War of the Dawn I

The North 

At the edge of the Wolfswood, a group of three hundred or so smallfolk, two wagons and a handful of armed men were retreating to hide within Winterfell's walls as Ironrath fell a day ago to the White Walkers that had run amock across the upper regions of the North and were inching closer on their invasion to the South.

The dead screeching terrified the people, the head of them, Asher had cursed himself for not leaving his pride behind when Jon Snow sent the raven to get South of the Neck or White Harbor.

These people were his responsibility and he had failed them.

Just as his vassals were being attacked, a horn blew from the South as an armed force of near a thousand cavalry charged to their aid.

Leading these men were Jorah Mormont, his dragonglass weapon raised and thrown at a wight that attempted to slay a pregnant mother and her young son.

The skirmish with the dead lasted several minutes before the White Walker leading the corpses turned and ran back towards the Wolfswood. "Your Lord gave you a command to leave your hold and flee South." he barked at the young Lord Forrester who eyed the men setting fire to near a hundred soldiers and a dozen smallfolk, one of them a child of six.

There were others that refused to leave or were too slow too, King Daeron and Jon's first thoughts were to the people when they arrived at Moat Cailin.

Whatever the Night King is planning, he isn't rushing about it as fast as he had done at Hardhome according to the new Lord Stark, and seemed to be searching for scattered men and women who haven't fled the Kingdom and were destroying whole castles to the point they couldn't be used for defense.

Jorah dismounted and walked over to what he assumed were White Walker remains, fractals of ice.

A lieutenant approached, "Haven't seen a Walker leading Wights in the last several days since the battles began." That is true, most of the encounters they've had so far were just undead and none of the supposed Ice Spiders or even Giants.

"In fact, most of these fights were from saving caravans running South." He got up after sifting through the fractals, "I don't feel right, it's like the Night King is corraling survivors where he wants them." He added and got back on his horse.

It's a long ride to White Harbor, the place most populated other than Bear Island and Moat Cailin.

As Jorah and his force marched to White Harbor with the civilians who cannot fight in the greatest battle, a flock of ravens soared across Winterfell itself and into the Wolfswood.

It was so quiet that there appeared to be no animals, not even bugs but the flapping of raven wings.

A great hand caught several, crushing them instantly and eating them as the hand was revealed to be an undead giant. Another raven perched on a tree and looked below, seeing countless undead soldiers all standing still with White Walkers patrolling around.

At Moat Cailin, Bran opened his eyes and turned to Jon and Daeron, both waiting for him to speak.

Daeron focused all of his attention to know his enemy, and using Brandon Stark's gift to go into animals and people to scope the dead's presence.

"A large bulk of the army lies within the Wolfswood, a great number of giants stand guard at the outskirts." Jon looked at him and they both sighed and thought that was the case.

"You saw the largest bulk, this thing has an army of hundred thousand or more. We need to find that other half." He said and got up, "The Wall fell two weeks ago, why hasn't the Night King come at us as he had done with the Wildlings and Night's Watch?" He wondered, leaving Jon to speak with Bran and go outside.

The Moat's become a sort of fortress in the last two weeks, all the walls were repaired and towers remade with stone and timber. Outside, the marshes were coated with oil and pitch, and trenches were made up the road, a makeshift boardwalk was built so the rest of the army that can't man the walls have solid ground to battle upon.

Trebuchets were positioned atop the larger towers, the rest of the Neck will serve as the secret defense for when the dead made their move to get to the South.

He leaned and watched the various commanders run drills, the ringing of hammers hitting anvils from the forges were heard as well. "This is our only shot at defeating them, I hope it all works out." He said to himself, paying attention to everything and nothing at all.

"Your grace, a rider has come with news." Nodding for the man to continue, he went on. "Ser Jorah Mormont had rescued Lord Forrester and is now escorting those not wishing to fight for the living to White Harbor." Good news, hopefully, Lord Forrester and his people are the last to leave the chaos other than Bear Island where most Northern Houses have taken their families.

Lord Manderly had asked for some three-thousand men to bolster his city, he felt he could send half that as he believed keeping the majority of the allied army here at Moat Cailin.

Sending the man back on his way, orders made to the new volunteers who need to be outfitted with gear and training, he went to patrol the rest of the defenses that were being hammered down.

Back inside the hall, Jon was spending some time with Arya and Bran as with thing how they have been, they had little time to talk and share their stories of survival since their separation after the King named their father the Hand of the King.

It stayed like this for a day and night before, at breakfast, and suddenly, Bran's eyes went white as snow- His abilities calling to him in the form of a vision looking into the future.

His vision saw a burning city, people dead and at the helm was the Night King tearing down a merman sigil whilst covered in blood. He snapped back to reality and turned to his brother and sister, "White Harbor! Our people will fall at White Harbor!"

As Jon left to inform Daeron of the impending attack, Jorah and his company were finally reaching the walled city of White Harbor and the civilians plus Asher Forrester entered and the guards were placed in charge of Wymans only son.

The second in command of the Kingsguard dismounted and shook the hand of Wylis. "I assume these are the men the King sent over?" No, but he was sure they were on their way from Moat Cailin as they speak.

"I'm afraid not, Ser Wylis. Have there been any returns from the Northeast?" Lord Edmure Tully led that company, searching for fleeing people and doing some scouting that way.

It didn't do any good spreading their men too far, it was time to recall all units and prepare for the dead and the Night King. "Ah, but I'm sure his grace wouldn't mind if you stayed, no? White Harbor is the last bastion not abandoned since those monsters took over the Wall and the upper regions of the North." Early defeats, many lives of the Wildings and Northerners were lost.

If only they arrived a few days earlier, they might've gotten better advantages against them but that is in the past now.

"I'll split half my men, the other half leaves back with me in a few hours after we've rested." Wylis was approving of the answers and had someone unnecessarily escort him to Wyman's Keep.

Dusk started to fall on the North, in that shadow, a great force of Undead soldiers and what appeared as giant spiders peered at White Harbor from the Northeast.

A White Walker pointed and looked at an injured Edmure Tully at their head.

The Lord of Riverrun wanted the glory of saving people from monsters, riding North with his Good-brother's bastard son and the new King on the Iron Throne.

He found a fleeing group of people, charging in and losing half his company saving them but then more appeared and surrounded them. It was a slaughter, people were torn apart and devoured, others screaming as they were silenced and turned with that accursed magic.

They kept him alive and tortured him, he couldn't bear it as his time with the Freys made him fearful so he relented, showing them where all the 'meat' was gathering.

He tried to tell them it was at Moat Cailin, forcing their attention but they only tortured him further until he broke and talked.

The Walker took a weapon of ice, a spear of some kind, and drove it into his chest and Edmure felt his life seep and fade until nothing was left but a blue-eyed soldier, a fresh commander for the Night King's army.

The host began a slow charge to the unbeknownst city, unknowing of the chaos that was to come when the four leading White Walkers shrieked to give them all a wake-up call.

The Gods were watchful as the defenses were able to close the gates in time due to Jorah and his men fighting these things for the past few weeks, altogether the defenders counted up to 4,000 men and 700 horses but no trebuchets or even a barrier to protect them and the people.

"Lord Manderly, arm every man and woman that can fight. Get everyone evacuated and on ships that can't fight." Manderly shook his head, causing some confusion.

"All we have is iron and steel, they can't kill them." No, they cannot but they don't have a choice.

They could all try to run, but the dead will quickly break through and kill them all... But if those that can fight try and hold them back, then perhaps the sick and children may have a chance to escape.

"Choose to stay and fight or leave with the sick, old, and children but I will hold them back... It's what I swore to do when Daeron chose me to be his Kingsguard."

With that, Jorah, Wylis, and even Asher rallied all four-thousand soldiers and near fifteen-hundred volunteers in preparing to defend White Harbor from the countless number of the Night King's horde bearing down on them.

Jorah said a small prayer to the Old Gods, if they still hear the wishes of First Men that Daeron gets word of them and knows they fought bravely... To the last man, even.

AN: Been gone for a long while, sorry for those who might've thought I had given up but I have not forgotten and I am trying to make up for my absences, anyway The first battle begins, and it'll be a hard one and hopefully Daeron and Jon can make it there or at least stop the Night King from adding to his force of undead soldiers. 

Well, until next time my friends and fans, have a great one, and happy belated valentines day to those lucky enough to have a partner and for those not... Well, I feel that feeling.