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But Dywen listened； and Dolorous Edd； and they made Sam and Grenn tell the Lord mander。 Mormont frowned all through the tale and asked pointed questions； but he was too cautious a man to shun any possible advantage。 He asked Sam for all the dragonglass in his pack； though that was little enough。 Whenever Sam thought of the cache Jon had found buried beneath the Fist； it made him want to cry。 There'd been dagger blades and spearheads； and two or three hundred arrowheads at least。 Jon had made daggers for himself； Sam； and Lord mander Mormont； and he'd given Sam a spearhead； an old broken horn； and some arrowheads。 Grenn had taken a handful of arrowheads as well； but that was all。
So now all they had was Mormont's dagger and the one Sam had given Grenn； plus nineteen arrows and a tall hardwood spear with a black dragonglass head。 The sentries passed the spear along from watch to watch； while Mormont had divided the arrows among his best bowmen。 Muttering Bill； Garth Greyfeather； Ronnel Harclay； Sweet Donnel Hill； and Alan of Rosby had three apiece； and Ulmer had four。 But even if they made every shaft tell； they'd soon be down to fire arrows like all the rest。 They had loosed hundreds of fire arrows on the Fist； yet still the wights kept ing。
It will not be enough； Sam thought。 Craster's sloping palisades of mud and melting snow would hardly slow the wights； who'd climbed the much steeper slopes of the Fist to swarm over the ringwall。 And instead of three hundred brothers drawn up in disciplined ranks to meet them； the wights would find forty…one ragged survivors； nine too badly hurt to fight。 Forty…four had e straggling into Craster's out of the storm； out of the sixty…odd who'd cut their way free of the Fist； but three of those had died of their wounds； and Bannen would soon make four。
〃Do you think the wights are gone？〃 Sam asked Grenn。 〃Why don't they e finish us？〃
〃They only e when it's cold。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Sam； 〃but is it the cold that brings the wights； or the wights that bring the cold？〃
〃Who cares？〃 Grenn's axe sent wood chips flying。 〃They e together； that's what matters。 Hey； now that we know that dragonglass kills them； maybe they won't e at all。 Maybe they're frightened of us now！〃
Sam wished he could believe that； but it seemed to him that when you were dead； fear had no more meaning than pain or love or duty。 He wrapped his hands around his legs； sweating under his layers of wool and leather and fur。 The dragonglass dagger had melted the pale thing in the woods； true 。 。 。 but Grenn was talking like it would do the same to the wights。 We don't know that； he thought。 We don't know anything； really。 I wish Jon was here。 He liked Grenn； but he couldn't talk to him the same way。 Jon wouldn't call me Slayer； I know And I could talk to him about Gilly's baby。 Jon had ridden off with Qhorin Halfhand； though； and they'd had no word of him since。 He had a dragonglass dagger too； but did he think to use it？ Is he lying dead and frozen in some ravine 。 。 。 or worse； is he dead and walking？
He could not understand why the gods would want to take Jon Snow and Barmen and leave him； craven and clumsy as he was。 He should have died on the Fist； where he'd pissed himself three times and lost his sword besides。 And he would have died in the woods if Small Paul had not e along to carry him。 I wish it was all a dream。 Then I could wake up。 How flne that would be； to wake back on the Fist of the First Men with all his brothers still around him； even Jon and Ghost。 Or even better； to wake in Castle Black behind the Wall and go to the mon room for a bowl of Three…Finger Hobb's thick cream of wheat； with a big spoon of butter melting in the middle and a dollop of honey besides。 just the thought of it made his empty stomach rumble。
〃Snow。〃
Sam glanced up at the sound。 Lord mander Mormont's raven was circling the fire； beating the air with wide black wings。
〃Snow；〃 the bird cawed。 〃Snow； snow〃
Wherever the raven went； Mormont soon followed。 The Lord mander emerged from beneath the trees； mounted on his garron between old Dywen and the fox…faced ranger Ronnel Harclay； who'd been raised to Thoren Smallwood's place。 The spearmen at the gate shouted a challenge； and the Old Bear returned a gruff； 〃Who in seven hells do you think goes there？ Did the Others take your eyes？〃 He rode between the gateposts； one bearing a ram's skull and the other the skull of a bear； then reined up； raised a fist； and whistled。 The raven came flapping down at his call。
〃My lord；〃 Sam heard Ronnel Harclay say； 〃we have only twenty…two mounts； and I doubt half will reach the Wall。〃
〃I know that；〃 Mormont grumbled。 〃We must go all the same。 Craster's made that plain。〃 He glanced to the west； where a bank of dark clouds hid the sun。 〃The gods gave us a respite； but for how long？〃 Mormont swung down from the saddle； jolting his raven back into the air。 He saw Sam then； and bellowed； 〃Tarly！〃
〃Me？〃 Sam got awkwardly to his feet。
〃Me？〃 The raven landed on the old man's head。 〃Me？〃
〃Is your name Tarly？ Do you have a brother hereabouts？ Yes； you。 Close your mouth and e with me。〃
〃With you？〃 The words tumbled out in a squeak。
Lord mander Mormont gave him a withering look。 〃You are a man of the Night's Watch。 Try not to soil your smallclothes every time I look at you。 e； I said。〃 His boots made squishing sounds in the mud； and Sam had to hurry to keep up。 〃I've been thinking about this dragonglass of yours。〃
〃It's not mine；〃 Sam said。
〃Jon Snow's dragonglass； then。 if dragonglass daggers are what we need； why do we have only two of them？ Every man on the Wall should be armed with one the day he says his words。〃
〃We never knew 。 。 。〃
〃We never knew！ But we must have known once。 The Night's Watch has forgotten its true purpose； Tarly。 You don't build a wall seven hundred feet high to keep savages in skins from stealing women。 The Wall was made to guard the realms of men 。 。 。 and not against other men； which is all the wildlings are when you e right down to it。 Too many years； Tarly； too many hundreds and thousands of years。 We lost sight of the true enemy。 And now he's here； but we don't know how to fight him。 Is dragonglass made by dragons； as the smallfolk like to say？〃
〃The m…maesters think not；〃 Sam stammered。 〃The maesters say it es from the fires of the earth。 They call it obsidian。〃
Mormont snorted。 〃They can call it lemon pie for all I care。 If it kills as you claim； I want more of it。〃
Sam stumbled。 〃Jon found more； on the Fist。 Hundreds of arrowheads； spearheads as well 。 。 。〃
〃So you said。 Small good it does us there。 To reach the Fist again we'd need to be armed with the weapons we won't have until we reach the bloody Fist。 And there are still the wildlings to deal with。 We need to find dragonglass someplace else。〃
Sam had almost forgotten about the wildlings； so much had happened since。 〃The children of the forest used dragonglass blades；〃 he said。 〃They'd know where to find obsidian。〃
〃The children of the forest are all dead；〃 said Mormont。 〃The First Men killed half of them with bronze blades； and the Andals finished the job with iron。 Why a glass dagger should…〃
The Old Bear broke off as Craster emerged from between the deerhide flaps of his door。 The wildling smiled； revealing a mouth of brown rotten teeth。 〃I have a son。〃
〃Son；〃 cawed Mormont's raven。 〃Son； son； son。〃
The Lord mander's face was stiff。 〃I'm glad for you。〃
〃Are you； now？ Me； I'll be glad when you and yours are gone。 Past time； I'm thinking。〃
〃As soon as our wounded are strong enough 。 。 。〃
〃They're strong as they're like to get； old crow； and both of us know it。 Them that's dying； you know them too； cut their bloody throats and be done with it。 Or leave them； if you don't have the stomach； and I'll sort them out myself。〃
Lord mander Mormont bristled。 〃Thoren Smallwood claimed you were a friend to the Watch…〃
〃Aye；〃 said Craster。 〃I gave you all I could spare； but winter's ing on； and now the girl's stuck me with another squalling mouth to feed。〃
〃We could take him；〃 someone squeaked。
Craster's head turned。 His eyes narrowed。 He spat on Sam's foot。 〃What did you say； Slayer？〃
Sam opened and closed his mouth。 〃I 。 。 。 I 。 。 。 I only meant 。 。 。 if you didn't want him 。 。 。 his mouth to feed 。 。 。 with winter ing on； we 。 。 。 we could take him； and 。 。 。〃
〃My son。 My blood。 You think I'd give him to you crows？〃
〃I only thought 。 。 。〃 You have no sons； you expose them； Gilly said as much； you leave them in the woods； that's why you have only wives here； and daughters who grow up to be wives。
〃Be quiet； Sam；〃 said Lord mander Mormont。 〃You've said enough。 Too much。 Inside。〃
〃M…my lord …
〃Inside！〃
Red…faced； Sam pushed through the deerhides； back into the gloom of the hall。 Mormont followed。 〃How great a fool are you？〃 the old man said within； his voice choked and angry。 〃Even if Craster gave us the child； he'd be dead before we reached the Wall。 We need a newborn babe to care for near as much as we need more snow。 Do you have milk to feed him in those big teats of yours？ Or did you mean to take the mother too？〃
〃She wants to e；〃 Sam said。 〃She begged me 。 。 。〃
Mormont r