| Prologue | ||||||
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| A Storm of Swords chapter | ||||||
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| POV | Chett | |||||
| Place | Fist of the First Men | |||||
| Page | 1 UK HC (Other versions) | |||||
| Chapter chronology (All) | ||||||
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Chett heads a plot against the officers of the Night's Watch, but before the conspirators can act the Fist of the First Men comes under attack.
Synopsis
Chett, Lark the Sisterman, and Small Paul hunt a bear near the Milkwater. Chett's hatred of Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly for usurping his comfortable position as steward to Maester Aemon has boiled over. He is leading a conspiracy of fourteen sworn brothers—including Paul, Dirk, Softfoot, Sweet Donnel Hill, Clubfoot Karl, Ollo Lophand, Sawwood, Maslyn, and Lark and his cousins—to desert the Night's Watch. The traitors plan to kill Lord Commander Jeor Mormont and several other officers to prevent anyone from actively seeking them out after they desert.
Thoren Smallwood and his party are the only of the three rangings to return so far, and they have seen the size of Mance Rayder's army, which is coming down the Milkwater. Thoren wishes to give battle to Mance's host of mostly women and children with few warriors. Ser Ottyn Wythers and Ser Mallador Locke, however, are in favor of retreating back to the Wall. Lord Commander Mormont, however, wants to wait for the ranging parties of Jarman Buckwell and Qhorin Halfhand to return to the Fist of the First Men before making a decision.
Chett and his men plan to kill in the dead of night and flee to places of safety, leaving Thoren and Ottyn as senior rangers. Chett thinks Thoren would not search for them because he would want to lead the attack against the wildlings, and Ottyn would rather flee to the safety of the Wall and could not care less about deserters. Chett considers going to Craster's Keep, and he recalls how his murder of Bessa in Hag's Mire had led to his joining the Watch. Small Paul, meanwhile, desires to take Mormont's raven as his pet.
Returning to the hill after the unsuccessful hunt, Chett mocks Samwell for his poor archery practice. When Chett has his supper, he overhears Dywen saying that the woods are too silent.
That evening, the Watch gather at the central fire before Jeor Mormont and his senior men, who announce that they will march in force at dawn against the wildling army, which is about ten days away. Jeor acknowledges that they might all die and has his men reaffirm their oaths to the Night's Watch. Meanwhile, Chett worries that some of his deserters may lose their resolve.
Late in the night, Chett awakens to find it snowing. The desertion plans are ruined because the turncloaks can be easily tracked in the fresh snow. Chett still seeks to get some satisfaction from the night and creeps over to the sleeping Samwell, with the intention of murdering him. He is interrupted as a ranger in the distance sounds his horn, however. Sam awakens, and he and Chett hear the horn blow three times. Both men are shocked at the realization of what three horn blows mean, a signal that has not been used in hundreds and thousands of years. Three horn blows mean Others. Chett looks down and realizes he has wet himself.
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References and Notes
- The synopsis was copied from AOL member vbkorik27 previously at [1].
- Analyses and summary of the chapter in the course of a 10th reread by Slynth.
- Review and summary by Leigh Butler.