Chapter 35 Chapter Thirty-Five Jon

The hills rise suddenly from the dense forest, isolated and abrupt, and the peaks of the strong winds can be seen from miles away.The rangers say the wildlings call it the Fist of the First Men.It really was like a fist, Jon thought, rising high from the earth and the woods, the bare and brown hillsides strewn with rocks. He followed Lord Admiral Mormont and his high officials to the top of the hill, leaving Ghost in the shade.For the direwolf fled three times as they climbed the mountain, the first two times he reluctantly obeyed Jon's whistle, and on the third time the Lord Commander lost patience and cried, "Let him go, boy. I want to be there before sunset." Peak. You can go find the wolf later."

The ascent is steep and rugged, and the summit is surrounded by a breast-high wall of rubble.People had to go around in a big circle to the west before they found a gap that allowed horses to pass. "The terrain here is good, Sauron," Elder Xiong announced after reaching the summit. "I can't find a better place than this. We will set up camp here and wait for the Halfhand." Yu Bi, the commander-in-chief dismounted from his horse, and his movement disturbed the crow on his shoulder.The bird complained loudly and flew into the sky. The view from the top was nice, but it was the ring wall that really attracted Jon: patches of pale lichen and green moss swaying over the weathered gray stone.Legend has it that this Fist Peak is a ring fort built by the ancestors in the Dawn Era. "The place is old, but still strong," said Thoren Smallwood.

"Old," cried Mormont's raven above them, flapping their wings, screaming, "Old, old, old." "Shut up," Mormont shouted, looking up at the bird.The old bear had always been proud and refused to show weakness in front of others, but Jon was not so easy to deceive. He could tell that the old man was exhausted after following the young man for such a long journey. "This high ground is easy to defend if necessary," Sauron pointed out as he rode his horse around the ring wall, his sable fur cloak flapping in the wind. "That's right, this place is fine." Xiong Lao raised a hand in the wind, and the crow immediately stopped on his forearm, its claws tightly grasping the black ring armor.

"How about the water, my lord?" Jon asked. "Didn't we just cross a stream at the foot of the mountain?" "There is a long climb between the two places," Jon pointed out, "and the stream goes beyond the stone ring." Sauron said, "Why, you're too lazy to climb the mountain, boy?" Commander Mormont also added: "It seems that we can't find a stronger place than this. We can carry the water up first to ensure sufficient supplies." Jon knew that it would be useless to talk, so he stopped talking.So the order was given, and soon the brethren of the Night's Watch pitched their tents behind the stone walls of the First Men.Black tents emerged like mushrooms after the rain, and blankets and bedrolls covered the bare ground.The stewards lined up the pack horses in long lines and fed them fodder and fresh water.The foresters took advantage of the setting sun to take their axes and went into the woods to cut wood for the night.A team of craftsmen set out to clear the ground, dig toilets, and untie bundles of fire-hardened stakes. "Before it gets dark, every opening in the ring wall must be dug and staked," Xiong Lao ordered.

When the commander's camp was pitched and the horses settled, Jon went down to find Ghost.The direwolf immediately responded to his call and rushed out silently: one moment Jon was alone, striding through the forest, stepping on pine cones and fallen leaves, whistling and shouting; the next moment, the great white wolf was already Walking beside him, pale as the morning mist. But when he reached the periphery of the Ring Fort, Bai Ling refused to move forward.He cautiously ran forward to sniff the crevices of the rocks, and then hurriedly backed away, as if he didn't like the scent he smelled.Jon grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and was about to drag him into the ring wall, which wasn't easy—the direwolf weighed almost as much as he did, and was no doubt far stronger. "Bai Ling, what's wrong with you?" He has never been so defiant.Finally Jon had to give up. "As you please," he told the wolf, "go and hunt." He walked back through the moss-covered stone wall, keeping his red eyes on him.

It should be safe inside the walls.Condescending, the surrounding area is in view, and the hillside is very steep on the north and west sides, but it is slightly relieved in the east.Even so, as the twilight deepened and the darkness gradually penetrated into the open forest, Jon felt uneasy.This is the Haunted Forest, he told himself, maybe there really are ghosts here, the ghosts of the First Men linger here.After all, this was once their territory. "Come on, don't be childish," he said to himself.Climbing up the pile of rocks, Jon looked at the setting sun.The Milky River winds its way to the south, and the shimmering light on the surface of the river is like gold being forged.Upriver the land was rougher, and the dense forest was gone, replaced by a series of bare rocky hills that rose high and unbridled to the north and west.On the distant horizon, the mountains seemed like majestic shadows, one after another, until they became gray and blurred.The jagged peaks are covered with snow all the year round, even though they are far away, they are still so huge, cold, lonely and desolate.

Zooming in, the surroundings are completely surrounded by trees.To the south and east, wooded as far as the eye could see, was a vast and tangled dense forest, casting thousands of shades of dark green, speckled with red, the weirwoods crowding out pines or sentinels, The yellow that occasionally emerges is a few broad-leaved tobacco plants that have begun to mature.When the new wind blows, he hears the groaning and sighing of the branches and leaves that are far older than him.Thousands of leaves dance collectively, and for a while, the forest seems to turn into a deep green ocean, with storms circulating and restless, the same as the sun and the moon, which is hard to guess.

How could Bai Ling like to be alone in this kind of place?he thought.In this sea of ​​forests, any moving thing, even if it is rushing towards the ring castle, is impossible to see at all.anything.What should we do to prepare for any eventuality?He stood there for a long time, until the sun disappeared over the jagged mountains and the shadows crept into the forest. "Jon?" cried Samwell Tarly, "it was you. Are you all right?" "Fine." Jon jumped off the wall. "And you?" "Not bad. I feel good. Really." Jon doesn't intend to bother his friends with his worries, especially when it comes to Samwell Tarly, who is just beginning to find his courage. "Old Xiong intends to wait here for Colin Halfhand and the people from the Shadow Tower."

"This seems to be a strong place," Sam said. "The ring keep of the First Men...do you think there was a battle here before?" "Of course. By the way, you should get the bird ready. Mr. Xiong is going to send it to deliver a message." "I want to send them all away. They hate being caged." "You want wings and you think so." "I want wings, and I'll fly back to Castle Black for pork pies," said Sam. Jon patted each other on the shoulder with his burned palm, and they returned to camp side by side.The surrounding campfires were lit.Overhead, the stars also came out. The long red tail of Mormont's Torch was as bright as the moon.Before he reached the cage, Jon heard them screaming.Many birds are calling his name.Crows are diligent about making noise and are never shy.

Maybe they felt it too. "I'll take care of Old Xiong first," he said. "If you don't feed him enough, he will be noisy." Old Xiong was discussing military affairs with Thoren Smallwood and six or seven other officers. "You're here," the old man said harshly. "If it's okay, get us some hot wine. It's freezing tonight." "Yes, my lord." So Jon lit a bonfire, asked the man in charge of supplies, and asked for a small bucket of Mormont's favorite red wine, and poured it into the jug.Then he put the kettle on the fire, and ran to get other materials by himself.Xiong Lao is very particular about the mulled wine he likes to drink: cinnamon, cardamom and honey are added in specific doses, no more and no less, and raisins, nuts and dried berries are also added, but no lemon— —Because it is a luxury product from the far south, it is very rare, and Xiong Lao only uses it to match his breakfast beer. "The first function of drink is to warm the body," the commander emphasized, "but wine cannot be boiled."So Jon stared warily at the kettle.

While working, he listened to the conversation in the tent.Just listen to Jarman Bookwell said: "The easiest way to enter Frostfang is to go up the milk river. But if we choose this way, we must let Red know that this is not the same as the sun will rise. There is no doubt about it.” "Then take the Giant's Ladder," said Sir Malador Locke. "To put it bluntly, the Wind Gap may also be considered." The wine steamed.Jon quickly put the kettle down from the fire, filled eight cups, and carried them into the tent.The old bear stared intently at the crude map Sam had drawn in Craster's Keep.He took a mug from Jon's tray, took a gulp, and nodded curtly in approval.His crow would not be silent, hopping on his arm. "Corn," it said, "corn, corn." Sir Odin Wheelers waved away his plate. "I will never go into the mountains," he said in a thin, weary tone. "It's cold in the summer in Snowfang, and now...if there is a storm..." "Well, I don't intend to venture into the Frostfang unless I have to," said Mormont. "The wildlings, like us, can't live off rock and snow. No matter how many they muster, they'll be coming out of the mountains soon enough." out, and the only way to go is down the course of the Milky River. So we've hit the nail on the head here. They can't get around us." "I'm afraid they didn't intend to go around at all. There are thousands of them, and we? Even including Halfhand, there are only three hundred." Ser Malador took the cup from Jon's plate. "If we fought, we couldn't find better ground than here," Mormont declared. "So we must prepare, and set up spikes and traps, and thistles on the hillside, and mend every breach." Jarman, I need to rely on your keen observation skills, take your men, set up guards near the camp and on both sides of the river bank, let them hide in the trees, and report immediately if you find any unknown objects approaching. Let's talk about the water issue again , it is necessary to stockpile much more water than is required at present. I command that the digging of the cisterns be commenced at once. Heavy labor, which will dissatisfy the brethren at the moment, will in the end be a matter of our lives." "My ranger—" began Thoren Smallwood. "Until Halfhand arrives, your rangers are only allowed to patrol this side of the river. We'll decide when he arrives. I don't want to lose any brothers." "Then Mance Rayder may be raising an army a day's ride away, and we don't know it," Smallwood complained. "We already know where the wildlings are congregating," the old bear retorted. "Caster told us. I hate him, but I don't think he would lie about this kind of thing." "Okay then," Smallwood left with a sullen face.The others were more polite and left after finishing their drinks. "Supper, my lord?" Jon asked. "Corn," screamed the crow.Mormont was silent for a while, and finally said, "Have your wolves caught anything today?" "He hasn't come back yet." "He needs fresh meat as much as we do." Mormont reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of corn to feed the crow. "You also think I shouldn't restrict the activities of the Rangers?" "It is not my turn to comment, my lord." "What if I ask you seriously?" "I don't think the rangers could find my uncle if they were only within sight of the Fist Peak," Jon promised. "They can't find it." The crow eagerly pecked at the corn kernels in Bear's Palm. "Let's say two hundred people, even if we have ten thousand people, this land is too vast." The corn was eaten clean, and Mormont shook his arm. "You're not giving up on the search, are you?" "Maester Aemon says you are a wise man." Mormont let the crow back over his shoulder.The bird tilted its neck, its small eyes sparkled. He cornered Jon in a dead end. "This... I think it's much easier for one person to find two hundred people than for two hundred people to find one person." The crow let out a clucking screech.Through his thick gray beard, the old bear smiled, "Even Aemon can follow the trail of our people. Standing on the mountain, I believe our campfire can be seen from the side of Frostfang .If Ben Stark is alive and free, he will find his way, I promise you." "Yes," said Jon, "but...if..." "...is he dead?" Mormont asked, his voice still kindly. Jon nodded vigorously. "Dead," said the crow, "dead. Dead." "He might come back some other way," said the Old Bear, "like Oser, like Geoff Flowers. I feel the same way you do, Jon, but we must admit the possibility." "Dead," his crow was still yelling, shaking its wings, and the voice became more and more high-pitched, "Dead." Mormont stroked the bird's black feathers, covering a sudden yawn with the back of his hand. "I think I'll save dinner. It's better for me to rest and rest. Remember to wake me up at first light." "Please rest well, my lord." Jon put away the empty cup and walked out of the tent.There was laughter in the distance, and sad music played by pipe flutes.A roaring bonfire was lit in the center of the camp, and the smell of stew wafted in the wind.Old Bear may not be hungry, but he is hungry.So he walked towards the campfire. Devon was holding a spoon in one hand while talking nonstop: "I know this forest better than anyone in this world. Let me tell you, you must not go out alone tonight. Can't you smell it?" Grant stared at him with wide-open eyes, but it was the melancholy Eddie who said, "I only smell the feces and urine of two hundred horses, and this pot of meat. To be honest, the smells are similar." "Could you say less?" Huck patted the dagger, muttered a few words, and served Jon with a bowl of stew. The broth had barley, radishes, and onions, along with slices of overcooked corned beef. "What the hell are you smelling, Devon?" Grant asked. The forest steward had taken the dentures out, and Jon looked at his wrinkled face and arms gnarled like old roots.He sucked on the spoon before he said, "I think it smells... er... cold in here." "Your brains are made of wood as well as your teeth?" Huck told him. "How can it be possible to smell cold?" How is it impossible?Jon thought, then remembered the night in the conning tower.That's the smell of death.Suddenly losing his appetite, he passed the broth to Grenn, who seemed to be in need of an extra meal to warm his body against the cold night. When we left, the wind blew strongly.It seemed that by morning the snow would cover the ground and the tent ropes would freeze and stiffen.There was still a little cooking wine at the bottom of the kettle, and Jon added new wood to the fire and reheated the kettle.While waiting, he warmed his fingers, opened and closed them until the meridians were slightly relaxed.Around the camp, the brothers who were on duty at night had already started their posts.The torch flickered along the ring wall.It was a moonless night, with only a thousand stars hanging overhead. There was a howling in the darkness, faint and distant, but unmistakable—the howling of wolves.Their voices rose and fell, like a melancholy and lonely song, which made his hairs stand on end.Across the fire, in the shadows, a pair of red eyes stared at him, shining like a pair of sparkling gems in the light of the fire. "White Spirit," Jon gasped in surprise, "will you come in at last, eh?" His white wolf usually hunted all night, and he thought he would never see him again before dawn. "Can't catch anything here?" he asked. "Come on. Come to me, Ghost." The direwolf circled around the fire, sniffing at Jon, and at the same time the wind, but there was no peace.It didn't look like he had just had a full meal.When the dead began to walk, it was Ghost who was the first to notice, and he woke me up and warned me.He suddenly stood up vigilantly. "Is there something outside? Bai Ling, what do you smell?" Devon said he smelled cold. The direwolf jumped away, stopped, and looked back at him.He wants me to go with him.So Jon drew up the hood of his cloak, and left the camp, away from the warmth of the campfire, and walked out through the neat line of rough-haired plow horses.A horse neighed nervously as Ghost passed, and Jon stopped to touch its nose and say something soothing.The closer they got to the ring wall, the more distinctly he could hear the wind whistling through the cracks in the stone.There were questions ahead, and Jon stepped into the firelight. "I'm going to fetch water for the Commander." "Okay, you go," said the guard, "but hurry up." The man was curled up in a black cloak, the hood pulled up against the wind, and Jon couldn't see his face. An immobile barrel. Jon squeezed his way between the two pickets, and Ghost came out from below.A burning torch was stuck in the crack of the wall, and it flew up with the sound of the wind, emitting white and orange lights.Jon slid sideways through the passage in the wall and took it off with one hand.When he got outside, Bai Ling flew down immediately, and Jon followed slowly, letting the torch light his way down the mountain.The noise of the camp died away behind him.In the dark night, rocky slopes, treacherous mountain roads, as long as you are negligent for a moment, you will break your knees...even your neck.What am I doing?he asked himself as he chose his path. The forest is just below, like warriors equipped with hard skin and leafy, silently lined up, waiting for the order to attack the hill.Their bodies were pitch black... Only when the firelight swept across the branches did Jon catch a glimpse of green shadows.Faintly, he heard the sound of water gurgling among the rocks.Ghost disappeared in the bushes, and Jon struggled to keep up, listening for the call of the brook and the sigh of the leaves in the wind.Branches kept grabbing at his cloak, and the canopy grew thick overhead, hiding the stars. Bai Ling ran to the stream and drank the clear water. "Ghost," he called, "come to me, quick." The direwolf raised his head, his eyes were red and fierce, and water slid from his jaw like water.For a moment, he was so terrifying and terrifying.Then he ran away, past Jon, into the depths of the wood. "Ghost, wait, stop," he growled, but there was no response from the wolf.The pale and slender figure was hidden in the boundless darkness, and Jon had only two choices - either climb the mountain alone and return, or continue to follow. He could only follow, so he lowered the torch and walked forward indignantly, keeping an eye out for rocks that might trip someone, thick roots that might catch a foot, and holes that might snap a knee.Every few steps, he stopped to call for Ghost, but the howling of the night wind through the dense forest drowned everything out.This was madness, the more he went into the woods, the more he thought so.When he was finally about to turn back, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a white figure in front of him, flashing to the right and running towards the hill.He gave chase, cursing out of breath. They ran about a quarter of the way around the foot of the Fist until he lost the wolf again.Breathless with exhaustion, he stopped among a pile of bushes, brambles, and rubble.Beyond the firelight, darkness approached him from all directions. At this time, a slight scratching sound caught his attention.Jon moved toward the place of the sound, walking cautiously among the stones and bushes.Finally, under a fallen tree, he finally found Bai Ling.The direwolves were digging furiously at the ground, raising clouds of dust. "What did you find?" Jon lowered the torch and found a circular mound of loose soil in front of him.A grave, he thought, whose is it? He knelt down and stuck the torch into the mud beside him.The soil was soft and sandy, and Jon grabbed a handful. There were no stones or roots in it.Whatever is buried here must not be for long.After digging down two feet, my fingers felt like clothes.He thought it was a corpse, he was afraid it was a corpse, but there was... something else.He squeezed the fabric and felt something small, hard, and inflexible underneath.There was no smell here, and no sign of corpse bugs.Bai Ling stepped back, squatted down, and stared at him. Jon pushed aside the loose soil to find a round parcel, almost two feet in diameter.He stuck his finger into the soil and pulled it out vigorously. As he dragged, there was a clanging sound inside.Could it be treasure?He thought to himself, but he couldn't feel the shape of the coin in his hand, and when he listened carefully, the sound was not the sound of metal. A bundle of frayed rope tightly bound the parcel.Jon took out his dagger, cut it open, and fumbled to shake the fabric away.The package rolled over, and the things fell to the ground, shining black light.He found a dozen pocket knives, a mass of leaf-shaped spear points, and countless arrowheads.Jon picked up a knife. It was light as a feather, gleaming black, and had no handle.The glow of the torch danced on the blade, and a round of thin orange lines traced the sharp edge.It's Dragonglass.Something that Maester Luwin called obsidian.Could it be that Ghost has found the ancient cellar of the Children of the Forest, where the relics have been buried for thousands of years?The Fist of the First Men is an ancient place, but... Beneath the dragonglass is an ancient horn, made of ox horn and edged with bronze.Jon brushed the dust off the horn, and a string of arrowheads slid down.He let them fall, picked up a corner of the package, and rubbed it with his fingers.It was the best wool, thick, with a double weaver, and damp but not rotten.It can't be buried for too long.With darkness in hand, Jon took up the wool and moved closer to the torch.It's not dark, it's pitch black. Before he rose to call out, Jon knew what he had found: the black cloak of his sworn brother of the Night's Watch.