An Inconvenient Flame [Sandor Clegane]

Chapter 43 - The Night King

It wasn't until Sandor suddenly stirred beside me that I came to again. He had woken up with a small jolt before he tightened the hold he had on me. I groaned, a little annoyed but when I opened my eyes and looked at him. I saw he looked a little uncomfortable. We both shifted away from each other, and the cold surrounded me instantly.

I heard my teeth chatter, and I quickly wrapped my own arms around my chest. When Sandor stood up, some of the others began stirring as well. I kept my eyes on Sandor as he moved towards the captured creature. It was moving around while snarling loudly. Sandor decided to kick the creature in clear frustration, but his action made it snarl even louder as hundreds of others joined in around us. It was as if they all felt it.

When the loudness of the snarls pierced through the air, it made us all stumble to our feet. However, I was quickly on my knees again. Thoros had not gotten up. I saw the frozen expression on the pale face. "Thoros?" I whispered and shook his shoulder, but I already knew. "Thoros." Beric fell to his knees beside me and looked at his old friend. But he was already gone.

"They say it's one of the better ways to go." Sandor whispered before he knelt on the other side of Thoros. Beric had pulled Thoros cloak up to cover his face when Sandor grabbed the drunken priest's flask.

I ignored Sandor's disrespectful behavior and only had my eyes on Beric beside me. I reached out a hand and placed it on his shoulder. I squeezed it lightly as he moved Thoros's hands to rest on his stomach. "Lord of Light, show us the way." He mumbled. "Come to us in our darkness and lead your servant into the light."

"We have to burn his body." Jon had taken the flask from Sandor and poured the remaining over Thoros's body. "We'll all be close behind him, unless the Lord of Light is kind enough to send us a bit of fire." Tormund added when we both stood up.

Beric drew his sword and soon the flames engulfed his sword once again. "Lord of Light, come to us in our darkness." Beric placed the sword against the body. "For the night is dark and full of terrors." I repeated the last few words in a whisper, but also to show respect to the fallen priest.

When I moved away, I noticed how Sandor had turned around from the flames. It worried me but didn't surprise me at all. Beric's sword sizzled and the flames disappeared when he buried it in the snow. The smell was bad, it had been long since I had witnessed a body burning. I pulled the scarf up over my nose and moved to stand the furthest away from the body as possible, just as Sandor had done.

"We'll all freeze soon, and so will the water." Ser Jorah had turned to Jon again. "When you killed the White Walker, almost all the dead that followed it fell. Why?" He asked. It was a question I had wanted and answer to as well but hadn't dared ask.

"Maybe he was the one who turned them." Jon's voice was shivering just as much as Ser Jorah's was. "We can go for the Walkers, maybe we'll stand a chance." Ser Jorah tried hopefully.