Snow Bear's Hunt

The tall, lush trees of the Wolfswood were perfect for hide-and-seek.

The Free Folk did not dare let their guard down. They stayed together throughout the pursuit, twenty-five warriors moving alongside the Snow Bear.

The Free Folk had already paid in blood.

Though there were only five kneelers, that Direwolf and the other giant beast were not to be underestimated. No one wanted to face such monsters alone.

If not for the Skinchanger forcing them, they would never have gone near these kneelers.

If not for the Skinchanger's orders, they might already have fled south, to warm and prosperous Winterfell, built of massive stone.

The southerners said Winterfell belonged to the North. No—compared to beyond the Wall, this was the south.

Unfortunately, there were no ifs.

The Free Folk had no choice but to enter this forest brimming with danger.

The Snow Bear followed the enemy's scent, while the Free Folk carefully trailed after it, stepping over fallen leaves.

The forest was terrifyingly quiet.

There were no birdsong or insect chirps, no beasts stirring—only the sounds they made themselves.

The Free Folk could smell panic and danger.

So who was the prey?

Some remembered their companions, who had just died beneath the claws of an unknown giant beast. Red and yellow meat jelly clinging to broken bone, desperate struggles cut in half at the waist, the stench of blood and sour fluids, the chilling eyes of the dead.

Those who had picked up bows recalled the seniors whose brains had been pierced by throwing knives. That young noble was ruthless.

The archers began to regret it.

This was only a hastily assembled group, not some united tribe. The archers did not seem safe at all. They might even be the first to die.

All the Free Folk wondered why the Skinchanger insisted on hunting down these few kneelers.

Joffrey was curious as well.

The Skinchanger's appearance had made no sense to begin with. Now he was pursuing them despite the risks. There had to be a conspiracy behind it!

Whatever the truth was, they had to defeat the enemy first.

After tying down the easily startled horses, Joffrey placed a shattered steel fragment in his palm.

The hunt began.

Tyrion waved a dagger through the air. "Good nephew, leave that bald man to me. You know how it is—the Lannisters always pay their debts."

Joffrey rolled his eyes at him.

If he had not feared something might happen to Tyrion and the others, he would never have made a strategic retreat. He would have settled the score on the spot.

"From now on, you all follow my command. No objections, Lord Benjen?"

Benjen silently drew his shortsword.

Joffrey was very satisfied. "Good. As long as we work closely together, those Wildlings will all be buried in this forest, while we will not shed a single drop of blood."

He sensed the information coming from the shattered steel fragment.

The range covered by his Mental Power was still too small, but using the other fragments scattered through the forest as mediums, he could scout the Wildlings' movements remotely in real time.

A moment later, Joffrey had settled on a plan.

"We'll ambush them here."

Through the Information Rune, he sent the terrain and scenery of the ambush site to the other four.

"Jon and Ghost will move with me. Benjen and Yoren will capture prisoners and protect Tyrion while you're at it."

Jon was fine, but Benjen and Yoren's eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

Yoren asked in a trembling voice, his face full of shock, "What kind of power is this? Have the Gods appeared!?"

Joffrey suspected they had not remembered their assignments at all.

"Perhaps not the Gods, but certainly some great supreme being. In any case, I have received a blessing. Clearly, the Seven Kingdoms are favored by fate."

He patted Benjen on the shoulder.

"I know. The Others truly exist, and that is why I decided to go to the Wall. The disaster of the Others is not far off, yet the Seven Kingdoms are still unprepared. But it does not matter. I will unite the Seven Kingdoms. Humanity will prevail in the end."

Benjen's impression of the Crown Prince had been completely overturned.

"Move out immediately."

As he walked, Joffrey said, "Leave some alive. I trust you have enough experience. Don't let a single Wildling escape."

Benjen and Yoren barely managed to calm down. "Understood, Your Highness."

The hunters took up their positions.

Joffrey and Jon hid within the thick canopy;

Ghost and Rainwater crouched behind the ambush point, ready to join the fight at any moment;

Benjen, Yoren, and Tyrion hid farther back, waiting to clean up after the frontal battle ended.

The wind rustled through the trees.

The Wildlings immediately watched their surroundings warily. The Skinchanger, standing on the ground, had his eyes open. The rarely uncontrolled Snow Bear let out several agitated roars.

There were too many scents, too mixed together. Even it could not pinpoint the enemy's exact location.

The Wildlings found nothing unusual.

But they had already stepped into Joffrey's mental domain.

From that moment on, not a single movement made by the Wildlings could escape Joffrey's sight.

The prey had entered the net.

Joffrey quietly drew five throwing knives.

It was best to keep the Skinchanger alive. Even if he was killed, he could occupy the Snow Bear's body in soul form, so killing him would accomplish little.

That made the archers the highest-priority targets.

The Wildlings gradually moved closer. Sixty meters, fifty meters, forty meters, thirty meters—Joffrey waited no longer.

Several tiny shadows flashed over the Wildlings' heads.

The Wildlings instantly scattered in panic.

The archers did not move. They merely fell silently into the leaf piles, still clutching their bows.

The Skinchanger's body crumpled to the ground in an instant. His eyes rolled white as he entered the Snow Bear's consciousness. Then the Snow Bear's brutal eyes fixed on Joffrey's hiding place.

Rainwater had already charged over, tearing apart the furless monkeys in its way in just a few strides.

The Snow Bear turned toward the Giant Lion and rose onto its hind legs. Its massive Bear Paws lifted high, while its steel teeth spread within its stinking maw in an exaggerated arc, like two rows of waiting saw blades.

In less than a breath.

The two giant beasts crashed together with a boom. Lion claws and bear paws became blurred afterimages, their bloody maws competing to tear at flesh. Lion roars and bear howls grew louder and fiercer by the moment, making everyone's hair stand on end as an unstoppable chill rose in their hearts.

Ghost had arrived as well, boring holes into a Wildling's stomach. His snow-white fur was stained with patches of blood.

"Jon, come get a taste of blood."

Joffrey leaped down from the canopy and cut down the stunned Wildling beside him with one swing. Gushing blood splashed straight across his body.

A true battle of life and death.

Jon took a deep breath, then joined the fight.

The Free Folk, not yet driven to despair, exchanged looks before rushing at the young noble with wild cries.

Capture him, and they could live.

Eight warriors against one southerner. They could not think of any reason to fail.

But—

That noble's sword was terrifying. No sword, axe, or blade could withstand a single strike from it.

Two warriors were split directly in half.

That noble was not human! What human could be stabbed in the body without spilling a single drop of blood? He was more terrifying than the White Walkers!

Three streaks of red light flashed, and another seven or eight pieces of human flesh and bone appeared on the ground.

No, he was not human!

The Wildlings broke down. The Snow Bear was covered in bloody wounds and burns, yet the unknown giant beast's fur remained bright and sleek, just like that young noble.

Several Wildlings threw down their weapons and lay flat on the ground, begging for mercy. The others began fleeing madly.

Benjen and Yoren had work to do.

Joffrey lowered the tip of the Dragonflame Sword and looked toward the Snow Bear.

Rainwater had now been infused with mirror images of the Solid Rune, Recovery Rune, and Growth Rune. What was a mere Snow Bear to it?

Sure enough, the Snow Bear was about to lose all ability to resist.

Joffrey was just about to tell Rainwater to hold back.

Awoo—awoo—

The Snow Bear threw back its head and howled several times. Its body seemed to stiffen for an instant, then it suddenly charged toward the Skinchanger despite its injuries.

Crack! Crack!

The Skinchanger's body shattered.

The Snow Bear then collapsed to the ground, panting weakly. The strange gleam in its eyes vanished as well.

Joffrey narrowed his eyes and stared deeply into the clear sky.

There were no ravens.