Worrying Signs #4

As they navigated the snowy terrain of the haunted forest, Benjen maintained a vigilant watch over their surroundings. Every occasional thud, as one of the dragon glass daggers hit a tall, weathered tree or the snow-covered ground, elicited an exasperated sigh from him. 

Three days had passed since they departed from the Fist, and during that time, the young man had devoted most of his attention to honing his throwing skills with the obsidian daggers, seemingly without a care in the world, while Benjen led the way through the wilderness.

Benjen's focus shifted from the young man as he ventured to retrieve his dagger following a semi-successful throw. However, his eyes widened suddenly as he caught the sound of rustling leaves nearby. 

He reacted swiftly, recognizing the danger that loomed. 

"Watch out!" Benjen shouted a warning, his words barely leaving his lips before an arrow whizzed through the air and embedded itself in the snow just inches away from the young man as he knelt to recover his weapon.

Reacting on pure instinct, Benjen drew his sword with a rapid, fluid motion, positioning himself protectively in front of the young man. 

He called out firmly, his voice echoing through the forest, "Who goes there? Show yourself!" His grip on his sword remained tight, ready for any potential threat.

Above Benjen and the young man, a voice sounded from the treetops, causing them both to crane their necks to locate the source. There, nestled atop a nearby tree, they spotted a man who held a bow at the ready, his attire consisting of white and brown furs that seamlessly blended with their forested surroundings.

"You're not like any Thenn I know of..." the man in the tree remarked, a hint of disdain tainting his words as he regarded the newcomers. "You kneelers from beyond the wall?" he inquired, his skepticism evident.

"We're with the Night's Watch," Benjen replied calmly, assessing the situation with a steady gaze. "Are you from the White Tree clan?" he further inquired.

The man on the tree nodded affirmatively. "Aye," he confirmed, his voice carrying a trace of caution. 

"Then we've no quarrel with you. Steer clear of our way, and we'll have no problems," Benjen assured.

The man in the tree lowered his bow, placing it on his back as he considered their words. "And I've no quarrel with you either, but you'd do well to tread light on your feet..." he cautioned, a tone of wisdom in his voice. "Thenn are lurking about," he added, hinting at the lurking danger.

Benjen furrowed his brow at this revelation. "The Thenn? They don't come this close to the Wall. Your people and the Watch keep them at bay," he stated, somewhat perplexed by the unexpected threat.

The man in the tree chuckled wryly. "Usually, yes," he agreed. "But these are unusual times," he continued. "Our clan is moving to greener pastures. The Thenn got wind of it..." he explained, shedding light on the circumstances that had brought about this heightened danger.

"Greener pastures? The haunted forest is as green a pasture gets beyond the Wall..." Benjen remarked, a hint of suspicion coloring his gaze as he tried to decipher the cryptic message.

"Winter is coming, ser crow, but I've said too much," the man in the tree replied with a knowing chuckle as he gracefully descended from his perch, landing in the snow. He seemed uninterested in divulging any further information. 

"I suppose it doesn't matter— you won't reach the Wall  anyway, what with the Thenn and those wretched things creeping around..." he added cryptically before turning to walk away.

"What things?" Benjen pressed for clarification, but the departing man paid him no mind, his attention clearly diverted elsewhere. 

Benjen and the young man exchanged wary glances, and it was the latter who voiced his thoughts, a bitter smile gracing his lips. "Things, huh... what are the chances of said things being a euphemism for something that will eat our faces?" the young man quipped, attempting to lighten the mood.

Benjen's response, however, was far from reassuring. "All too high..." he replied with a grave tone, his concern etched upon his face.

...

Another day had passed, and the duo found themselves in a small clearing within the Haunted Forest. They had decided to make camp, ready to rest until the break of dawn before continuing their journey. As the young man sharpened a small stick with his obsidian knife, he couldn't help but comment on the relative peace they had experienced.

"The journey has been peaceful so far..." he observed, his tone hopeful. "That should be a good sign, no?" he inquired, seeking reassurance.

Benjen, however, offered no such reassurance. He shook his head gravely. "No," he responded plainly. "We should have encountered at least three wildling patrols by now— the wildling clans that call the Haunted Forest home are usually very active..." he explained, his experience guiding his concerns.

A sigh escaped the young man's lips as he absorbed the implications of Benjen's words. "So the lack of activity means something is wrong— that the wildling with the bow wasn't pulling our leg..." he deduced, the seriousness of their situation settling in.

"Exactly," Benjen affirmed with a determined nod. "We need to get to Castle Black as soon as possible, warn the Watch that something is happeningt." 

The young man, still sharpening his stick with the obsidian knife, brought up a pressing matter. "Er, speaking of which..." he began tentatively. "I still don't know what we're going to do once we get there... I hope you don't intend to let everyone know about me..." He fixed Benjen with a questioning gaze.

Benjen, seemingly amused by the young man's concern, inquired, "Oh? And why is that?"

"Well, you said it yourself—rapists, thieves, murderers, the Black Watch got it all..." the young man hesitated before cautiously continuing. "I don't feel comfortable sharing the literal secret of my existence with such people..." His unease was palpable.

Benjen nodded thoughtfully, acknowledging the valid point. "Harsh, but fair," he conceded with a sigh. "Rest assured, only the Lord Commander and myself will know of your unique circumstances..." he assured the young man. 

"And speaking of which, you should pick a name to go by—maybe a backstory as well to help you blend in," he suggested.

The young man contemplated the task of selecting a new name for himself. "A name, huh...? I was starting to get tired of the word 'lad' anyway," he said with a chuckle. "Still—I'm not too good at naming things, let alone myself..." He sighed, a sense of uncertainty clouding his face. 

"Any ideas?" he asked Benjen.

"Well, how about—" Benjen began, but he abruptly halted mid-sentence, his senses alerting him to a presence behind them. 

With swiftness born of experience, he grasped his sword and pivoted, positioning it towards a tree some distance away. "I already know you're there. Might as well show yourself," Benjen declared, his voice steady and unwavering.

In response to Benjen's challenge, a man clad in fur armor emerged from the shadows behind the trees. His pale face bore strange symbolic scars, and he had a bald head. 

Gripping an axe firmly in his hand, he spoke with a sinister tone, "Well, well... and here I was intent on cleanly taking you two out painlessly..." He casually patted his axe as several more similarly dressed men, each marked by the same peculiar features, emerged from the tree line surrounding the camp. 

"I suppose this will be more fun..." he added with a wicked grin that split his face.

"Careful, lad," Benjen cautioned, extending his hand subtly to the side. "Those are Thenn," he added, his tone heavy with concern.

"Figured as much..." the young man replied, his bitter smile revealing his unease. His grip tightened around his obsidian knife as he continued, "As soon as that arrogant prick mentioned the Thenn, I just knew we'd run into them... anything that can go wrong will go wrong, or so a wise man once said..." He paused, then grinned self-deprecatingly. 

"And who would that grim bastard be?" Benjen inquired, keepingt an eye on the Thenn warriors as they began incerciling them. 

The young man shrugged, a hint of wry humor in his eyes. "Me. I just said it now, didn't I?"

...

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