Chapter 3

Jon

Jon's life in the last three months has been a trying experience if he could say so himself. The fighting between the Thenns and the Night's watch showed no signs of letting up any time soon if anything it seemed as though this were just getting started. Tormund's Father had return almost two months ago and the camp had moved to the west a bit still within the hunted forest, but not into the path the Thenns were taking to get close to castle black.

During this time Jon had gotten to know some of the small folk that had come with the free folk north. There was a black smith named Nell who had escaped from the dread forts dungeons. He had been placed there because he refused his lord's right to 'the first night' with the man's wife. Nell had been in the dungeons when Lord Bolton had raped his wife then quickly killed her when she had tried to run from the lands.

Jon could tell that the event still influenced the man, and he was sure if ever a chance that the free folk went back to the lands of the Bolton's. He knew Nell would be one of the few that would volunteer to go back if only to get a shot at his old lord. Another group had gotten to know where a pair of brothers that were miners in the Bolton's land. Fred and Frank had chosen to leave when they heard a rumor that they were going to be sent to the dungeons for failing to find anything of value to mine, in Lord Boltons lands.

There were others as well but none of their stories were as extreme as those three. There was Sara a tanner and leather worker, a couple of farmers who for the life of him Jon could not remember their names. A former master's acolyte who ran from his vows who Jon didn't not really care to get to know, and of course there was Eva and her daughter Maria who had become Jon's shadow after he had saved her life. The little girl followed Jon everywhere not that he minded all that much.

She reminded him of the little sister that he had left behind, and it was helping him cope with his current lot in life. Arne had kept his word and had been looking out for Jon while he had been here. The man's wife Revna had somewhat become the mother that Jon had never known. She had taken care of all his needs. If he needs his clothes sewn of food or even if at night, he had nightmares she would be there to comfort him.

That had been a new feeling and he was not sure what to make of it. Lady Stark had shown him none of this kindness and he was not sure if it was a trick or not so for now, he would play it safe and wait and see. Arne on the other hand was a task master and slave driver, but Jon could tell it came from a place of kindness. The man didn't want to see Jon die while he was here so he taught him everything he could.

From hunting and tracing, to moving silently in the forest. Archery, fighting, how to survive in the cold with nothing but the clothes on his back. Arne taught him all and Jon absorbed it like a spouge. It had taken him awhile but after two months of training Jon could hunt on his own in the wilds of the far north. He learned to move just as quietly as the free folk did, and if Jon didn't want to be found out in the snow plains you had no chance of finding him.

It had been a freeing experience to young Jon. Here with the free folk, he was not limited to what he could and could not do. No one told him he couldn't do something, or sure they would warn of the dangers of some activities, but they never told him he couldn't do it. It was during one of these activities climbing that Jon found something that would change the course of the small village in which he would call home. Jon had been climbing of the many cliffs faces that now surround the village when he discovered a small cave. Normally Jon would have ignored this and continued his climb, however with the sun at his back the light from the sun illuminated something inside the cave.

The light from whatever it was caught Jon's eye just as he was about to continue up. Making the choice to at least check out whatever it was Jon slowly made his way into the cave. At first, he didn't spot anything out of the normal it was just a cave as far as he could tell, but out of the corner of his eye he had spotted the object he saw on the outside. Imbedded into the rocks looked to be metal. It wasn't type of metal he had seen before though. It had the ripple pattern of Valyrian steel but had a dark blue hue it was black in some places.

Whatever this was he knew he should at least tell Arne about it. So, without delay Jon made his way down the face of the cliff and ran back to the village to inform them of what he had found. It had taken a few days but thanks to the help of Fred and Frank, and the few tools they were able to bring they had been able to mine a few bits of the metal. Well in truth they had to mine around the metal into the rock face. For the tools they had couldn't even put a scratch on the strange metal. The metal itself was extremely light as well Jon knew whatever this was could be extremely valuable to any of the clans in the north, hell even in the south this would be worth a lot, and as far as Fred and Frank could tell the vein for the metal ran deep, really deep from the little bit they could see.

The village had called a meeting to decide what to about Jon's find. Inside the largest hut many members of the clan gather to learn of what new thing stirs in the village. "Quite down you lot quite down. I have called this meeting to discuss what our young wolf pup has found in the last few days." Bjorn the father of Tormund shouted at the gathering.

"The Lad found some type of metal. Not sure what is but we need to figure out what we are going to do with it." Many in the meeting began to mumble after that statement. "Why does it matter so much any way we haven't needed it before." One person spoke, "We didn't need before because we had no way to use it, but as luck would have it Arne and his group brought back some folks who know how to mine it and forge it. That means we no longer have to raid south for tools we can make our own if we want." "However, it was the pup Jon who found it and I think he's earned himself something for the help this will bring us." Arne spoke aloud to the group.

Bjorn looked thoughtful at this, he agreed that the young lad deserved something for this problem was they really didn't have much to give him...unless...yes that would do nicely, very nicely indeed. "I agree Arne and am sure I know what you want to give the boy but that has to be put to a vote. He would be the first one outside of the clan that would be given the gift. Add on top of that he might be leaving us soon people would wonder what happened to him and that might cause us problems."

"Agreed then let the elders vote and if they give approval then I say we let the boy join us fully even if in the end he returns home. Who knows maybe if he does, he could put a word in for us in the south." Arne stated even though he thought it would be very unlikely seeing how it was there group that stole him in the first place. After a few minutes the vote was given and even though it was not a unanimous decision enough voted in favor that it was passed. Arne then left the tent to gather the boy, it did not take long to find Jon in his favorite spot just outside the village on a small hill with a Heart Tree planted in the middle. He found the boy asleep under the tree and he could swear he saw the tree smile before it turn back into its normal closed mouth stare.

He woke the boy and brought back into the village to face the elders. As Jon entered the tent, he could help but feel a pang of excitement run through him. They could be gathering him to let him know that the fighting between the Thenns and Black brother was finally over and would be sending home. Not that he would not miss some of the people here, but he still missed his home more.

Taking his seat before the elders Jon awaited whatever they need to speak to him about. Bjorn couldn't help but study the boy that was before him. The pup was taking anything they taught him like a fish to water. He had not caused any problems since he arrived here, and he had help many disputes the others that had arrived had with some of his own people. If he was being honest the boy had more potential to lead his clan than his own son, but the free folk only follow the strong. If he could get the lad to agree to stay after the ritual, it would be a massive boon to the clan.

For now, he put his thoughts aside as he spoke to Jon," Wolf pup we have brought you here today in order to reward you for the service that you have done for the clan. "Jon was confused...He didn't remember doing anything that great...at lest he didn't think he did? The confusion must have shown on his face for Bjorn couldn't help but chuckle. 'Damn everyone for laughing at me is my face that funny.' Jon thought.

"The metal that you found lad. That's what am talking about with that metal ore and the help of Fred, Frank and lastly Nell the clan won't have to raid the south for the tools we need. We will soon be able to make them ourselves. For that the elders and I have decide to offer you a gift." This was not what Jon was expecting but then again who was he to look a gift horse or in this case free folk in the mouth. "My thanks Chief Bjorn for whatever gift you deem fit for me."

Bjorn schooled the smirk that threaten to form on his face. 'Oh, you won't be thanking after you go through this little wolf. You just don't know it yet.' Bjorn motioned for one of the wood witches to bring him the potions, and sat it in front of Jon. "What is in front of you Jon is the secret on why the warriors of the clan are as strong as they are, and also why most of the free folk are so much bigger then you Southerns." Jon looked up in shock, so this is how they got so big. Jon knew it had to be something as just a few weeks ago he had discovered that Tormund was just a few years older than himself which had already been a shocker to the boy at the time, but now he was in a pickle he was not sure if drinking this stuff was the best idea.

For one if he aged his body too much how would his family know it was him and second if the changes happened rapidly how much would it hurt to go through. His thoughts were interrupted as Bjorn continued speaking, "Now for you the change will not be immediate or as drastic as it would for most members of the clan. Simply because they have been drinking this stuff after the second name day and continued until their tenth name day. Your starting late but that also give you some advantages that the younger one will not have." Bjorn paused to make sure Jon was still following, determining he was he continued.

"Your biggest advantage is because you are older your pain tolerance is much higher meaning you will be able to take a much bigger dose each time which will cut how long it normally take a normal clansman to get through all their doses. I think you will only have to take four doses, and lastly you will get the benefit of the group during an important time during your growth. We don't get to wait this long with most of the clan simply because we need every member to do their part as soon as possible here in the far north, and this ritual has given the clan a much need advantage."

This had answered some of the question Jon was about to ask and he did feel much better about it minus the pain part. Jon nodded at Bjorn and steeled himself to take the potion, Bjorn was not finished just yet. "Lastly after the ritual is complete you will be considered a full member of the clan and be given certain rights...but enough of that are you ready wolf pup?"

Jon looked at Bjorn with a burning determination and simply nodded there was nothing else to say no words left to exchange, and without hesitation Jon picked up the bowel with the potion inside and downed it in one go. Then he waited...and waited...and waited...and just as he was going to ask how long this was supposed to take pain like he had never felt before shot through his body. His body spasmed on the floor contorting in every direction.

So great was the pain that Jon didn't even have the power to scream. His eyes water and his veins felt like they were on fire. Then he began to see things in his pain, a tower surrounded by sand...three men standing out front and six men facing them. Then another scene a woman bleeding out on a bed, a baby he the arms of a man next to her. "Promise me Ned...promise me..." The man Ned stroked her face gently, "I promise Lyanna, I will treat him like my own what's his name." Then in an instant the world with to black and Jon knew no more.

Bjorn and the elders watch Jon with great interest. When most members of the clan took the points even at a young age. They would scream for minutes until the pain became too much for them and they would pass out. Jon had lasted an hour with not one sound, they knew he was in pain his face made that clear, but he made not one sound not even a whimper. At some point his eyes glazed over white one of the elders noticed immediately that the boy was green seeing. This was turning out to be even a bigger boon then Bjorn had first thought. Now they really need to figure out a way to get the boy to stay. A green seer even a young one gave a clan great importance among all the free folk.

It also made attacking such a clan was a major offence to all free folk. It was up there with breaking guest rights and the rest of the free folk clans would never have anything to do with you if you attacked a green seer. Bjorn was sure how he was going to do it but in his mind, Jon was going nowhere now.