Dick leads Brienne and Podrick along the coast through villages that get smaller and smaller as they progress. Each night, they stay at an inn, but Brienne does not trust Dick at all and makes him sleep with other travellers in the common bed. She tells Podrick that when they enter the wilderness and have to make their own camp, he will stay awake to watch her sleep and make sure Dick does not pull anything. One day, he does try to steal Brienne's gold, but her saddlebags are merely a decoy filled mostly with flour, and she keeps her gold well hidden on her person. As they travel, Dick sings and tells stories of Crackclaw Point. He describes how Aegon sent Visenya to subdue the people of Crackclaw Point after Harrenhal was burned. Knowing of that event, they swore fealty readily, and in return she promised them that they would not be subject to anyone save the throne itself. They remain Targaryen loyalists to this day. Crabbs, Brunes, and Boggses fought with Rhaegar at the Trident, while a Hardy, a Cave, a Pyne, and three Crabbs served in the Kingsguard. The three Crabbs were Ser Clement, Ser Rupert, and Ser Clarence the Short, so named because even though he was six feet tall, he was still shorter than the semi-legendary Ser Clarence so revered in the region.

One night, there are no more inns, and they bed down in a hayloft in a fishing village. She makes Dick sleep down below and pulls the later up. He complains about her mistrust, and she thinks about how she used to be very trusting, until Septa Roelle explained to her that all the people who complemented her only did it to win Lord Selwyn's favor. She thinks about the melee at Bitterbridge.¹ He anger at her suitors gave her incredible strength, and she took them down one by one, Richard Farrow, Edmund Ambrose, Mark Mullendore, Raymond Nayland, Will the Stork, Harry Sawyer, and Robin Potter. Next she faced Ronnet Connington, and was pleased to take him down as well for the scorn he had showed her years ago. That left Loras, to whom she bore no emnity, but she disliked roses, and the golden roses on his shield inflamed her and brought victory. She goes to sleep dreaming of the melee, but it is Jaime who gives her the cloak of the Rainbow Guard when she is victorious. The next day, it rains all day as they carry on. The day after that, they arrive outside Dyre Den, where Lord Eustace Brune has his seat. The road ends there, and Dick leads them up into the hills. As they climb, Podrick calls their attention to a rider following a few miles behind them. Dick denies knowledge of him and says that he is probably a singer or a soldier returning home. Even if he is following them, they can lose him in the hills. After several days travel thorugh forests and bogs, they arrive at the Whispers. They cirle around to a postern gate, and notice signs of recent activity. Brienne tells Dick to come with her while Podrick watches the horses. Brienne gives Dick her sword and draws Oathkeeper. The remains of a fire sit in the middle of the ruin. Dick calls out, and a man appears. Brienne realizes it is Pyg. Two more men come out as well. Shagwell appears right above Dick. He drops down, shatters Dick's knee with his morning star, and then kills the man with a blow to the face. The other man is Timeon. Shagwell begins talking. He tells Brienne that the Brave Companions have scattered. Urswyck headed for Oldtown, while Rorge went to Saltpans. The three of them made for Maidenpool, but could not get near a ship. Vargo stayed at Harrenhal, where Gregor killed him piece by piece, taking his hands, then his feet, etc. and preventing him from bleeding to death. He was saving the cock for last, but he was summoned to King's Landing and killed Vargo before he left. Brienne says she is not there for him and is looking for Sansa Stark. Timeon says Sandor has her and was making for Riverrun. He knows because they captured and interrogated three members of the Brotherhood Without Banners, who are also searching for her. Later, Rorge interrogated the innkeeper where Sandor fought three of Gregor's men² and had the same story from him before killing him. Brienne realizses that Shagwell and Timeon are talking to distract her while Pyg and Timeon flank her. Brienne lunges towards Pyg and kills him quickly. The other two go to either side of her so that if she attacks one, the other will be at her back. A rock flies out of nowhere to hit Shagwell in the head, so Brienne engages and kills Timeon. Podrick hits Shagwell with a second rock as he tries to recover his weapon, and he yields. Brienne orders him to dig a grave for Dick. As Brienne lowers Dick's body into the grave, Shagwell comes at her with a rock. Brienne was expecting it, and stabs him with her dagger repeatedly, letting all her pent up anger out. When this is done she throws two gold coins into the grave. Podick asks about the gold, and she explains that it was the price she agreed to pay Dick for leading them there. Ser Hyle materializes at that point. Lord Randyll had ordered him to follow her on the off chance she actually found Sansa. Hyle asks what she will do next, and she says she will track the Hound. Brienne asks for Hyle's help covering the grave, and they do it together.