It was like he was here again, she could almost feel him. His strong arms holding her up, the smell of his black leather jerkin or how his hair would get in her face when she hugged him. She always thought of Jon when she looked at Long Claw. His Valyrian steel sword with the white wolf pommel. The blade had deep ripples running through it, Meister Luwin once told her that was due to the dragon fire used in it's creation. Jon always carried it, it was like a part of him. He'd used the blade during the war, he'd defended Winterfell with it and mounted her rescue from Harrenhall with it, he'd taken Mance Rayder head with it. Yet now he didn't have it, he was out there somewhere without his sword. He could probably find another one, swords were common, but Valyrian steel was not.
She sniffed and rubbed her nose with her sleeve when she heard the door open behind her.
"I'm fine Sandor, I don't need..."
The great white direwolf with the blood red eyes, Jon's dire wolf. Ghost was his best friend, with him since he was a boy, just like Nymeria was for Arya. He protected him, bled for him, killed for him, loved him. Ever since Jon vanished Ghost had grown more distant and enigmatic than usual. He'd head off into the wolfs wood and no one would see him for days. He rarely came back to Winterfell, never in the castle walls. When someone did spot him it would generally be little more than a rumor, a momentary glimpse of white fur in the trees.
"Ghost?..."
Arya said, her voice shaky. The massive direwolf stepped forward and sniffed her face before looking up at the sword on the pedestal. He stared at it for several long moments before he nudged Arya with his nose and allowed her to touch his fur.
"You miss him too don't you?"
She asked as she hugged him. Ghost made no sound, only rubbed his large head into her chest spurring her hands to keep moving over his white coat.
"I miss him so much... it hurts..."
A tear fell and touched Ghosts white coat, Arya took a shuddering breath as she looked into those ruby eyes of Jon's closest companion.
"I hear you howling... at night.... It's like you're crying.... like me."
Arya threw her face into his large furry neck and sobbed. She held the large white dire wolf close, as he layed his head down over her shoulder protectively both of them missing their brother.