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All Men Must Die...

Foal Name: Ophelia Stark (Ophie for short)
Temper:
Personality: Ophelia is stubborn, but has a big heart, and is always looking to do the right thing, even if it's distasteful. She adores her siblings and her parents, although she's more of a daddy's girl. Ophie is usually butting heads with Roderick over whether or not -she- needs -his- protection or -he- needs -hers- because, as the oldest, she feels it's her job to make sure her younger siblings are safe. But even a long and frustrating argument won't keep her riled for long, as Ophelia is almost incapable of staying mad at the ones she loves. She's working on trying to keep a cool temper and thinking things through before she says anything or acts irrationally, and believes diplomacy should be the first solution to problems. Ophie has a love of life that's bone-deep. That first deep breath of fresh air in the morning gives her a satisfaction unlike anything else. She loves just sitting and listening to the birds, and other little sounds around her. The world is amazing, and there is nothing so precious as all the life that surrounds her, and making sure that life if protected.
Plots?: Ophelia and Roderick arguing over who would be the better defender of the family (I can see a lifetime-long argument that continues into adulthood, and they just randomly mention it to each other just to poke the wolf, so to speak).

Who do you want to end up on the Throne & why?: I haven't watched the show in forever, and didn't get the chance to read the books, but Dany was always a favorite of mine.

...But We Are Not Men.

Foal Name: Berena Stark
Temper: Soothsayer
Her story:
She’d seen it again, that wolf. It shadowed her with ease, stepping in the impressions she’d made in the snow, black eyes steady despite the glare of the sun. It only appeared when she was alone, and Berena was well-used to ignoring it. Today, however, she could not help the ripple of fur, the lift of lip, the rumble that started from deep within her throat.

“Beware,” the wolf seemed to say, though of course he could not speak and was much too far to hear even if he were able. The warning was more memory than thought, half-remembered from clouded dreams and repressed nightmares.

She could feel the muscles in her legs tense, ready to spring—to tear his throat out and end this premonition once and for all. She leaped the opposite direction instead, and ran and ran and ran even after the wolf was long gone from sight.

---

Berena had seen visions since she was a foal. They were infrequent things, often imperceptible from her dreams until the event came to pass and she realized she’d lived it once before.

“Have you seen that Rodrick fellow?” she remembered a filly whisper, eyes trained too closely on the colt in question to notice Berena standing near. “He’s a little old-fashioned, isn’t he?”

They were deep in Stark territory and well-protected from the cold; even so, Berena felt her insides turn to ice. The words alone were mild, but the tone held something more, something barbed and imperious, and only the knowledge of her family’s disappointment kept her in check. It was one thing to defend your family’s honor, and another to be so thin-skinned as to let some ignorant foal guide your paw. She thought Astrid especially might be hurt if such a brash, violent act came from her, and that realization was the final pull she needed. She walked away, shame filling every orifice. But that night, she dreamed.

She saw Rodrick clear as day, dark coat marred with sweat and a determined look in his eyes. He was fighting, lashing out with a blade, and if she had a body she might have felt her heart in her throat when she saw his opponent. Astrid was forced back by his blow, legs pushed out from her under her. Rodrick lifted his head, his blade gleaming like a second sun, and struck it down—

—but Astrid flipped gracefully onto her feet, kicking his knees, and when he gasped she knocked the blade from his jaws and held her own to his throat.

A beat.

Rodrick stepped back with a laugh, eyes gleaming proud. “You’ve earned that sword, sister. Keep it.”

And Berena’s heart swelled.

Just as Berena was struck with dreams, so, too, was Astrid cursed with premonition. Where Berena saw the good that was to come, Astrid saw only the bad, and the depravation of her visions left her meek and terrified.

Berena remembered falling to her belly, tears spilling freely as she curled around her wounded sister. Astrid, who saw such awful things, and instead of turning cold and bitter strove instead to be as much of a positive influence as she could, if only to try and prevent her visions from coming true. It was not the first time Astrid had returned hurt—she was the type to look at gleaming fangs and understand that anger was merely a response to fear and pain and grief, and she would rather take the blow than lift a paw in her defense.

The rest of her family, Berena among them, tried desperately to teach her to fight, to protect herself—but she refused a blade. It was only Rodrick—dear, sweet Rodrick—who’d managed it.

“Now you can protect the ones you love,” his dream-self said to Astrid. So that was how he'd convinced her. And that was how Berena knew the filly was wrong—that Rodrick’s aspirations to lead came not because he pushed his sisters down, but because he wanted to propel his family forward, even if it meant spending months and years sparring with Astrid until she reached a comfort with the blade that the rest of them had already found.

When she woke, the filly’s words didn’t hurt anymore. She knew in her heart it wasn’t true—that it held the same weight as someone claiming the sky was green.

The dream had centered her, helped her find her peace.

---

That was how it had always been. That was how it always should have been. But now she had a wolf at her heels, in her head, her dreams. And it was not a herald that alluded to a brighter future, but a warning that promised death and war.

“Beware,” he told her that night, lips open, his breath a fog. “Winter is coming.”

Favorite GoT Character: Ygritte and Brienne

...But We Are Not Men.

Foal Name: Catelyn Stark
Temper: Sanguine
Her story: Cat tried her best to be brave. She tried for her mother, who was easily the bravest person she knew; she tried for her father, who was the second bravest; and she tried for her siblings, even though Rodrick wanted to insist that he could be the bravest and most protective of the bunch. Cat was well aware that she had been named for her grandmother, named such as both a memory to Arya's mother and for the hope that Cat would grow to become great of a Soquili as her grandmother, but... It was hard. It was hard to live up to those expectations, regardless of whether they were self-enforced or gained from her peers. Cat wanted to rise to greatness, she wanted to make her parents proud and she wanted to take care of her siblings. Goodness, even if only Astrid looked up to her, that would be enough for Cat, but more times than not, Cat felt as though it were the other way around, as though she were the true youngest of the bunch, rather than her twin.

The hardest thing about it was something Cat had realized a long time ago. She was scared. When she was very young and displayed nervousness, her mother had told her that some about of fear was a good thing. Only a fool would not be scared when going into battle or facing another difficulty head one. Cat hadn't voiced her opinion: that she never wanted to face anything head on. She's perfectly content to hide behind Rodrick and let him be the leader of the group and not try to become a great warrior in her family. To put it in other words, although she's a little embarrassed by them, she would like to be a lady, thank you very much. Ladies don't have to fight, at least, not this one.

With all this on her mind, Cat felt confused growing up. She knew her parents were excellent fighters. She knew her siblings, namely Rodrick, would probably grow up to be very similar to them. She had heard stories about Sansa, Arya's sister, who never wanted to become a warrior and was content to be a lady and shamed as Cat was, she wanted to be more like her aunt, rather than her mother. When she finally confided in someone other than her twin: her father, she was met surprisingly with a fair amount of understanding.

Apparently, everyone already knew about how she felt, despite her trying her best to remain inconspicuous about her feelings. Once she had confessed, everything within her seemed to ease and she was ready to start looking towards what she wanted to do, rather than all the stuff that she didn't. She was ready to face the world, as she liked to, head on.

It took some thought and for a few months she simply wandered around trying to help her siblings and parents in whatever they needed. Aside from Astrid, it was her brother that she felt the most connected to. Rodrick had so much on his plate as the self-decided leader of the group and Cat soon realized that even leaders needed support. He wanted to protect the whole group, but who was in charge of protecting him, once they all grew into adults? He could handle all manner of affairs that came with being the leader of the group, like fighting and war strategies and the things she didn't like things of, but in turn, Cat decided to pledge her loyalty to him to make sure that he wasn't working himself to death in the process. She would be the metaphorical glue (but a fun, sparkly kind of glue!) that held the family together and gave them hope for a kinder future.

Favorite GoT Character: Keeping in mind that right now I'm just finishing season four, I'd have to say my favorite character is Daenerys. She's really come into her own power since the shy, young lady we saw being married off to the Dothraki in the first episode. Also, dragons. heart

...But We Are Not Men.

Foal Name: Ysenya Stark (variation on Ksenia, a name of Eastern European origin meaning "hospitality." )
Temper: Assured
Her story: The ground was cold - always cold. Cold and hard, just like the ice that covered it. The ice was not her friend; every once in a while, it would force a sliver into the pads of her paws, no matter how tough they might be.

Snow, on the other hand, fell from the sky. On the days when the sun set and the clouds were gone, flakes sparkled gold and silver in the sun, beautiful enough to be blinding. Snow was her favorite, and it was in the snow she lay. It melted slowly into her tail, coating the fur with tiny drops. She could hear the argument in her head, clear as though it happened in real life:

She'll get frostbit!
She's having fun. You're Starks, the ice runs in your veins.
It's not meant to run in our skin!

But she didn't lie in the snow on purpose. Not this time.

She had never had the best balance. Stumbling over herself had been her signature move from day one - she was more likely to trip a foe by falling than she was knock one down on purpose. She did her best to spite her faulty wiring, never mentioning it except to make light of it, but she knew her parents had been concerned at the beginning of her life, when she'd constantly tripped up and tripped over her siblings. It got better with time, and they thought she'd grown out of it. They thought perhaps her brain had developed whatever it was missing, that perhaps whatever imperfection had appeared had fixed itself.

She had thought so, too.

But she was in the snow, and she couldn't remember how she'd gotten there. How had she gotten here?

Raising her head, Ysenya whimpered as dizziness washed over her. It didn't look like anything was wrong with her legs or her back - which brought her back to her brain.

She looked down at the snow.

It wasn't white. It should have been white. Why isn't it white?

Instead, a stain discolored it, bright pink on the outer edges and a deep rust red in the middle.

This isn't right.

Shaking her head and watching the world spin, Ysenya tilted up onto her knees. With a heave, she pushed herself to her feet. Snow swirled around her, and for the first time since she had woken from her half-conscious state, she remembered where she was.

North. Far, far north, farther north than even Rodrick in their mountain home. She had found the coldest part of the tundra.

Why am I here?

She remembered beginning her journey, packing for it, all the preparations. She remembered the heartbreak of leaving her sister behind, even if only for a few weeks.

And she knew.

All this for a bet.

It hadn't been one proposed by her brother, and definitely not one proposed by her twin. She wouldn't leave Astrid for the world, but she hadn't wanted to come with. Astrid didn't like the snow as much as she did - no one did. It hadn't even been her oldest sister.

It had been a stupid boy from a nearby family, foolhardy and annoying. She had come out here to prove him wrong. Ladies can survive without their fathers.

Well, she wouldn't be showing him properly if she never came back.

She had traveled north for miles, miles and miles - farther than she had ever been, even with her family. Ice sculptures carved by the wind had sparkled in the sun. She'd come within inches of a fight with a snow leopard before they came to an understanding about Ysenya's purpose in the North Beyond - no, she wasn't there to hunt.

She was there to say that she had met a snow leopard and survived.

Well, the joke would be on that stupid boy, because she and that snow leopard would have the last laugh if Ysenya made it home.

Ysenya took a breath of cold air, letting it fill her lungs and steady her dancing vision.

She lurched forward.

Home, for once, lay to the south.

Favorite GoT Character: Robb Stark!

Note: I plan for Ysenya to actually have this venture north. Plots will focus around it, as well as the balance issue she's had since she was a filly (caused by a concussed basket - accidents happen). A lot of her story will be living around it and, eventually, healing and overcoming it.

All Men Must Die...

Foal Name:Riyana
Temper: Ungainly
Personality: Riyana is a poor swordman, something she found at early on in her life and a revelation that was not unexpected. Actually, Riyana is poor at quite everything she does, at least these that require physical movement. She often feel like she was born with four left paws given the pure number of times she trips over them all. While she knows it is common for a growing filly to struggle with the ever changing length of their limbs, she has somehow managed to carry this trait over to adulthood.

Constantly getting into minor scrapes and bruises as a filly had made Riyana into a surprising (especially to her) adept medic. What had started as simply fixing her own minor, childish wounds evolved into fixing her mother's various wounds that she undoubtedly had received. Riyana (who really prefers to go by Ri, thank you very much) hadn't been able to idly stand by when her mother or father would limp home, injured from whatever battle they had found themselves in. Simple patches evolved into complex pastes and remedies over the years, and before she had realized it, she had become the healer of the pack.

Her bedside manners have never really evolved with her new status, but, well, she was her mother's daughter after all.

Plots?:
Bumps and Bruises: Ri's first adventure into the art of healing. It...doesn't go so well. She eventually gets some help from outside sources, and luckily it happens before she accidentally poisons herself.

The Hard Side: Arya or Yorick (or another family member) come home badly injured and Ri feel very out of her debt. She's been teaching herself how to heal cuts on the leg and sore muscles but sword wounds? Dagger stabs? This...she doesn't know how to handle.

Who do you want to end up on the Throne & why?: Sansa! I feel after all she has gone through and seen, she still holds enough kindness in her but also has a steel backbone to rule.

All Men Must Die...

Foal Name: Aryorick Stark
Name Meaning: combination of both her parents names
Temper: organized daredevil
Personality: Aryorick as a filly is quiet and always sticking her nose into a book or looking at weapons. She spends time learning her studies and figuring out her place in the world. Aryorick as a adult is a girl that seeks out to be a warrior. Yet she isn't one to not be a lady about things. Having been taught manners and grace Aryorick takes pride in being quite the lady. Yet her secret hobbies is that she wants to be the best so to be the best she has to have knowledge. She is the bookworm type of warrior but a fighter in spirit. Aryorick also has a love to being quite the daredevil mare she loves to seek the adventure and try new things. She's the type of tomboy mare out to make a name for herself. Aryorick finds herself way more comfortable around knights and learning the ways to fight rather then being home. But this does not take away from her lady nature she cares highly for her parents and siblings. Lastly Aryorick is not one to allow injustice to happen in front of her if she's sees someone in trouble or being wronged she will stand up for them.

Plots?: I want her to join a band of stallions and be a pirate of sorts graceful and kind but enjoying a grand adventure.

As a foal I want her to witness sparing which gains her into to wanting to learn the sword and how to fight.

I want her to witness someone being wronged and for her to react.

Someone also needs to introduce her to books and reading which sparks her need for knowledge.

Some family time as well is very important.

Also she sets out on her own quest at some point which makes her more independent.

Also for another to dare her to do something which pushes her to try it.

Another to challenge her and why she wishes to be the best.

Who do you want to end up on the Throne & why?: I would not know quite who to chose for the throne why because I have not yet read the series or seen the TV series.

All Men Must Die...

Foal Name: Mycah Stark (named after the butcher's son, who was Arya's friend in the books and show, before his death, presumably to keep with the canon of Soq, he could have been a friend in the herd who was killed during the attack on the Northern herd)
Temper: Headstrong
Personality: Mycah is a stubborn creature from a young age, just like her mother. As she is the eldest, she believes that she ought to be the leader, rather than Rodrick. She sees no reason why he should be the boss of the siblings simply because he is the boy. During her youth, Mycah will try to rally her sisters to her side because of this so they might find unity in their gender and once Rodrick agrees to her terms that she will become the leader of the group, she will allow him to make some of the judgement calls.

Eventually as she grows into adulthood, she'll realize that Rodrick would actually be the better overall leader of their group (parents excluded from this sibling rivalry ordeal) and approach him saying that she'll give him back the role of the leader, so long as he doesn't act condescending to her or the twins or else she'll start calling him Ro-d**k/Rod-p***k (foalhood taunts) as his official title.

Once she's "free" of having to make leader-like decisions, Mycah will figure out that she's more of a traveler and will part from her family for a time to continue her mother's search for her aunts and uncles. She will always hold her family above anything else and will always come to their aid whenever they need it, even at the expense of her own interests.
Plots?: I would love her rivalry between Rodrick and Mycah to be something that is a larger dynamic in their foalhood that carries over into their adulthood. Preferably it would change from a serious tone from "I have to be the leader cause I'm the eldest" to something more nostalgic/playful like "Hey, remember that time I totally kicked you outta command? Be sure not to annoy me in the future, or I might try to usurp you again. Just kidding, dude, don't get defensive!"

Family plots will be really important to her. Mycah will always see herself as the protector of the twins, even after she consents to Rodrick being a more capable leader than she is. Whenever the family comes together as a group, she'll often be seen teasing Rodrick or telling the twins about her adventures of when she goes out looking for their aunt and uncles. She covets the idea of being looked up to as a great warrior or scout and so impressing the twins is the first step to greatness in her mind. Though impressing her mother, Arya, will likely be the end goal.

Who do you want to end up on the Throne & why?: This may change as I watch the newer seasons, but right now I want Daenerys to be on the Throne, but with the addition that she has Tyrion as her Hand, because the two make such a great pair together! Between her fierce attitude and his experience, I think they could make the Targaryen name a grand one again. (Before the whole mad king incident.)