Chapter 1

To everyone around Eli he was anything but ordinary. No matter how hard he tried, and tried he did, there was no way his village would accept him. With a summer islander for a father and a wilding for a mother he had the most intriguing look about him. His skin was of a dark shade while his hair was as silver as the moon, just another sign to prove that he was anything but normal. You see out here beyond the wall silver hair was a sign of being a Warg. Warg or skin-changer, both were more names given to those who possess the ability to communicate and control animals. Out here though it doesn't matter what name you associate with you'll still be equally hated.

Eli wasn't proud of being a Warg. He didn't enjoy the looks people gave him. In fact he loathed his gift/curse. That didn't stop him from using his powers though. Though he did it in secret. His rational was that even if he didn't use his ability he would still be hated simply because he had them.

The air was cold today, very cold. Being this far north you could feel winter long before those south of the wall. Even so the cold didn't bother him. He just continued with his trek to his favorite spot, a cliff that over looked the entire village. From up her he could really be a high a the birds he sometimes warged into.

"shit." He muttered under his breath. Lost in his thoughts he didn't see the rock peaking out of the snow. He took a moment to survey his surroundings. Noticing familiar landmarks he judged that he would make it to his spot just before noon. That would give him a couple hours before he had to come down, just before dusk. No matter how many times he came here he knew that there was no way to make it down during the night.

The view was breath taking every time he came up here and this time was no exception. He liked to stand right at the edge and peer down on his village. From this vantage point he could just barley make out everyone's individual shacks. The village always seemed so...His thoughts were cut off by a sudden squawk that nearly made him fall off the cliff.

"Blood hells, you nearly caused me to fall." He yelled as he turned to face whatever made the sound he'd just heard.

"A fucking bird, I'm yelling at a fucking bird." As he stared a the bird he noticed that the bird seemed to give the impression that he was more than just a bird. And he was more than just a bird. He was an eagle, a great one at that. Just behind the bird he noticed a nest that hadn't been there the last time he came up here. 'I guess I'm not going to be the only one up here anymore'. He thought to himself.

Climbing down from his shelter in the tree he called home he went to the place he knew everyone his age would be, the lake. Completely frozen over the lake served as a hangout place for all of the almost grown villagers. Most of the time it would be snow ball fights and sliding on the lake. Some would sit around and talk, just kicking it and having a good time. For as long a Eli has know of the place only one person has ever fallen in. The ice cracked. It was like an unspoken rule. If you fall in your most likely to die. That didn't stop anyone from on the lake though as the boy who had fallen in was quickly pulled out before he could drown.

That's another thing about up here. No one knows how to swim. Why would you need to any water up here is either frozen or so cold it would kill you minutes after you enter it. Eli however knew how to swim. He had once fallen in when the lake he was walking on at the time cracked. It was literally a sink or swim situation. From then on he practiced whenever he could despite the deadly chill the water provided. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the streams of the other children at the lake. From the way they were standing around the the hole he could tell that someone had fallen in. He stared at the hole hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever had fallen. When he did though he was shocked. It was Valerie, or to the others in the village, she was his shadow. Always following him wherever he went. The only reason she hadn't followed Jim to his spot was that he made sure that he departed before anyone else in the village had awoken.

Focusing on the task at hand he quickly decided that he should save her. As quickly as he could he shed his clothing leaving him almost naked. He punched and shoved the other kids until he was able to dive into the cold water. Even though he braced himself for it the cold still took him by surprise. He almost thought of abandoning Val and climbing out of the water. It wasn't that hard to find her in the water as she was flailing around. ' She needs to quit that or she'll drown us both.' He though as he swam towards her. Just as he had reached her she did indeed stop her flailing. She had also stopped moving altogether. Whether from exhaustion or death he couldn't tell. He mumbled a silent prayer that it was the former. As soon as he had a good grip on Val he immediately started making his way to the surface. He considered himself to be a good swimmer but dragging someone was a totally new experience for him. He could feel his arms rapidly tiring. His lungs were ready to burst. He'd almost given up...almost. He reached the surface just as he reached his limit. With the help of a few of the kids who were still standing in the same spot as when he dived he managed to get Val out of the water and onto the ice. Though he wanted nothing more than to just lie there when he finally hauled himself he knew that if he did he would never rise again. The cold had already started to sleep into his bones and it was just a matter of time until he would completely freeze. When renewed vigor he made it to his furs he discarded when he went under. Shivering with every step he managed to make it back to his cabin in the tree. It took every last ounce of strength he had left to climb up his makeshift ladder. As soon as his head hit his itchy but soft straw bed he was out. The events at the lake took more of a toll on him than he'd thought.

6 hours later….

The sun was just barely visible on the horizon when he opened his eyes. Feeling sore all over and still cold he just lay there. After about 5 minutes he heard a knock at his door. He almost thought that he'd imagined the knock but the sound came again. 'Who the hell could that be, nobody ever come to visit.' A third knock sounded.

"Ya, hold on will you!" He yelled as he struggled to get up off his mattress.

Opening the the door he was a little surprised to see Val standing there.

"You need something?"

"Do you..do you mind if I come in?" She managed to squeeze out seeming as if she was afraid to ask.

"Uh…ya sure."

They stood there for a few seconds in an awkward silence for a few second. He could guess what she came her for but didn't know what he should say. As he stood there he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was becoming. The young girl who had followed him for what seemed like forever was becoming a young women. Her red 'kissed by fire' hair reached just above her waistline. Even with the heavy fur they wore he could make out her newly developing curves. She, a girl of 10 and 2 , would make a good wife for someone when the time came he thought as he admired her. Noticing what he was doing he quickly looked away but not before he saw the slight blush that came to her cheeks.

"So…."

"Oh yeah, I uh, wanted to thank you you for saving my life earlier. Not many people, I'm no one else would have risked their life for my own. It meant….it means a lot to me. Really , it does." She said it so fast it seemed like one sentence. The hug she gave him though was unexpected.

"Yea no problem." He said trying to sound as indifferent as he could. "You can stay for awhile if you want." He said when their hug had ended.

"I'd like that." She replied as a smile lit her face. "I have one question for you though."

"What's that."

"How'd you do that thing you did, swim I mean."

"Well…." He then proceeded to tell her the story of how he had fallen in a hole in a lake similar to her.

The sun had gone down hours ago but hey didn't care. For hours he had told here of his many adventures he had in the wood. He even told here of his special spot that overlooked the village. For them time stood still. It wasn't until he saw her shiver that he realized how cold it was.

"Sorry about how cold it is, being that my house is in a tree I can't risk lighting a fire." He had long since grown accustomed to the cold shack he called home. After living here for song long the cold no longer bothered him.

"It's pretty late now, you want me to walk you home?"

"Your kicking me out already!" She joked with him.

"Noo, it's just your ma might worried about. Does she even know you're here. She would have a fit if she knew you were here, she hates me you know."

"She doesn't hate you. Not for real anyway. But yea I should probably get going."

The made to move for the door. Once the door was open they immediately noticed how bright the village looked. Bright light like this at this time a night could only mean one thing, FIRE!

'This is bad' just then a horn pierced the air. Not it just went from bad to worse. They only sound a horn when the village is under attack. At that he turned back inside to grab his weapon.

"Where are you going?!" Val asked in a panicked voice that was bay above a whisper.

"I need my sword." The sword, which was actual and arkh, had belonged to his father. It was made of Valirian steel and was perfectly weighted. Arkh in hand he was ready. "Let's go."

"Go where, the village is under attack."

"I don't know but we can't stay here." He said as he climbed down the ladder.

They skirted the outside of the village until they came to the area where Val lived. They had decided to flee, Val wanted to get her mother first. As they approached her shack a man dressed in all black stumbled out of a doorway of one of a neighbors shack. Eli drew his a arkh and pointed it at the man while moving to place himself in Front of Val.

"We're not looking for a fight we just need to get to her house!" Eli shouted at the man who for an unknown reason was still just standing there. Just when Eli was about to call out again the man looked up. Eli starred in horror when he saw the mans face, or to be more exact, his eyes. They were bright blue. This man, no not man, waight was dead and he was coming right for them.