The men at the Wall had to wait almost a week before the first white walkers were sighted. Their plan was to send the dragons at them first, and then wait until the walkers were in range of the trebuchet. In the intervening week, they had built 4 more of the catapults on the wild side of the Wall. They hoped that between the dragon fire and the dragon glass shards, that there would be little hand to hand combat.
The anticipation of the upcoming war caused tension amongst the various tribes of the wildlings. Fights broke out and there were reports of wildling women being attacked. The young Lord Commander had enough to deal with so Ser Jorah took charge of the situation. He rode through the camps on horseback, with the Viserion flapping along above him, occasionally blasting an area with fire. That got their attention, then he set three platoons of Unsullied to patrol the camps. They would allow no more funny business.
When the first white walkers appeared, a horn sounded from on top of the Wall, and the camp became a flurry of nervous energy. Tyrion and Ser Jorah had been in the training yard with the two dragons. Both of the beasts looked to Jorah for a moment before they launched themselves into the sky.
"And now it begins." Tyrion said to no one in particular.
For days the fight raged. The dragons blasted the white walkers and any remaining wights with fire, and the trebuchets would rain dagger-like shards of dragon glass at the white walkers. Men would range out beyond the Wall between attacks and fight any walkers they come across. There were casualties, and it was a fight to burn the dead before the white walkers turned them. Exhausted the rangers would return, hoisted up onto the safety of the Wall. Further to the south, groups of men on horseback made sure no white walkers got past the defences at the Wall.
As they began to run short on supplies of dragon glass, it became obvious that the army they had built would need to enter the fight. The Lord Commander and Ser Jorah worked together to plan what might be their final assault. The Others seemed to have concentrated their forces on a front that was less than 5 miles long and concentrated in the vicinity of Castle Black.
As the day began to draw to a close, the Lord Commander addressed the captains of the army.
"I do not wish for my Watch to end this day, but if it does I will know that we have to defeat this supernatural enemy. Our ancestors defeated the Others centuries ago, but we are better prepared. We have the Queens dragons and you have weapons that can kill White Walkers, use them well my friends and we shall celebrate on the morrow. Ser Jorah any words?"
Jorah stepped forward and looked out at the men in front of him. What an assorted bunch. Unsullied, Nights Watch and wildlings of all shapes and sizes.
"You all come together to fight this enemy. Watch out for each other and remember that to kill a white walker you only have to strike it with your dragon glass weapons. You do not have to deliver a fatal blow to kill one, but beware, these creatures are stronger than normal men. I hope to see you all again." Jorah nodded his head and stood back behind Jon.
Tyrion stood off to the side, his chest swelling with pride at the two men before him. He admired them both for different reasons. Jon Snow for the man he had grown into and Ser Jorah for his dedication to the woman he loved. Both men were committed to causes the required their absolute devotion, and they gave it willingly. That was not something Tyrion had ever known. His own family had been wealthy beyond belief and while he'd never had the love of his father, he been able to live a privileged and frivolous life. They only cause Tyrion had ever believed in was his own until he encountered these men.
The captains left to gather their troops and Tyrion followed his friends up onto the Wall for what might be the last time. Twilight was coming fast, as it always did in the North and it was bitterly cold.
"Winters on the doorstep." Ser Jorah commented, watching as snowflakes began to fall from the darkening sky.
"The legends say that the Others bring winter." Jon told them, looking out towards to the forests.
"Let us all pray it's not our last!" Sam almost whimpered from behind them.
The four men stood looking down at the battlefield in front of them in silence. Ser Jorah was the first to leave. Shaking each man's hand before he headed down to the troops below. Tyrion and Sam followed soon after, leaving Jon to direct the battle from above.