As they navigated the snowy terrain of the haunted forest, Benjen maintained a vigilant watch over their surroundings. Every occasional thud, as one of the dragon glass daggers hit a tall, weathered tree or the snow-covered ground, elicited an exasperated sigh from him.

Three days had passed since they departed from the Fist, and during that time, the young man had devoted most of his attention to honing his throwing skills with the obsidian daggers, seemingly without a care in the world, while Benjen led the way through the wilderness.

Benjen's focus shifted from the young man as he ventured to retrieve his dagger following a semi-successful throw. However, his eyes widened suddenly as he caught the sound of rustling leaves nearby.

He reacted swiftly, recognizing the danger that loomed.

"Watch out!" Benjen shouted a warning, his words barely leaving his lips before an arrow whizzed through the air and embedded itself in the snow just inches away from the young man as he knelt to recover his weapon.

Reacting on pure instinct, Benjen drew his sword with a rapid, fluid motion, positioning himself protectively in front of the young man.

He called out firmly, his voice echoing through the forest, "Who goes there? Show yourself!" His grip on his sword remained tight, ready for any potential threat.

Above Benjen and the young man, a voice sounded from the treetops, causing them both to crane their necks to locate the source. There, nestled atop a nearby tree, they spotted a man who held a bow at the ready, his attire consisting of white and brown furs that seamlessly blended with their forested surroundings.

"You're not like any Thenn I know of..." the man in the tree remarked, a hint of disdain tainting his words as he regarded the newcomers. "You kneelers from beyond the wall?" he inquired, his skepticism evident.

"We're with the Night's Watch," Benjen replied calmly, assessing the situation with a steady gaze. "Are you from the White Tree clan?" he further inquired.

The man on the tree nodded affirmatively. "Aye," he confirmed, his voice carrying a trace of caution.

"Then we've no quarrel with you. Steer clear of our way, and we'll have no problems," Benjen assured.

The man in the tree lowered his bow, placing it on his back as he considered their words. "And I've no quarrel with you either, but you'd do well to tread light on your feet..." he cautioned, a tone of wisdom in his voice. "Thenn are lurking about," he added, hinting at the lurking danger.

Benjen furrowed his brow at this revelation. "The Thenn? They don't come this close to the Wall. Your people and the Watch keep them at bay," he stated, somewhat perplexed by the unexpected threat.

The man in the tree chuckled wryly. "Usually, yes," he agreed. "But these are unusual times," he continued. "Our clan is moving to greener pastures. The Thenn got wind of it..." he explained, shedding light on the circumstances that had brought about this heightened danger.

"Greener pastures? The haunted forest is as green a pasture gets beyond the Wall..." Benjen remarked, a hint of suspicion coloring his gaze as he tried to decipher the cryptic message.

"Winter is coming, ser crow, but I've said too much," the man in the tree replied with a knowing chuckle as he gracefully descended from his perch, landing in the snow. He seemed uninterested in divulging any further information.

"I suppose it doesn't matter— you won't reach the Wall anyway, what with the Thenn and those wretched things creeping around..." he added cryptically before turning to walk away.

"What things?" Benjen pressed for clarification, but the departing man paid him no mind, his attention clearly diverted elsewhere.

Benjen and the young man exchanged wary glances, and it was the latter who voiced his thoughts, a bitter smile gracing his lips. "Things, huh... what are the chances of said things being a euphemism for something that will eat our faces?" the young man quipped, attempting to lighten the mood.

Benjen's response, however, was far from reassuring. "All too high..." he replied with a grave tone, his concern etched upon his face.

...

Another day had passed, and the duo found themselves in a small clearing within the Haunted Forest. They had decided to make camp, ready to rest until the break of dawn before continuing their journey. As the young man sharpened a small stick with his obsidian knife, he couldn't help but comment on the relative peace they had experienced.

"The journey has been peaceful so far..." he observed, his tone hopeful. "That should be a good sign, no?" he inquired, seeking reassurance.

Benjen, however, offered no such reassurance. He shook his head gravely. "No," he responded plainly. "We should have encountered at least three wildling patrols by now— the wildling clans that call the Haunted Forest home are usually very active..." he explained, his experience guiding his concerns.

A sigh escaped the young man's lips as he absorbed the implications of Benjen's words. "So the lack of activity means something is wrong— that the wildling with the bow wasn't pulling our leg..." he deduced, the seriousness of their situation settling in.

"Exactly," Benjen affirmed with a determined nod. "We need to get to Castle Black as soon as possible, warn the Watch that something is happeningt."

The young man, still sharpening his stick with the obsidian knife, brought up a pressing matter. "Er, speaking of which..." he began tentatively. "I still don't know what we're going to do once we get there... I hope you don't intend to let everyone know about me..." He fixed Benjen with a questioning gaze.

Benjen, seemingly amused by the young man's concern, inquired, "Oh? And why is that?"

"Well, you said it yourself—rapists, thieves, murderers, the Black Watch got it all..." the young man hesitated before cautiously continuing. "I don't feel comfortable sharing the literal secret of my existence with such people..." His unease was palpable.

Benjen nodded thoughtfully, acknowledging the valid point. "Harsh, but fair," he conceded with a sigh. "Rest assured, only the Lord Commander and myself will know of your unique circumstances..." he assured the young man.

"And speaking of which, you should pick a name to go by—maybe a backstory as well to help you blend in," he suggested.

The young man contemplated the task of selecting a new name for himself. "A name, huh...? I was starting to get tired of the word 'lad' anyway," he said with a chuckle. "Still—I'm not too good at naming things, let alone myself..." He sighed, a sense of uncertainty clouding his face.

"Any ideas?" he asked Benjen.

"Well, how about—" Benjen began, but he abruptly halted mid-sentence, his senses alerting him to a presence behind them.

With swiftness born of experience, he grasped his sword and pivoted, positioning it towards a tree some distance away. "I already know you're there. Might as well show yourself," Benjen declared, his voice steady and unwavering.

In response to Benjen's challenge, a man clad in fur armor emerged from the shadows behind the trees. His pale face bore strange symbolic scars, and he had a bald head.

Gripping an axe firmly in his hand, he spoke with a sinister tone, "Well, well... and here I was intent on cleanly taking you two out painlessly..." He casually patted his axe as several more similarly dressed men, each marked by the same peculiar features, emerged from the tree line surrounding the camp.

"I suppose this will be more fun..." he added with a wicked grin that split his face.

"Careful, lad," Benjen cautioned, extending his hand subtly to the side. "Those are Thenn," he added, his tone heavy with concern.

"Figured as much..." the young man replied, his bitter smile revealing his unease. His grip tightened around his obsidian knife as he continued, "As soon as that arrogant prick mentioned the Thenn, I just knew we'd run into them... anything that can go wrong will go wrong, or so a wise man once said..." He paused, then grinned self-deprecatingly.

"And who would that grim bastard be?" Benjen inquired, keepingt an eye on the Thenn warriors as they began incerciling them.

The young man shrugged, a hint of wry humor in his eyes. "Me. I just said it now, didn't I?"

...

The Thenn warrior's grin widened at the words exchanged between Benjen and the young man. He leaned in closer, relishing the fear he was instilling. "You like to chat, don't you?" he sneered, his malicious smile growing more pronounced.

"I like to chat too- telling people about what we do to their corpses once they're dead is a guilty pleasure of mine..." He added, his voice dripping with sadistic satisfaction. His eyes darted between Benjen and the young man, savoring their reactions.

The young man couldn't help but cringe at the gruesome words and the maniacal look on the Thenn's face.

A shiver ran down his spine, and he turned to Benjen with an anxious expression. "Please tell me you can take these guys..." he whispered urgently.

Benjen met the young man's gaze with a stern, determined look. "If you don't get in the way- maybe," he replied, his voice resolute. He glanced back at the Thenn with a hint of concern. "I might not be able to protect you, though" he added with a grim expression.

The young man swallowed hard but managed a wary smile. "So long as this creep doesn't get his fingers on my corpse, I'll be fine..." he muttered.

"Right... try not to die, but if you do, I'll at least burn your body," Benjen said with grim determination. He tightened his grip on his sword and took a step forward, ready to engage the Thenn warriors.

"That'll have to do," the young man replied, his own hands clutching obsidian knives. He drew another one from his belt and took a defensive stance, preparing himself for the impending fight.

The Thenn warrior, seemingly satisfied with their exchange, grinned wickedly. "We're done talking then?" He taunted, raising his massive axe. The only response he received was a steely silence.

"Good, good, then we can get to the fun bit... kill them both!" he bellowed, and with a thunderous roar, the other Thenn warriors charged toward Benjen and the young man.

The Thenn warriors, numbering four in total, split into two groups as they closed in on Benjen and the young man. Three of them aggressively pursued Benjen, while the remaining Thenn charged directly at the young man.

In any other circumstance, the young man might have been offended by the blatant disregard, but he understood that even a single Thenn warrior coming after him was more than enough to handle, given his lack of combat experience as a civilian in his former life.

The Thenn warrior menacingly approached the young man, brandishing a short sword and sporting a malicious smile.

His intentions were clear: he aimed to swiftly dispatch the young man and then join his comrades in dealing with the genuine threat, Benjen, a seasoned ranger of the Night's Watch.

"Make it easy on yourself, lad. Just lie down, and I'll make your death painless..." the Thenn warrior taunted, eager to eliminate the young man quickly and efficiently.

Summoning his courage, the young man took a deep breath and locked eyes with the Thenn warrior. His voice remained steady, though every ounce of his willpower was dedicated to maintaining an appearance of calmness.

"Think you can kill me, do you?" he challenged, narrowing his gaze and holding his two daggers at the ready.

The transformation from a seemingly clueless civilian to someone who was willing to stand his ground and fight took the Thenn warrior by surprise. Despite the young man's obvious lack of combat experience, his newfound determination and eerie composure unsettled the Thenn warrior and planted a seed of doubt in his mind.

"Oh? Not so useless after all..." the Thenn warrior commented, masking his uncertainty with a grin. He decided to taunt the young man, hoping to provoke a reaction.

"Have it your way then—slow and painful..." he threatened, but to his surprise, the young man responded with stoic silence, refusing to give the Thenn warrior the satisfaction of a reaction.

With gritted teeth, the Thenn warrior chose to call the young man's bluff. He raised his sword and cautiously approached, taking deliberate steps with his shortsword at the ready to block any potential attacks.

The figure of the young man, still standing in a posture that seemed to invite vulnerability, continued to sow doubt in the Thenn warrior's mind.

Was this inexperienced-looking young man truly a novice, or was he a skilled warrior feigning ignorance? Was he stalling for time, or was he genuinely skilled in combat? These questions raced through the Thenn warrior's thoughts as he drew closer.

Then, in an instant, all thoughts evaporated, replaced by instinct honed through countless battles. The young man finally made his move. The Thenn warrior's body tensed, his blade raised to defend against any attack the young man might launch. But what happened next left him in utter shock.

Rather than attacking, the young man simply turned and sprinted away the moment the Thenn warrior was almost within striking distance.

The sudden and unexpected escape, combined with the whirlwind of thoughts and doubts in the Thenn warrior's mind, caused him to freeze in his tracks for a few precious seconds.

It was all the time the young man needed to put some significant distance between them.

With a quick shake of his head to clear his thoughts, the Thenn warrior's shock transformed into seething anger. He sprinted after the young man, his face contorted with fury.

"You little shit! I'll skin you for this!" he yelled as he chased after the fleeing figure, a bulging vein on his forehead a testament to his rage.

The Thenn warrior gave his all in the pursuit of the young man, his anger propelling him forward as he sought vengeance for the trickery. However, it became increasingly evident that he wouldn't catch up to his quarry.

While the Thenn warrior struggled to move through the deep snow, burdened by his heavy armor, the young man seemed to glide over the surface, his steps leaving no trace.

As the minutes passed, the Thenn warrior's strength waned, and his breaths grew labored. He finally came to a panting halt, bending over with his hands on his knees, gasping for air.

Seeing his pursuer stop, the young man also ceased his flight, hiding behind a nearby tree. He watched the Thenn warrior with a sly smirk, unable to resist taunting his foe.

"Can't catch me after all, you fucking loser," he jeered, further infuriating the Thenn warrior. Recognizing that his tormentor had no response other than silent rage, the young man continued to provoke.

"You should quit while you still can. Maybe you'll be able to save the rest of your buddies from that big bad ranger if you flee now," he taunted, gesturing toward the other Thenn warriors who were locked in combat with Benjen. One of them lay dead on the ground, a headless corpse.

The Thenn warrior simmered with anger and frustration, reluctantly conceding to the wisdom of the young man's words. Continuing the chase would be futile, and he couldn't afford to be caught tired and vulnerable, with the ranger hot on his heels after dealing with his comrades.

That would be a certain death sentence.

Shooting the young man one final resentful glare, the Thenn warrior turned toward his fellow warriors, ready to rejoin the battle. However, as he pivoted, a sudden, heavy impact struck his head, sending him tumbling face-first into the snow.

In his peripheral vision, he caught sight of a small black knife, seemingly crafted from glass, falling beside him.

Meanwhile, the young man couldn't help but curse under his breath. He had watched the obsidian dagger he threw strike the Thenn warrior squarely in the head, but instead of the sharp blade, it was the blunt handle that had made contact.

Inexperienced as he was, the young man refused to squander such a golden opportunity. He swiftly buried his frustration, focusing solely on the task at hand.

Without leaving a trace in the snow, he bounded forward, closing the distance between himself and the fallen Thenn warrior with remarkable agility. As he neared the incapacitated foe, he launched himself at the Thenn, obsidian knife gripped firmly in his hand, poised to strike.

...

As the young man lunged at the Thenn warrior, his obsidian dagger poised for a strike, the Thenn acted swiftly. With a sudden twist of his body, he pivoted and turned, successfully intercepting the young man's attack. He raised his arms, gripping the young man's wrist tightly, preventing the dagger from making contact with his torso.

"You little... shit..." the Thenn warrior growled through clenched teeth, his face contorted with effort as he strained to keep the young man's dagger at bay.

"Just die already... you creep," the young man shot back, his own muscles straining as he exerted every ounce of strength in an attempt to overpower the Thenn.

Despite his advantageous position, the young man lacked the combat experience of the Thenn warrior. Realizing this, the Thenn swiftly assessed the situation and devised a solution.

He pushed himself slightly forward with his leg, causing the young man's center of gravity to shift. With perfect timing, the Thenn raised his leg and delivered a powerful kick that sent the young man tumbling away.

The force of the kick had knocked the wind out of the young man, leaving him gasping for breath as he lay on his back. Coughing and struggling to regain his composure, he found himself in a perilous situation as the Thenn warrior quickly recovered and retrieved his short sword. The Thenn wasted no time, immediately lunging at the young man.

With the tables now turned, the young man desperately gripped the Thenn warrior's wrist, attempting to push him away. However, the Thenn was a seasoned fighter and knew how to maintain an advantageous position once he had seized it.

"I'll cut off that impudent tongue of yours once you're dead... maybe roast it over a fire..." the Thenn warrior hissed, his lips curling into a savage grin. His short blade inched closer and closer to the young man's eyes, the threat of imminent danger looming ominously.

The young man's world had narrowed down to a desperate struggle for survival. He found himself unable to form any coherent words or even a defiant retort, his mind entirely consumed by the impending threat of the Thenn warrior's blade. Every ounce of his energy was poured into resisting the lethal intrusion.

Despite his efforts, the outcome was only partially in his favor. He managed to divert the blade's tip by mere inches, preventing it from piercing his eye directly. However, the sharp edge still grazed the skin just below his left eye, eliciting a guttural scream of agony from him.

The Thenn warrior relished in the pain he was inflicting, savoring the young man's suffering. He pressed the blade forward, slashing across the young man's brow, despite the desperate and frantic struggles.

"Squeel for me, little piggy!" The Thenn's malicious grin remained, his enjoyment clear in his sadistic words. "I'll take my time with you... make sure you never forget my face- even when you're dead..." He warrior taunted, relishing every moment of the young man's torment.

"The more you squeal, the more you struggle- the more savory your flesh-" The Thenn warrior's words dripped with sadistic pleasure, promising a slow and painful death. However, his speech was abruptly cut short as he noticed a bizarre transformation overtaking the young man.

Dark blue veins began to snake across the young man's face, his icy blue eyes now glowing with an eerie light that pierced through the blood trickling down his brow.

The pale tone of his skin turned even more ghostly, sending a shiver down the Thenn warrior's spine. A sudden, unnatural chill filled the air, unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life beyond the Wall.

Alarmed, the Thenn warrior tried to force the blade further into the young man's face, but to his horror, it refused to budge. Despite his frantic efforts, the sword's tip remained frozen in place, a hair's breadth away from the young man's eye.

The Thenn warrior gazed into the young man's eyes, his heart pounding as he witnessed the transformation. Panic, anguish, and pain vanished from the young man's eyes, replaced by an eerie calm that preceded a storm of darkness.

As if to underline this transformation, the young man's grip on the Thenn warrior's wrist tightened, producing a horrifying snap of breaking bones. An anguished scream erupted from the warrior, a testament to the excruciating pain coursing through him.

With a methodical slowness, the young man lifted himself to his feet, effortlessly raising the Thenn warrior along with him. He held the Thenn's broken wrist firmly, showing no empathy for the suffering warrior.

The young man's gaze, though once filled with terror, now seemed indifferent to everything, including the fleeting life of his foes. He stared at the warrior, unfazed by the screams and the garbled, incoherent words that poured from the warrior's trembling lips.

The young man, his eyes devoid of emotion, tried to speak, yet only an eerie, cracking sound, reminiscent of ice fracturing, emanated from his mouth. It was as though a wintry chill had descended upon the scene.

Slowly, ice began to snake its way through the Thenn warrior's body, gradually encasing him in a frosty shroud.

As the transformation continued, the young man's interest waned. He nonchalantly discarded the frozen warrior, flinging him aside like a discarded ragdoll.

The Thenn's body collided with a nearby tree, the impact shattering him into thousands of gruesome, bloody ice shards, leaving behind a morbid tableau of death and destruction.

The young man shifted his gaze towards the ongoing battle between Benjen and the last two surviving Thenn warriors. A frigid gust of wind, emanating from his direction, cut through the air, causing all three of them to halt in their tracks and turn their horrified eyes toward him.

Ignoring their reactions entirely, the young man extended his hand, and with a mere gesture, he enveloped the remaining Thenn warriors in a crystalline cocoon of ice. The sculptures shattered into icy fragments, leaving no trace of the warriors but a haunting memory.

As the frozen remnants of the Thenns scattered across the ground, Benjen squinted through the eerie display.

He called out to the young man, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Lad? Are you still in there?" Gripping his sword tightly, he pointed it cautiously at the young man, who attempted to respond but once again produced only the sound of cracking ice.

Benjen moved closer to the young man, his brow furrowed in concern. "If you can hear me, please, give me a sign—"

He was interrupted mid-sentence as the young man's eyes dimmed, the ominous glow fading away. The dark blue veins receded from his face, and his pallid skin regained its normal hue.

Weakened, the young man toppled to the ground, prompting Benjen to rush to his side.

Through his hazy consciousness, the young man could perceive Benjen's face, his expression fraught with concern as he urgently checked for signs of life. The young man's breaths came in ragged gasps, his body convulsing with shivers, and he felt an unrelenting chill that penetrated to his very core.

"I feel... so cold..." he managed to murmur, the words strained and punctuated by painful grunts.

He summoned a feeble smile, attempting to bring some levity to the situation. "Is the offer to burn my body... still standing...?" he inquired, his voice a mere whisper as the icy sensation seemed to seep into his very veins.

Benjen offered a weary smile in response. "Not if you're still well enough to tell jokes..." he quipped, his worry not completely concealed.

"Hang on. I'll drag you to the fire..." Determined to warm the young man, he gently slid his hands beneath the young man's arms and began to drag him back towards the campfire.

As the young man parted his lips, intending to express his gratitude, his fragile consciousness slipped away like a wisp of smoke, and darkness overwhelmed his vision.

...

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