When both girls perk up with similiar calls of papa and go up to greet the man and Jon shrinks even more to realize they're the chieftains pups

Can't look the man in the eye, doesn't even hear what the girls are babbling to him about

Just waiting for them to be sent off to be

Hes been caught doing something he shouldn't

Like when he was too friendly with the Stark children and Lady Catelyn needed to remind Jon of his place once again

Knows he shouldn't have let these pups linger too long, too desperate for company he let them stay

Worse still is

It seemed to be a trademark of Tormunds clan

Red hair more common than not interspersed with blonde and brown but nothing quite like Jons own black curls among Tormunds men

Doesn't register the heavy footsteps until Tormund is right in front of them and suddenly Jon feels like

Better still if Jon finally relaxes, can be himself for a little bit. Let his head empty of all its overthinking while he sits between the children as they pester him with questions abt the south

Not realizing theyre Tormunds pups

Didnt think all too hard about the ginger hair

Both girls initially warded off interacting with the crow their father dragged home

Both by Tormunds clansmen and Tormund himself

But being kids, too curious to stay away for long and all the scary stories they've been told don't match up to the sad eyed boy in crow black

Its a queer thing to ask, binding himself to them more than what they've asked. Breaking the last of his NW vows

Theyll say again they dont care about bastards beyond the wall

And Jon will quietly beg for it, needs to keep the promises to himself if hes to go through w this

That he'd never have a bastard, never subject a pup to the same life he had

So its when he finally breaks eye contact with Mance, nodding his acquiescence to Mances terms that he asks to be mated if he's to be pupped

And maybe that gives them a little pause,

Leads him to the wildlings table

Hmhmmhmhmhhmmh maybe Tormund has a Warg in his group

Wanting a second opinion on what he thinks there is between the boy and his wolf

Jon letting Ghost loose, pup uncharacteristic with his tumbling around the table. Eager scenting of each wildling

Ghosts ears as the pup stuck his face up the mans sleeve

Even days, weeks gone the direwolf could smell the true north on him, the ice, the smoke, so deeply settled on his skin, in his furs to ever truly be gone from him

Jon shocked, doesnt put up much of a protest when Tormund

Wildling man, unperturbed with his fingers extended for Ghost to get a sniff

Jon was half expecting Ghost to get a sniff and dismiss him as he did everyone but one sniff became urgent huffing breaths, squirming as he tried to get closer

Tormund chuckling, scritching behind

Ghosts never been very interested in anyone besides Jon

Maybe it was that none had been all too interested in the pup, too queer with his white pelt and red eyes, too bright, too smart for any normal animal

Jon could admit it was off putting at first but then here was this

Busy tucking Ghost into his shirt, making sure he's warm and secure

Only belatedly realizing ghosts attention caught, red eyes pinned & Jons looking up to realize he has an audience

The big ginger wildling is closer than he expected looking down at the pup tucked to Jon's chest

Jon thinks he's not being obvious, too used to visiting Lords overlooking those they deem unimportant

Doesn't realize the attention he's caught until Tormund finally manages to corner him

Ghost would follow him endlessly given the chance but Jon just knowing when the pup needs a break

Black haired boy that it follows

Wargs don't tend to occur South of the wall but ohhh Tormund recognizes the uncanny bond between them for what it is

Pups eyes too bright, too smart for any normal animal and the way it sits and stares at Tormund, same as the boy is amusing

Old nan used to scare them with stories of when they were little

And just as Jons watching so are they

Tormund notices the white pup near immediately

Those massive paws, spindly legs, and big head are unmistakably those of a direwolf and Tormund is oh so curious of the

To rip Ned a new one delayed for later in private

For now plays dutiful host plying their Wildling guests with wine and food to recover from their journey

Doesn't remember to send Jon off so he lingers in the edges of the hall

Just as curious as anyone else about the wild men

As is what happens when she's intent on presenting a 'Nice' image

If only Ned had told her the visiting Lord was no Lord at all but a Wildling and his band of men

All the niceties sour in her mouth but stubbornly polite regardless

Playing nice in front of their 'guest', plans