Work Text:
It had been a nice long weekend. Catelyn loved her family. They were her dream. Her hopes fulfilled.
But there were a lot of them. And they were young and loud.
She would not trade anything in the world for any one of the. But five children plus a nearly full time nephew did not make for a calm or orderly house.
And so it was nice that Ned took them all up North for a weekend camping. The peak of Summer was always too much for her Northern Blooded children. So Ned had packed the big SUV and drove the lot of them up North.
The Starks had an old family estate with miles and miles of land, and the plan had been for them to pitch some tents in the woods until Sansa pitched enough of a fit or Arya got so dirty they had to go the main house with its running water and its heat.
Four days of quiet had been nice.
But it had also gotten lonely around the middle of yesterday evening. And so when she got a text from Robb that they were about an hour out, she’d been relieved.
Their house was meant to be full.
She’d given the cook the weekend off, with the family gone, and so she’d broken out her rusty kitchen skills and was currently poaching some fish in a lemon sauce. An quiet apology to Sansa, who probably did not enjoy the outdoors.
It should all be ready when her family gets home.
She heard the gate creaking open soon enough.
And she didn't even brace herself for the loss of quiet, she was excited for her house to feel properly lived in again.
The kitchen was far enough away from the garage that she didn’t expect to be able to hear more then the white noise of 6 kids ages three to fourteen, tumbling out of a car. But that didn’t explain the yelp and whines she heard too. All of which got louder when the mudroom door is opened.
“Mama,” It was Bran’s voice, “Mama, come see what we got.”
An excited plea, a seven year old’s joy of a surprise and wonder. But it was not necessary. Catelyn Tully Stark knew, in her gut, what Ned had brought home. He got them a dog.
She sighed, just a little, to herself. They’d been talking about it, of course. Ned had had dogs growing up, and each one of the kids had expressed interest at one point or another.
She’d agreed. But she’d planned on a long, extensive search. Finding the best breeds and breeders. Something more medium sized, probably. Hypoallergenic for any guests. Going with all the children to pick out the one best for their family. Perhaps a small tussle over the name.
But Ned’s gone and jumped the gun.
If the noises she heard as she got closer to the door where anything to go by then he might have jumped it twice.
She joined them in the garage, and froze.
Because Ned had not returned with one dog. Nor two. Nor even six.
Ned had not returned with any dogs at all.
“Look at my puppy, Mom,” Arya said, thrusting the little thing in her face. It mewls a bit, and then seems to try and tuck itself into Arya’s hands.
And Arya, who was passionate and friendly but had never really counted nurturing as one of her talents, managed to take the hint and cuddled the little pup to her chest.
“We found them Mama,” Bran said. His own licking at his chin.
Robb coughed loudly.
“Well, Robb and Jon found them.” He admitted. “And Daddy said we could keep them.”
Catelyn looked at Ned, holding Rickon in one arm and an excited puppy in the other.
“Ned…” She began. But their was literally nowhere to go. This was truly unbelievable.
“I know you wanted to do more research,” Ned said with a soft smile, “but these are the exactly kind of dogs we had as kids. And they were all whimpering out in the cold. Their mother was probably dead.”
“Ned…”
“I know six seems like a lot. But this way their will be no fighting over names or playing. And you don’t even have to feed them, because they hunt their own food. Once they’re older.”
“Isn’t she pretty, Mom,” Sansa, sweet Sansa who would rather sit inside and read then run around after any animal, said, “I’ve named her Lady. Because she’s proper.”
“Now now,” Ned said, as everyone converged on Catelyn, “We talked about this. There will be plenty of time to introduce all your new friends. But right now, you’re to take them to the sun room and set up an place for them to rest for the night.” It was clear that the action plan had been decided beforehand. He set Rickon down, and handed the pup that must belong to the three year old to Robb, before addressing he and Jon, “Make sure everything valuable has been moved. After everyone eats and we’ve all unpacked, we’ll go to the pet store.”
The kids all shuffled into the house.
“Ned…”
“I know, I know. I can’t say no to them. I’m the softy. But you saw the dogs and you saw the kids. It's perfect. Six of them, six pups. Please don’t be mad.”
“Ned.” She said his name, one last time. Not loudly but firmly. Because this was absolutely ridiculous. “I’m not mad that you brought home six dogs.” She offers. And he responds with the little grin that’s almost enough for her to forgive him.
Except…
“I”m mad, because you brought home six wolves.” And Catelyn had two degrees in social psychology. She consulted all over the world about relationships and communication. She tried to keep from raising her voice as a matter of course. Tried to manage her family with an even temper and smooth tone. Tried to live up to her own research.
But Cat Tully also learned mothering by being placed in charge of two motherless younger siblings. And that taught her how to yell. Which she did. “Wild animals, Ned.”
Ned looked taken aback by her tone. Though as a good husband should, more confused than scared.
“No,” He shook his head, “No,” And he grasped her hands and smiled a little. “No, I promise, Cat. They are just like dogs we had as kids. They’re great. The most loyal, protective things you’ve ever seen. Give it a few days and you’ll be as in love as the rest of us.”
Catelyn thought a few days was an awful lot to ask a woman who had just been presented with six wolves to be part of her household. And while the kids carried in their camping supplies and then got cleaned up for dinner, she watched wolves in the sunroom, sectioned off by the old child safety gates that they’d just stopped using for Rickon.
They’d moved out the two vases and her grandmother’s rocking chair. The rest of the furniture in the sun room was that tacky set Robert Baratheon’s ex-wife had given them before that scandal. Too much red and gold and far too many lions. Catelyn didn’t mind the idea of it getting chewed up by little teeth. Also, they’d added some discolored towels and the old bean bag chair from the playroom. Along with newspaper, which Jon promised was just a temporary measure until they could pick up puppy pads.
It was a good set up.
If it weren’t for a bunch of wolves.
But the fight about them could wait until everyone was clean, well fed, and had proper night’s rest. So everyone would be more rational.
About the wolves that were currently curled up on a bean bag chair in her sunroom. Snoring together like the most adorable of those cute animal pictures her Uncle Brynden was known to sent her on a bad day.
***
At the end of the last school year, their Nanny had retired. With Rickon potty trained and Robb and Jon off to high school, it had seemed like the perfect time to reevaluate their childcare needs. And Ned had been enthusiastic about not hiring full time help, at least for the summer.
It had seemed like a good idea in theory.
In reality it meant waking up to a pack of wild animals, and the wolf pups they’d adopted.
They’d spread out from the sun room, and the kitchen featured an empty milk jug and packet of bacon left on the counter.
Little whines and yelps rang through the main floor, as did the excited voices of her children trying to train the wild animals they’d had for less then a day.
She found Sansa, Jon, and Rickon in the sitting room, the reason immediately clear. Sansa had taken the silver and white couch cushions and was artfully arranging them around a very calm Lady, with ribbons tied around her neck, while Jon’s stark white wolf seemed confused, and looked on with slightly eerie red eyes.
Her phone and the little tripod she used were beside her.
“Hi, Mom.” She said excitedly. “I’m taking pictures of our new dogs to show everyone.” She adjusted the throw pillow with the snowflakes she’d put behind Lady. “Isn’t it pretty.”
It was rather picturesque for wild animals that were sitting on her nice couches.
“I thought, since Rickon’s was the darkest, and Jon’s was the lightest, and Lady’s in the middle, they’d all be perfect together.” Job made a little hum besides her. He had Rickon in his lap and a towel in front of him, and was helping the toddler dip a piece of bacon in milk and then let black wolf suck on it.
All of Catelyn’s children loved each other, but Jon uniquely was willing to indulge in things like Sansa’s photo shoots and Rickon’s messes. She thought it might come from his not quiet sibling, not quite cousin status. Here whenever his mother was traveling, which was most of the time.
“I’ll get pictures of all of them later.” Sansa promised Jon. “Daddy said maybe they could be our holiday card.” Just what Catelyn needed, the entire realm knowing that her well educated, CEO of a husband did not know the difference between dogs and wolves.
The snap of Sansa’s phone went off. “What do you think of this filter?” She asked, showing the screen to Jon.
“Perfect,” Jon grinned “But send it to me, I want to be the one to send it to Mom.” Then he turned to Catelyn, “don’t worry Auntie Catelyn, We promised Uncle Ned that Rickon would only be with his dog if Sansa, Robb or I was around.”
Catelyn wanted to sigh. She knew what the tuition at Jon and Robb’s school was, let alone the rest of them, and if they couldn't identify dogs, that was a problem.
But it was a problem for tomorrow. Because today Catelyn has a solution to the wolf infestation.
Lyanna.
Normally Ned was in charge of relaying parenting situations to and from Lyanna. Mainly as a result of Catelyn’s early distaste of Lyanna dumping her infant son on them. But that was long forgotten behind many years, Jon being the only person who could calm a young Arya down, and the fact that Lyanna had pointed out more than once the she was more than happy to pay for her share of Jon’s nanny. Catelyn could call her with impunity now.
She found the other children around the main floor. Arya letting her wolf, christened Nymeria chew up stuffed animals in the playroom, Robb trying to teach his Grey Wind how to fetch, and Bran locked up in the library with a giant stack of books, trying to come up with a name.
They were all clearly taken, and if Ned had merely brought home six dogs, Catelyn would have had to give in.
But wolves were another matter. And Lyanna was her only hope of getting them out of her house. They’d probably have to drop them off at some wolf sanctuary in the North, along with a large check that allowed the kids to stop by any time. But regardless, they needed to be gone.
And Lyanna Stark, a nonsense, practical woman, was the key. If she said her son couldn’t have a wolf for a pet, then Ned would not only abide by the ruling, he’d apply it to the others as well. Fair treatment across the board was important for Ned. Jon would be treated like the others, and the others would be treated like Jon. It was why Robb had been given a cell phone when Jon’s Father had insisted on giving the boy one when he was in fifth grade, and why Arya knew her time was coming up.
No wolf for Jon meant no wolf for anyone.
If felt a little underhanded, of course, as Catelyn settled into her office for a private chat, but no one else was seeing since about the fact that there were currently six wolf puppies in her suburban Riverland mcmansion. Catelyn had long ago accepted the rule of disciplinarian and hardass within the family. She was the one who reminded Bran he was allowed to climb trees, but not the actual house. To tell Arya that her fencing foils had no place out at home among a bunch of people who did not participate. To tell Jon and Robb that they could not practice their hockey fights in the living room.
She would be the one return the wolves to nature, where they belonged.
Lyanna picked up with a smile in her voice.
“Catelyn,” She said, “I was just thinking about calling. How are you?”
“I’m alright.” She started with the forced pleasantry. “Ned took the kids camping over the weekend.”
“Right, he took them home, didn’t he, to the Wolfswood?”
Catelyn had forgotten that they called the land around Winterfell the Wolfswood. It only annoyed her more, that her husband somehow missed the obviousness of the pups.
“Yes, they got home yesterday, and they brought somethings with them.”
“I know.” Lyanna said, “I just got a text from Jon. A picture of Ghost and Lady. Aren’t they just the cutest things.”
Catelyn’s heart sank. “You’ve seen them.”
“Of course. We had dogs just like that as kids. And they are just the best. Loyal and protective.” She hummed almost mournfully, like she missed her own childhood wolves “It's very exciting.”
“Lyanna,” Catelyn tried, “They aren’t dogs, they’re wolves.”
Lyanna just laughed. “Oh, Catelyn, I guess you didn’t really have dogs growing up. I know they might seem large and sometimes kind of scary when they bare their teeth or growl. But I promise, they’re the best dogs you could ask for.”
Nothing could convince her sister in law after that, and instead the conversation ended with Catelyn somehow promising to make sure someone sent Lyanna a picture of the rest of the wolves.
When she reemerged, she found the lot of her family plus the wolves in the TV room. Everyone curled up together, watching a some sort of nature documentary about wolves.
She curled up next to Ned on the love seat, and he gave her a frown, “You know,” He said, under his breath, “You might be right, maybe they are wolves.” But he sounded more bemused then upset. Confused by his miss labeling, but not at all like he planned on not having wolves.
She didn’t even have it in her to sigh any more. It was too much, too cute. Too perfect. Rickon and Arya calm with their little beasts. Sansa’s already dolled up. Jon petting Robb’s while Robb pet Jon’s. Bran miraculously reading real books to try and discover a name.
“They are definitely wolves, Ned.” Catelyn said. “Tomorrow I’ll start researching the difference between wolf and dog care.”
Ned smiled brightly and kissed her. And it was alright. Six wolves in their suburban home would be fine.
***
It took several years, a few dead deer, and a couple of trips to some very very very unique veterinarians to get some idea why the wolves were growing beyond what all research suggested full grown wolves should do.
Catelyn was scratching Summer behind the ear while Jon and Robb and Ned recounted the story of finding the pups to a paleozoologist again.
“I don’t know how to tell you this,” the woman finally said, looking around at the six overgrown wolves and their six masters. “But these aren’t wolves.”
Everyone started talking at once, even Rickon, who was seven and had no idea what was going on.
“If they aren’t wolves,” Catelyn asked, after silencing everyone with a look. “What could they possibly be.”
The poor woman looked like she didn’t want to say it. And Catelyn couldn’t really blame here. They were giant things, with long sharp teeth and too intelligent eyes. They were like creates out of legend. If they weren’t dogs, if they weren’t wolves, what on earth were they?
“They are...that is to say I believe...that you have…” the woman sighed, “They’re direwolves.”