Game of Thrones: The Wolf of Deepwood Motte

Wolfswood stretched endlessly beneath a sky of drifting grey clouds, its ancient pines and sentinel trees casting long shadows across the forest floor.

Underneath the grey-green needles of a towering sentinel tree, Garon drew back his bowstring with practiced calmness, the arrow steadily aimed at a variegated fawn grazing among the undergrowth ahead.

The bowstring suddenly trembled with a sharp twang, and the arrow shot forward like a streak of lightning.

The fawn instinctively raised its head at the sound, but it was already too late.

The arrow pierced cleanly through its neck.

The young deer staggered weakly through the mottled shadows for several steps before finally collapsing motionless onto the damp forest floor.

"Good shot!" Jon Snow immediately praised from nearby.

Garon lowered the bow with a faint smile and shook his head lightly.

"It's only a fawn. Nothing worth boasting about."

Even so, his expression soon became slightly puzzled.

He glanced around at the strangely silent forest and frowned.

"Still, something feels wrong."

"We've been wandering through this section of Wolfswood for nearly half the morning, yet this is the only prey we've found."

Jon also found it odd.

"Could it be that the King's hunting party already drove away all the animals nearby?"

Then his eyes brightened slightly.

"Garon, why don't we go deeper into the forest?"

Garon turned his gaze toward the deeper regions of Wolfswood.

The ancient forest ahead appeared dark and oppressive, its tangled shadows concealing dangers unknown.

The Glovers had ruled Deepwood Motte for generations and knew this forest far better than most Northerners. Wolfswood had existed since the Age of Heroes, and deep within its endless trees lurked dangerous creatures rarely seen near Winterfell.

If they continued further inward, they might very well encounter massive predators such as shadowcats, direwolves, or even the enormous black bears known to inhabit the deeper woods.

After thinking briefly, Garon shook his head.

"There's no need yet."

"It's still early, and there should be enough game around the outer forest."

He smiled faintly.

"Wolfswood is vast. Our luck can't remain this poor forever."

Then he turned toward Roger.

"Master Roger, have someone carry the fawn. We'll continue searching."

Roger nodded immediately and ordered two Deepwood Motte guards to retrieve the carcass.

Jon naturally had no objections, and the group continued moving through the forest.

Unfortunately, another half hour passed with no success.

The woods around them seemed strangely empty, as though some enormous beast had already claimed the territory and frightened away every living creature nearby.

Just as Garon was beginning to consider returning toward the hunting camp, a shrill scream suddenly tore through the forest silence.

Jon froze.

"What was that?"

At the same moment, Roger abruptly knelt and pressed one hand against the ground.

A subtle trembling passed through the earth beneath his palm, instantly changing his expression.

"Lord Garon," Roger said sharply while raising his head, "something massive is moving through the forest."

He pointed northward into the deeper woods.

"The vibrations are coming from that direction."

One of the Deepwood Motte soldiers swallowed nervously.

"Could the King's hunting party have provoked some giant beast?"

Garon and Jon exchanged grim looks at once.

"Move," Garon ordered decisively. "We're going to investigate."

If anything happened to Robert Baratheon or Ned Stark during the royal hunt, the consequences would shake the entire North.

No one dared hesitate.

Under Roger's guidance, the group immediately rushed through the thick forest shadows toward the source of the disturbance.

Before long, Garon spotted several figures crashing desperately through the undergrowth ahead.

Three Lannister knights were fleeing in panic alongside a blond-haired youth clad in crimson and gold.

Joffrey Baratheon.

Jon inhaled sharply.

"It's Prince Joffrey!"

He instinctively prepared to shout toward them, but before he could speak, a gigantic beast burst through the forest mist behind them.

The sight instantly froze everyone's blood.

A monstrous brown bear thundered forward like a nightmare from the old tales, its enormous body smashing through saplings and branches alike.

With a single swipe of its massive paw, it struck one of the lagging Lannister knights.

A sickening crunch echoed through the forest.

The knight's chest collapsed inward instantly, and his corpse flew sideways into the brush.

The remaining two knights immediately realized they could not outrun the beast.

"Prince Joffrey, run!"

"We'll hold it back!"

The terrified prince did not even dare look behind him and instead sprinted forward desperately.

But the screams of the two knights soon echoed through the trees behind him.

Joffrey's entire body trembled in terror.

His legs suddenly twisted beneath him, and he crashed heavily onto the ground.

"Ah!"

He crawled frantically through the dirt and dead leaves like a frightened animal.

Nearby, Jon's face turned pale.

"Garon, what do we do?"

"If Prince Joffrey dies here, Lord Stark will never be able to explain it to the King!"

Garon's eyes darkened.

For a fleeting moment, a dangerous thought crossed his mind.

If Joffrey died here in Wolfswood, many future troubles would disappear forever.

But reason quickly crushed the impulse.

No matter how much he despised the prince, Joffrey could not die while under Winterfell's protection.

Garon's thoughts moved rapidly, and he immediately made his decision.

"Jon, Master Roger, split up and find the other hunting parties."

"I'll draw the beast away!"

Roger's face changed drastically.

"Lord Garon, that thing is enormous!"

Garon calmly removed another arrow from his quiver.

"Relax."

"I know this terrain better than anyone here, and I'm faster than that bear through the forest."

"It won't catch me immediately."

"Just find reinforcements as quickly as possible."

Seeing Garon's determination, Jon and Roger could only obey.

The group scattered through the forest searching for nearby hunters.

At this moment, Joffrey had already lost all strength in his limbs.

The giant bear slowly approached him.

Yet instead of killing him immediately, the beast moved leisurely, almost as though toying with trapped prey.

Its shoulder nearly reached the height of a grown man. Thick dark-brown fur mixed with mud and blood covered its massive frame, while its amber eyes locked onto Joffrey with terrifying hunger.

Its gigantic paw slowly rose.

At that instant, Garon moved.

His mind sharpened completely.

He drew his bow and loosed an arrow in one smooth motion.

The arrow struck directly into the giant bear's right eye.

The beast roared in agony.

Its massive paw clawed wildly at the ruined eye, snapping the arrow shaft while blood poured down its face.

Then its remaining eye turned toward Garon.

Violent fury instantly replaced its interest in Joffrey.

With another deafening roar, the giant bear dropped fully onto all fours and charged toward Garon through the trees.

The forest floor shook beneath its weight.

Branches shattered around it.

Garon immediately retreated while continuously firing arrows.

Unfortunately, the beast's thick hide and layers of fat rendered most of the shots ineffective.

Seeing the arrows accomplish little and the bear rapidly closing distance, Garon threw aside the bow entirely and drew the greatsword hanging at his waist.

The giant bear lunged with jaws wide open.

At the critical moment, Garon twisted sideways and rolled beneath the attack.

The enormous impact shook the ground violently, covering him in mud and pine needles.

Before he could fully rise, the enraged beast turned and attacked again.

Garon rolled awkwardly to avoid another crushing swipe while slashing experimentally at its body.

The greatsword only cut shallow grooves through fur and fat.

Instead of injuring the beast seriously, the attack merely enraged it further.

One dodge came a fraction too slow.

A massive paw tore across Garon's left arm.

His leather armor split apart instantly, and deep bloody claw marks opened across his flesh.

Pain exploded through his arm.

"No…"

Garon gritted his teeth while retreating rapidly.

"I need to restrict its movement first."

Another desperate dodge carried him backward until his spine slammed against an ancient oak tree.

His eyes swept quickly across the surrounding forest.

Then he suddenly noticed something nearby.

Earlier during the chase, the giant bear had smashed into a dead sentinel tree, causing it to collapse diagonally against another living pine.

Together they formed a narrow V-shaped gap.

The opening was just wide enough for the giant bear to force itself through.

Garon's eyes sharpened instantly.

"That's it."

At that exact moment, the enraged beast charged again.

A ruthless determination flashed across Garon's face.

He slid beneath the giant bear's body and emerged behind it before sprinting directly toward the narrow gap.

Seeing its prey flee once more, the giant bear roared furiously and pursued him without hesitation.

The beast crashed directly into the V-shaped opening.

Rotting wood groaned violently as splinters exploded outward.

The bear's upper body forced its way through, but its enormous waist became firmly wedged between the trees.

Its movements instantly slowed.

Garon seized the opportunity without hesitation.

Gripping the greatsword with both hands, he aimed beneath the exposed neck where shoulder and throat connected.

Then he drove the blade forward with all his strength.

The sword pierced through fur, flesh, and muscle before sinking completely to the hilt.

Hot blood erupted instantly, soaking Garon from head to toe with its metallic scent.

The giant bear's furious roars transformed into pained wheezing gasps.

Its massive body convulsed violently as strength rapidly drained from it.

Garon braced himself against the dead tree while holding the sword firmly in place, enduring the creature's final struggles.

At last, the giant bear's head slowly drooped.

Its body sagged heavily within the wooden trap while blood poured across the dead leaves beneath it.

The forest finally fell silent.

Only Garon's heavy breathing and Joffrey's distant sobbing remained among the ancient trees of Wolfswood.