Jon Snow V, Road to the Wall
Jon takes a breath as he puts a sword to his side, standing closer to the campfire as he tries to warm himself.
The Snowpack are riding with the new legions recruits next rotation, the legion from Moat Cailin now travels to the Wall to relieve the soldiers on the Wall, giving the Watch fresh Winter Legionaries, new supplies, fresh food and some new recruits.
"Here, Jon, some food" Violet said, handing a piece of jerky out. After a moment, Jon accepted the gift and Violet sat next to him at a campfire, warming herself up. Across from him sat Tyrion Lannister reading one of the Winter Legion's books, Armin Hill seated next to him muttering to himself again.
"No, Mr Whiskers no cannibals here, no spiders in my hair, no spiders in my hair" Armin rubbing his head as he looks at the fire, Ramsey chuckles as both he and Myranda sit next to the group with the fire.
"Talking crazy again Hill? Trying to scare your base born cousin, if you were my cousin I'd send you to the wall" Ramsey states, taking a piece of jerky from Violet, Tyrion smiled.
"Oh no, Armin was telling him about his time in the north and with the Legion, a thrilling tale you should write a book about it" Tyrion was listening to Armin, while ignoring the mutters of insanity.
"You like spending time with him?" Myranda asked, confused about anyone liking Armin.
"Despite what many say, Lannisters do care for family, if Armin was known he and his sister would have had a position at home, my father would never let anyone of Lannister blood be useless" Tyrion states, knowing his father will always find for a use for Armin, either as a guard or a soldier.
"Honestly Armin would find a place at Casterly Rock, I had one cousin who fell on his head and became simple, doing nothing but smashing bugs all day, till a mull kicked his head and killed him" Tyrion states.
"Nice of your father to not kill him" Myranda said,
"Would be a waste to kill someone for being simple, look at Hodor at Winterfell, he's a useful stable boy with giant's blood" Ramsey points out, you can find a use for anyone.
"He's got giant's blood, all over" Violet giggles as does Myranda, Jon signs, hearing the woman while looking over at his uncle Benjen.
His uncle sat close by at another campfire, as another member of the Night's Watch led two men with their wrist bound to sit and eat.
"Ah, rapers," Tyrion commented noticing them too "They were given a choice, no doubt. Castration or the Wall. Most choose the knife."
Upon seeing Jon's disapproving look, Tyrion continued.
"Not impressed by your future watch brothers? Lovely thing about the Watch. You discard your old family and get a whole new one." Tyrion said but Ramsey smirks at them.
"You never know, they could be Conquerors in the making, with the right training of course" Ramsey looked at them like a hunter finding his prey.
"Oh yes, the Winter Legion buying criminals from the Watch after training them, surprised your legion hasn't taken over them by now" Tyrion comments, seeing the criminals will try and find a way out of the Watch to join the Winter Legion.
"If they make it pass the hard training and not the standard one, they could become a ward for the legion, given harsh training to become a Conqueror" Jon explains, knowing the hardest training in the Legion is that of a Conqueror.
"One day I'm going to train one" Ramsey looked at the night watch recruit with interest.
"Your only looking for an excuse to torture someone" Myranda states, knowing how much Ramsey loves to torture others, seeing how he can't do it without people noticing but seeing a way around it.
"That's the beauty of training Myranda, no blades or anything to hurt them, I'll be torturing them into shape and they look better than they did before" Ramsey spoke out, seeing he can train slash torture someone in fighting shape, seeing a weak man become strong and powerful because of him is a lot more fulfilling then just short then torture for information or mentally breaking them down.
"Would love a fat one, cut the meat by making them run and fight, the look on their face as they cry for mercy until they realise how much stronger they are" Ramsey fantasizing about the poor soul he gets to train into an unstoppable monster.
"And here I thought the Winter Legion and the Night's Watch worked together" Tyrion states, noting at Ramsey as he sees the soldiers around them are looking excited about going to the wall compared to the Night's watchmen.
"We work together keeping the Night Watch in check, seeing how we outnumber them" Myranda explains as she glares at the criminals eyeing her with lust, but Ramsey steps forward grinning at them as they turn away.
"Might as well replace them if you're doing most of the work for them" Tyrion states to them, Jon frowns.
"The Night's Watch has been guarding the Realm for years against..."
"Against grumpkins and snarks and all the other monsters that your wet nurse warned you about," Tyrion interrupted with an amused look. "You're a smart boy. You don't believe that nonsense."
"And yet, our Lyarra, Keeps the watch alive, barely gasping for air knowing there one step away from being oppressed and completely replace, their role is known and the Command will squish whatever left is worth for her goals to be complete" Armin turns to Tyrion with an uneasy look at Tyrion smiled nervously.
"Can I take you with me, I love for you to meet my sister" Tyrion wanted to show off Armin to his sister, it would be too amusing for him.
Jon shakes his head as he looks over the camp, seeing many winter legions drinking together and having a good time before heading towards the Wall, creating a small outpost in the area to set up camp.
LINE
Lyarra Stark XVI Moat Cailin, Training ground
The early light filtered through the tall, grey stones of Moat Cailin, casting long shadows over the courtyard where Lyarra Stark in her armor watched her young brother Bran practice warging with the Legionary Warg trainer Takkar. The boy's focus was intense, his eyes locked on his direwolf, Summer, who stood poised in the ground staring back at him.
Bran Stark, while young, was almost kidnapped by the Therns, believing him to be the next Greenseer, a rare 1 in 100 Wargs, able to warg anything or so the legend says. While they don't know if Bran is truly a Greenseer it doesn't change the Thern beyond the wall believe he is. Training him to be a warg and to fight is a start to protecting him.
The gift of warging had awakened within him, a rare talent that had led him on strange journeys of the mind. And now, under Lyarra's and Takkar's watchful eye, he was beginning to master the art.
"Remember these rules of Warging young wolf, never enter the mind of an animal while it is having sex, never enter the mind of an animal while it is eating human flesh, and never attempt to enter the mind of another human, these are the unwritten rules are Wargs warn to each other" Takkar explains the unwritten rules of Warging, Bran looks confused.
"Why's that? Eating human flesh and mating?" Bran asked him, Takkar looked at the direwolf.
"It's hard for our minds to understand the beast, claws and fangs are all foreign to us humans, we feel their hunger, their instinct to hunt and feed" Takkar explains petting the direwolf, Summer enjoying the pets.
"But it's dangerous for the human mind, staying warg too long and you forget to be human, the rules are what separates us from the animals, eating the flesh of man raw is one thing but having sex with an animal is completely abomination" Takkar explains to the young Stark, acting like a animal too long you start to behaviour like one, eat humans and having sex with animals as animals will confused the warg when he back to human, Bran nod in understand.
"But the human? we can warg humans" Bran asked him, Lyarra sets forward.
"While it's possible to enter a human mind is also dangerous, humans have strong will compared to animals, too intelligent to control, it will only lead to both your deaths if not worse" Lyarra explains to her brother, knowing the dangers of Warging after training with them.
"Ok, do we stop others from breaking the…warg rules?" Bran asked them.
"These rules are more customs than law, I'm afraid, as it is difficult to enforce in the wide wilderness beyond the Wall. But we ensure our wargs know the rules" Lyarra states, there are more customs and actual rules which the Winter Legion enforce, to keep their wargs in check.
"Any warg who becomes known for breaking these taboos will subsequently be shunned by all others beyond the wall" Takkar states, even Freefolks understand the customs and keep their distance from any rule breakers beyond the wall.
"Now focus on your direwolf, young Stark" Takkar turns his attention to Summer. Bran takes a deep breath looking at Summer, the Stark and Direwolf eye each other.
Both get lost in each other's eyes as Bran's eyes slowly turn pale and misty, blanking staring at Summer who starts to look around confused.
Both Lyarra and Takkar watch Bran warged into Summer, his spirit flowing through the great wolf, Lyarra observed, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
"Focus, Bran," Lyarra said softly. "You must learn control. To warg is not just to live in the body of another, it is to shape your will upon it."
Summer looks around until he focuses on Lyarra focusing on her with Lyarra seeing an intelligent look in Summer, nodding to Lyarra as Summer lays down.
Bran struggled for a moment, his mind and spirit returning to his own body. His eyes returned to normal as he looked up at Lyarra with determination and exhaustion.
"It's that…good" Bran asked, first time being a Warg, Lyarra nods.
"You will get used to it" Lyarra states as Takkar focuses on Bran.
"Excellent work young Stark, on your first try too" Takkar states, impressive if how fast Bran picks up on Warging, Bran looks grateful.
A low growl interrupted the moment and Bran's head whipped around. Nymeria, Arya's direwolf, appeared from the shadows, circling around Bran until she jumped him, Bran looked shocked at Nymeria growling at him, looking ready to bite his throat off.
But looking at her amber eyes gleaming with mischief, Nymeria starts to lick Bran's face as Bran tries to get away.
"That's enough Arya" Lyarra orders, as Takkar grabs the Direwolfs neck, taking her off Bran as he gets up
Turning to see Arya on the side with her eyes misty and white but with a smile as she returns to normal, grinning as she runs towards them with Nymeria trotting beside her.
"Don't do that Arya" Bran exclaimed, annoyed at his sister as she grins at him.
"What the all-powerful Greenseer not able to stop one wolf" Arya teasing her brother, Bran gets mad at her, about to attack but Takkar stops him.
"Enough young wolf, distractions are common with Warging, you must learn to ignore them" Takkar states as Bran glares at Arya.
"But she" "I'm aware of your sister becoming a bother but you must move past it" Takkar looks annoyed at Arya who grins at him, Lyarra turns to Arya with a glare.
"Enough foolishness, we are training your brother right now" Lyarra spoke out to her, making Arya flinch at her tone.
"But…I was only showing my…..my wargging…" Arya looking down at her sister glares, showing her improvement with Nymeria to her sister. Arya is too excited to be a warg, jumping right into the training. Already connected to Nymeria, Arya in her Direwolf runs around in excitement howling and growling.
"You're too impatient in warging sister, many would see a Direwolf running like that would kill it, and trust me, you don't want Nymeria to die with you still connected to her" Lyarra warns her sister about the dangers of Warging an animal.
"She is right wild wolf, if your direwolf is killed when your warg, your lost part of yourself with her, and your mind will be forever damaged from it" Takkar warns both Arya and Bran, having an warg animal die will hurt the human warg, they can live but the shock of their animal dyeing with affect them.
Some never recover from experiencing death in the animal's eyes.
"Now let's try again" Takkar states, helping Bran focus on Summer as he tries again, Lyarra focuses on Takkar training Bran as Arya looks down before noticing her new sword.
"Lyarra, look at this!" Arya said, Lyarra turned, seeing Arya grin spreading across her face as she twirled the small sword with practiced ease.
"Jon Snow had it made for me. I call it Needle." Arya shows her blade to her. Lyarra nodded slowly, her eyes flicking over the blade with an unreadable expression. She had always been one for utility over elegance, and Needle was no different.
It was a fitting weapon for Arya, slender, deadly, and small enough to wield with precision.
"It's a fine sword," Lyarra said, her voice cool, turning back to Bran letting Arya frown at the lack of attention, looking at Lyarra's sword.
"What's your sword's name?" Arya asked her, thinking her sister has a name for her weapon.
"I call it my sword" Lyarra states, Arya frowns.
"That's not a name" Arya points out but Lyarra doesn't care for names.
"It doesn't need a name, naming weapons does nothing for your skills" Lyarra states, naming your sword doesn't make you a worthy warrior. Arya's smile faltered slightly at the cryptic words, but she shrugged it off.
"Maybe, but it'll certainly make a difference when I have to use it, can't wait for my second one" Arya excitedly holding Needle, her first sword to become a Peacekeeper, as Nymeria runs to her, excitement matching hers as they train.
Lyarra's gaze softened as she watched Arya and Nymeria. Arya is a natural warg, her bond with Nymeria was deep, already seeing through her eyes and controlling her movement. Arya happy for the training to warg her dire wolf
While Arya is good, Takkar says Bran's gift is better, Bran not just bonds with Summer but he seems to bond with some of the ravens in the castle, proving to be a natural already. Takkar speaks of Bran being able to control entire packs of animals or something far greater.
"Commander! Commander!" A voice calls out, everyone turns to see Peacekeeper Harwin Reed running with two others, a young boy and girl wearing dark clothes and capes.
"Peacekeeper Reed, I was told for no interruption" Lyarra orders the Peacekeeper, standing up straight before presenting the two young guests.
"Forgive me, these are my young siblings Jojen Reed and Meera Reed" Harwin introduces her siblings, Jojen and Meera nods to her.
"It is an honor to meet you" Meera looking at Lyarra in awe as she nods.
"What brings you here" Lyarra asked them, Jojen Reed steps forward.
"Lyarra Stark," Jojen said, his voice steady but laced with urgency, learning close to her "We've come to warn you. The Greenseer beyond the Wall has been captured by the Therns" Lyarra said nothing but looked around, turning to her siblings.
"Keep practicing your skills, you three follow me" Lyarra orders them, as she takes Reed around the corner hidden from others, Jojen and Meera are surprised to see Ulrich the Conqueror glaring at them, holding a mace threat.
"Peace Ulrich" Lyarra orders, stopping his mace but stands there ready to kill if Lyarra orders.
"Right, scary that one" Meera is scared of the Conqueror but Harwin calms her down.
"Don't worry, Ulrich might be big and intimidating but he's ... .ok" Harwin states, not fully knowing Ulrich but seeing the War-wolf trust him.
"I'm aware of the Greenseer and the Therns, but the question is how do you know" Lyarra questions them, Jojen steps forward.
"I'm a warg as well, and I'm being having dreams….screams for help and mercy, a three-eyed raven crying with many animals surrounding it, while I see an armor scar wolf howling them away" Jojen explains to her, Lyarra looks at Jojen with a criterial eye.
"You are a greenseer too?" Lyarra asks him, but Jojen shakes his head.
"Sadly no, while I have a few dreams, I'm only a warg, nothing like Bran" Jojen explains to her, Lyarra nods in understanding.
"I see, sadly there is little we can do, with the Greenseer on the Therns side, they could see our every move before we know it, we can't simply attack them without knowing where they are" Lyarra states to them.
"But you have someone who does," Jojen states to her.
"You speak of the Spear Wife trying to capture Bran" Lyarra asked, her mind already racing with calculations. Recalling the Spear wife's goal to take Bran to learn under their captured Greenseer and take his place, meaning the greenseer will not live long.
"She can take us to the Greenseer, we can save him" Jojen states, knowing it is the only way to save the greenseer.
"You expect me to trust her, she came across the wall to capture my brother, she hasn't been trained yet" Lyarra states, noting willing to trust a spear wife with the life of her brother, Spear Wife are too loyal to the old gods, Jojen hesitated
"We have no other choice. As long as the Thern have him we can never beat them" Jojen states to her. Lyarra turned her gaze to Bran, who is training beside Summer with Arya training with Nymeria, both playing with each other with their Direwolves.
"I will not risk Bran's life for some unknown mission, not yet" Lyarra said firmly. "You will stay here for now. Moat Cailin is your sanctuary."
Jojen tried to argue, but Harwin silenced him with a single glance. She had made her decision and he must follow it.
"Thank you for your attention, I'll get them settled" Harwin states, taking his siblings away as Lyarra watches her siblings train with Ulrich beside her.
"War is almost upon us, I can feel it" Lyarra mentions to him, feeling something coming.
A war is coming for them all, and Lyarra is almost looking forward to it.
LINE
Tyrion Lannister III, Castle Black
There were many thoughts Tyrion expected to see when he came to see the Wall, seeing the largest man made build, standing on top the highest high and pissing off the edge.
He also expects Castle Black to be nothing but a run-down old castle, no longer the once faithful and powerful Night Watch filled with noble men defending the realm but a dump where everyone sends their rubbish too, criminals, rapists and the like are all sent to the Wall to freeze the balls off. Out of sight out of mind.
What he had in mind didn't meet reality before him.
Castle Black was not really a castle; more like a fortress completely covered in new stone, the whole thing looks like three castles merged in one. Everything has been redesigned with that layout to ensure that the keeps could be recovered with ease in case of takeover or the commander's rebellion; as there were no walls surrounding them, they could not be held by any hostile force for long.
Once a long time ago the commanders of Snow Gate and the Night Force went to war with one another; the lord Commander asked them kindly to stand down and surprisingly they did because they joined forces to kill him. The Stark in Winterfell had to intervene and take both of them down, which was easy since they could not defend their keeps, the enemy of the Night's Watch was to the north and to the north was the Wall.
Tyrion looks in awe seeing many soldiers around Castle Black, lots of men and young men matching around the area, patrolling and training with each other. Armor Warden standing guard and commanding groups of Winter Legionary with the Night's Watch men. Peacekeepers passing messages and speaking to each Legionary.
Lawbringers and Conqueror giving brutal training to few of the Night Watch recruits, carrying heavy bags of sand and supplies on their backs as they try to march across the Wall and back. Dropping off each supply to each of the castles across the Wall.
The first day they arrived on Castle Black, Tyrion watched as Warden Jon Snow helped out in training the recruits, helping out his fellow Warden and Lawbringer in training the new recruits.
"Wei hold your sword up; keeping an upper guard is better than a lower one" Jon Snow said to his opponent in the yard, a Bravos about twenty years old named Wei, the slanted eyes young man nodded to the bastard of Winterfell.
"I will," Wei answered, smiling as he shifted his stance holding his sword higher and adopting an appropriate on guard stance.
"Just fight!" Allister Thorne bellowed, the master of arms of Castle Black, glaring at Jon Snow teaching instead of fighting.
"It's bad enough you winter dogs are taking my job, but you are not even doing it right! Either fight or let me teach Lord Snow" Allister Thorne glaring at the Warden, while Allister Thorne is the master of Arm at Castle Black, he doesn't get to train many recruits in fighting as much.
The Winter Legion took over the strength and endurance training, fighting mostly taught by Wardens and Lawbringers with Allister getting few recruits left out.
Allister absolutely hates the Winter Legion, seeing all these men coming and going pass the Wall and then going home. Taking over the training for the Night Watch men and then taking the few good ones for them, especially when he found out Wildings had joined the Winter Legion.
Allister tries to speak out against them but there it falls to deaf ears. Saying the Winter Legion is taking over the Night's Watch, seeing them outnumber the current Night Watch men and most of their new recruits are from the Winter Legion.
Jon only chuckles at the nickname, Sarge words cut deeper than whatever Allister spoke off.
Both men moved against the other, Jon was taller than Wei even though the first was older, yet both of them were fast and danced around the other, the sound of steel clashing with steel sounded across the yard, the blades were dull nevertheless, simple practice swords.
Jon finally took the upper hand by faking a stab to the left and quickly switching to the right, hitting Wei on the chest, knocking the air off him even through the training armor. As Wei stepped back trying to take distance from Jon, Jon rushed forward and slashed his sword at Wei's face but stopped mere inches from hitting the nose; ending the fight.
"Excellent control Warden Jon" The Lawbringer spoke out, nodding at Jon's control.
"Should have gone for the hit, boy; hesitation will cost you in a real battle" Allister added with a ruff voice, the Lawbringer turned to him.
"Breaking his nose on the first day won't help him" Lawbringer states, Allister glares at him.
"Next" the master of arms ordered.
Now it was a farmer boy named Grenn, big and strong but also slow. Jon had little trouble fighting him, but the bastard of Winterfell took great care not to hit the young recruit too hard, something easy considering just how fast the farm boy got exhausted with Jon running circles around him. At last it was a young man named Pippar who also did not last very long against Jon Snow.
"Yes, fall before the union of fire and ice, fall you lowly fools fall" Armin looking on at Jon fighting them with Tywin.
LINE
The next day Lord Tyrion was invited to attend a meeting in Castle Black's conference room, Lord Commander Mormont had assembled the rest of the Commanders of every castle on the wall, newly restored and repaired castles.
The conference room was warm and heated with the many people inside, a large table covered with detailed maps of the lands close to the wall both north and south stood in the centre of the room. Lord Commander Jeor Mormont sat at the head of the table on his right were Maester Aemon and first ranger Benjen Stark; on his left were First Stewart Bowan Marsh and First Builder Othell Yarwyck; Tyrion sat on the opposite side of the table while on both sides were the other night's watch commanders: Warden Tohren Maluk of Sabre Hall, Peacekeeper Xiu Ying of Hoarfrost Hill; Ser Denys Mallister of the Shadow Tower; Lawbringer Cotter Pyke of Eastwatch by the Sea and finally the commander of Westwatch by the Bridge, Conqueror Mors Westford, once known as the Butcher and had been once a disgraced warrior from the Westerlands, former banner man of Lord Tywin Lannister who eyed Tyrion with contempt.
While most of the Winter Legion Mormont keeps those Freefolk away from the Night Watch commands, not when they join the Night Watch.
"You all know why we are here" Lord Commander Mormont began.
"This has been the longest summer in recorded history yet reports from the observatory from Citadel in Oldtown informed us that days are getting shorter, winds and climate signs are changing. In conclusion as the Starks are fond of saying winter is coming, a long winter is coming" Lord Mormont ominously declared.
"So are we ready for a decade long winter?" Xiu Ying asked. "Do we have enough supplies?" he added.
"According to our last inventory we have about enough food stores to feed four thousand men for about six years, perhaps eight if they are carefully rationed" Bowen Marsh answer,
"We will need to request further supplies from the Winter Legion and the lands of New Gift" he added, Winter Legion now started using New Gift to grow few crops needed for the Night Watch, all sworn to only supply to the Night Watch.
"Yet the most critical topic we must discuss is the movements of the Raider of Thenns, now that Mance Rayder has joined them, here he is trying to be the new King Beyond the Wall" First Ranger Benjen declared.
"All reports confirm that the Freefolk tribes are now joining the Raiders of Thenns, from Frost fangs and hornfoots, all learning the ways of the Raiders, becoming leading Warlords, devoted Spearwifes, bloodthirsty Berserkers and wild Shamans, all that rival the best of the Winter Legions, even the giants if the rumors are true" Benjen add, the Raiders of Thenn have be a thorn of the Winter Legion and Night Watch, hit and runs fights, stealing Night Watch and Winter Legion supplies, and making fire bombs and other such items used against them.
Tyrion raised his eyebrows at the mentioning of giants.
"Giants, real giants?" Tyrion asked. "Are you serious Benjen? There are still giants beyond the Wall?" he added.
"Yes, believe Lord Tyrion there are giants in the Frostlands; they mostly live near the mountains using mammoths as both mounts and cattle, my niece meet one once, learn they tongue to speak to them" the first ranger explained, rumor that Lyarra Stark fought the king of giants to learn their strength.
Others say she was a descendant of them with how strong she was.
"They are an old and proud race, old as the Frost Fangs and just as tough yet they are not the monsters you southerners think" Benjen added.
"With respect to Benjen there are more important matters now that stories about the giants" Ser Denys Mallister declared.
"It is very likely the Raiders know that winter may come sooner or later, such a long winter in the Frostlands will be the death of most of them, that could be the reason why all of them are joining forces, desperation and a common enemy uniting them for once" Denys suggested, most of the table nodded at that.
"In any case the reason why we summoned you my lord is to require further support for the Night's Watch" Mormont said looking at Tyrion
"Winterfell and the Winter Legion has become our greatest source of aid, supplies, equipment and weapons. We have plenty and of good quality thanks to the gods. But we need greater manpower, we have men, we are in dire need of more recruits and qualified ones at that" the old bear explained.
"I doubt that my words will get through the king's shallow ears much less those of my sister's; yet I have little doubt that Lord Stark may be able to convince the king to provide a greater number of prisoners and other more willing recruits to the Wall" Tyrion answered as the lord commander nodded in understanding.
"And if I'm not mistaken, doesn't the Winter Legion recruit the wildings? I heard Lyarra tends to recruit from her enemies" Tyrion asked, talking to the soldiers from the Winter Legion, some from beyond the wall, all have interesting stories but never mention giants or anything.
"The Freefolk detest the Winter Legion, calling them dogs loyal to the Starks, to the Freefolk anyone joining the Winter Legion or recruited is seen no better than a traitor and a kneeler" Xiu Ying explains, knowing the Freefolk hate for the south and the kneelers, seeing their kin as traitors for kneeling to Lyarra Stark and her Winter dogs as they call them.
"Lord Tyrion speaks the truth, my brother the new hand of the king will do everything he is able to help the Night's watch" Benjen declared.
"Very well then" the lord commander said. "Yet for now information is our greatest weapon, we need to increase our patrols and the size of them in order to avoid the danger of ambushes, I'll send work to the Lyarra about increase more Legionary towards the Wall, maybe have 2 Legions here instead of one"
"One more thing Lord Commander" the first ranger interrupted, taking the word. "I would like to organize a scouting mission to find any clues about the fate of our latest missing patrol. Waymar Royce is missing, so is Garred, while Will was found deserting his post and was beheaded by Lord Eddard. If the Raiders are ambushing our patrols we need to find which of them are leading and organizing those attacks" Benjen explained.
The old Mormont nodded. "Take a dozen of your best men for the mission; find everything you can yet retreat to one of our forts in the case of an attack by a superior force.