The Tourney at Ashford

It was getting late, and Gwen was feeling very sleepy after having spent a lot of time looking around the place and trying to get familiar with the location. Even Walder was a bit tired as he loped beside the girl, both thinking they were heading back to the Forrester compound.

But... something didn't look quite right. No one here looked familiar. And the colors were all wrong.

A rather large owl, a blue ribbon attached to its leg, flew by the young girl, coming to rest on one of House Kellington's banner. It observed the girl her dog for a moment, it's head contorting at weird angles.

After a while it spoke ''Hoot!''

The child watched the owl with great fascination. It wasn't often she got to see such birds up close while they were still alive, and this one seemed so large too.

"Hoot!" she called back, and giggled. Walder gave her a weird look, and the owl an equally weird look.

The owl fixed the blond girl, moving across the banner. He seemed to be about to reply when interrupted by the small and high pitched barks of an oncomming pup. The dog ran around the pole as if to get the owl's attention.

''Dusty, stay!''

Despite the firm command from the man comming right after him, the puppy continued running around until it tripped on its own legs. That allowed him to notice the other dog and the child, to whom he ran toward barking.

Gwen's mind went from being fascinated by owl to ohmygodsapuppyitssocuteIwannapetitandhugit!. Walder was right away on guard, but even he recognized a pup and assessed it as not a threat. Yet. Though he did make a low hum of a bark to tell the pup that at least one adult was present.

"Aww, a puppy!" Gwen was quick to get down on her knees to greet the little fluff-ball.

The previously mentionned Dusty ran up to the girl to give her as much as a licking as his puppy tongue could give.

''Dusty!''

The man who called finally came into sight. He seemed angry at first but relaxed and smiled seeing what was going on.

''Sorry for that, he's not quite trained yet'' he said after giving a whistle to the owl who flew down to rest on his shoulder.

The licking of course prompted a fit of giggling as the puppy's tongue tickled her face, and she happily patted his head in return. Walder looked on to make sure Gwen was alright, and to make sure she wouldn't forget him. He was her bestest friend, after all!

"Heeheehee... it's fine-- aww, he's so cute! That's quite enough..." she giggled some more and tried to assure the puppy that he had given more than enough affectionate greetings. "His name's Dusty?"

The man picked up the energetic puppy which immediately turned its attention to him, licking as best he could.

''Indeed, he used to run in all of the most dusty places of the keep when a little younger. He frequently came back covered in cobwebs''

Gwen rubbed her face with the back of her hands, smiling brightly. "I bet he did. Walder did the same thing too!" The dog named Walder 'helped' Gwen clean her face by licking it too... and also reminding her that he was still her bestest friend!

"You train dogs?"

The man chuckled

''I *try* to train this one. We will see about others when the time comes.''

"He's so sweet, I'm sure he'll be a good dog too when he's older," she giggled and scritched Walder behind the ears, but looking very much at the cute little puppy. And the owl. "And you train owls too? I didn't know that was possible."

The man extended his right arm, holding the puppy in his left, then whistled. The owl slowly jumped from the shoulder to the forearm.

''It is possible if started young... I rescued this one when he was an owlett and he as been with me since. His name his Tranquil.''

"The poor thing must've been really scared then. Maester Myrles told me baby birds need their mommy around a lot to feed them and protect them because they can't fly yet." More grown-ups should be like him! Saving baby birds and training little puppies!

"How old is he?"

''It should be around three years in a month or so'' he replied

''If lucky he will be with me for a decade or so.''

"Oooh~... I didn't know owls can grow that old. Will he get bigger too?" she was clearly very fascinated by the mysterious bird, even if the puppy had won the initial first impressions.

''From what I know he could grow up to twenty-five inches but I believe he should be mature'' he replied with no hidden pride

"Wow, that's really amazing," the girl looked on with wide-eyed amazement. The dog nudged her a little with hise nose. "No, you don't hunt owls, silly." She laughed. "Walder is a hunting dog, but I don't think he's seen an owl like that up close before."

"Oh right... uh I'm Gwen."

''A hunting dog you say? It is my hope thatDusty becomes one as well''

He gave a smile and a nod to the girl named Gwen

''And I am Ferris Cafferen, a pleasure to make your acquaintance...Are you from Ashford?''

"No," she shook her head, "from Ironrath. It's in the north. Like... really far north. Not as far as the Wall, but we're very far north. It's my first time down here in the south. Is it always this warm here?"

He could not help but smirk at that

''Complains about the heat is a sure way of find a true northener. And yes...sometimes more. But not as much as Dorne I hear''

He scratched his beard

''You are far from home then. I figure you are a quite capable young lady and you have a stalwart companion...but I would be surprised if you came here on your own''

She smiled a little. "I hear Dorne is like really hot and weird... but it would be fun to see that too someday. But no, I didn't come here alone. Well, I have Walder, and my pony, but I came here with my cousin, Arwyn. She's really pretty, and she's a real and proper lady, but that's to be expected because her dad's Lord of the House. And with almost everyone else from the Forresters."

He tilted her head

''Forrester? I never had the pleasure I am afraid. Has you can guess I am no man of the courts.''

He then squinted his eyes with suspicion but could not properly hide the playful smile under it

''And do little Forresters are always up so late Lady Gwen?''