Chapter 156: Unfavorable War Situation

The moon over the Milkwater took on an eerie tinge of red; on this night of blood and slaughter, a blood moon hung in the sky.

The Northern scouts and Rangers who had followed Fellan up the Milkwater, dreaming of raiding Mance Rayder's camp to reclaim the Horn of Winter, no longer possessed their former vigor.

Faced with the skinchanger's beasts, the Northern scouts and Rangers were routed, their commander Fellan captured and his fate unknown, each cavalryman fleeing south in terror.

Kane, a personal guard of Winterfell, reined in his horse to block the path of the Ranger, Ser Jeremy Lake.

"Ser Jeremy, gather the remnants; we should still have three or four hundred cavalry. We must ride back and rescue Fellan."

Many cavalrymen had escaped the beastly massacre by relying on their mobility, and Kane believed that by rallying the remnants, the hundreds of cavalry still had a chance to save Fellan.

In the freezing snow, beads of sweat covered Ser Jeremy Lake's forehead; he was drenched in cold sweat from fear. This Ranger, who usually appeared so formidable, had been scared out of his wits.

"Fellan is likely dead already. Do you think Dog-head Harma and the King-Beyond-the-Wall would leave him alive? The King-Beyond-the-Wall's armor is made of bone, and Dog-head Harma will kill every captive like a dog. Why waste time for a dead man?"

Kane was shocked and said angrily, "Ser Jeremy, you are the guide appointed by Lord Commander Mormont of the Night's Watch. It was you who persuaded Fellan to launch the night raid. Now that Fellan is captured, you refuse to rescue him—is this what you call chivalry?"

"Boy, watch your tone; don't try to boss me around," Ser Jeremy said coldly. "I have served the Night's Watch for many years and even had the honor of serving in the King's Landing City Watch. Such credentials are not for you to make light of. You are merely a small soldier from Winterfell; don't look at your own status before daring to accuse me."

Kane suppressed his anger. "You are the only one familiar with the local terrain at night. I only ask that you lead the way to rescue Fellan. Fellan is the husband of Lady Barbrey of Barrowton and a trusted favorite of Lord Eddard. If you abandon Fellan like this, will Lord Eddard not hold you accountable?"

Ser Jeremy smiled. "I am a brother of the Night's Watch; I owe my loyalty to King Robert, not Lord Eddard. Going back is just throwing our lives away. Don't you see? The skinchanger's wolves, snow bears, terrorbirds, saber-toothed tigers... our warhorses will be afraid, the cavalry will be afraid; going back will only mean dying in vain."

"If you want to play the hero, go save Fellan yourself! What I must do is lead this broken scout force back to the Fist of the First Men and await the judgment of Lord Commander Mormont."

Ser Jeremy spurred his horse and galloped away, followed by a large number of Rangers and Winterfell cavalry. Kane, helpless, had no choice but to whip his horse and leave the main force behind, heading straight for the distant Fist of the First Men.

Eddard stood on the slope of the Fist of the First Men, with Jon, Theon, Robb, and Domeric, to receive the ravens.

Jon announced happily, "The raven comes from the east; it must be from Jory in the Haunted Forest. Has Jory won a victory?"

Eddard unsealed the letter, Domeric locked the raven in the cage, and Robb began feeding it meat. Eddard finished reading the letter and sighed.

"Father, what is it?" Jon had a foreboding feeling. "Is our army faring poorly in the Haunted Forest?"

"The letter is from Cotter Pyke at Eastwatch. The Rock-born of Skagos have sent word: Rock King Samro led hundreds of supporters to breach Abyss Keep through a side gate."

Domeric, Jon, and Theon had all participated in the Rock-born War on Skagos, and they still remembered the shock of seeing the majestic Abyss Keep for the first time last year.

Theon smirked, "Didn't Lord Eddard appoint the Rock King's nephew, Donald Crowl, as the Lord of Abyss Keep? This Donald is truly a waste; Abyss Keep is practically a smaller version of Casterly Rock—so sturdy, yet it could still be breached by the Rock King."

Domeric said, "Lord Eddard, we must hold Donald accountable for his poor defense."

"Donald Crowl is already dead." Eddard clutched the letter in his hand. "All his children and his wife were cruelly murdered by Rock King Samro, who hung their corpses from the rope bridge of Abyss Keep."

The group fell silent, and Jon murmured, "Gods have mercy!"

Most Rock-born are physically strong and have characters as tough and stubborn as rock. Donald was an outlier among the Rock-born; he was ruddy-faced, fat, always carried a hint of sycophancy in conversation, and was timid by nature, a man without much ambition. It was precisely for this reason that Eddard chose Donald to be the Lord of Abyss Keep.

When Donald held Abyss Keep, he hunted Rock King Samro alongside other Rock-born tribes; the infighting of the Crowl clan would further weaken the strength of Abyss Keep.

What surprised Eddard was that the Rock King had seized the opportunity of the Northern Army campaigning against the Wildlings Beyond the Wall to capture Abyss Keep.

Jon frowned, "Could the Rock King have received aid from Mance Rayder? After his rebellion was crushed, he still dares to stir up trouble on Skagos."

"The Rock King has long been in league with the Wildlings," Eddard said. "However, I believe this is more of an independent action by the Rock King and his supporters. The longship fleet of Winterfell at Eastwatch has blockaded Seal Bay, making it difficult for Wildlings to sneak onto Skagos."

"The Rock-born tribes of Skagos generously sent two thousand Rock-born warriors, led by Billy, Lord of Floating Driftwood Hall, and Rayson, Lord of King's Hall. The defenses on Skagos were relatively thin, which is why the Rock King dared to attack Abyss Keep."

Robb said indignantly, "This Rock King is like a ghost that won't go away. Father, once we kill Mance Rayder, we must immediately deploy troops to Skagos, reclaim Abyss Keep, and execute the Rock King."

Eddard braced himself. "The good news is that the Ice Dragon Clan, Frost Clan, and Maple Leaf Clan near Abyss Keep reacted quickly, attacking Abyss Keep immediately after it fell. There were not many supplies in Abyss Keep, so the Rock King had to flee overnight. The Rock-born warriors loyal to Winterfell have already retaken Abyss Keep."

This news lifted everyone's spirits. Robb stroked his sparse beard, "Donald's family all died at Abyss Keep; his only surviving son is Joss Crowl, the ward of Winterfell. In that case, wouldn't Joss Crowl be inheriting Abyss Keep?"

"I pray Joss can return safely," Eddard said gloomily. "Joss was in Fellan's scout cavalry. Fellan was greedy for glory and pushed too far; I expect many warriors will die in this operation."

A raven's cry came from the air, and a raven flew in from the direction of the Frostfangs.

"This must be the raven from Qhorin Halfhand." Eddard reached out, and the raven landed on his arm, staring at him with eyes as black as the night.

Eddard removed the letter tied to the raven's leg, while Theon, Jon, Robb, and Domeric waited expectantly.

Jon asked tentatively, "Father, did Qhorin Halfhand achieve a great victory at the Frostfangs?"

Eddard handed the letter to Jon. "The Western Army encountered giants at the Giant's Stair, along with an ambush by The Weeper, Alfyn Crowkiller, and a skinchanger controlling a shadowcat named Thorn. Both our army and the enemy suffered heavy losses. Our army could not break through the Giant's Stair, and Qhorin Halfhand was forced to lead the army back to the valley."

Jon looked at the letter, shocked. "Wull the Bucket has been captured."

This was the worst news. Wull the Bucket was a legendary hero of the mountain clans, and the mountain clans were the main force of the Western Army. The capture of the Bucket was a heavy blow to the morale of the Western Army.

Benjen walked over in a hurry. "Eddard, the Eastern Army encountered Wildlings in the Haunted Forest. Both sides fought a great battle, and some wounded cavalry fled back to the Fist of the First Men. The enemy skinchanger Borroq controlled wild boars to break our formation. Eastern Army commander Jory Cassel was captured, and deputy commander Haris Moran and the Ranger Daven are leading the Eastern Army in a retreat toward Eastwatch."

The news of Jory's capture plunged the children of Winterfell into panic. This Captain of the Guard had watched Robb and Jon grow up and shared a deep bond with Domeric and Theon; the children had all received instruction in sword, shield, and horsemanship from Jory.

Years ago, Jory's father, Martyn Cassel, followed Eddard south to Dorne and died at the Tower of Joy to rescue Lyanna, his loyal soul buried in the Red Mountains of Dorne. Today, years later, Jory followed Eddard Beyond the Wall and was captured in the Haunted Forest, his fate unknown—was this to be a family of martyrs?

Robb said excitedly, "Father, Jory is our family. We must rescue Jory; let's send the cavalry to the Haunted Forest!"

"Cavalry has no advantage in the forest; the dense Haunted Forest will prevent warhorses from galloping, negating the cavalry's advantage." Eddard pressed his hand on Robb's shoulder. "I will try to save Jory, but we must first formulate a plan."

A horse's neigh was heard; Kane's horse was drenched in sweat and foaming at the mouth. He was covered in dust, with a wound on his forehead.

Kane dismounted and stumbled toward Eddard.

"Lord Eddard, our scouts encountered a skinchanger ambush up the Milkwater. There were beasts everywhere—wolves, terrorbirds, snow bears, saber-toothed tigers... hundreds of elite cavalry were killed, and Fellan was captured."

Domeric, Jon, Robb, and Theon exchanged suspicious glances. Jon murmured, "We've really poked a hornet's nest of skinchangers today; they are everywhere Beyond the Wall."

When Eddard received the news that Fellan was going to seize the Horn of Winter, he had already foreseen that this greedy, reckless advance would end in failure. Fellan had become a different person before and after his marriage; after marrying Barbrey, Fellan was even more desperate for glory.

Eddard suppressed his anger. "Tell me, when Fellan was being reckless for glory, what was our guide, Ser Jeremy Lake, doing?"

Kane looked at Benjen, who was standing nearby. Benjen was Ser Jeremy's sworn brother, and he sensed Kane's hesitation. "Just speak."

"In fact, it was this Ser Jeremy who incited Fellan to seize the Horn of Winter," Kane said angrily. "I kept urging Fellan not to be reckless, but he wouldn't listen. After he was captured, Jeremy gained command, but this coward refused to lead the cavalry to rescue Fellan, only caring about saving his own skin. What a knight!"

"The good news is that due to Ser Jeremy's survival strategy, the remaining three hundred or so cavalry escaped the skinchangers' slaughter and are heading toward the Fist of the First Men."

Eddard turned to Benjen. "This is my fault. I had a premonition that Ser Jeremy would ruin this operation; he was never a suitable candidate. I let my personal feelings prevent me from opposing the Old Bear's appointment, and it has led to a grave mistake."

Benjen said apologetically, "Ser Jeremy bears an inescapable responsibility, but, if I may speak plainly, the commander was Fellan, and he was the one who listened to the wrong advice, leading to the failure."

The morning air carried a hint of desolation; the cold wind was biting, and the air was filled with the scent of ice, snow, and pine needles.

Fellan was trussed up and tied to a terrorbird twice the size of a warhorse. The terrorbird was even stronger than a rhinoceros or an elephant, its footsteps shaking the earth. On the battlefield, Fellan had seen this terrorbird easily crush the skulls of Northern cavalry and Night's Watch Rangers with its hammer-like beak.

Fellan was tied to the terrorbird, beside a saddle carved from weirwood, upon which sat Samantha, the skinchanger controlling the bird, her hands gripping the black reins around its neck.

Fellan, who grew up in the North, had also heard various terrifying legends about skinchangers; it was said they mated with animals to produce half-human, half-beast offspring, and even ate the hearts and brains of innocent people just like beasts.

However, Samantha, who rode atop a terrorbird, was a girl who loved to grin; she had messy golden hair, wore a cloak made of feathers from hundreds of different birds, and was dressed in wool trousers and a bear-skin top, slim and beautiful.

If not for Samantha, Fellan would likely have died long ago.

Dog-head Harma and the Lord of Bones were notorious both north and south of the Wall; the two spent years leading Wildling Raiders over the Wall to pillage the Gift, the lands of Umber, and the territories of the mountain clans, killing men and stealing women.

The Lord of Bones liked to collect bones to reinforce his famous Bone Armor. As for Dog-head Harma, this ugly woman, for some unknown reason, held an extreme hatred for dogs; every half-month she would kill a dog, hang the bloody dog head on a lance as a banner, and the men captured by Harma would meet the same fate as the dogs, with the men's heads hung together with the dog heads.

When Fellan was captured, Harma wanted Fellan's head to decorate her lance, while the Lord of Bones hoped to sever Fellan's hands and hang those magical arms that could hit a target from a hundred paces on his own Bone Armor, so that he would clatter even more when he walked.

Fellan's armor, boots, longsword, dagger, and velvet cloak were all stolen; to fight over Fellan's Dragonbone Longbow, Dog-head Harma and the Lord of Bones even came to blows, and only after two men from each side were killed and many were injured did Varamyr Sixskins separate them with a bear and a shadowcat.

"Is it worth killing each other over a bow? I'll keep it for you." The Dragonbone Longbow fell into the hands of Varamyr.

Varamyr controlled three wolves, a snow bear, and a shadowcat, appearing terrifying even among skinchangers; Dog-head Harma and the Lord of Bones could only consider themselves unlucky, and with their bellies full of rage with nowhere to vent, they decided to take it out on Fellan.

It was Samantha who stopped Dog-head Harma and the Lord of Bones from harming Fellan in time. The Lord of Bones grumbled in protest and Dog-head Harma complained in a low voice, but no one dared to challenge Samantha, because Samantha's terrorbird could easily bite off the head of any enemy.

From then on, Fellan marched with this army of Wildlings that had captured him, heading north along the Milkwater toward its upper reaches.

"Where are we going?" Fellan asked Samantha.

"To hand you over to Mance Rayder."

"The King-Beyond-the-Wall." Fellan was deeply depressed; originally, Fellan had planned to raid the camp of Mance Rayder, steal the Horn of Winter, and if possible, kill the King-Beyond-the-Wall, but he had ended up defeated and captured instead.

Samantha let out a snort of laughter, "What kind of king is Mance? Just a Crow who flew down from the Shadow Tower. You Southerners call Mance that? The Free Folk have no king, because we never kneel."

"I am not a Southerner, I am from the North," Fellan protested.

Samantha smiled, "To the Free Folk Beyond the Wall, the North is also the South."

Fellan looked at the terrorbird beneath him, "I have never seen such a strange bird."

Samantha said proudly, "This is the fiercest bird of our Raptor Tribe; terrorbirds cannot fly, but they are more brutal than direwolves or saber-toothed tigers. You should be glad you didn't face me on the battlefield, otherwise you would have been a corpse long ago."

Tigris rode past on a saber-toothed tiger, and Fellan stared dumbfounded at the creature's terrifying fangs. On the battlefield, it was Tigris's saber-toothed tiger that had bitten through the throat of Fellan's mount, which was how Fellan was captured.

"Are these skinchangers also from the Raptor Tribe?"

Samantha said disdainfully, "Our Raptor Tribe lives in Eagle's Valley; Tigris is from the Tiger Tribe, and Varamyr comes from the Haunted Forest. I don't know which tribe he belongs to, perhaps the Snow Forest Tribe. This is a ragtag army; there are Free Folk from every tribe."

"Ordinary Wildling warriors use weapons made of hardwood and stone; among them are spearwives and boys who have just come of age; these people have the lowest status."

"Above them are the sub-commanders; these people usually have rusted daggers and pitted longswords, weapons mostly obtained from dead Rangers. Sub-commanders are generally the trusted aides of the raiding leaders. Dog-head Harma and the Lord of Bones belong to the raiding leaders; before being persuaded by Mance, they were basically local tyrants of their respective settlements."

Fellan whispered, "Harma and the Lord of Bones are both afraid of Varamyr."

Varamyr was currently holding a young girl on the back of a snow bear and flirting with her; the girl seemed very reluctant, and the Dragonbone Longbow hung at Varamyr's waist.

Samantha said proudly, "Beyond the Wall, no one dares to provoke a skinchanger, not even giants or Mance."

"Don't look at Varamyr as being skinny and short; he is an old lecher. Every time he arrives at a village, he forces the prettiest girls and spearwives to sleep with him. It is said that his thing is like a pine needle, yet he still enjoys it tirelessly, sowing his seed everywhere."

(End of chapter)