Chapter 2

Jon Snow rode on his horse in the Wolfswood, in front of him was Ser Rodrik Cassel and Lord Eddard Stark. The journey into the forest was silent save for the sound of the horses. The sky was gray and moody, which didn't help Jon's anxiety as he followed the two men down the path. They have been on the trail for a week now, and Jon was confident on saying that they were near the northern edge of the Wolfswood, Jon could make out the Northern Mountains to the west of them.

The party of three entered a clearing, where a derelict wooden hut stood in the snow. The clearing was one hundred meters shaped in a circle, with the hut hugging the far end of the clearing, where Jon could see the mountains in the distance. The hut had no door, there was a hole in the roof , and ice and snow covered the old ruin. Jon leaves his horse, and looks inside of the old hut, before turning around and walks back to his father, who had gotten off his horse and stood in front of him. Ser Cassel says on his horse,

"Jon, this hut was once used as a hunting lodge by our family in the past, as you can see it hasn't been occupied for a long time."

Eddard and Jon chuckled at the sight of the ruin.

"It will suit me just fine my Lord."

Eddard reached into his cloak, and presented Jon a dagger. The blade was bright and new, as was the leather grip and scabbard. The pommel was a thick coin shaped, with a direwolf head stamped into it. Jon took the blade and strapped it to his belt. Jon looked up to his father,

"I'll be sure to return this to you when I return my Lord."

Eddard's face became sullen, and Jon thought that his father wanted to say something, but he only gripped Jon's shoulder, before pulling him in for a hug.

"I will see you when you return to Winterfell in one month Jon, good luck."

Lord Stark returned to his horse, Ser Cassel gave Jon a proud smile and a nod, then they left him, his only company being the cold and the snow.

—

Jon sat in his hut. It was only about an hour since his father left him, the only sound being the crackling of a small fire that Jon had going. Jon grabbed his bed roll and laid it out, and to his surprise a package was revealed. Jon grabbed the bundle and held it to the light. It was a book that was obvious to Jon, wrapped in cheap wrapping paper. Opening the package revealed to Jon a book and a letter.

The books were small, a bit bigger than Jon's hand and two knuckles thick. The covers bore no words, but had symbols on them that Jon had never seen before. One symbol looked like a hand engulfed in flame, the other was a bird of some kind in flight. Putting the books aside, Jon opened the letter and read.

-To The Young Jon Snow,

These books are from my homeland, and are something that many young adventurers like you have read before they delve into the dangers of the world. I hope you will find it just as valuable.

From Olmstead

P.S.

When you finish the books and understand its contents, I ask that you burn it.-

Jon didn't know how Olmstead was able to get the book into his saddle. Or how a book would help him survive.

"At least I'll have something to read at night." Jon said.

Jon opened the book and read the first text,

" Restoration magic Novice level: A guide on healing magic and its uses."

—

Jon hasn't spoken a word since he was left in the wild, and in that time, he repaired the hut and survived in the snow-covered mountain range. The hearth in the hut is dry and the room is warm with the fire. All his food has been hardy vegetables and rabbit, fox, and even a whole deer he was able to get the jump on. The knife that his Lord Father had given him Jon had fashioned into a spear to use when he hunted, most of the time climbing a tree and dropping down on an animal, and it had worked well for the most part.

Now a month has passed, and Jon is preparing to travel back to Winterfell. He didn't have much to pack, his knife and supplies to make a fire and some jerky to eat along the way.

Jon trekked through the Wolfswood, the primordial forest was vast and dark. Most men not native to the north avoided the old forest, frightened by tales of ghosts and dire wolves. Jon stamped into the snow, his progress slow but steady. Jon was cold, always cold, he missed his little hut and the warm fire he had behind him.

I wonder if it would have been better to stay in my little hut forever, away from the world.

Jon thought to himself. He quickly dismissed the thought, the hard part was over, all he had to do now was get back to Winterfell and soon after he would be adventuring with Olmstead, righting wrongs and saving smallfolk from danger.

The next few days would be largely uneventful, Jon moving closer and closer to home, stopping to sleep and eat. When he was resting, Jon would think of his family. Robb is probably training in the yard or studying in the library. Bran is probably studying as well, until he gets bored and sneaks away to climb the walls. Sansa and Arya with their septa, Sansa working on perfecting her embroidery while Arya waits for the chance to escape and go horse riding or watch the boys train in the yard.

As he marched forward, the sun passed into the trees, and Jon found a fallen Ironwood, its trunk almost as wide as Jon was tall. He built a lean to shelter, and kneeled down by the kindle he had to make a fire.

Jon closed his eyes and concentrated, searching for the warmth in his core, as the tome Olmstead gave him had said. Slowly, Jon pulled that warmth from his gut and to his hand. Opening his eyes, Jon looked in satisfaction as a small glow of flame went from his hand and into the bundle of wood, lighting the shelter in a warm glow.

He suddenly heard a thunderous rumbling behind him. Jon spun on his heels to face the source of the noise and was greeted by the sight of a massive bear charging towards him.

Jon's heart raced as the giant beast closed in, it's hot breath steaming into the frigid air. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he drew up his spear. The bear was almost upon him when he swung the spear into its coarse fur, the blade only nicking the creature's thick hide. The bear growled and swiped a powerful paw, hitting him in the face and sending him sprawling into the snow, his shelter shattering in the bear's charge.

He scrambled back to his feet and faced the bear once again, steeling himself for a fight. The bear towered over him, its eyes glinting with anger. Jon took a defensive stance, holding his spear out in front of him. The bear charged again, full speed. Jon sidestepped the attack at the last moment and slashed at the bear's hindquarters. The bear roared in pain but continued to lunge forward again and again.

Blood leaked into Jon's eyes blinding him, and the bear was on him in half a moment. Jon brought his spear up to block the beast but the bear's jaws snapped the spear in two. The bear then slapped Jon, throwing him into a tree, and Jon fell back on the ground, his face in the cold snow.

The bear racked one of its paws on Jon's back, the razor sharp claws cutting deep into the boy.

Jon gave a cry, and would have made more noise, but the bear pressed its bloody paw onto the back of his head.

Jon stopped moving, forced himself to stop breathing, and waited for the bear to finish him off. He prayed that the gods would be merciful and the bear wouldn't eat him alive, only to feel the paw leave his back. Jon didn't move and listened as the bear seemed to move away, seemingly pleased with his victory.

Jon slowly rose to his knees, his face and back screaming at him in pain, warm blood covering his body, his and the bears. He scanned the area, and to his right, the bear stood.

The great beast stared at Jon, his maw covered in blood and saliva, it gave a challenging growl, a plum of hot breath visible as it stood twenty meters away.

Jon wiped the blood from his face, and looked around the ground for his spear, and found the broken half with the knife strapped to it. He grabbed the blade and gripped it tight, and slowly rose to his feet, his legs felt like lead, his head swam, and Jon backed himself until he was in front of two Ironwood trees that he would barely fit between.

Jon stood as tall as he could," Come on you bastard, come earn your dinner!"

The bear stood on its hind legs and roared at Jon, and charged at him, closing the distance between them in moments, and as the bear lunged at Jon he flung himself between the trees, the bear following and pinning itself between the old thick trees.

The bear roared and swiped wildly, doing anything and everything to try and free itself from the prison it found itself in. But the trees stood stroking against the bear's attack. Jon climbed back to his feet, and charged the beast, not wanting to give it time to escape.

He dodged a swipe of its claws and sank his blade deep into the bear's chest, the roar of the creature made Jon feel like his ear drums would burst. He stabbed the bear again and again, screaming at the beast before the strength in his legs failed him and he sat on his knees before the beast.

Jon looked up to the bear and saw the eyes were dark and dull, no sign of life, dead.

Jon grabbed the Knife that was embedded in the bears chest and pulled it out, blood fell like water covering Jon in its blood, and Jon sat there exhausted from his battle

Jon let off a heavy breath and climbed back to his feet, using the bear to climb up to his feet.

Pain racked all over Jon's body, and he became very much aware of the deep tears on his back and the pain on his face. When he touched his face, pain shot through him again, and Jon released he couldn't see out of his left eye. Looking around the area, Jon spotted a frozen pond, and after crawling to it, he smashed the ice with his daggers pommel. When the water stilled, Jon saw the left side of his face was a great cut. He started to wash the blood off his face and back, trying his best to muffle the pain.

The Restoration book said to try your best to clean a wound before attempting to heal it, as to prevent infection.

Jon began to use the Heal Minor Wounds spell, and sighed in relief as the pain on his back and face lessened.

It's not fully healed, but I'm sure a few days with Maester Luwin will fix me up.

Jon picked up his shirt, and looked at the ripped up rags that made up the back of it. He sighed, and threw it to the ground.

Jon stared at the dead bear, and slowly walked to it, groaning from the stiff muscles on his back. He got under the beast and pushed it out from between the two trees. Jon then went to his shattered camp and rebuilt his lean-to and relit his fire with a Flare spell.

"Gods damn it!" Jon cursed as he realized he forgot about the spell during the rush of the attack. He would need to train with it more and more until he could cast without thinking about it. The wounds from the bear would remind him not to forget such a useful tool.

—

Two days went by and Jon had harvested what he could from the bear. Meat and bone marrow he cooked, and the coat he used to keep warm. He used the remains of his shirt to make the bear coat into a cloak. It took another day of walking before he made the clearing that revealed Winterfell, the plains of pure white snow giving the old fortress an imposing, dark look.

It was the most beautiful thing Jon has ever seen. And began to make his way to the hunter gate.

" Halt! State your name and why you come to Winterfell."

Jon looked at the two guards, " My name is Jon Snow, I'm the natural son of Eddard Stark."

" Do you have any proof of who you are? "

Jon took out the dagger, and showed one of the men the pommel, the direwolf symbol shown bright in the sun. The guard looked at the other and spoke.

" You better go get Cassel, he will confirm this one's claim."

Jon didn't wait in front of the guards for long before Jory Cassel, Captain of the guard and nephew of Ser Rodrik Cassel walked up to Jon and, surprising Jon, hugged him.

" Jon! It's good to see you alive and well. Come, your family is in the Great Hall having their dinner."

The two made their way to the Great Hall, and Jory opened the door, escorting Jon inside. At the high table, sat the Warden of The North and his family, sat and ate their evening meal.

Save for Lady Catelyn, everyone looked up in surprise and happiness when they saw his face. He strode past Cassel, the bear cloak dragging behind him. When he reached the stairs that led he was tackled by Arya, and then Bran, and finally Rickon, who climbed out of Lady Catelyn's arms. Sansa remained sat at her mothers side but did have a small smile on her face.

" Jon! I knew you would come back, what happened to your face?" asked Arya.

" I had a disagreement with Arya, he wanted me to be his dinner, and I didn't."

Bran made a face and held his nose, " You smell really bad Jon."

" Well I didn't have much opportunity to wash Bran."

Jon was trying to stand and grabbed an outstretched hand, and hugged Robb when he got to his feet.

They pulled away, " You look good in black Snow."

Jon smirked, " I was always my color Stark."

They both laughed and Robb looked behind him and stepped to the side, and Lord Stark stepped down the stairs with a proud smile on his face.

" Welcome home Jon."