JON

There was smoke rising from the chimney of the armory. Jon dismounted and limped toward it. He had taken an arrow to the leg before he had gotten on the horse. Whether it was Ygritte's or not, he did not know. He had been saved by a direwolf. Not a white direwolf, not Ghost. It had been grey, like Robb's or Brandon's.

Or any wild direwolf, a voice said within him, You know nothing, Jon Snow.

Within the armory, there was a boy near the same age as Robb but very muscled, with thick black hair and blue eyes.

"Who are you?" asked the boy

"Jon Snow," he said, "Where's Noye?"

"I get him," the boy said, "What happened to you?"

He had almost forgotten about his face.

"A skinchanger tried to rip out my eye," Jon replied.

"Jon Snow…" the boy paused, "I'd heard you'd gone over to Mance Rayder,"

The boy hefted his hammer, ready to defend himself.

"Just get Noye. I'll explain everything to him," Jon said, too tired to fight.

The boy looked hard at him and then turned to get Noye. It seemed to take him ages to return. When he did, he came with two black brothers. One of them was Noye, the other Jon had never seen. He seemed to have a twisted shoulder.

"Jon Snow," Noye said, "Scarred or smooth that's a face I'd never thought I'd see again. Jarman Buckwell said that he'd seen you with his own eyes, riding along beside the wildling column and wearing a sheepskin cloak. I see the last part is true,"

"It's all true, as far as it goes," Jon said.

"Should we kill you then?" Noye asked, nonchalantly.

"No. I was acting on orders from the Halfhand," Jon said, "Noye, there are wildlings south of the wall, coming up from Queenscrown to open the gate,"

"Why should we believe you?" the boy said.

"Hush now, Gendry. This here is a Stark, even if he is a bastard. Why would a Stark want the North invaded?" the man with the twisted shoulder asked. That seemed to shut Gendry up.

"How do you know, Jon?" Noye asked.

"I came with them. I climbed over the wall with them. But…" Jon swayed. He felt dizzy.

Noye reached out and steadied him. Even with one arm, he manhandled Jon like a child.

"That's an arrow wound. A wilding arrow," Noye said. It was not a question.

"I told Ghost to come back here," Jon said, his head spinning.

"We haven't seen your wolf, boy. I'm sorry," Noye said, picking him up, "I'm taking you to Maester Aemon,"

"The wildlings…" Jon said, his voice fading.

"How many of them were there, Jon?" Noye asked.

"A hundred and twenty. Well armed…for wildlings. Bronze and some steel," Jon said, his world fading fast, "How many are here?"

"Sixty odd. The old, the infirm, and green boys still in training," Noye said. His voice seemed faint to Jon.

"Oh gods…" Jon said and then the world was nothing but blackness.