Lost Creek Hollow the kingsroad

For @Ocra <3

Moving south quickly from the peak of the Dragons, Rickon spent several more days on his own, with nothing but unpleasant thoughts and memories to keep his company along the way. He would toss fitfully at night, only to expend most of his energy running through the morning that followed, trying to chase away his lingering horrors. Sleep would have been a welcome reprieve from the gnawing hunger tightening the lining of his gut, but he was forced to endure it all, without any foreseeable alleviation. Eventually he had something to eat, but the swallowed rabbit felt like a single drop in the bucket, and he began to crave that decaying sheep he'd found nearly a week ago, which was surely gone by now.

By the time twilight had begun to bleed darkness into the edges of the sky, turning everything orange and purple, the spidery canine had come deep into the Hollow. In the approaching dark it was most obvious that summer had ended. He took a deep breath, realizing that he would need to find a settlement before winter; the pressure of the mere thought pinpointed the back of his skull, and instantly gave him a headache.

Rickon searched until he found a pond, where he half-stepped in and took a nice, long drink in an attempt to flood his woes away.