[Chapter Size: 2058 Words.]

  Third Person POV.Somewhere on North.

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  In the days that followed, the expedition advanorthward, with the mission of reaissance before fortifying that region. The m brought with it the promise of a challenging journey, and as the group moved through the icy forest, Jon carefully observed the ndscape around him.

  The forest was a tangle of twisted trees, whose branches seemed to whisper a stories as snow fell on their leaves. Warriors fed a path, their steps marked by the ch of snow beh their boots. Lucis, beside Jon, remained vigint, gripping his spear firmly.

  As they progressed, they reached vast, windy pins where the biting wind challehem at every step. The group, now more uhan ever, faced adversity with determination. Trag dogs ran ahead, leaving footprints in the snow as far as the eye could see.

  Days unfolded, leading them to a frozen river. The crossing, though challenging, became a test of the group's ce. With axes in hand, they cut blocks of ice to create a safe passage. Oher side, they stood before majestic mountains whose peaks disappeared into the clouds.

  On a starlit night, the groups gathered around crag bonfires. Jon shared stories with other warriors beside Lucis, evoking the legend of an a explorer who dared to face the unknown. The fire cast dang shadows on their faces, creating a camaraderie in the face of adversity.

  The journey tihrough the desote tundra, an open expaesting the group's resilie each step, Johe responsibility on his shoulders. The expedition was not just a quest for knowledge but an attempt to protect the northern tribes from the growing threat.

  As the group advanced, uainty hung in the air, an uneasy shadow following the marked footsteps in the snow. Jon, with his magical sword resting in its sheath, felt the palpable tension around him. Lucis walked by his side, and together, they khat the truth awaited beyond the curve of the frozen path.

  "As we venture deeper into the forest, I notice that wildlife is being scarcer," Jon ented, his eyes sing the snowy ndscape.

  Lucis, the shadows betweerees, added, "Our scouts have been avoiding this area tely."

  "So, it seems like a is about to begin," Jon said, his tone revealing a mix of anticipation and readiness.

  "You always act recklessly. You may have seen you take down a dozen men, but that doesn't mean you face the cold shadows," Lucis huffed, expressing genuine .

  Jon, responding with a fident smile, retorted, "You o have faith in your husband, dear wife." He ughed, showing indiffereo the woman's uimation."Just don't get yourself killed," she huffed, expressing genuine .

  "Don't worry about that. I'm more intrigued by the raven that has been following us since yesterday," Jon ged the subject, his eyes watg the sky.

  "Raven?" She responded, surprise reflected in her expression.

  "Yes, Val told us about the Wargs and how they could die if the animal whose skin they were ging into died," Jon expined and tinued, "Ilyana told me the same thing, but it didn't wainst this Warg."

  "No oiced a Warg dying in the camp, so you're right," she ented, cautious in her words.

  "Anyway, I searched for that Warg, but found nothing. I discovered that its location isn't in the camp after using a spell," Jon spoke in a serious tone.

  "What? How a Warg be spying on the camp? And you... you told that crazy story about ing from another world," Lucis said in a low voice but with evident . "I don't know; no one should know about me here, but this being is watg me closely. He's been me since yesterday, but I io find out why." Jon maintained his tone. "How are you going to figure out where he is?" Lucis said suspiciously. "Watch." Jon said, and his hand glowed with a cirvoyance spell, a misty line began to travel to the northwest from where they were, Jon celed the spell before anyone else saw it, only he and Lucis had the vision a little away from the others.

  "That? What is that light?" She asked, curious and quite ented.

  "It's a magic that leads to your objectives. I'm the best tracker in the world with it, despite being uimated where I e from. It save your life and keep you from ever getting lost if you know how to use it," Jon said.

  Cirvoyance may be a novice spell, but for those who know how to wield it, it bees indispensable for trackers and travelers. Jon is the person who developed it to a level that no one else on the ti has achieved.

  "You've always kept secret the pce where you learo be a wizard," she ented.

  "Well, let's leave that for aime; now let's tinue."

  As they walked through the forest, Jon decided to explore a bit more about Lucis's knowledge, especially about the giant wolves used by her aors.

  "Lucis, what do you know about giant wolves? Have you had any experieh these creatures?" Jon asked, curious to know if the young wife shared any knowledge about the imposing animals that inhabited these regions.

  Lucis thought for a moment before responding, adjusting the grip on the spear she carried. "Well, I grew up hearing stories about them, tales that the northerners share. They say they are majestic creatures, but untamable. Besides the Starks, no one has ever tamed them. But they are wild beasts, aren't they?"

  Jon nodded, "Yes, you're right. They are majestid fierce. In the north, my aors learo coexist with them, to uand their behaviors. I've heard stories of them being sileinels and valuable allies when needed. However, for some reason, the Starks no longer have their wolves..."

  Lucis seemed intrigued by the description, her blue eyes fixed on Jon. "Because I think yoing to do something stupid?"

  "Maybe I'll find some on this journey. I'm thinking of doing something my aors haven't done in hundreds of years, maybe thousands, I don't know," Jon expined.

  "Great, yoing to it suicide," she scoffed.

  "Have faith in your husband," Jon ughed as he watched her walk away.

  Throughout the remainder of the jourhe atmosphere remained serewo more days passed as they headed north. Jon ied mainly with Val and members of Karsi's tribe, ae some still harb rese for him being a stranger who had taken the lives of acquaintahey maintained a certain respect.

  It was during this time that Val appeared, after days without exging a word since her departure from the camp. While Jon had a solitary meal, she approached.

  "How are you, Snow?" Val asked, breaking the silence.

  "The weather is quite pleasant," Jon replied, smiling at the woman.

  "You're always an oddity. You wear fewer clothes than everyone else and seem fortable in this cold. People are already talking about a man blessed by the old gods," she said, smiling.

  "I 't say you're the first person to call me an oddity. Wherever I go, I always attract attention," Jon replied, shrugging.

  "I heard that you don't follow yroup's orders," she ged the subject, seeking more information about Jon's choices.

  "Yes, I have the freedom to do what I think is best, as long as I have Lucis by my side," Jon ented, rexing in his posture.

  "Be careful. Some tribes here don't like you, especially the Tens. They tried to give you orders," she warned.

  "Then fewer of them will return to the camp if they try," Jon shrugged, showing his nonce.

  "Uned as always, but I don't doubt that you'll do that," she sighed.

  "Val, how are things iribe? It seems like there's a lot of uely in the front groups."

  Val sighed, looking away at the snowy ndscape. "There are tensions, Jon. The news about not finding any survivors and fewer animals each time has brought unease. Some resist the idea of expl these nds."

  "I feel the apprehension in the air. But sometimes, fag danger is necessary to ehe safety of your people," Jon pondered.

  Val gave him a sharp look. "You always have a unique perspective, Snow. I believe you're the only one capable of guiding us through moments of danger."

  "I doubt your tribe or anyone else would accept that, but I'll help if needed..." Jon spoke calmly.

  "That's good. We're approag a lookout camp, or what's left of it. We o reinforce that camp to establish some defehere, to assess the situation in the region. It's very likely they're dead, and we'll enter the creatures. So, be careful," she said, her toaking on the necessary seriousness for the situation.

  "Yes, but if something happens and you need my help, look for me," Jon replied, showing his willio colborate, even with tensions hanging over him.

  "Tsk, I'm a spear wife, Jon Snow; I take care of myself. But I appreciate your . Oh, and be careful with the woman from Tormund's tribe; she'll try to steal you," she ughed, as if it wasn't the first time.

  "Thanks for the warning, Val. I'll be careful."

  At this moment, Lucis appeared with water she had fetched from the river with her tribe.

  "Hello, Lucis. Well, I'm going now; my tribe needs me. It's good to see them again. Don't fet to prepare yourselves for reag oal," Val bid farewell, and Joo help Lucis with the chores.

  As the group of 200 people led by Val and other leaders approached what had once been a camp of the Free Folk, the desote se unfolded before them. The cold wind cut through the air, carrying with it the heavy silehat hung over the site.

  The first groups examihe camp, now reduced to ruins, with tors aroyed poles. d on marks on the surrounding trees testified to the iy of the flict that had occurred there. The snow, stained with small patches that still remained red here and there, was the only mute wito past battles.

  The somber atmosphere was pounded by the absence of life. There was no sound of birds singing, and the idscape was devoid of any sign of movement. The group cautiously advahrough the remnants of a pce that had once housed guardians of the north, now surreo silend abando.

  Jon, Lucis, among the te-arriving members of the group, carefully examihe surroundings. The uerrain and fused footprints in the snow told the story of a chaotic fight. The group leader, Guren, who was responsible fuiding Karsi's tribe, remained vigint, his eyes alert to any sign of immi danger.

  "That's disturbing," Lucis murmured as her blue eyes sed the abandoned battlefield, filled with apprehension. "There are no bodies to be found, as if everyone just... disappeared."

  The tension in the air alpable, enveloping the group in an atmosphere charged with mystery and uhey tio advance cautiously through the remnants of what had once been a vigint camp, now giveo desotion.

  "You said they turn into those things, so it's highly likely they're already wights," Jon said, gently toug the young woman's shoulder, seeking to fort her in the face of the grim se.

  "Don't worry; I'll make sure nothing happens to you," Jon spoke with a calm and teone, veying to Lucis the fidehat he would take care of her in this frightening enviro. "Yes..." She nodded in agreement with Jon's words, abs the seriousness of the situation.

  "Everyone, let's set up our camp now. Our job is to reestablish here and duct a reaissance of the area. Stay alert, especially at night!" Guren addressed the tribe, and everyone began choosing a spot to set up their camps as evening approached.

  "Now, let's set up the camp. We o choose a better pce for us," Jon announced, and Lucis promptly followed him, prepared to face the challehat awaited them at nightfall.

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