Chapter 5

Bjorn

Eight months had passed since the day that Jon Snow had been brought to Bjorn clan, 'and not a day's goes by that I don't thank the old gods for.' Bjorn thought to himself, he had gotten around to sending a small band out to find Mother Freyja the oldest known child of the forest to see if she would be willing to instruct the boy. The last place the clan had seen her had been near Hardhome.

It would take a few moons for the band to even arrive, and he had just sent them out in the last or so. If they were successful, it would be more than worth the risk, he had put in by sending them out there in the first place. The construction around the village had finally been complete last month, now the village had real houses they had defenses, and they had a few glass houses. The work with the glass had been more hit or miss so far neither Jon nor Nell completely understood what they had done in the first place to make the substance, but they had created enough for the clan to build at least six of the structures which would be more than enough for the now growing village.

Free folk are not the most learned group of people. They had not need to learn to count or read and write. None of that would help you survive out in the cold. Once again, the lad had surprised old Bjorn when Arne had brought up an important fact to him. The boy had asked Arne how they knew when they had enough food for everyone in the village. Arne had told the boy most families just hunted for themselves and if they need more than they would simply ask.

Jon then mentioned the point that if they were growing food wouldn't be easy to grow more food if they knew how much they needed in the first place. That had stop Arne cold, the boy was right. Arne then ask how they would do just that Jon didn't know the answer to that but the acolyte Jim...Tim... Jeron yes that was his name he knew but he needed a head count of the village to give and answer. So, for the first time that Bjorn could ever think of he now knew exactly how many people he had in the clan which as it turns out was 348 souls. Of the 348, 150 were fighters the remaining 198 were women, children, and the old.

Bjorn knew his village is on the larger size for some of the clans in the far north so he would now be able to guess the strength of any of the other clans they could come to blows with. There are many be two or three clans that are bigger than his own right now. The north was filled with free folk but most like to stick to themselves few joined clans to stay safe out here. These however were problems for another day, and right now he needs to worry about another problem that had shown its head.

He had gotten word from some of his scouts another clan was in the area. He was not sure what their intentions were, but it could not be good as they had to scare off the new clans' scouts when they had tried to claim a spot that overlooked the village. Bjron had no plans to give up this spot that had claimed especially all the work they had done here. He had sent Tormund and a few others to treat with newcomers hopefully they would return with news soon.

Just as the thought entered his mind, he heard a commotion at the front of the hall. Rising in his chair he could spot his son heading toward him the look on his face did not bode well. "Father, we have a problem." Tormund stated before he took a seat before Bjron. "The new group its Rattleshirt's clan. The Thanns and the Crow fighting finally stop a weeks ago and during the fight the fuckers ran off. The Thanns are gone not that anyone cared for the fuckin cannibals in the first place, but some of Rattleshirt's boys got captured and gave up where is clan was staying now there moving around and found us." Tormund grumbled; well Bjorn had expected this to happen eventually. Any fight against the crows always ended in failure they were better equip and were just over all better at group fighting.

That could change soon for his clan at least but that wouldn't be for a few years at least. "How did you find all this out boy." Bjorn stated, "Took one of his boys. Didn't take much for the lad to sing turns out the groups in a bad way they might all die out if they don't find some place quick." Tormund answered, "How many fighting men do they have left and how soon will they be here." This was information Bjorn need if he was going to make the decision to fight them in the forest or on the walls. "The lad could not tell me how many men they had, but he did tell me that along the way here Rattleshirt was taking over any small villages he could finding, and he was back up to the strength they had before the fighting with crows. They are still a few days out, a few of the scouts we missed earlier gave us away, so we will not be able to avoid the fight with him if that is what they want."

Shit this was not good Rattleshirts clan was one of the few that were bigger this his own clan, and if they were back up to strength then fighting them in the open would get most of his men kill. No, they had to fight here. "Well looks like we will be putting those walls to the test sooner than I thought we would gather the men looks like a good fight has come our way." Bjorn relayed with a blood thirst grin, and Tormund grinned just as blood thirst as he nodded and ran out of the hall.

Jon

Jon was putting the final additions on the blade. It had turned out better than even Nell had expected. The bastard sword was light like waving around a stick. The dark blue blade has ripples running up and down the blade like a rolling sea. Along the edge one could see specks of dragon glass though out the edge. It was a beautiful blade. Just as Jon finished the wrappings, he spotted Tormund moving though the village calling on all the warriors to gather at the long house. Jon was about to set the blade down and head to the long house when Nell tossed him a wood sheath., looking at the sheath it was beautifully made with wolves running down it.

Slightly confused Jon looked up to ask who it was for when Nell beat him to the punch, "Blade like that needs a good sheath and seeing how the blade was going to be a name day present for you any way might as well take it with you now. Can't have you walking around unarmed can we Revna would have my hide." Nell chuckled; Jon was a little surprised he had expected the blade would be for one of Bjorn many fighters not himself. He would think on it later after thanking Nell he headed to the long house. While he was not a fighter for the clan, yet he knew Arne would be there and he could find out what has happening.

It did not take long for him to arrive, and he spotted Arne and Njal standing along one of the back walls in the hall and made his way to them. Njal Spotted him first and sent a small smile his way as he waved him over. Jon made is way in between the two. Arne smile and ruffled Jon's hair the directed his attention back on to Bjorn. Bjorn the explained that another group of free folk were on their ways toward them, and that this new group was looking to take everything they had built here.

Shouts rang out in the hall, no one was going to stand for that. Not after all the work they had put into improving their lives here, but as Bjron had stated this new group had them beat when it came to numbers and the only real choice, they had was to fight them here, with their backs to the wall. Jon was torn, on one hand with Bjron news he knew he could return home after the fighting, but on the other hand did he really want to...No he wouldn't think about it right now. For now, he would help defend the village everything else would come after.

Battle plans were quickly beginning to be formulated but, one thing Jon noticed was they all called for the same thing. Put some hunters on the walls and have a main line of warriors stand behind the ditches and attack anyone who made it through. That sounded nice but from what he remembered from his father's lessons on warfare if the enemy forces out number you, the best way to win the battle was to surround them and hit them from different sides. From what Jon could pick out the enemy had about 200 to 300 fights while they only had on hand about 140.

The scowl on Jon's face must have been deep for Arne quietly asked him what was wrong. Jon hesitated but remembered Arne had so far valued his thoughts in matters before, "I don't think these plans will work. We are too outnumbered the moment they over run the battle line all will be lost." Arne bit the inside of his cheek. He could see why the boy thought that, but they were free folk this was how they had been fighting for years, they had held their own with numbers small than they had now and without any walls before, but he had learned to hear out all of Jon's ideas. The boy did not speak much but when he did most of the time it was particularly important to listen.

"I know quite well by now pup...what would you do different." Arne asked, and Jon did not disappoint, "Well for one we fill the ditch with spikes and cover it over. When they hit the traps, they would be forced to find an opening, but if we place our strongest fighters in the one area that they can cross we can funnel them to us. When they are focused on attacking if we hide three other forces in the wood line on both sides of the village, they would be able to attack from the sides and the rear. That could break them and end the fighting quickly." Arne was stunned it was a solid plan, but the biggest problem with it was the free folk had never fought like that before. Jon then explained that the men holding the front didn't have to move if they fought with spear and shield, they could just stand there and thrust at anyone who got close enough.

The men in the woods would only need to wait for a signal before they would attack anything would do if it were a sound they could recognize in the heat of battle. It could work, but now Arne need to see if he had the balls to lead it. Before whenever Jon had come up with an idea, he would always have him relay it to Bjron. Of course, Bjron wasn't stupid and knew Jon had come up the idea in the first place, but the boy needs to realize that the free folk would respect him more if he would stand up and tell them himself. With that thought Arne pushed Jon forward right into the center where the chief and warband leaders were talking.

Everyone froze and Jon looked like a deer caught by a shadow cat, turning his head slowly he looked to see Arne with a grin on his face with a thumbs up motion. 'Fuck... old man, wait till I tell Revna about this.' Jon's eyes screamed which only made Arne grin grow. A cough from Bjron brought Jon back to the moment, "Well wolf pup it seems like you have something to say lad... Well don't wait till am old and gray to speak boy." Bjron said with a smile, he had seen the boy and Arne talking to the side so he knew the lad had come up with a plan, and more than likely with was far better than anything they would have produced.

Jon steeled himself then went over his idea. After he was finished there was a few discussions on who would lead what and how many men they would leave on the wall and the number that would be split between who would hide in the wood line and such. Ultimately it was decided to go with Jon's plan much to the shock of Jon himself, as he assumed they would just disregard what he had to say on account of him being so young, and not truly part of the clan. To the free folk though age didn't matter if you knew something you knew something end of story and many in the village knew that if Jon spoke you listen.

So, for the next two days it was frantic in the village as everyone prepared for the attack that was to come. Filling the ditch with spikes and covering it did take a good portion of the time that had but it was done as quickly as they could. The rest of the time was spent creating more arrows, getting bandages and herbs prepared for healing, scouting out where the other forces would hide to not get spotted before it was time, and several other things. To increase the odds that the men in the front would hold Jon and Nell spent as much time as they could crafting snow steel spear tips, and arrow heads.

One thing Jon did not factor into his plan was the fact that the women had no plans to stay out of the fight. So, they had an additional 100 more bodies to throw at the defense. On the wall the spear women would hold off the attackers with arrow fire at the front entrance 20 of their strongest would hold and draw the enemy to them. The other 120 troops would spilt into groups of 40 and hide until there heard the signal then they would attack from both flanks and the rear hopefully sending the attacking force into disarray.

Everything sounded nice on paper, but another thing Jon's father had taught him was no plan survives when you meet the enemy, but this was the best thing they could do if they lost then all their arduous work would be for nothing. After two days of preparations the whole village held its breath as they wait for the scouts to report they arrival of the enemy. After the second day with no signs people start to relax but the morning of the fourth a scout came running as fast, he could to the entrance. The enemy was about two hours away. The time for battle had come.