Falling Like ✸ Jon Snow ✔

03| 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔟𝔢𝔩𝔬𝔴

castle black, the wall

— BY THE TIME THE SUN ROSE, NYMERIA WAS ALREADY STEPPING OUT OF HER DOOR. Snow dusted the walkway that creaked slightly beneath her boot as she made her way towards the courtyard where two stewards were readying the horses. Three other rangers got there just before she did, adding their last-minute supplies to their saddlebags.

Nymeria's hand went unconsciously to her belt, checking for her blades. They crossed over her lower back, the handles sticking out just above her hips. Two vicious-looking daggers with fifteen-inch blades. The last of House Mormont's Valyrian Steel. Her bow and quiver were already on her saddle as she approached, taking the reins from the steward with a nod of thanks.

Koda was a beautiful horse; a big, chocolate-coloured clydesdale stallion with splashes of white. They were strong horses, and ten times faster when carrying something as light as her.

As the others mounted, she glanced around and spotted her grandfather approaching. He looked tired, but he saw her off every time all the same.

He looked between the other rangers, then back at her. "Two weeks. No longer. Benjen's gone further North, but I need to know what's happening in those villages closer to us."

She nodded. "Two weeks."

He pulled her into a hug, and when she pulled back, she flashed a grin, then hoisted herself up into the saddle and took the reins.

She looked over her expedition party. "You all know how this goes. We come out the other side, we're not on our turf anymore. Those are wildling lands. So we stick close, we watch each other's backs and you never, under any circumstances, disobey my orders."

They all nodded in turn.

"Let's go."

The horses clopped heavily down the tunnel to the gate, which slowly lifted to allow them through.

The sun was rising faster now, burning away the thin fog that had gathered at the base of the wall. They kept an easy pace through the woods as they didn't want to tire the horses so soon, making their way in the general direction of the closest wildling village. The last thing Nymeria wanted was to ride into it upfront.

They continued on through the day, stopping whenever they found tracks. Could be wildlings, could be animals. Either way, you could never be too careful. When the sun was beginning to set, that's when they found the tracks that definitely belonged to men - wildlings, by the look of the boot-prints. They were moving Northeast.

Nymeria frowned slightly. These tracks were coming from the direction of the wildling village. There had been reports already of abandoned villages and encampments, and the reckless part of her wanted to barrel forwards right now. If the village was empty, she wanted to know. Maybe they could use it for shelter instead of risking things out here. The rational part of her shut the idea down fast.

She nodded at a cluster of hills just a little ways off. "We'll make camp over there tonight and move in on the wildling village in the morning." 

If there were still wildlings there, then they were at a disadvantage in the dark. Their scouts saw far better in the day or the night than anyone on the Wall could. They had to if they were going to survive out here.

They stopped by the hills, picking the best position to hide them from prying eyes and shield them from the wind. They weren't particularly tall hills, but it would do as long as they weren't standing or moving around too much. They could also dig out a hole in the side of one of those hills for their fire to conceal the light and the smoke a little better.