Jon wakes from a disturbing dream, lonely becase Ygritte and Ghost are gone. He hears two loud horn blasts signalling wildlings approaching. With the stairs a charred ruin, the winch is the only way up to the Wall now. Jon waits his turn with Satin, Mully, Spare Boot, Kegs, and Hareth. Clydas and Hobb provide refreshment as they wait. When the cage finally arrives, Jon joins Donal at the top of the Wall. They hear a strange noise, which Jon identifies as mammoths. Donal orders their two trebuchets to launch burning pitch at the uncoming attackers to provide illumination. When this is done, they see giants approaching on over a hundred of mammoths. Alyn sounds his horn again and the wildlings answer as the battle is joined. Pyp shouts that they are at the gate, and Donal tells him and Owen to drop lamp oil through the murder holes while Grenn chucks other debris down on their heads as well. As the battle continues, a slightly drunk Septon Cellador begins singing prayers, but Donal shuts him up. Donal orders the archers to begin firing and chooses four men to go with him to hold the gate below. He leaves Jon in command. The battle rages on and Cellador begins praying again. After awhile Hobb, Clydas, and Owen bring food to keep the men refreshed. One of the trebuchets breaks from the strain of constantly firing. Dawn finally comes, and the men on the Wall behold a gigantic host of wildlings. The night attack was only a probe; the real battle is just beginning. The line is centered by giants on mammaths, and the giants have a huge ram as well. Chariots of bone manned by men from the Frozen Shore anchor the flanks. The men are scared, but Jon gives a rallying speech and they prepare to meet the host. Jon orders the archers to target the ram but wait for his command. As the wildling advance, their formation comes apart. When the ram is in range, Jon gives the order, and he, Satin, Grenn, Owen, Spare Boot, Black Jack Bulwer, Arron, Emrick, and Zei let loose their arrows and quarrels. The ram goes down and the wildlings are thrown into disorder. A mammoth reaches the gate, and Grenn, Pyp, and Kegs toss down burning pots of oil. At that, the wildlings break and withdraw. Jon's leg is in agony now, and he has Pyp help him off the Wall, leaving a horrified Grenn in charge. Jon decides to inspect the gate, and Pyp brings back Maester Aemon and Clydas with the spare key. They pass through the iron gates and find everyone dead, including Pate and Donal. The giants busted through the outer door, and a single giant, Mag, wrenched the bars of the first iron gate, though Donal killed him. Jon says they must block the gate and that Ser Wynton must take command. Maester Aemon states he is too feeble. Jon says Aemon himself should lead then, but he says his order gives counsel not commands. He says Jon is the only one who can lead them until the garrison returns.
