One of the biggest threats at the north of the wall was the Wildlings. They describe themselves as free folk, not bound by the oaths and loyalties of the Seven Kingdoms. But the people south of the wall preferred the term 'wildlings' because they see them as wild animals. They are uncontrollable and dangerous.

Because of the danger that they posed, the men of the Night's Watch tended to kill the Wildlings as soon as they saw them. And they would've done that this time, but this Wildling was different. He didn't seem to harbour any resentment to the Night's Watch.

Their two week mission had turned into one that lasted months. Stuck in the snowy landscape north of the wall, the men of the Night's Watch found themselves facing dehydration, starvation, and the constant threat of harm from the groups of Wildlings that roamed the land. But that had been getting slowly better recently. When they slept, they woke up with their water jugs refilled. When they walked, they would come across large dead animals that they could eat. When they ventured further, they found the threatening Wildlings were already dead, allowing them easy access through the lands. They didn't know what kind of unspoken force was helping them, but not one of them dared to complain.

That was until he showed himself.

On a venture, Jon's direwolf, Ghost, had run off. The man hadn't wanted to leave him behind, so he'd followed the dog. It led him to a small clearing in the snowy landscape, where Ghost was sat with a Wildling. A Wildling, young, but very skilled. They were knelt down next to the dog, stroking him softly.

Jon approached the Wildling slowly, his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to unsheath it at any moment. This one may have been by themself, but Wildlings were always dangerous and unpredictable. And Jon could see a weapon laying on the snow, close to the Wildling.