What good is having a sword if your danger is hiding in the dark? How long can something stay trapped in an unclimbable pit when your eyes can't see? The hole was dark and Zant had not heard a word from Jon Snow. He did not hear Jon Snow sing orders of command to Zant. It was like Lord Snow was wounded.

Zant kept hope that Castle Black would send good men to find them and free them before Zant's hunger took his life, or worse, take the life of Jon Snow. How can someone care so much for a man he barely knows? Was it he trusted Jon? Did he enjoy being around him for his curly black hair and hair on his chin? Or was it just how Jon Snow is the son of royalty? It didn't matter. If no fucking man got them out of here Zant would die with Jon Snow. If Jon died before the help came Zant would find justice.

" Tell me again why no one wants to be a ranger, Jon Snow?" Zant asked. Talking helped Zant stay awake. Even though he saw nothing, sleeping was not a good idea. Animals eat the sleeping before they met the god of death.

" Rangers leave Castle Black. When they leave the castle they leave the safety of Castle Black. Wildings attack men in the open, there's no shelter like in Castle Black, and they just don't like Castle Black so they do what they can to stay warm here."

" Before I die I want to know one thing. Was there ever a chance I could be your friend?"

" The men who left will burn a pyre. Men will come for us. There's nothing to fear."

" The men are cowards. Their knowledge is like five year old swords that have not been sharpened."

" Why do you hate them so much?"

" I don't hate them. I just wish better men could join…no, it's a foolish wish. Before this accident I asked those three sobs if they would follow me. Those traitorous bastards laughed."

" Did they leave?"

" I don't know. All I remember is their refusal to help and me coming in here."

" And look at where that got you." Jon Snow laughed when he heard Zant tell him the story. " They don't like you."

" I know they don't like me. It's because I'm better than them—"

" I mean not many of the people in Castle Black like you. In the Night's Watch we look for people who have stolen, murdered, and fucked. Are you one of them, Zant?"

" No sir. I do bad things but they were always for other people sir. I follow but never want to lead."

" They see you as a loyal dog. Maybe they even see you as a knight. They have lots of pride. But if three know we're alive it won't take long till every crow is digging for the chance to save us."

In the darkness Zant coaxed a smile. A little smile that was short but helped the despair and anger in Zant's creep out. Something about what Jon said made Zant smile. But it was short-lived. There was no air in this tunnel, no light, and no sound but their voices. Zant wished Jon could reassure him a little more. Zant never felt like this before entering the Black. He never feared for his life.

XxX

Saria left like she said to go meet her parents. She was walking through a road where men would rob her but not kill her. She was walking slowly through the road but trailed off to the forest. It was dark in the forest. It was like the trees were grabbing the sun and squeezing it blackening it. Saria heard that only happens when winter is here, and now it is coming.

Saria looked forward and back and left and right. She looked everywhere to see if anyone was watching her. She looked in the trees that were only black and dead and never grew leaves. No one climbing on those trees. The secret to the entrance of Reckmam was an underground tunnel. A tunnel hidden under leaves. Saria grabbed a rope hidden beneath those leaves and she pulled. Saria fell when the door opened.

Blackness was all she could see beneath the door. The black was her friend. Years of tunneling and battles fought here by no surviving men, she didn't want to see how much was left in the tunnel. She went down the door. Her feet fell down first; one last look. If anyone was around they could easily kill her, she was barely armed, and take the tunnels.

It was for the family. Saria was seldom about marrying. At first she had so much planned to do, but the thing she wanted most was children. She wouldn't bear a child of a man she just met. Saria had one man she loved but he was too busy flaunting everyone else to notice her. Saria decided to forget about him and jumped in the tunnel.

The door closed after Saria jumped into the tunnel. Under the hundreds of leaves only those who knew about the tunnel would find it. There was something Saria missed when she entered the tunnel. A small mud puddle was left on the grass. It was wet and sloppy. Suddenly, a foot printed it.