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over the edge himself。 They heard a mammoth dying at their feet and saw another lurch burning through the woods； trampling down men and trees alike。 The wind blew cold and colder。 Hobb rode up the chain with cups of onion broth； and Owen and Clydas served them to the archers where they stood； so they could gulp them down between arrows。 Zei took a place among them with her crossbow。 Hours of repeated jars and shocks knocked something loose on the right…hand trebuchet； and its counterweight came crashing free； suddenly and catastrophically； wrenching the throwing arm sideways with a splintering crash。 The left…hand trebuchet kept throwing； but the wildlings had quickly learned to shun the place where its loads were landing。
We should have twenty trebuchets； not two； and they should be mounted on sledges and turntables so we could move them。 It was a futile thought。 He might as well wish for another thousand men； and maybe a dragon or three。
Donal Noye did not return； nor any of them who'd gone down with him to hold that black cold tunnel。 The Wall is mine； Jon reminded himself whenever he felt his strength flagging。 He had taken up a longbow himself； and his fingers felt crabbed and stiff； half…frozen。 His fever was back as well； and his leg would tremble uncontrollably； sending a white…hot knife of pain right through him。 One more arrow； and I'll rest； he told himself； half a hundred times。 Just one more。 Whenever his quiver was empty； one of the orphaned moles would bring him another。 One more quiver； and I'm done。 It couldn't be long until the dawn。
When morning came； none of them quite realized it at first。 The world was still dark； but the black had turned to grey and shapes were beginning to emerge half …seen from the gloom。 Jon lowered his bow to stare at the mass of heavy clouds that covered the eastern sky。 He could see a glow behind them； but perhaps he was only dreaming。 He notched another arrow。
Then the rising sun broke through to send pale lances of light across the battleground。 Jon found himself holding his breath as he looked out over the half…mile swath of cleared land that lay between the Wall and the edge of the forest。 In half a night they had turned it into a wasteland of blackened grass； bubbling pitch； shattered stone； and corpses。 The carcass of the burned mammoth was already drawing crows。 There were giants dead on the ground as well； but behind them 。 。 。
Someone moaned to his left； and he heard Septon Cellador say； 〃Mother have mercy； oh。 Oh； oh； oh； Mother have mercy。〃
Beneath the trees were all the wildlings in the world； raiders and giants； wargs and skinchangers； mountain men； salt sea sailors； ice river cannibals； cave dwellers with dyed faces； dog chariots from the Frozen Shore； Hornfoot men with their soles like boiled leather； all the queer wild folk Mance had gathered to break the Wall。 This is not your land； Jon wanted to shout at them。 There is no place for you here； Go away。 He could hear Tormund Giantsbane laughing at that。 〃You know nothing； Jon Snow；〃 Ygritte would have said。 He flexed his sword hand； opening and closing the fingers； though he knew full well that swords would not e into it up here。
He was chilled and feverish； and suddenly the weight of the longbow was too much。 The battle with the Magnar had been nothing； he realized； and the night fight less than nothing； only a probe； a dagger in the dark to try and catch them unprepared。 The real battle was only now beginning。
〃I never knew there would be so many；〃 Satin said。
Jon had。 He had seen them before； but not like this； not drawn up in battle array。 On the march the wildling column had sprawled over long leagues like some enormous worm； but you never saw all of it at once。 But now 。 。 。
〃Here they e；〃 someone said in a hoarse voice。
Mammoths centered the wildling line； he saw； a hundred or more with giants on their backs clutching mauls and huge stone axes。 More giants loped beside them； pushing along a tree trunk on great wooden wheels； its end sharpened to a point。 A ram； he thought bleakly。 If the gate still stood below； a few kisses from that thing would soon turn it into splinters。 On either side of the giants came a wave of horsemen in boiled leather harness with fire…hardened lances； a mass of running archers； hundreds of foot with spears； slings； clubs； and leathern shields。 The bone chariots from the Frozen Shore clattered forward on the flanks； bouncing over rocks and roots behind teams of huge white dogs。 The fury of the wild； Jon thought as he listened to the skirl of skins； to the dogs barking and baying； the mammoths trumpeting； the free folk whistling and screaming； the giants roaring in the Old Tongue。 Their drums echoed off the ice like rolling thunder。
He could feel the despair all around him。 〃There must be a hundred thousand；〃 Satin wailed。 〃How can we stop so many？〃
〃The Wall will stop them；〃 Jon heard himself say。 He turned and said it again； louder。 〃The Wall will stop them。 The Wall defends itself。〃 Hollow words； but he needed to say them； almost as much as his brothers needed to hear them。 〃Mance wants to unman us with his numbers。 Does he think we're stupid？〃 He was shouting now； his leg forgotten； and every man was listening。 〃The chariots； the horsemen； all those fools on foot 。 。 。 what are they going to do to us up here？ Any of you ever see a mammoth climb a wall？〃 He laughed； and Pyp and Owen and half a dozen more laughed with him。 〃They're nothing； they're less use than our straw brothers here； they can't reach us； they can't hurt us； and they don't frighten us； do they？〃
〃NO〃 Grenn shouted。
〃They're down there and we're up here；〃 Jon said； 〃and so long as we hold the gate they cannot pass。 They cannot pass！〃 They were all shouting then； roaring his own words back at him； waving swords and longbows in the air as their cheeks flushed red。 Jon saw Kegs standing there with a warhorn slung beneath his arm。 〃Brother；〃 he told him； 〃sound for battle。〃
Grinning； Kegs lifted the horn to his lips； and blew the two long blasts that meant wildlings。 Other horns took up the call until the Wall itself seemed to shudder； and the echo of those great deep…throated moans drowned all other sound。
〃Archers；〃 Jon said when the horns had died away； 〃you'll aim for the giants with that ram； every bloody one of you。 Loose at my mand； not before。 THE GIANTS AND THE RAM。 I want arrows raining on them with every step； but we'll wait till they're in range。 Any man who wastes an arrow will need to climb down and fetch it back； do you hear me？〃
〃I do；〃 shouted Owen the Oaf。 〃I hear you； Lord Snow。〃
Jon laughed； laughed like a drunk or a madman； and his men laughed with him。 The chariots and the racing horsemen on the flanks were well ahead of the center now； he saw。 The wildlings had not crossed a third of the half mile； yet their battle line was dissolving。 〃Load the trebuchet with caltrops；〃 Jon said。 〃Owen； Kegs； angle the catapults toward the center。 Scorpions； load with fire spears and loose at my mand。〃 He pointed at the Mole's Town boys。 〃You； you； and you； stand by with torches。〃
The wildling archers shot as they advanced； they would dash forward； stop； loo