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Arya's POV
Winterfell is flooding with evil creatures of the Night King such as the Ice Spiders and Giants. They flow in as mindless creatures to do one thing, kill anything living and warmth. The battle cries echo all through the grounds and halls especially the thundering steps of the giant over the busted gates.
The Giant stops in their tracks when the Winter Fox fires an arrow. The arrow appears to do nothing however the Winter Fox fires another directly in the heart. The giant falls forward. The Winter Fox dodges the body of the Giant landing hard on the ground. Before anyone could react, another giant walks in with what appears to have a huge ass log as a weapon.
My focus goes to the spiders which are crawling all over Winterfell walls and ground. They have eight large legs that carry them over the walls and the land. I quickly observe how the ice spiders move. The spiders walk by alternating two pair of legs. Another two pair of legs are in the air, another two stay on the ground and support the body.
The strange part of the spiders walking is that spiders are able to walk on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. They have no fur of any kind of small spiders appear to have. Their skin looks like nothing but pale and ice cold.
I adjust my aim slightly and fire my arrow. The arrow pierces through the head of the spider, killing it instantly. I draw another arrow as anyone with a bow unleashes countless arrows. We all let loose one arrow after another killing or injuring several ice spiders. But some spiders manage to attack some men. Those men die screaming as some ice spiders use two of their legs in the air as weapons to pierce through the bodies and flesh of men they kill.
The Hound bashes the head of a spider in. The insides of the spider are not red like our blood. Their blood is more black mixture with blue. Their insides spill everywhere with each killed made. Their strange mixed blood drenches my boots and face with each one I kill.
Brienne and Podrick work together as a team, having each other's backs in taking out any spiders they can. I smile to see how a woman like Brienne of Tarth is fighting like she is like any other man but better. I recall she told me that her father said that if she was going to keep fighting boys, she may as well do it right. Brienne certainly does it right when she does a clean cut down the stomach of the spider.
Benjen uses his weapon, leashing it outward that the end of the flamed weapon hits directly on the head of one spider. The flame hits the ice spider causing it to explode. The guts of the spider go everywhere. Benjen continues to use his weapon like he has a thousand times.
Gendry swings his war hammer into the skull and fat ends of the spiders. His war hammer gives a certain ring with each hit he does. The spider lets out an unnatural squeal in their final moments before he brings the hammer down, delivering the finally blow. Gendry and I smile to one another in fighting together. I continue to use my arrows, killing or hurting as many as I can until I am out of arrows.
I use the edge of the bow that is sharp enough to pierce one of the four eyes of an ice spider that comes at me. I yell in fighting the ice spider away from me once the edge of the bow sinks into its skull, killing it. Gendry does not stop in swinging his hammer, bashing any ice spiders that come close to him. He is handling himself well as a fighter.
One of the masked warrior Foxes uses two long axes and cuts down the middle of several spiders while unleashing their battle cries. The second warrior fox is using the new forged long sword, cutting down any spider within reach. The dragon glass of the sword is works like the Winter Fox said it would in killing them with the same powerful properties of dragon glass.
I am about to draw Needle but sadly, Needle will not do true damage in this battle. I draw out the dagger instead, using my speed to my advantage against these demonic spiders. The dagger cuts quick and deep each time I strike.
We are taking down quite a lot but for every spider that died, it would seem like ten more would appear. They keep on coming almost like they are a herd of hounds going for their prey. I avoid several slashes from the legs of spiders within reach of me. I use limbo movements to barely evade but it is just enough. I immediately go on the offense, delivering deadly blows. I twirl the dagger from my right to my left hand, shoving the dagger to a spider coming at me from behind.
Before I could do anything, I get jumped by one of the spiders, landing on my back side. One of its legs is about to strike. I cut the leg of the spider clean off as the sharp end of the leg was an inch from my face. I cut off another two legs before plunging the dagger into its head as many times as my arm can stab. The body of the spider falls on top of me, knocking the dagger out of my hand.
As I try to push off the body of the spider when another spider out of the corner of my eye is crawling toward me fast. The weight of the dead ice spider on top of me is not moving. I extend my hand as far as I can to reach for the dagger. I panic as the spider climbs on top of the dead spider, looking down at me with its creepy four eyes. The spider pulls back their legs ready to kill me.
The Winter Fox strikes down the spider in one blow. The Winter Fox kicks the body of the spiders off of me. Then the masked woman extends their gloved hand toward me. I grab their hand, getting to my feet. I grab the dagger ready to fight more even with the spider blood all over my chest, neck and face.
Next thing I know, The Winter Fox and I are fighting side by side against these ice spiders. An ice spider goes for the Fox but the Fox sidesteps swings, taking the head of the spider clean off with the long sword. The Winter Fox lets out a battle cry, taking out several spiders.
Then the sound of a horn blowing gets my attention however it is not the horn of more attacks. It seems to be the good kind. I wonder what or who it is when the Winter Fox yells out in joy, "Good for you to join the fight, Freefolk and Night's Watch!!! The real fighters have arrived! Let's go!!"
I see over to the busted down gates and see at least over fifty riders run through, yelling out battle cries. The spiders ran over by the running horses. Any men riding the horse use their spears, axes and swords to do some real damage compared to the fight before. I see how much of a small difference the amount of over fifty horsemen can make.
The Winter Foxes let out howls of celebration in fighting the remaining Ice Giant. The ice giant roars when one of their axes go right into its foot. The giant grabs the warrior, throwing the warrior in the air. The Fox manages to land on the nearest rooftop on their feet like they have been thrown a thousand times. The second masked fox ducks down from a fist blow, striking at the back of its legs. The Giant falls down on their knees, causing the earth to shake from the fallen impact.
The Fox on the rooftop jumps right off, landing on the shoulders of the Giant. The Giant tries to shake the warrior off until the Fox twirls the new forged dragon glass steel in hand then plunges it the back of skull of the ice giant. The body of the giant falls forward, sending the Fox in the air once again. The Winter Fox of course lands like they are doing a sport.
I am impressed with their fighting skills until they both freeze at the sight of something at the busted gate. My eyes see two figures as if waiting to battle with the Winter Foxes directly. Their hands appear to have ice spears ready to fight. I see the burning ice eyes glaring at the two. The Foxes get their weapons back in hand waiting for them to make the first strike.
My eyes study the two creatures that slowly but surely walk into Winterfell. The two are walking zombies of men with ice burning eyes, appears to be gaunt, and hard as bones with flesh pale as milk, head hair white as snow, hanging past their shoulders in their armor uniform. It is unlike anything I have seen before but they do not strike fear into me like I thought they would.
The Winter Foxes say at one time in their fighting stance, "Maximum effort."
The two white walkers attack with a crystal ice spear and sword of some sort. The two long handed axes and long sword meet the crystal blades. The White walkers seemed like they were not expecting for their weapons to deflect in some way. But the fighting continues. The black steel blade causes some damage against the ice spear that is close to their mask. The Winter Fox head butts the creature but it does nothing. However the Fox delivers a sort of turning kick into the stomach of the white walker, enough to have the creature take a few steps back.
I recall what Ned Stark said about swordsmanship to Robb and Jon growing up. It is all about balance rather than just strength. They were fighting with their feet, not their arms. They keep moving, not planning roots. Neither one of them is trusting brute force to best the White Walkers. They are succeeding in outmaneuvering them. Even I could learn a thing or two from the Foxes.
They swipe their weapons at each other until I witness one of the long handed axes is jammed into the side of its rib cage of the white walker. The white walker is swung into the stone wall and somehow the entire body of the walker shatters into pieces like ice, letting out a screeching cry in its death. I am taken away by one of these masked warriors took one of them out like it was a common fight on the streets for food or owed money.
The other one is stabbed in the left leg by an ice spear of the white walker. The main Winter Fox roars out in anger using their right leg to send the white walker across the courtyard. The white walker crashes into the flames of a blacksmith work station. The Winter Fox pulls the ice spear out of their leg but the ice spear does not shatter in the hands of the Winter Fox. I could have sworn that Jon told me that only the dead can wield any of their ice weapons. How is it this Winter Fox can?
The Winter Fox throws the ice spear at the White Walker. The White Walker catches the ice spear, throwing it back. The Winter Fox uses their new sword to deflect the spear. It falls to the ground a few feet away when the Winter Fox does a second spinning kick, sending the White walker right into another blacksmith station.
Before the White Walker could counteract, the new sword is driven right across the throat of the walker. It lets out the unsettling death noise just before it shatters like ice all over the workstation. The Winter Fox goes over to the ice spear, kicking it up in the air before catching it. The Winter Fox twirls the thin crystal spear then places it on their back claiming it as their own weapon.
"Two down, ninety five to go." The Fox says then charge right back into fighting any of the Ice Spiders that remain.
I begin to admire the spirits of the two masked fighters. That is how I always imagined fighters would be on the battlefield as a little girl. I do wonder how they have their kind of humor while fighting in the situation they are in.
However my smile goes away when I see that Sansa is watching from above the Courtyard where mother and father stood watching Robb, Jon and Bran train in weapons as a child. She is not safe out here. Why is she not in the Great hall with the others?
"Sansa, get inside! Get inside now!" I scream to her.
A speed of an ice spider surprises me but pushing me into the ground. I fall face first when the dagger falls out of my hand again. I turn over with my hands gripping onto the two legs about to pierce me. I bring my legs to my chest then push them against the under belly of the spider.
I lift the spider off me and manage to get out from under it. I go for the dagger but it is no longer nowhere. My eyes search for it. The dagger has vanished. I run toward the closest supply of dragon glass with that spider right behind me. I grab a dagger of dragon glass within my grasp. I shove the dagger into the head of the ice spider.
My eyes go back up to see Sansa running but a spider comes down from the roof, landing behind her. I see a set of arrows and a bow close by. I grab them when Sansa begins to run with the spider chasing after her. I take an arrow and let loose an arrow. The arrow pierces into the stomach of the spider but it does nothing. I look at the arrowheads to see it is common steel, not dragon glass.
I still shot the spider in the hopes that the amount of arrows will eventually stop the ice spider. But it keeps on going after Sansa. Sansa trips due to the spider using its legs to trip her. The spider gets closer to her.
I reach for another arrow but there are no more arrows. There is no other weapons I can grab in time to kill the creature. The Ice Spider charges at Sansa using two of its legs about to kill her right in front of my eyes.
"NO!!!!!" I scream with everything inside of me.
When suddenly I hear nothing but footsteps and a sound of crackling ice as if something is speaking to the spider. The spider is somehow stopped from killing Sansa. The spider backs away as a walking zombie like man with ice burning eyes, appears to be gaunt, hard as bones with flesh pale as milk, head almost looks the skull of an ice crown. This one looks physical striking, and in clothes of armor.
I have seen many faces of Death but whatever this one is, it is nothing compared to the ones I have seen. This thing is a frightening figure Jon told me about. This is the King of the Dead, the Night King right here in Winterfell standing before my own sister. The strange sort of noise coming from the King of the Dead is speaking to the ice spider.
The ice spider two legs are but an inch away from Sansa's face, at a halt. The ice spider backs away when the Night King is standing over Sansa. Sansa begins crying at the sight of this creature like she is seeing a ghost. The creature reaches and grabs her arm. Sansa cries out, unable to fight. Sansa is sobbing uncontrollable being this close to the creature.
Suddenly I see my dagger on the ground not far from me. I run, grabbing it. I make my way up the stairs when the Night King is face to face with Sansa but stops to look at me. The Night King locks eyes with me that I freeze at the sight of his blue eyes when he drops Sansa. She falls to the ground crying. I attempt to strike him but the ice spider gets in my way from attacking its King.
I dodge the legs of the spider while the Night King remains watching me and the battle taking place within the walls of Winterfell. I shove the dagger right into the eye of the spider, then pull the dagger down, opening its head wide open as valyrian steel does. The spider's body drops at my feet when the Night King has vanished as if he was never here.
Out of nowhere, this strange sound filling the air causes all of the Ice spiders to turn and crawl back out over the walls of Winterfell to whatever is calling them back almost like a whistle for hounds on a hunt. It is the same speaking kind of noise the Night King did to the ice spider stopping from attacking Sansa. Everyone is speechless in seeing the Ice spiders retreat. And thankfully the two ice giants that came in are not walking back out. Their cold corpses lay face down with Dragonglass spears and arrowheads in their skulls.
All of Winterfell is as quiet as a crypt when everything crawling is gone. Those who are left standing alive look at the bodies of the dead all around Winterfell. There are not many things that can scare me but the Night King shock me to my core. My eyes go back to Sansa who is crying on the ground.
I run over to Sansa crying in terror of nearly being killed and face to face with the King of the Dead. I ask her if she is alright but she is in a terrible state of what she saw with her own eyes. I am glad that my sister is still alive however with what has happened, I hope this is more than enough that she finally understands why we need Daenerys Targaryen.
I manage to get Sansa to her feet and see already the amount of people killed. At least two hundred alone were killed in the courtyard and archers on the wall. They picked through us like they were a plague of Death itself. We did manage to get quite a number of ice spiders. I stare down at the remains of an ice spider. A massively killed ice spider body is somehow still twitching. The people that remain are shaken down to their core in what has happened as well.
The two masked Foxes clean off the blade of their weapons looking at me and Sansa. One of them speaks, "As stubborn as you are, Sansa Stark, those things are far worse."
The men and women left alive reforms toward us wondering what just happened and questions, "So what... They just left?"
"No." I look at a dead ice spider recalling the strange sound of a whistle. "It was a whistle for them. They were called. Their King called them back."
"Alright, listen up. Gather the bodies of the dead and burn them. Do it now." The Winter Fox says as the two masked foxes begin to go for the bodies of dead men. Benjen and some other men follows behind them, bringing men into a pile as well.
"Excuse me but just what in the Seven Hells is going on here?" Sansa questions in complete fear like I have never seen in her. It seems like she cannot take it all in.
"The Night King sent his spiders in like dogs just like you would if you stalking boar or hunting deer or a bear or shooting for fish in the sea. He sent them in, testing Winterfell as we are nothing more than the game to the Dead." Benjen says to Sansa.
"Yes. First he sends his pets to see what he is dealing with. He watches before he sends a bigger number. He knows what he is dealing with and now he will be heading quick and hard."
My eyes study the dead body of the ice spider big as hounds. It makes sense to why the Winter Fox called the Ice spiders' pets just before they attacked. "How do you know this?"
The Winter Fox puts another dead man onto the pile being built up. "Because that is what I would do if I was the Night King. He sent his first test by using Benjen Stark. The Night's King did not kill him so he used him to his advantage. He called out for help, setting a trap, kill those who come. If the trap did not work, he knew that Benjen joining the fight is not enough to beat the Night King back. I know this because I have done the same thing or kill you all one by one if I was the Night King. As for the bodies of the dead, they need to be burned so the Night King cannot use them in his numbers. He is within reach to use his powers to bring them back into wights. Gather all of the dead bodies. Do it now."
I see that Benjen knows this to be true as he pulls another body of a man to the pile. The Winter Fox grabs a barrel filled with oil used for the blacksmiths, and starts pouring the oil on the bodies of the dead men. Benjen grabs the nearest torch, ready to burn the bodies once the barrel of oil is empty. I notice the Foxes grabs some parchment writing something down.
I walk over to see that the names of those that died on the parchment. I stare at the faces of the dead and it is exactly as I described to Sansa in the Crypt. I never wanted to see the people of the North dead but yet here they are. When all of the names are written down, Benjen uses the flames of a torch to burn the bodies. He goes over to the massive remains of the two ice giants, and their bodies begin to burn as well.
I watch the flames erupt high, covering all of the bodies in the pile. The flames burning the bodies as if they never existed before me; the faces of these men will haunt me. This shows the fate of the North without Daenerys Targaryen. The smoke breaks through the snowy fog covering the skies of Winterfell. The Winter Fox stands next to me as if knowing what I am thinking and grabs my hand.
"You are not to blame for this, Arya Stark. You didn't drive Daenerys Targaryen away. I have seen much death but these deaths will not linger long for you. They died fighting for their land and their loved ones. As for the rest that cannot fight, they serve no good to the living, only good to the Dead. They need to be sent far away from here. Only those who can truly fight need to stay." The Winter Fox tells me.
I look to Sansa and the other Lords of the North in anger as they begin to discuss battle plans like these men burning never died or Sansa almost died before my eyes. I walk over to them slowly and they stop speaking when I approach them.
"We do not have the forces against the Dead. No matter how hard any of us fight, it will not matter if we give these fuckers one hell of a fight. None of us will be enough to stop them, no matter how hard any of us try. We are all going to die. We will all die without Daenerys Targaryen..." I speak toward them in silent rage but sadness for the lives lost.
"Arya, we may have lost this battle against the Dead but they will not win the war." Sansa tells me, still believing we have a fighting chance even after the near death and face to face with the Night King himself. Is she taking the piss or something?
"With respect, Lady Sansa, there is only one battle that matters. No one here is fighting for a man or woman we barely know. We are fighting for life, and right now, death is the enemy. Every man or women that fights for their lives is defending those that cannot defend themselves. Your brother, Jon said that we are now the shield that guards the realms of men. The Realms of Men need every able fighter even Daenerys Targaryen and her children." Beric steps forward with his sword and his one eye gleams to the people of the North.
"Beric Dondarrion, I never expected to see you here. Still serving your one true God? The last time I saw you, you sold Gendry to that red witch. You and your priest still a traitor and a liar?" I step forward to get in his eye view.
"He died beyond the wall and yes, I still serve the Lord of Light. And I was never a liar or a traitor. I'm sorry we parted the way we did, child." Beric says with a somewhat look of surprise on his face to see me still alive.
"I'm no longer a child. And you will always be a liar, a traitor to me." I speak to him in an ill manner for what he did to Gendry.
"Oh for fuck's sake. May as well be at a bloody wedding." The Hound snarls to see Beric here in Winterfell. "Is he still on your list?"
"If he brings up his so called lord of light again, he will be tossed over the wall by me while his one true god wonders why in the seven hells he brought him back the times he did, then it will be one more name off my list." I respond to the Hound.
Beric is about to open his mouth again however the Hound snarls to him, "Your Priest is not here anymore to bring you back. I'd choose your next words carefully."
Gendry and the Hound stand behind me while Beric knows he caused trouble with all three of us. It will not end well if his next words are about the Lord of Light.
He must have rode in with the horsemen in the middle of the fight along with men from the Night's Watch and Freefolk. I notice one tall freefolk man with red hair covered in animal fur for clothes stand alongside Beric.
"Where is my little crow?" The freefolk man questions.
"He's not here." Sansa tells the man.
"King Jon went to confront those traitor lords that left Winterfell. It's a shame because the Dead got to them. They all died screaming." The Winter Fox says for everyone to hear.
Many people start to talk if Daenerys Targaryen leaving was not the best thing for the North now. My eyes start to see they want her back, not caring if she is the Mad King's daughter. They seem like they will do anything to get her back, even bend the knee. However when Sansa hears them talking about bending the knee to Daenerys, she gets everyone's attention.
"Yes, we have suffered a great loss with this battle. But Daenerys Targaryen is not the answer nor the solution." Sansa announces to everyone however the people begin to panic or get angry, wanting Daenerys Targaryen back no matter what.
Sansa and the others against Daenerys Targaryen realize the hate for Daenerys is fading with the people of the North. Those burning bodies is what set reality in and has shown the North why Jon brought Daenerys here in the first place. I need to increase the need and respect toward Daenerys now.
"No, we will not win the war, Sansa. What is it going to take for you to realize that Daenerys Targaryen is the only chance the North has to survive any of these things? Those are nothing compared to the rest of the Army Gendry spoke of. And they have yet to strike full force!" I raise my voice louder with each word in the death sentence Sansa and the North Lords are burying everyone into.
"So we fight and die. But no one here wants to submit and die under the reign of Daenerys Targaryen. We all made our choice to stand and fight without her. You should as well, Arya. Time to do a head count and prepare for the defense of Winterfell." Sansa says.
The Winter Foxes step forward in anger that has Sansa step back in the amount of guts and blood all over their full body armor. The Winter Fox starts pointing at people.
"Yeah.... Let's do a head count here, shall we? You have Arya Stark, Gendry Baratheon, Jon Snow, Benjen Stark, Brienne of Tarth, Podrick, The Hound, Beric Dondarrion, Tormund Giantsbane, Dolorous Ed, the Direwolf Ghost and several hundreds of North men, Freefolk and Night's Watch who can actually fight. And Davos..." The Winter Fox points to Davos.
Davos stares in confusion to why he is even being brought up. "Not exactly sure what Davos actually does beside give honest council but he still fights even though he is not much of a fighter. And there you go, that's the head count. Everyone else is nothing more than bodies to add to the Dead. In other words, you are all fucked!!!!"
"We do not need the Mad King's Daughter!" Sansa screams toward the Fox.
"Lady Sansa, you saw all of this for yourself and nearly got killed! What is it going to take for you to suck it up and show the proper respect to Daenerys?" Gendry questioning her.
The Hound steps forward to be in front of Sansa. She looks at him with no fear. I even recall how she couldn't look at him when we first saw him.
"I heard you were broken in rough. I can tell that you changed little bird and none of it would never have happened if you left King's Landing with me. I should have thrown you over my shoulders and take you with me. If I had, you would not sound like her."
"Like her? Who are you talking about?" Sansa wonders.
"Cersei Lannister."
Sansa does not seem surprised by who he is comparing her to. I know Sansa learned a great deal from Cersei in King's Landing and now Sansa appears to be turning into her.
"The Hound speaks the truth. Cersei is a stubborn bitch just like you are now. She would sentence all of Westeros to death before asking for help. Oh but wait, she did that when she broke her word. So no Lannister forces are coming. No one is coming to save you. As I said before, you are all fucked." The Winter Fox says slowly walking to them.
The some of the other lords behind her begin to show fear in the reality that has struck their cold hearts. The Winter Fox twirls the new forged sword that still has some of the ice spiders blood on the blade. She lowers the blade, taking a hard look as if she is ready to kill them all in one stroke just to show how far their honor and pride will take them.
"Listen, children... I can toss you all out like the useless pieces of shit you are whenever it pleases me and no one could stop me. And don't think for one moment you are acting in the best interest of your King. All of it is nothing more than tiresome, sapphic, escapades that don't shock me, it makes me want to kill you all myself. You think you are brave, ready to die? You think you know what Death is? You're still learning what Death is; I know and serve Death!"
One of the lords snickers at this masked person. The masked person instantly wraps their gloved hand around the throat of the man, lifting him off his feet choking him. The other lords back away in terror when the eyes of the masked person become black as if it was Death standing before them.
Sansa tells me to stop this but I do not because whoever this masked Fox is, they are right. I refuse Sansa, standing behind the Fox. Sansa grabs the arm of the masked person, demanding for the lord to be let go. However the choking grip gets stronger on the man when the Winter Fox kicks Sansa down to the muddy ground. Sansa tries to stand but finds the sharp tip of her sword is right at her heart. Sansa stays down, knowing that if she moves, the sword will kill her.
I wonder why when the ice spider was about to kill her, I am afraid to lose her, the painful image of her dead was the worst thing that could happen. But now that she could die right here, I'm not afraid if she dies. I have a feeling that the Winter Fox does everything for a purpose, even who the sword is aimed at to scare.
"You want to play with me direwolf raised by a Lioness and Mockingbird? Then show me your claws or stay the fuck down!" The Fox roars in a voice that sounds so evil, demonic that it even shakes me down to my core.
Brienne, Podrick and the few remaining lords loyal to Sansa draw their weapons ready to attack until everything becomes dead at the sound of something flapping above the snow fog of Winterfell. The flapping almost sounds like thunder rolling in a rain storm. Benjen, and Beric is looking around the skies in terror as if he knows exactly what it is.
I go over to him with my dagger still in hand asking him in concern, "What is it?"
"He's here! They've come! It's the Night King!! Take cover!!!" He screams for all to hear as whatever beast the Night King is on flies overhead. Many begin to scream in terror and run as a roar comes from above ready to kill all of Winterfell. The two Foxes are the only ones not running.
"It is not him! It is someone even better! Let's see how your King responds to the lot of you acting in his best interest! You better hope that Death saves you from his wrath!"
Before Benjen and I could respond, two massive featherless wings and legs land on the walls of Winterfell. The fog around Winterfell vanishes as if the dragon scares it away. I am in awe when seeing the dragon extends its neck down to reveal Jon and Ghost at the base of the neck. Benjen is in complete shock to see the sight of Jon on a dragon of all things.
The green with a touch of black scaled dragon lowers his head toward the courtyard, unleashing a powerful, deafening roar to let all of the North know they have returned. Benjen stares at the sight of Jon with his cloak jerking in every direction of the wind from the wings of the dragon and the red eyes of Ghost looking down upon everyone.
"Little Crow?" The wilding man says in shock to what his eyes see.
The dragon extends its head, neck and left shoulder down to the point it reaches the grounds of the courtyard. The dragon's clawed feet causes some bricks to fall away from Winterfell in lowering his enormous body into the only largest spot of Winterfell. Everyone stops running in fear to see that it is Jon, their King and not the Night King.
Benjen gazes at Jon with widen eyes and parted lips when Jon and Ghost climbs down off the shoulder of the dragon. The dragon lowers his left shoulder onto the ground. Jon and Ghost step down then stand face to face with the dragon. I cannot resist in smiling of his return. He can ensure that Daenerys will return unlike anyone else in this whole forsaken place.
Jon rubs his left gloved hand up and down close to the right eye of the dragon as if thanking him for the flight back to Winterfell. Ghost is even wagging his tail in happiness at the dragon. Not a soul in the North ever imagined a sight such as this; Jon petting a real life dragon with his direwolf right alongside him.
Jon and Ghost step away from the dragon and back away enough for the dragon to bring his body back up to level then spreads his vast leathery wings and takes off. He flies up high but remains circling around Winterfell whenever Jon is in need of him again.
Jon turns around to face everyone that remains in Winterfell but stands frozen to see Benjen here. Benjen steps forward when Ghost comes running to him like he is an old friend. Ghost jumps up like he is hugging him. Benjen laughs in joy to see how big Ghost has gotten since he last saw him. "Ghost, look at you! How are you, boy?" Ghost even licks him in joy.
Jon appears to be in some disbelief that Benjen is actually here. Ghost lands back on all fours standing beside Benjen. Benjen walks toward Jon who is processing what his eyes are seeing. Not a word is spoken when Jon walks the rest of the way and they hug one another.
"I thought you were lost beyond the Wall." Jon says with joy in his voice.
"We Starks are hard to kill, Jon." Benjen replies in their embrace as uncle and nephew returned together.
I walk over to them smiling in their reunion. Jon and Benjen look to each other. Jon is happy to have Benjen back just as Sansa and I are happy to have him back. But the joy is short lived once Jon looks at the burning pile of corpses, dead ice spiders and giants. Jon goes over to a lifeless body of a spider, barely kicks it to make sure it is dead.
"The Dead were here. How many were killed?"
"Over two hundred killed." Benjen tells him.
I shake my head yes right before The Winter Fox drops the man she was choking to the ground. I am not sure if the man is still alive after being choked in the manner the Fox did to him.
The Fox keeps their sword edge right at Sansa's heart on the ground. Jon's eyes search all over Winterfell to see not one Dothraki or Unsullied is on the grounds or walls of Winterfell.
"Wait. Where is Daenerys?"
