Chance Encounter #29

The party had reached the northern fringes of the Haunted Forest, and with the sky darkening as evening approached, they decided to set up camp. After arranging sleeping beds and starting a fire, Edd approached Gale with a measure of sarcasm.

"So, I hear you're who I have to thank for bringing me along on this wonderful journey..." Edd quipped, casting a somewhat dirty look in Gale's direction.

Gale couldn't help but smile in response. "You're most welcome," he replied, his tone carrying a lighthearted chuckle.

Edd's eyes narrowed in mock annoyance. "First of all, fuck you. Second of all, why?" he inquired, genuinely curious about Gale's reasoning.

Gale shrugged, considering the question. "You're well-respected among the Night's Watch, competent enough, and you didn't strike me as the kind to stab someone in the back," he explained, offering a rational perspective.

Edd let out a resigned sigh. "Maybe I would have taken to stabbing folks in the back had I known someone would drag me into this..." he remarked with a shake of his head, his tone veering towards humor, drawing a chuckle out of Gale.

 "Then again, maybe it's not too late," Edd added with a smirk, sending a pointed glare toward the young man at his nonchalant attitude.

Gale maintained his good humor as he stood up, ready to tend to his responsibilities. "Well, I'm something of a heavy sleeper. That's your chance," he said with a wink. 

"Anyway... I'll scout the area before I come back to take the first shift," he added before walking away, leaving Edd behind with a bemused expression as he contemplated his life decisions. 

...

Tormund Giantsbane continued to survey the gruesome scene before him, where wight corpses lay strewn across the frozen battleground. His expression remained stern as he took in the lack of any significant tracks or clues. 

"Still no tracks... still, these crows sure are a busy bunch," he grumbled, his large hand caressing his beard as he pondered the situation.

Threya, standing beside him, studied the eerie landscape with a critical eye. The sight of numerous undead creatures and the peculiar dents on several trees left her visibly uneasy. 

"Somehow... I'm not looking forward to finding them anymore," she admitted, her voice carrying a hint of distress.

Tormund waved her concerns away with a dismissive gesture. "Where would be the fun in hunting meek prey?" he quipped, managing a smirk despite the grim circumstances. "It's too late to back down, anyway."

Threya's response was laced with sarcasm. "Wonderful," she muttered, her gaze locked on the barely noticeable column of smoke rising in the northern distance. "In any case, you must remember that we need them alive. We can't question corpses, after all," she reminded Tormund.

Tormund scratched his wild red hair, his brows furrowing in thought. "I usually swing my sword first, ask questions later," he admitted, a touch of frustration evident in his expression. "Guess I'll have to let you take the lead."

Threya nodded with determination. "Then I'll scout ahead. Follow my tracks if you lose sight of me," she instructed before promptly turning around and jogging north, leaving Tormund to follow.

...

Gale ventured through the dense, leafless trees of the Haunted Forest, tracing his steps alongside a meandering freshwater stream. He clutched his bow tightly, an arrow nocked and ready to fly, his senses keen to detect any sign of danger. 

Although he had claimed to be scouting the area, his true intention was to procure some fresh sustenance. The unpalatable dried rations they had been subsisting on had reached the limits of his patience.

Amidst the tangled underbrush, he caught the subtle rustling of leaves, and his instincts kicked in. Gale swiftly drew his bow, arrow drawn back in tension, and fixed his sights on the source of the disturbance. A white hare had emerged from the almost-dried-out bush, busily pawing at the snow, seeking nourishment from the hidden roots beneath.

Gale watched the hare's movements attentively, his aim unwavering. Without hesitation, he released the arrow, which found its mark in the hare's neck. The creature's brief struggle was over in an instant, leaving it lifeless in the snow.

Gale approached the fallen hare with mixed emotions. "Sorry, buddy, but if I ate any more of those wretched dried rations, I'd lose my mind," he murmured as he retrieved his arrow. 

As Gale reached out to claim the hare he had just taken down, a sudden disruption reached his ears—the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps. He snapped into immediate action, deftly nocking an arrow in his bow and rising from his crouched position to identify the source of the noise.

Before him stood a wildling woman, her fierce demeanor evident as she brandished a hand axe and a short sword. Gale's initial frown shifted to a look of shock. "You... you're alive...?" he stammered, his grip on the bow loosening unconsciously.

The wildling woman, Threya, responded with a sly grin. "All thanks to you," she said, her expression shifting abruptly as she raised her hand axe and hurled it in Gale's direction. He managed to react swiftly, twisting his body to evade the projectile narrowly.

"A simple thank you would have sufficed," Gale retorted, abandoning his bow and swiftly unsheathing his blade as Threya charged forward, shortsword in hand. 

Within striking distance, Gale moved with precision, executing a sideways swing of his sword as soon as Threya drew near. She hastily raised her short sword to block, but the sheer power behind Gale's attack caused her to stagger, nearly losing her grip on her weapon. 

Gale capitalized on her momentary vulnerability, unrelentingly channeling his substantial strength through his longsword. Realizing that a prolonged stalemate wouldn't be in her favor, Threya acted quickly. 

She relinquished her shortsword, nimbly drawing a small dagger from her belt with her free hand. In a swift, well-coordinated maneuver, she ducked beneath Gale's swinging sword and closed the remaining distance, her blade aimed to strike at his gut.

Gale acted just in the nick of time. With a quick movement, he caught her wrist before her dagger could find its mark, keeping it restrained. 

Frustration evident in his voice, he questioned, "Seriously, lady, what's your problem?"

Threya, in return, offered him a defiant scowl. "I'm no lady, pretty boy," she replied, tilting her head backward and then abruptly headbutting Gale squarely on his nose.

"Fuck..." Gale cursed, staggering back and clutching his now-bleeding nose. "You just broke my bloody nose!" he exclaimed, his irritation evident. He brandished his sword, pointing it menacingly at Threya. 

"I'll break more than your nose," she threatened with a determined charge, closing in on Gale once more.

Wiping the blood streaming down his nose, Gale glared at Threya, his annoyance palpable. "Fine, if you want to die that badly," he muttered, firmly planting his feet on the ground. "Just so you know, I'm not stupid enough to spare you a second time," he added, his scowl deepening.

Threya swiftly closed the distance between them, her short swords passing perilously close to Gale as they whizzed past his ears. She deftly sidestepped, evading a downward swing from Gale, and immediately seized the opportunity to send her dagger hurtling toward Gale's neck. 

However, Gale stepped back, allowing Threya's dagger to find nothing but empty air. He reacted with remarkable swiftness, using the back of his hand to slap Threya's wrist, forcing her to release the weapon. 

Before Threya could recover, Gale delivered a powerful kick to her abdomen, knocking the wind out of her and sending her stumbling backward. She lost her balance and fell flat onto her back.

With reluctant determination, Gale raised his sword and advanced toward Threya, poised to end the confrontation. He loomed over her, his two-handed sword pointed downward, aimed directly at Threya's heart. 

He began to drive the sword downward, but before he could complete the fatal strike, an arrow suddenly flew from the tree line and pierced into Gale's shoulder, halting his motion halfway.

"For fuck's sake... now what?!" 

...

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