Chapter Text
There are whispers of the Starks. Wild rumors. Dark stories of blood and vengeance. The Starks were blessed by the Old God, granting them the strength and agility of a thousand direwolves, allowing them to turn into beasts at will. Legends have it that King Theon the Hungry Wolf ate his unfortunate victims, that Brandon the Builder built passageways at Winterfell that only a wolf could access. That Rodrick slew the Ironborn to win back Bear Island using his teeth and claws. That Brandon the Ship Burner spent many nights before he burnt all his ships, sailing out to the ocean, howling at the wind, hoping for a response.
They say that a pack of Starks broke guest right to slaughter their own bannermen. They turned into wolves at the dinner table and murdered every man, woman, and child, wiping out an old bloodline in a single night. Even their own retainers were caught in the middle of the bloodbath.
("If you hear a wolf howling, watch out," Ravenna Dreadstark claimed with a toothy grin, her eyes glinting with mischievous delight. "For it means you have angered a Stark and they are now out for your blood.").
They say that Torrhen Stark married his daughter to Lord Ronnel Arryn. After her husband's imprisonment, Lady Stark was burnt on orders of Lord Jonos, claiming that she was bewitched, having turned into a wolf, and attacked him. Many believed that story is just a desperate attempt by Lord Jonos to stop the North from coming to his brother's aid.
("We can never allow them to marry South. My father was willing to take that chance, but I am not," Ned declared gruffly. Catelyn followed his gaze to where Arya and Jon were talking. She shuddered at the thought of what might happen to Arya who turned into a wolf at every chance she got. Even Sansa could be in danger as the knights and princes she dreamed of might turn on her in an instance if they learned her secret).
They say that as he watched his father burn, Brandon Stark changed into a wolf, the rope breaking as he did so. He leapt at King Aerys, his jaws open, hungry for blood. The mad king would have died that day had Jaime Lannister not reacted swiftly. Those present insisted that it didn't happen, it was a mass hallucination, the Seven had actually cursed Brandon for his sins by turning him into a monster, the Old Gods had turned their barbarian into a vicious monster and the Seven had guided Ser Jaime to slay it.
("I wish I had let Brandon Stark kill the mad king," Ser Jaime admitted bitterly as he pat a wolf's head. The wolf had stumbled on his brooding spot. "He could have saved us all a lot of trouble. Then he'd be the kingslayer and I'd be---well, I guess I'd be no one." The wolf let out a questioning whine and rolled over. Jaime stared incredulously. "I'm pouring my heart and soul out to you, and you just want a bully rub?" The wolf let out another whine and Jaime complied with a sigh.)
They say when Oswell Whent's body was sent home, his throat was ripped to shreds.
("When your sister learned of what happened to your father and brother, she wanted to leave. Prince Rhaegar wouldn't let her," Ser Arthur Dayne explained as he lay dying. "Before we knew what was happening, your sister turned into a wolf. He didn’t even have time to draw his sword before she had sunk her teeth in his throat. Lord Commander Hightower wanted to kill her. He called her and the child she carried demons. He refused to protect her, rode with Rhaegar to battle on the Trident. Left me all alone.")
They say when Petyr Baelish held a knife to Ned Stark's throat, he turned into a wolf, fleeing the throne room before anyone could react.
They say King Joffrey Baratheon offers a thousand dragon reward for the capture of the wolf as did the Faith who condemned the Starks as demons. There are whispers that the wolf is somewhere in the city plotting the demise of those who betrayed him, stole his sword, and slaughtered his household.
(Catelyn waited on the battlements. She ignored the calls of her uncle and brother to come back inside. She waited and waited, her blue orbs scanning the hills and the trees. Then a wolf burst out of the woods, his brown fur matted with dried blood. She screamed at the archers not to fire as she ran through the castle, pushing past the guards. The wolf leapt on her, licking her fiercely as she hugged him. Her husband was home. He was safe and that was all that mattered.)
(That night, howls reverberate throughout the Riverlands as a raven flew to Dragonstone. Then another to Harrenhal and a third to King's Landing. The message was clear: Winter was coming for the Lannisters).