To Walk Amongst the White Woods (Open)

[Needmorefood]

Wulfa soon returned from her hut, carrying a canteen made of some animal skin in one hand, and her sword in the other. She raised an eyebrow at the two just standing their dumbly, and rolled her one eye, clearly finding the two ridiculous. She sent the canteen down before grabbing Payton's still bound hands and bringing the sword up. For a moment, it seemed like she was about to cut Payton's hands off, but the wildling simply cut the ropes on the girl's wrists. She walked over to Cartell and did the same for him, before walking over to the canteen, scoping it up, and tossing it to Payton. "Share the drink." She said, clearly indicating the two Black Brothers, before she sat down on a log next to the fire and laid her still bloody sword on her lap. She let go of the hilt, revealing she was holding a cloth as well, before she wet the cloth with some snow and began meticulously cleaning her weapon, ignoring the two Crows standing there

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Payton got her hands up just in time to catch the canteen. She opened the top and sniffed it, unsure of what she would find inside. She hoped it was water. Who knew what else these people might drink? They could drink blood for all she knew. There was no way she was choking that down, no matter what the cost. Eventually, she took a sip.

[Needmorefood]

It was water, fresh by the taste of it, and cold. As expected. Wulfa glanced up at them briefly, raising an eyebrow at them, before looking back to her blade and continuing her cleaning. A faint smirk was toying with her lips, showing her amusement at the two Crows. She remained silent, however, and did not repeat her commands. She must not have cared if the two ate or not. That or she knew they would eventually.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Payton took a few gulps of the water and then handed it off to Cartell. The liquid had soothed and burned her sore throat at the same time. Her thirst sated, she glanced at the deer. She grimaced when her stomach rumbled. She still couldn't fathom how they were supposed to eat, so she turned to Wulfa. "Why are you doing this?"

[Needmorefood]

Wulfa looked up from cleaning, staring Payton in the eye. She held her silence, still wiping the blood off of her weapon without looking. Her expression was still neutral, revealing none of her thoughts. After about a minute of quiet staring, Wulfa finally shrugged, still looking Payton in the eyes unflinchingly. "You're different." She replied cryptically, directing the answer to Payton. Her hand holding the cloth moved to the spikes on the hilt guard. Each spike was about as long as Payton's hand and as thick as her thumb.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Payton studied her for a few seconds, unable to formulate her thoughts. Finally, she said, "You know, don't you?" she said. She didn't specify what she meant, and she didn't want to. She just hoped Wulfa didn't say it out loud. Not even Cartell knew her secret, and they were close friends. She couldn't tell anyone amongst the Black Brothers; it was too risky. If anyone in with any authority found out, she'd probably be killed. She didn't actually know. As far as she was aware, a woman had never tried to join the Night's Watch, so there was no precedent for it.

[Needmorefood]

Wulfa stared at Payton, keeping her silence, but a sly smile soon curled her lips before she broke eye contact and lifted her now-clean sword, turning it every which way to make sure it was clean, before setting it on her lap. Then she began to clean the blades on her gauntlet in the same meticulous manner. "Yes." She finally answered, not looking up at the disguised girl. She thankfully did not elaborate on what she knew.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Interesting. She'd been at Castle Black for months and no one had figured it out. They probably all just assumed she was a feminine-looking boy. That's how preposterous the idea of a girl in the Night's Watch was. She looked over at Cartell, who was watching her, his forehead wrinkled and eyebrows knitted together. He was wondering just what Wulfa might have figured out about his friend, but he knew Payton well enough not to ask. If she wanted to tell him, she would. If not... well, asking was pointless. It would probably just piss her off, and that was the last thing he wanted.

Payton crossed her arms. "Are you just going to keep us here, or are we actually going to do something? Because I'm not just going to sit around and do nothing. I do stupid things when I'm bored." Stupid things like run away from home and join the Night's Watch, or try to escape a wilding camp.

[Needmorefood]

"You will eat. Then sleep." Wulfa replied after another moment of silence. She obviously didn't feel like she needed to answer right away. If Payton wanted an answer, she would have to wait until Wulfa was good and ready. "Tomorrow, you hunt." Wulfa added, lifting the gauntlet the observe the blades before cleaning it again, apparently seeing a dirty spot. The whole conversation, Wulfa hadn't looked towards the two once. She seemed very relaxed, but there was still a sense of danger about her. Not hostility, per say, but definitely the potential for it should the two Black Brothers decide to do something stupid

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Payton glanced at the roasting deer again and pursed her lips. She'd never hunted before; civilized families like hers didn't take their women hunting, and they certainly didn't let them kill anything. Even less evident than her gender was her noble upbringing. She didn't act like a lady at all. She met Cartell's eyes. He shot a meaningful glance at the deer and then at Wulfa. Payton sighed and asked the question both of them had been too afraid to voice. "How do we eat?" she said.

[Needmorefood]

At that, Wulfa did look up, raising her one eyebrow as she paused in her cleaning. Then she chuckled, a surprisingly deep sound, and looked back down, resuming her cleaning. "Tear a leg off." She explained simply. An unconcealed smile was on her face, spelling out the amusement she was feeling at the two crows' inexperience

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Payton just grimaced, but Cartell looked horrified. "Tear.... tear it off?" he stammered.

"I'll do it," Payton murmured. She stepped up to the deer and eyed each of the legs in turn. Finally, she grabbed one and yanked. She winced as the hot meat seared her hand, but ignored the pain and handed the leg to Cartell. He looked like he was going to puke as she set the leg in his hands. "Eat up," she said. She actually sounded a little amused.

[Needmorefood]

Wulfa chuckled at the display before holding her bladed gauntlet up once again for inspection. This time she seemed satisfied, for she washed the now-bloody cloth on the ground and grabbed her blade by the hilt. She stood and walked back into her hut without a word to the other two, her footfalls not even crunching against the snow. She really didn't talk much, did she? She really didn't make much noise at all.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Payton and Cartell ate, but neither of them consumed very much. They were tired, scared, and had little appetite. They didn't want to piss her off, though, so they ate. When they couldn't bear to swallow another bite, they sat down on the cold ground and waited for her to return.

[Needmorefood]

And return she did, and this time with her pelt hood down. Uniquely enough, her hair was as white as the pelt, even though she clearly was not very aged. Her hair was put in many tight braids with little bead like objects on the ends. Her weapons were gone, though she still held that air of power about her. Her armor as also off, replaced with some loose fitting fur clothes. She flicked her head toward the hut. "Inside." She commanded before disappearing back inside.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Payton lifted her chin and followed her inside. A second later, Cartell swallowed and tagged along. When Payton stepped inside the hut, she was surprised by the sudden warmth. There was nothing special about the hut, but it broke the wind and kept the heat in. It felt good on her numb skin.

[Needmorefood]

Inside the hut, many furs lined the ground, one pile obviously a bed. Tools lined the walls of the hut, but other than that it was relatively empty. No hunting trophies hung anywhere, though it was obvious Wulfa was a skilled hunter. Wulfa sat on the one pile, eye shut in what seemed like meditation. She opened it to glance at Payton and Cartell before motioning with her head to some of the furs piled off to the other side of the hut. "Beds." She explained simply before shutting her eye again. Her weapons and armor were right next to her bed, which was positioned near the hut's entrance. Her strange armor was nearby her bed as well. Escape was definitely not an option.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Payton couldn't help but feel a twinge of resentment. The beds at Castle Black weren't the most comfortable she'd ever slept in, but being raised as she had been, she still was accustom to a bed. Sleeping on the floor on a pile of pelts just didn't sound inviting to her. It wasn't like she had a choice, though, so she sat down and then crossed her legs.

[Needmorefood]

Wulfa opened her eye again when Payton finally sat down. She silently observed the other before a faint smile curved her lips. "You aren't made for this." She said, her words once again vague. As always, her words were soft yet they carried some sort of mysterious... meaning or strength in them. It was practically impossible to get an exact read on this wildling. Although, she seemed to be particularly interested in Payton, for she barely looked at Cartell

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"No, he isn't," Payton agreed. "The poor idiot got himself into trouble with a noble's daughter and ended up at the Wall." Now why had she said that? She had absolutely no reason to tell this woman anything--actually, she had many reasons not to.