trotted slowly and carefully as not to knock me off. We moved through the woods and I knew we were headed back to camp. The light hit me, the voices and whispers next. We entered the clearing where the group was and Summer stopped, letting me roll off of his back and lean my back against a tree as far from the others as I could while still keeping me in sight.

I'd barely pulled my knees to my chest, my arms on my knees, keeping them up, when Jojen stormed over, stopping in front of me. "Get up," he snapped. I looked up at the angry boy. I didn't want to deal with this. With him. My heart ached at how handsome he was and how kind I knew he could be as my pride screamed at how he looked at me, sneered at me. "We need to talk." My anger won over and I shot to my feet, my face close to his as I squared my shoulders.

"Do you have a problem?" I spat. He turned, walking further into the woods. He expected me to follow. It made me even angrier that I couldn't help but give in and do just that. I hated being predictable. My wolf-ish side was coming out and I was practically growling as Jojen turned to face me after we were far enough for his liking.

He was instantly up in my face again and my lip curled in a snarl. "Don't even start," Jojen scoffed. "You're not a wolf. You just act like one because you're afraid of being human." My face went blank and I stepped back, stumbling a bit. At my obvious hurt, Jojen turned away, rubbing his face. "I'm sorry," he whispered, turning his head so I'd hear him even though he still wasn't facing me.

Confusion battled for excitement inside of me. He was My Jojen now. His tone was soft and caring and he couldn't stand to look at me because he knew that he would give me that soft, caring look to match. I'd seen it in the moments when he felt protective or sorry for me. He'd either give me the most heart wrenching look or he'd look away and avoid meeting my eyes or seeing me at all. "What's wrong?" I asked softly, moving to him and catching his hand. He didn't pull away. His jaw worked as he closed his eyes, trying to hone something I couldn't see.

Jojen opened his eyes and he turned to face me. "You want to die again."

My face grew serious. "I-"

"You promised," he interrupted. "You promised." He stepped really close and I saw the fear in his eyes. The terror. At what? What had him so shaken? Losing me?

Emotions burned inside of me and I searched his face in the moment of exposure. "I don't understand you," I gushed. "One second you're snapping at me for having fun and goofing around. One second you're lashing out at me and acting as if I'm nothing to you. Then, just when I'm sure you hate me and I'm accepting it and letting go of this life - I mean, you're the only thing really keeping me here, Jojen. And every time I'm finally ready or in trouble or you're about to lose me, you give me this look like I'm the only thing keeping you here in return."

His jaw worked and without meaning to, I reached out and touched his cheek with my thumb, my fingers wrapping around his neck. My fingers curved to the back of his neck, my finger tips ghosting the ends of his hair. Jojen swallowed hard. "You make it... so hard," he whispered, his voice slow and shaky.

My eyebrows came together. "What, Jojen?"

He was frozen stiff, forcing himself not to move. "You make it so hard not to love you."

Air clogged as I caught my breath, my heart racing. "W-what?"

Jojen was breathing hard forcing himself to breathe evenly. "I... can't do this anymore. I can't pretend to hate you anymore. You make it so hard. Too hard." he tilted his head, his frustration and anger at himself and his feelings showing. He stepped away, finally letting his breath free as soft gasps escaped him. He turned away and I felt him putting his walls up again.

Watching my chance fall through my fingers, I panicked. "You love me?" I asked. It seemed to hurt him as he shook his head, hard. "Yes you do," I argued, my mind racing. It sounded unsure though. His hands fisted. "You do," I declared more solidly. "You said so yourself." He ran his hands through his hair, still shaking his head. "Jojen, I- I love you too. I love-"

"No," he grunted, pulling himself out of my grip as I reached for him again. "No you don't. You can't. We can't be together. It's not fair to either of us. Least of all you."

A harsh laugh burst from me. "I know we're in the middle of chaos right now, but Jojen I love you. And you love me. When two people love each other, they make it work. This will end eventually. This will stop one day. You're one of the very few humans I've even really liked. You make me want to be human. Please, Jojen. Please look me at."

Jojen grunted again. "No."

My heart was thumping so hard I was afraid it would break. "Why not?" My eyes were watering and my words were wet and broken. Jojen turned to face me, his eyes softening as he saw how hurt I was. He looked only a millisecond though before he turned away again. Now I knew why. He was desperately trying to deny that he loved me, but he couldn't resist me. He knew that if he looked at me long enough, he would cave. And now I knew too. I turned him to face me, pushing him har against a tree. He slammed against the bark, his eyes shooting wide. "WHY NOT?" I demanded.

His eyes watered as our gazes locked. He broke. "Because I'm going to die."

Everything froze for a few seconds as I tried to wrap my mind around that. "We're all going to die," I finally reasoned.

Jojen shook his head slowly. "I'm going to die soon."

Still in denial, I shook my head hard. "How do you know this?"

He sighed. "I've seen it. I've seen myself get- I've seen myself get a wound. A fatal wound. I'm going to die from it."

My mind reeled as I tried to find a loophole. "Did you actually see yourself die?"

His mouth froze as he realized. "No... but I promise you. I'm going to. Move on. Find someone you can grow old with. Guide Bran and do something with your heart and your life."

"I live because I love you," I spat. "I've lost everyone and everything I ever loved. My parents. My brother. My Spirit. My best friend." My voice broke and his expression twisted as if he couldn't stand to see me in pain. Maybe he'd never been able to... "I only have you left. Bran is maybe the only other living being I genuinely, strongly care about. Perhaps I'm growing close to Meera as well. I haven't known the others long enough and Osha is too nasty to Meera. And she killed Spirit. That will always put a little distance between us. I cannot forget, even though I've forgiven her." I shook my head, focusing. "Meera and you are my family. I love you, Jojen. I cannot - no. I will not lose you. I will die first."

Jojen's expression softened even more and I fell into the warmth of his beautiful eyes. "Then you will die first."

Stepping back, I squared my shoulders. "Fine," I sighed. "Deny it. Push it away. But I'm determined now, Jojen Reed. Now I know. You don't have to say anything. You will not die except of old age after a happy, long life. I swear it. On my life." I turned and walked away, leaving Jojen to his thoughts.

-

In moments like these, I wished that Osha was still around. "Take- take me!" I screamed. The man looked at me and I forced myself calm. Meera froze, still tied up. The man moved to me, his lustful eyes making me feel instantly disgusted. Everyone's eyes were on me. "Take me," I repeated calmly. "She'll fight you. It'll be messy and hard. You say you like it rough? You like a little fight? I'll do anything you say exactly how you say it. Tell me what to do and I'll do it perfectly. I'll let you do it, and I'll make it much more pleasurable for you than she will. For-" My eyes moved to the other men. "For all of you."

The man hooked his finger under my chin. "Oh... you. You are a fun one. I wasn't going to but... if you insist."

He leaned close and I forced myself to smile. To pretend I was enjoying his too close proximity. "I saw you die tonight." As Jojen spoke, I felt my heart drop into my stomach. The man let me go as he turned to face the pale, sick blonde. "I saw you burn. I saw the snow fall and cover up your bones." The man went to respond but there was sound of sudden battle and he had to leave. We were all left alone and silence fell.

"You were going to... give yourself. For me." I looked over to see Meera looking at me. She looked her age. Young and small and scared and surprised. I offered a hanky smile. "Thank you," She croaked.

Feeling other eyes on me, I looked over to meet Jojen's eyes. We locked gazes and my expression hardened. I hadn't told anyone that he thought he was going to die. If he hadn't said it, he didn't want anyone to know. "I protect those I care about," I spoke to both Meera and Jojen. "With my entire effort. I will take someone's horror on myself before I'll let them go through it." Jojen's expression hardened and I looked at Meera and offered a soft smile. She looked between me and her brother a second before someone entered the tent and everyone looked over as another man approached Bran.

The new man tried to take Bran and Bran turned to Hodor to save him. The trio disappeared out of the tent until Hodor came back, freeing Jojen then Mira and then me. We all raced out to find Bran. Jojen convinced Bran to leave Jon Snow and we were all running to freedom again. That night, I took watch shift, insisting that Meera needed sleep after what had happened. She'd insisted for a few seconds before Jojen convinced her to go to bed. When Bran, Hodor, and Meera were asleep and Jojen settled next to me and silence fell between us, I knew that Jojen was about to say something.

Finally, he turned to me. I looked over raising an eyebrow. "You were going to risk yourself to save my sister."

Smiling softly, I nodded. "Yes, Jojen."

He sat still a moment more before he leaned over. His hand held my cheek as his lips caught mine. My heart exploded as we kissed. We pressed close, staying quiet as our senses filled with each other. I reached up, entangling my fingers in his hair. After a second, he winced and I remembered that he was severely weakened and I was supposed to be on watch. I leaned back, holding him up. "I- I-"

"Not yet," I assured. "Don't say it yet." He blinked, unsure, but I smiled. "You're not ready. Not yet." I kissed him quickly, gently, and his face smoothed over. He looked younger. A lot younger. Huh. I turned, sitting next to him. He put his arm around my shoulders and I smiled to myself as I snuggled into his side. We were gettin there. I was so close. Bu not yet.

-

When Jojen went down, Meera was next to him and grabbing his hands first. He was being dragged back. My eyes landed on the boney hands wrapped around his ankles. I huffed, tugging Meera's ax into my hands and swinging it, cutting off the hands and sending Mira and Jojen flying. When she got to her feet, I offered the ax back to her. She grabbed it, nodding to me as I pulled out my dagger. I stood by Jojen protectively. Bran had Summer and Hodor and Meera more than had herself covered. When Meera got into a sticky situation, I moved to her side.

Everything started to calm down just as Meera grabbed my arm, gasping. I followed her gaze to see-

There was a skeleton, still alive and driving a dagger in and out Jojen multiple times. Mira went after the skeleton and I fell next to Jojen. "I... I told you..." he croaked.

"No," I whimpered as Mira fell next to me. She he'd his hand as I put Jojen's head in my lap, Mira wa softly crying but I was in denial. "No," I whimpered. "I promised you!"

Jojen smiled weakly, blood everywhere. "I... forgive you..."

"How will I know when to use it?"

"You'll know."

The memory came back to me and my face set. I reached into my shirt and pulled out the necklace. "Wh-what are you doing?" Meera asked, her face wet and her voice weak.

"Saving him," I answered her. "Even if it costs me my own life." I popped the cork to the tiny bottle at the end of the string, leaning down to press my lips to Jojen's. Jojen grated, his hand trying to stop me as his eyes widened and he realized what I was doing. But it was too late. My lips pressed against his and I pushed the liquid into his mouth. It passed his lips and he was immediately stronger. He pushed me back, coughing. His face was angry as he fought to his feet. Meera scrambled after him, eyes wide with shock and hesitation. I felt the pain start to ooze into me and I winced. "I told you," I insisted. "I die first."

Jojen grunted, looking around. A few skeletons exploded and there, in the distance, was a girl. "Come with me," she insisted. Jojen cursed under his breath, scooping me up. We were both still half and half though and pain rocketed- we groaned in pain together. Meera scrambled to take my other arm and the three of us scrambled to the cave as Hodor carried Bran. The five of us followed the girl to a cave. The skeletons exploded behind us. "They can't follow us," the girl explained. "The magic that held them together doesn't work here."

Bran looked at her. "Who are you?"

The girl shook her head. "The girl, either brave or foolish as she is, does not have much time. Introductions will have to wait. Come." Bran's eyes widened as Jojen was becoming increasingly stronger, even more so than he was before he got stabbed, when he was weak and stumbling and pale and shaky. As color returned to his face, blood drained from my skin. I went limp, the wound I was taking from Jojen taking its tole on me as the stab wounds moved to my body instead. Jojen full out pulled me into his arms. My hands wrapped weakly around his neck and we were all moving quickly.

We were suddenly in a dark room, face to face with an old man. Join set me down. "I was supposed to die," Jojen rushed, standing up and facing the old man urgently. "It was my fate. She can't take it."

The old man pursed his lips. "She used magic to take on your injuries to herself. You were always fated to receive those injuries, Jojen Reed. But she is the Fate Changer. She can and she has changed your fate by taking it upon herself."

Jojen fell to his knees. "Please," he begged. "Tell me I can save her. Tell me I can do something... I love her."

The room fell silent and everything became fuzzy. I saw Jojen in front of me and I smiled. He was crying. The man must have said there was nothing for me. I touched his face, only realizing I had blood on my fingers when I smeared it on Jojen's cheek. My eyebrows came together. I went to apologize but Jojen cut me off, leaning down to kiss me gently. "You're going to get better and then I'm going to tell you how I feel. Properly."

My heart broke. "Please, Jojen, I wish to hear it. I'm not... going to get better. I know I'm not." I coughed and more blood came out. Hodor scooped me up and I gasped as pain shot violently through my body. "Please," I begged.

Jojen shook his head. "I'll tell you when you're better."

"You'll regret... not saying goodbye... And I will regret not hearing it," I managed weakly. Then everything went dark and I fell into nothing.

-

My eyes opened to a soft grayness around me. Was this death? An empty grayness of nothing and nowhere? Was it a simple here and now for eternity? How would I find Jojen in this when he joined me?

A voice caught me off guard. "She's awake."

Fingers moved across my cheek bones and something was peeled off my eyes. I hissed as sharp light filled my vision. Celebratory laughter filled the room and I was pulled into a solid chest. "You're alright. You're alive and alright. Thank the gods." I pushed the body away, blinking hard to adjust to the light. I was surrounded by-

Meera. Bran. Hodor. A bunch of children. Jojen. "You're all dead?" I asked, confused.

Jojen laughed. Really laughed. It caught me off guard. "No," he cooed. "We have lost many friends and family. We have lost much. But you, my dear. You're alive. We didn't lose you."

Shock took over me and I looked around. Jojen and I had survived. We'd both made it past where Jojen was supposed to die. Where I was willing to take his death for him. "We... made it?"

He leaned close, holding me. "We made it." He kissed me again, Meera laughing with energetic joy. The kiss was brief but passionate and it left my head spinning. Jojen leaned close. "I love you," he whispered.

My heart warmed as our eyes met. "I love you too," I whispered back.

He pulled me into another hug and this time everyone leaned in to join too. We'd made it. We'd actually made it! All together, in one piece. And the old man had something about me being the Fate Changer. What did that mean? There was so much to figure out, but you know what? We'd made it this far. We could make it anywhere. The potion my father had given me what felt like a life time ago was gone. He'd forbidden me to die to save either of my parents, insisting that I was meant for something bigger. To save someone more important. And I had. I'd saved Jojen. Speaking of...

"How am I alive?" I asked, breaking the group hug.

Meera leaned over, pushing hair out of my face in a very motherly gesture. "The Children's Greenseers. They have really powerful magic and were able to save you. Apparently, you held onto your last shred of life just long enough. You're as strong as we knew you were." We exchanged smiles and I knew. We really COULD conquer anything. I was sure of it now. I saw a bright future with me and Jojen and Meera, all in a house with a family. Cracking jokes and having meals and living life and getting old. Now I was determined to get there.

And, when I set my mind to something... Well. Jojen was still alive, wasn't he?