AGoT Reread: Direwolves, Dragons [eggs], Momont’s Raven, and Cats, Oh My! Pets or Providence?

[evita mgfs]

Congrats Evita,I think we are back on track with all this animal/pet discussion.

The magical part of discovering your chosen pet has been well covered here,as have the Baratheon/Stark associations,and Jon´s early telepathy with his "odd" direwolf.

I think it´s in the Catelyn POV where she returns to Riverrun from Renly´s camp,that an outrider says that the Greatjon is convinced the direwolves were sent by the old gods to the Stark children.

I don´t dispute this for a second,but I doubt they had a human escort.Probably went through the gorge.

:bowdown: :bowdown: REDRIVER: Yes Indeed! I think this thread is full of lively, brilliant posters, you included, and to heck with trying to stay on point all the time. We'll get back to the "point" eventually, correct? Well, Catelyn's the next POV, and there is lots there to explore.

Thanks for the advice, as well.

[Le Cygne]

Love your teacher-style presentation, evita! It was very easy to follow. Wonderful observations, everyone! I just started a reread and am very interested in foreshadowing.

I found myself intrigued by your questions about Jon and Ghost, evita. I love that Jon alone hears Ghost, how possessive he is with him, and how he gives that look to Theon (who is very quick to move against the direwolves), saying "This one belongs to me."

I agree with what everyone has said, Jon has formed a bond right away. And Ghost is white for "Snow". He's opened his eyes before the others, this could foreshadow Jon's leadership or some greater awareness that is yet to play out in the story.

It's also interesting that Bran is shown to be very perceptive of this, and other things, from the start.

And then the irony - from page one! Brilliant! To jump again, in the next POV, and this is just to illustrate and emphasize his brilliance, Ned cleans Ice sitting in the very repose as the Stark stone statues in the crypt!! His death is foreshadowed that early! Maybe even earlier! I just am consistently amazed.

That's beautiful!

I am hoping that since she has been the "little bird" locked in her Eyrie, or cage, she will sprout wings metaphorically and fly over her brothers and sisters as a force of AIR. [That is my crackpot theory]. Since she loses Lady, another animal will call to her. And we know both BR and Bran are flying around on already ridden ravens, yes?

Sandor gave her the name "Little Bird" but when he's gone, she bonds with a hound (dog) before and after a dream about the Hound. And when she wakes, she thinks about Lady. Also Arya told Sandor about the dream about her mother (when she was Nymeria). Interesting!

[evita mgfs]

Love your teacher-style presentation, evita! It was very easy to follow. Wonderful observations, everyone! I just started a reread and am very interested in foreshadowing.

I found myself intrigued by your questions about Jon and Ghost, evita. I love that Jon alone hears Ghost, how possessive he is with him, and how he gives that look to Theon (who is very quick to move against the direwolves), saying "This one belongs to me."

I agree with what everyone has said, Jon has formed a bond right away. And Ghost is white for "Snow". He's opened his eyes before the others, this could foreshadow Jon's leadership or some greater awareness that is yet to play out in the story.

It's also interesting that Bran is shown to be very perceptive of this, and other things, from the start.

That's beautiful!

Sandor gave her the name "Little Bird" but when he's gone, she bonds with a hound (dog) before and after a dream about the Hound. And when she wakes, she thinks about Lady. Also Arya told Sandor about the dream about her mother (when she was Nymeria). Interesting!

' :bowdown: :bowdown: Le Cygne' WELCOME ABOARD! We are definitely glad to have you along our journey, which has been such great fun so far. I am delighted that you like my school teacher style - it sort of comes naturally; not that I mean to sound patronizing! NO WAY! All the posters on our thread are AWESOME with great insight into the novels.

Your observations about the Hound are spot on! We will be meeting him shortly in one of the POV's, and he counts as a "dog" - so we will cover him, we will - and maybe you will ride along and help us do so - for me, I LOVE the Hound. [i am a big Phantom of the Opera fan, and with his asking Sansa to sing for him, I want to compare him to Phantom, who asks Christine, or orders her, to sing for him?] :dunno:

WELCOME AGAIN!

[DreamSongs]

Awesome, awesome, awesome Everyone! Sorry I've been MIA but I've been obsessed with the Elimination 28. Started Sunday morning thinking it would be over Sunday night--nice way to kill a day off, right?

Never again...my coworkers must think I'm on crack this work since I've spent all my time on my phone WHEN I'm the one always snarking at them to put them away. Anyway, have a mandatory meeting in an hour and volunteer work this afternoon, so I'll go through more thoroughly tonight.

Just a couple of observations: Dark Heart, I can't wait to see your full analysis on the wolves. I had never thought about it before! Loved the parallels between Cat and Mama DW.

Prologue:

Description of the Others' swords. We see this description again South of the Wall when Jaime falls asleep with his head on a weirwood stump. In his dream, he and Brienne's swords alit with the same light.

Chapter 1: Bran

This was the seed that got GRRM started and us all addicted. I agree with the concept of Jon 'passing a test' and being rewarded and that children that are 'different' like bastards maturing sooner. Albinos in the wild are not necessarily rare, but seldom live to maturity. The white coloration is a disadvantage in many environments allowing them to be preyed upon when small or unable to be camoflaged when hunting. The eyes of albinos tend to be weak, making them less successful at locating prey once scented. In litters, it is the albino that gets chased away by littermates and often killed by the mother.

OTOH, in the snow, white would mean a better chance of survival and better camoflage. Who better to survive in the snow than a Snow? :laugh:

Got to get ready for the day...see y'all tonight.

[evita mgfs]

name='Lady Wendy' timestamp='1352382966' post='3793868']

Awesome, awesome, awesome Everyone! Sorry I've been MIA but I've been obsessed with the Elimination 28. Started Sunday morning thinking it would be over Sunday night--nice way to kill a day off, right?

Never again...my coworkers must think I'm on crack this work since I've spent all my time on my phone WHEN I'm the one always snarking at them to put them away. Anyway, have a mandatory meeting in an hour and volunteer work this afternoon, so I'll go through more thoroughly tonight.

Just a couple of observations: Dark Heart, I can't wait to see your full analysis on the wolves. I had never thought about it before! Loved the parallels between Cat and Mama DW.

Prologue:

Description of the Others' swords. We see this description again South of the Wall when Jaime falls asleep with his head on a weirwood stump. In his dream, he and Brienne's swords alit with the same light.

Chapter 1: Bran

This was the seed that got GRRM started and us all addicted. I agree with the concept of Jon 'passing a test' and being rewarded and that children that are 'different' like bastards maturing sooner. Albinos in the wild are not necessarily rare, but seldom live to maturity. The white coloration is a disadvantage in many environments allowing them to be preyed upon when small or unable to be camoflaged when hunting. The eyes of albinos tend to be weak, making them less successful at locating prey once scented. In litters, it is the albino that gets chased away by littermates and often killed by the mother.

OTOH, in the snow, white would mean a better chance of survival and better camoflage. Who better to survive in the snow than a Snow? :laugh:

Got to get ready for the day...see y'all tonight.

:bowdown: :bowdown: LADY WENDY: WELCOME TO THE GANG! I know about being busy! I am doing the Breaking Dawn 2 premiere here in my town, and directing a skit with look-a-like actors, and doing a preshow and computer show, and all kinds of fun BD2 stuff for the fans. So - I know about being on the phone and planning and such! I hope you can breathe a sigh of relief! I won't until after November 15. At least I have the theatre decorating finally done!

I love all you said about Ghost and the albino aspect of the species. Very good points. Ironically, Ghost's coloring is just perfect for his environment - and he looks a lot like Bloodraven, IMO. That is why I think, through Ghost, Jon will learn from BR about his mother and Targ father, and possibly a twin sister if the speculations about a similarity to Star Wars in the Alfie Allen interview is reliable.

I look forward to hearing from you tonight, then! :love:

[evita mgfs]

So – I know you loved the squirrels. :dunno: Now I humbly present my direwolf/golden retriever Moses playing werewolf Jacob Black along with Tia as Renesmee [bella and Edward’s daughter] and Fred the projectionist as evil vamp Marcus of the Volturi from Breaking Dawn 2. I thought you might enjoy seeing our photo op – for local publicity – posted on my Tumblr:

http://ladyevyta.tumblr.com/post/35270151339/moses-as-jacob-tia-as-renesmee-fred-brown-as

[Alia of the knife]

I have to concur with Lady Wendy, work has been crazy this week, and coming home even crazier.

I meant to get caught up last night, and then was distracted by Ken Follets "World without End."

I love all the analogies and the mythologies, and agree with Lady Wendy, that I can't wait for Dark Hearts take on the wolves.

That is true regarding Albinos in the wild, but also true in Albino Humans in regards to health issues, i.e., skin cancer and poor eyesight.

It seems that Martin gave the Targs. the look without the issues with the exception of madness, which has more to do with their inbreeding.

Michael Moorcocks "Elric of Melnibone," an Albino Emperor kept alive by sorcery.

I would add about the Mother Direwolf, I actually saw parallels between the Direwolf and Lyanna Stark, especially with the Stag having killed the Direwolf, and thought that might be a hint to possible past scenarios, (what if Robert had found Lyanna with Rhaegars children- yes, I think Lyanna may have had twins, or triplets, especially if it's one womb producing three heads of the Dragon), and a foreshadowing of future events as the Stag turned on House Stark, if even indirectly through the Lannisters.

If you could point me in the fastest direction to get caught up, and up to speed, then I'll do my homework. :)

Now, I too have to get ready for work, but I'll be checking my phone for notifications throughout the day, lol.

With that, I leave you all with "Mike."

http://s1280.beta.ph...tml?sort=3&o=19

My Husbands ongoing battle with Jack o' Lantern-loving Squirrels.

"Mike," is head-first happily eating his way through what was an eye.

As you can see, we have the most well-fed squirrels on the block as they have their daily feeding of cashews, which my Hubby thought I was "nuts"(pardon the pun) :D , to feed them since he didn't even get them.

[evita mgfs]

I have to concur with Lady Wendy, work has been crazy this week, and coming home even crazier.

I meant to get caught up last night, and then was distracted by Ken Follets "World without End."

I love all the analogies and the mythologies, and agree with Lady Wendy, that I can't wait for Dark Hearts take on the wolves.

That is true regarding Albinos in the wild, but also true in Albino Humans in regards to health issues, i.e., skin cancer and poor eyesight.

It seems that Martin gave the Targs. the look without the issues with the exception of madness, which has more to do with their inbreeding.

Michael Moorcocks "Elric of Melnibone," an Albino Emperor kept alive by sorcery.

I would add about the Mother Direwolf, I actually saw parallels between the Direwolf and Lyanna Stark, especially with the Stag having killed the Direwolf, and thought that might be a hint to possible past scenarios, (what if Robert had found Lyanna with Rhaegars children- yes, I think Lyanna may have had twins, or triplets, especially if it's one womb producing three heads of the Dragon), and a foreshadowing of future events as the Stag turned on House Stark, if even indirectly through the Lannisters.

If you could point me in the fastest direction to get caught up, and up to speed, then I'll do my homework. :)

Now, I too have to get ready for work, but I'll be checking my phone for notifications throughout the day, lol.

With that, I leave you all with "Mike."

http://s1280.beta.ph...tml?sort=3&o=19

My Husbands ongoing battle with Jack o' Lantern-loving Squirrels.

"Mike," is head-first happily eating his way through what was an eye.

As you can see, we have the most well-fed squirrels on the block as they have their daily feeding of cashews, which my Hubby thought I was "nuts"(pardon the pun) :D , to feed them since he didn't even get them.

:bowdown: :bowdown: ALIA OF THE KNIFE: GREAT OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE TARGS!! The albino application to the Targs is one I had not made. So good call! Isn't BR albino? Anyway, the HBO casting with the white hair is spot on. I wonder who will play BR? I thought Jonny Depp would be ideal - he does "creepy" really well; so does Tim Burton. I propose that Tim Burton direct the Bran/cave scenes, and Depp plays BR, and Helena Boham Carter as Leaf? They can film in B&W with shots of blood red, as Burton did in Sweeney Todd?

That's my secret fantasy for the casting and directing of HBO's GoT series.

Did you see my pictures of squirrels with hats? I have the Halloween squirrel with the witch hat and pumpkin. I thought with your Jack o- 'lantern squirrels might, or might not, appreciate it.

http://ladyevyta.tumblr.com/post/35099190575/squirrel-pumpkin-carving

Here is my Moses as Jacob from Breaking Dawn 2 - I am the event planner for the local movie theatre.

http://ladyevyta.tumblr.com/post/35270151339/moses-as-jacob-tia-as-renesmee-fred-brown-as

I am showing off! I am soo proud of my cast - especially my Moses, the little three-year old playing Renesmee, and our projectionist as evil Volturi Marcus. If you already have seen it in the earlier post, sorry. I am proud mama of my big golden. [he loves popcorn, too! He's a theatre dawg!]

The squirrels with hats are from PSU, and taken by a wild life major. I am repeating info you may know. I tried to look at Mike, and it said 'error' - so I will try again. If you post recent pix, that happens. Maybe you tried mine and it said error too - since I just posted this morning????

I am looking forward to hearing more from you - and Dark Heart's wolves and Arya Nym's cats!

I hope this post takes. It has been doing weird things lately! I tried to put emoticons in - and it looks funny. Oh well . . . here goes nothing.

BTW - repost Mike for me, please??? :blushing: :eek:

[Dark Heart]

Yeah, human bodies with all the beastly additions. It doesn't say anything about them fearing the sun light but could be...

Cool gif by the way - me like :o

I think they were a part of the "balance of opposites" lecture I had.

Something about creature from underworld, only live in dark caves, go out only during night = weakness and hate of sun and fire.

Just a couple of observations: Dark Heart, I can't wait to see your full analysis on the wolves. I had never thought about it before! Loved the parallels between Cat and Mama DW.

I was thinking of saving that for one of the next chapters when the pups are "in the spotlight".

But for a full analysis I'd still have to use things from later books.

Hm, what do you say, post it all now (and Others can have the precise thread organization :lol: ) or wait for later?

Prologue:

Description of the Others' swords. We see this description again South of the Wall when Jaime falls asleep with his head on a weirwood stump. In his dream, he and Brienne's swords alit with the same light.

Chapter 1: Bran

This was the seed that got GRRM started and us all addicted. I agree with the concept of Jon 'passing a test' and being rewarded and that children that are 'different' like bastards maturing sooner. Albinos in the wild are not necessarily rare, but seldom live to maturity. The white coloration is a disadvantage in many environments allowing them to be preyed upon when small or unable to be camoflaged when hunting. The eyes of albinos tend to be weak, making them less successful at locating prey once scented. In litters, it is the albino that gets chased away by littermates and often killed by the mother.

OTOH, in the snow, white would mean a better chance of survival and better camoflage. Who better to survive in the snow than a Snow? :laugh:

Agreed.

It's also interesting that people in 7K are aware of perils of albinism.

Theon said "Albino. He'll be the first to die."

And in regular circumstances he would be right.

Albinos in the wild don't last long. And even the ones taken and cared for by humans have a lot of health problems.

That's why (drumroll for a crackpot theory) I don't think Ghost is albino at all.

More like he's weirwood wolf. Or marked by the Old Gods.

In part because of the "test", in part 'cos Ghost is strong and healthy and in part for BR.

Bloodraven is (as far as we know) the only living Great Bastard.

From his "litter" the albino is the the strongest.

So, I think BR was also "marked by the OG" since his birth.

That both he and Ghost are not "albinos" accepted by the OG but "albinos" because OG made them so.

I love all the analogies and the mythologies, and agree with Lady Wendy, that I can't wait for Dark Hearts take on the wolves.

That is true regarding Albinos in the wild, but also true in Albino Humans in regards to health issues, i.e., skin cancer and poor eyesight.

It seems that Martin gave the Targs. the look without the issues with the exception of madness, which has more to do with their inbreeding.

Michael Moorcocks "Elric of Melnibone," an Albino Emperor kept alive by sorcery.

I'm probably going to post in soon and ignore the reading order.

After all I can post a totally spoiler free analysis until we're done re-reading all the books.

I love "Elric of Melnibone" and think BR and Ghost are more like him then "true albinos".

Just instead of being kept alive by sorcery and a hungry sword they are Avatars of the Old Gods.

I would add about the Mother Direwolf, I actually saw parallels between the Direwolf and Lyanna Stark, especially with the Stag having killed the Direwolf, and thought that might be a hint to possible past scenarios, (what if Robert had found Lyanna with Rhaegars children- yes, I think Lyanna may have had twins, or triplets, especially if it's one womb producing three heads of the Dragon), and a foreshadowing of future events as the Stag turned on House Stark, if even indirectly through the Lannisters.

Yes, she is another dead mother.

And she, same as mother direwolf, never got to raise her "pups". It's even possible that she have never even seen her baby (or babies if that theory is true).

She may have dies as soon as she gave birth.

p.s. I love the posted pictures.

Weregolden and pumpkin eating squirrel made my day.

[evita mgfs]

p.s. I love the posted pictures.

Weregolden and pumpkin eating squirrel made my day.

:bowdown: DARK HEART: This is a frivolous comment: I LOVE YOUR AVATAR!!!!

[bTW/ thanks about the pix! Love those squirrels with hats! :o)

[evita mgfs]

SCHEDULING AND SUMMARY UPDATES FOR ALL: ARE YOU READY FOR CATELYN AND DAENERYS? COMING SOON . . .

CATELYN POV: Tower of the Hand Summary http://towerofthehand.com/books/101/003/index.html

November 9 Evita – Will Post Commentary on November 9

DAENERYS POV: Tower of the Hand Summary http://towerofthehand.com/books/101/004/index.html

November 10 The Pack Survives – Will Post Commentary on November 10

[Le Cygne]

In litters, it is the albino that gets chased away by littermates and often killed by the mother.

Ah, so that's why Ghost was apart from the others. And like Ghost, Jon never knew his mother, and his siblings' mother wants him gone.

[DreamSongs]

sorry double post

[DreamSongs]

So – I know you loved the squirrels. :dunno: Now I humbly present my direwolf/golden retriever Moses playing werewolf Jacob Black along with Tia as Renesmee [bella and Edward’s daughter] and Fred the projectionist as evil vamp Marcus of the Volturi from Breaking Dawn 2. I thought you might enjoy seeing our photo op – for local publicity – posted on my Tumblr:

http://ladyevyta.tum...e-fred-brown-as

Moses makes a perfect Jacob...and the young lady is the perfect complement. Reminds me of the imprinting thing in the Twilight saga....they look like they belong together.

Sorry...I did not enjoy reading the Twilight saga....I only read it so I could criticize the author's cheap rip-off of Anne Rice's work without being challenged at work without being able to state why. I read all the books and I will reread Anne Rice's work any day. I will never reread Stephanie Meyers.

But to each thier own...I'm a Star Wars fan myself.

Wiccan heart that I am...when would be a good time to start talking about 'familiars' (when the old ragged tom shows up in KL or when we get more into the DW)? When is a good time to bring up cryptozoology/paranormal (aka large black dogs/hound of baskervilles). Obviously that should go with Pack's DW discussion.

[DreamSongs]

Ah, so that's why Ghost was apart from the others. And like Ghost, Jon never knew his mother, and his siblings' mother wants him gone.

Quick review of basic Mendelsson genetics using the sickle-cell trait.

The sickle cell trait produces crescent shaped red blood cells that help protect against malaria. If you have two people that have a dominant trait for normal red blood cells and a recessive trait for sickle cell, their children have the following...

25% will have dominant traits and no sickled cells and no protection against malaria.

50% will have the dominant and recessive traits. They will be protected against malaria

25% will only have the recessive trait. They will be protected from malaria, but the double dose of sickle celled red blood cells will lead to blood coagulation in small blood vessels and cause extreme pain because tissues don't receive oxygen. We call this sickle-cell anemia.

ETA: because I keep saving this post since I lost a big huge one where I had everything typed in....

Alia...I had have not thought much about the albinism factor with Targs directly. It was obvious to me that recessive genetics was in effect, but I never thought about it beyond HRH Joffrey. Obviously, dominant and recessive genes play a role in ASOIAF beginning with Jon Arryn's investigation into Robert's bastards.

You can flip a coin on my sanity...did I remember to take my Prozac today? :cool4:

[Florina Laufeyson]

Ok, big apologies for not being much in this thread. Shit has been cray cray with me lately. I was sick and then i had a bunch of things to do and catch up on.

Great stuff everyone! Im just gonna go ahead and comment on the Bran chapter. Cuz most of the animal stuff is first seen here lol

I agree that there seems to be an interesting parallel going on between the mother direwolf and Lyanna. But it has more to do with House Stark as a whole. Impaled by a stag....huh....Baratheons seem to be the catalysts for what eventually happened to House Stark.

Theon Greyjoy said, “There’s not been a direwolf sighted south of the Wall in two hundred years.”

Why is that, i wonder? Why now did a direwolf, pregnant no less, wander down south of the Wall? Are the Others responsible for driving her down? Or was it something else?

Bran tore his eyes away from the monster. That was when he noticed the bundle in Robb’s arms. He gave a cry of delight and moved closer. The pup was a tiny ball of grey-black fur, its eyes still closed. It nuzzled blindly against Robb’s chest as he cradled it, searching for milk among his leathers, making a sad little whimpery sound. Bran reached out hesitantly. “Go on,” Robb told him. “You can touch him.”

Bran's Cuteness Proximity is in full effect here. As is the reader's. BABY BEAST! D'awwww. The pup already begins to bond a bit with Robb.

Bran gave the pup a quick nervous stroke, then turned as Jon said, “Here you go.” His half brother put a second pup into his arms. “There are five of them.” Bran sat down in the snow and hugged the wolf pup to his face. Its fur was soft and warm against his cheek.

There are five of them. Just as there are five Stark children. This begs the question i posted above: Could it have been something else that drove the she-wolf south of the Wall? Something other than the Others that is. My theory points to what we find out later about a crow with three eyes....

“Direwolves loose in the realm, after so many years,” muttered Hullen, the master of horse. “I like it not.”

“It is a sign,” Jory said.

Father frowned. “This is only a dead animal, Jory,” he said. Yet he seemed troubled. Snow crunched under his boots as he moved around the body. “Do we know what killed her?”

“There’s something in the throat,” Robb told him, proud to have found the answer before his father even asked. “There, just under the jaw.”

His father knelt and groped under the beast’s head with his hand. He gave a yank and held it up for all to see. A foot of shattered antler, tines snapped off, all wet with blood.

A sudden silence descended over the party. The men looked at the antler uneasily, and no one dared to speak. Even Bran could sense their fear, though he did not understand.

Yep. The symbolism is so strong here, even guys like Jory are unnerved. Poor Bran doesnt understand but Ned certainly does and he is not pleased. Knowing the Baratheon House sigil....The sign is too strong to ignore.

“Born with the dead,” another man put in. “Worse luck.”

This is an interesting bit right here.....I will get to this in a moment.

We then see that the men and Ned want to put down the pups. Robb and Bran protest in earnest. Bran especially. Jon then pipes up talking about how the pups correspond with the sigil of House Stark and the number of pups and their respective genders.

Even at seven, Bran understood what his brother had done. The count had come right only because Jon had omitted himself. He had included the girls, included even Rickon, the baby, but not the bastard who bore the surname Snow, the name that custom decreed be given to all those in the north unlucky enough to be born with no name of their own.

Jon deliberately leaves himself out of this equation. Bran notes how this is a bit tough to hear since he regards Jon as a real brother, but knows his place. Jon stands outside of House Stark.

“The direwolf graces the banners of House Stark,” Jon pointed out. “I am no Stark, Father.”

Driving the point home....only to find....

Halfway across the bridge, Jon pulled up suddenly.

“What is it, Jon?” their lord father asked.

“Can’t you hear it?”

~~~~~~~

A moment later he was riding back to them, smiling.

“He must have crawled away from the others,” Jon said.

“Or been driven away,” their father said, looking at the sixth pup. His fur was white, where the rest of the litter was grey. His eyes were as red as the blood of the ragged man who had died that morning. Bran thought it curious that this pup alone would have opened his eyes while the others were still blind.

An albino pup who may have been "driven away."

Jon Snow gave his father’s ward a long, chilling look. “I think not, Greyjoy,” he said. “This one belongs to me.”

Hmmm yes.

Now i come to the point where "Born with the dead" might be very significant. This, i think, is the biggest clue we first get when it comes to Jon and his true heritage. A dead direwolf mother, killed by a stag's antler. Gave birth to not only five pups (to symbolize Ned), but an albino pup that was "driven away." This pup has his eyes open before the other pups. Hmmmmmm....A direwolf mother died but her albino pup seemed to come into the world before the others. Guys, connecting the dots yet?

"Promise me, Ned...."

[Alia of the knife]

:bowdown: :bowdown: ALIA OF THE KNIFE: GREAT OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE TARGS!! The albino application to the Targs is one I had not made. So good call! Isn't BR albino? Anyway, the HBO casting with the white hair is spot on. I wonder who will play BR? I thought Jonny Depp would be ideal - he does "creepy" really well; so does Tim Burton. I propose that Tim Burton direct the Bran/cave scenes, and Depp plays BR, and Helena Boham Carter as Leaf? They can film in B&W with shots of blood red, as Burton did in Sweeney Todd?

That's my secret fantasy for the casting and directing of HBO's GoT series.

Did you see my pictures of squirrels with hats? I have the Halloween squirrel with the witch hat and pumpkin. I thought with your Jack o- 'lantern squirrels might, or might not, appreciate it.

http://ladyevyta.tum...pumpkin-carving

Here is my Moses as Jacob from Breaking Dawn 2 - I am the event planner for the local movie theatre.

http://ladyevyta.tum...e-fred-brown-as

I am showing off! I am soo proud of my cast - especially my Moses, the little three-year old playing Renesmee, and our projectionist as evil Volturi Marcus. If you already have seen it in the earlier post, sorry. I am proud mama of my big golden. [he loves popcorn, too! He's a theatre dawg!]

The squirrels with hats are from PSU, and taken by a wild life major. I am repeating info you may know. I tried to look at Mike, and it said 'error' - so I will try again. If you post recent pix, that happens. Maybe you tried mine and it said error too - since I just posted this morning????

I am looking forward to hearing more from you - and Dark Heart's wolves and Arya Nym's cats!

I hope this post takes. It has been doing weird things lately! I tried to put emoticons in - and it looks funny. Oh well . . . here goes nothing.

BTW - repost Mike for me, please??? :blushing: :eek:

Your pics are great, and you have your own "Mike."

Who knew they like pumpkin that much?

Mike:

http://s1280.beta.photobucket.com/user/aliaoftheknife1/media/142.jpg.html?sort=3&o=24

I think they were a part of the "balance of opposites" lecture I had.

Something about creature from underworld, only live in dark caves, go out only during night = weakness and hate of sun and fire.

I was thinking of saving that for one of the next chapters when the pups are "in the spotlight".

But for a full analysis I'd still have to use things from later books.

Hm, what do you say, post it all now (and Others can have the precise thread organization :lol: ) or wait for later?

Prologue:

Description of the Others' swords. We see this description again South of the Wall when Jaime falls asleep with his head on a weirwood stump. In his dream, he and Brienne's swords alit with the same light.

Chapter 1: Bran

Agreed.

It's also interesting that people in 7K are aware of perils of albinism.

Theon said "Albino. He'll be the first to die."

And in regular circumstances he would be right.

Albinos in the wild don't last long. And even the ones taken and cared for by humans have a lot of health problems.

That's why (drumroll for a crackpot theory) I don't think Ghost is albino at all.

More like he's weirwood wolf. Or marked by the Old Gods.

In part because of the "test", in part 'cos Ghost is strong and healthy and in part for BR.

Bloodraven is (as far as we know) the only living Great Bastard.

From his "litter" the albino is the the strongest.

So, I think BR was also "marked by the OG" since his birth.

That both he and Ghost are not "albinos" accepted by the OG but "albinos" because OG made them so.

I'm probably going to post in soon and ignore the reading order.

After all I can post a totally spoiler free analysis until we're done re-reading all the books.

I love "Elric of Melnibone" and think BR and Ghost are more like him then "true albinos".

Just instead of being kept alive by sorcery and a hungry sword they are Avatars of the Old Gods.

Yes, she is another dead mother.

And she, same as mother direwolf, never got to raise her "pups". It's even possible that she have never even seen her baby (or babies if that theory is true).

She may have dies as soon as she gave birth.

p.s. I love the posted pictures.

Weregolden and pumpkin eating squirrel made my day.

Great call-out on Elric, Ghost and Bloodraven.

I know not all the Melniboneans looked like Elric as he was the anomaly, whereas Martin switched the idea and suggests all Valaryians look like Rhaegar.

It would be interesting if Jon did father a child to see if it would come out looking like Rhaegar, because if thats possible, it may be good that Jon was so ashamed of being a bastard, he was cautious, afraid to have sex lest he impregnate a girl.

Jon fathering a child who looked like a Targ. when he clearly looks Northern would be dangerous, especially if he doesn't know about his heredity yet.

Quick review of basic Mendelsson genetics using the sickle-cell trait.

The sickle cell trait produces crescent shaped red blood cells that help protect against malaria. If you have two people that have a dominant trait for normal red blood cells and a recessive trait for sickle cell, their children have the following...

25% will have dominant traits and no sickled cells and no protection against malaria.

50% will have the dominant and recessive traits. They will be protected against malaria

25% will only have the recessive trait. They will be protected from malaria, but the double dose of sickle celled red blood cells will lead to blood coagulation in small blood vessels and cause extreme pain because tissues don't receive oxygen. We call this sickle-cell anemia.

ETA: because I keep saving this post since I lost a big huge one where I had everything typed in....

Alia...I had have not thought much about the albinism factor with Targs directly. It was obvious to me that recessive genetics was in effect, but I never thought about it beyond HRH Joffrey. Obviously, dominant and recessive genes play a role in ASOIAF beginning with Jon Arryn's investigation into Robert's bastards.

You can flip a coin on my sanity...did I remember to take my Prozac today? :cool4:

Thats really great information.

On the R+L thread, one of the posters posted photos of a famed photographer who highlights Albinos, and it certainly cast the Targaryen look in a much different light in the sense of being "other worldly."

GRRM has apparently taken the literary license and given them the attributes without the health issues.

Also, about the Twilight series, Lestat is looking at you reproachfully for straying.

Ok, big apologies for not being much in this thread. Shit has been cray cray with me lately. I was sick and then i had a bunch of things to do and catch up on.

Great stuff everyone! Im just gonna go ahead and comment on the Bran chapter. Cuz most of the animal stuff is first seen here lol

I agree that there seems to be an interesting parallel going on between the mother direwolf and Lyanna. But it has more to do with House Stark as a whole. Impaled by a stag....huh....Baratheons seem to be the catalysts for what eventually happened to House Stark.

Why is that, i wonder? Why now did a direwolf, pregnant no less, wander down south of the Wall? Are the Others responsible for driving her down? Or was it something else?

Bran's Cuteness Proximity is in full effect here. As is the reader's. BABY BEAST! D'awwww. The pup already begins to bond a bit with Robb.

There are five of them. Just as there are five Stark children. This begs the question i posted above: Could it have been something else that drove the she-wolf south of the Wall? Something other than the Others that is. My theory points to what we find out later about a crow with three eyes....

Yep. The symbolism is so strong here, even guys like Jory are unnerved. Poor Bran doesnt understand but Ned certainly does and he is not pleased. Knowing the Baratheon House sigil....The sign is too strong to ignore.

This is an interesting bit right here.....I will get to this in a moment.

We then see that the men and Ned want to put down the pups. Robb and Bran protest in earnest. Bran especially. Jon then pipes up talking about how the pups correspond with the sigil of House Stark and the number of pups and their respective genders.

Jon deliberately leaves himself out of this equation. Bran notes how this is a bit tough to hear since he regards Jon as a real brother, but knows his place. Jon stands outside of House Stark.

Driving the point home....only to find....

An albino pup who may have been "driven away."

Hmmm yes.

Now i come to the point where "Born with the dead" might be very significant. This, i think, is the biggest clue we first get when it comes to Jon and his true heritage. A dead direwolf mother, killed by a stag's antler. Gave birth to not only five pups (to symbolize Ned), but an albino pup that was "driven away." This pup has his eyes open before the other pups. Hmmmmmm....A direwolf mother died but her albino pup seemed to come into the world before the others. Guys, connecting the dots yet?

"Promise me, Ned...."

LOVE the analogies Florina, and love the Avatar even more, (though I've wanted to smother Kermit for years), :devil: but if you like him, he can't be all bad, lol. :cool4:

[Alia of the knife]

Other friends:

http://s1280.beta.ph...html?sort=3&o=6

This raccoon came by everynight for his treats, and I know your not supposed to feed them, but he got into the garbage cans anyway, so I just capitulated and fed him. It never got out of hand, we both kept a respectful distance, and the cats got to watch him through the window.

They have the run of the neighborhood, and since the town didn't want to trap, or euthanize them, they just left pellets treated with an anti-rabies agent in them all around town for them to eat.

The little tease:

http://s1280.beta.ph...tml?sort=3&o=10

[Dark Heart]

O.k. I'm going to do a separate post for all Direwolves.

Starting with:

Ghost

We already discussed some things; Jon making a sacrifice and in a way "proving himself worthy" to the Old Gods befor he can find the pup, the possible way Jon was able to "hear" Ghost, and the reasons for Ghost's open eyes.

I'm going to mention some of it again but will try to limit it (so, not to bore you too much).

Something rubbed against his leg beneath the table. Jon saw red eyes staring up at him. “Hungry again?” he asked. There was still half a honeyed chicken in the center of the table. Jon reached out to tear off a leg, then had a better idea. He knifed the bird whole and let the carcass slide to the floor between his legs. Ghost ripped into it in savage silence. His brothers and sisters had not been permitted to bring their wolves to the banquet, but there were more curs than Jon could count at this end of the hall, and no one had said a word about his pup. He told himself he was fortunate in that too.

His eyes stung. Jon rubbed at them savagely, cursing the smoke. He swallowed another gulp of wine and watched his direwolf devour the chicken.

Dogs moved between the tables, trailing after the serving girls. One of them, a black mongrel bitch with long yellow eyes, caught a scent of the chicken. She stopped and edged under the bench to get a share. Jon watched the confrontation. The bitch growled low in her throat and moved closer. Ghost looked up, silent, and fixed the dog with those hot red eyes. The bitch snapped an angry challenge. She was three times the size of the direwolf pup. Ghost did not move. He stood over his prize and opened his mouth, baring his fangs. The bitch tensed, barked again, then thought better of this fight. She turned and slunk away, with one last defiant snap to save her pride. Ghost went back to his meal.

This is the first time we truly "see" Ghost.

Jon is the only Stark kid that is allowed to take his pup with him.

This might be a foreshadowing. A way to hit that Jon will be the only one who is never without his wolf for long.

But that is just speculation.

We also see that Ghost who is just a pup is well capable of intimidating a full grown dog that's three times bigger then him.

This might be nothing more then the fact that DW are more dangerous then dogs. And that dogs are aware of it.

It could also be a parallel with Jon.

On and beyond Wall Jon will "stare down" men three times older then him.

“A very quiet wolf,” he observed.

“He’s not like the others,” Jon said. “He never makes a sound. That’s why I named him Ghost. That, and because he’s white. The others are all dark, grey or black.”

"A very quiet wolf" is probably nothing more then a good way to describe Ghost.

But Jojen Reed also calls Ned "the quiet wolf".

As Jon is the one who look like Ned the most that also seams appropriate.

Jon is also aware the Ghost is very different. The rest are born gray (and darned or changed color with age) just the DW of House Stark.

Ghost never belonged. He was always "Snow". A wolf for a bastard boy.

But still undeniably Stark.

The coat of arms of House Stark is a gray direwolf on a white (snow) field.

Jon had noticed that too. A bastard had to learn to notice things, to read the truth that people hid behind their eyes.

****

Benjen gave Jon a careful, measuring look. “You don’t miss much, do you, Jon? We could use a man like you on the Wall.”

****

Uncle Benjen studied his face carefully. “The Wall is a hard place for a boy, Jon.”

“I am almost a man grown,” Jon protested. “I will turn fifteen on my next name day, and Maester Luwin says bastards grow up faster than other children.”

“That’s true enough,” Benjen said with a downward twist of his mouth.

Not directly about Ghost but it's a part of the reason I think Ghost was the first to open his eyes.

Jon had to learn to see things. And to look for truth.

And all bastards have to grow up fast.

Ghost grew up faster then his siblings too.

They arrived, flushed and breathless, to find Jon seated on the sill, one leg drawn up languidly to his chin. He was watching the action, so absorbed that he seemed unaware of her approach until his white wolf moved to meet them. Nymeria stalked closer on wary feet. Ghost, already larger than his litter mates, smelled her, gave her ear a careful nip, and settled back down.

Here we see how much wolves mirror their "other half".

Nymeria is wary because she and Arya know they are (or will be soon) in trouble.

Ghost, who is larger then all other pups (ties-in with Jon growing up faster) gave Nym a wolf version of hair ruffling, little sister greeting ritual.

“Nothing is fair,” Jon said. He messed up her hair again and walked away from her, Ghost moving silently beside him. Nymeria started to follow too, then stopped and came back when she saw that Arya was not coming.

Ghost is a leader. Nym is very willing to follow him.

And suddenly Ghost was back, stalking softly between two weirwoods. White fur and red eyes, Jon realized, disquieted. Like the trees . . .

The wolf had something in his jaws. Something black. “What’s he got there?” asked Bowen Marsh, frowning.

“To me, Ghost.” Jon knelt. “Bring it here.”

The direwolf trotted to him. Jon heard Samwell Tarly’s sharp intake of breath.

“Gods be good,” Dywen muttered. “That’s a hand.”

Ghost is very deliberately linked with the trees.

He is just like them and (IMO) a living Avatar of the gods.

Without him they wouldn't have found the bodies.

“They . . . they aren’t rotting.” Sam pointed, his fat finger shaking only a little. “Look, there’s . . . there’s no maggots or . . . or . . . worms or anything . . . they’ve been lying here in the woods, but they . . . they haven’t been chewed or eaten by animals . . . only Ghost . . . otherwise they’re . . . they’re . . . ”

“Untouched,” Jon said softly. “And Ghost is different. The dogs and the horses won’t go near them.”

The rangers exchanged glances; they could see it was true, every man of them. Mormont frowned, glancing from the corpses to the dogs. “Chett, bring the hounds closer.”

Chett tried, cursing, yanking on the leashes, giving one animal a lick of his boot. Most of the dogs just whimpered and planted their feet. He tried dragging one. The bitch resisted, growling and squirming as if to escape her collar. Finally she lunged at him. Chett dropped the leash and stumbled backward. The dog leapt over him and bounded off into the trees.

Some commands are more easily given than obeyed. They wrapped the dead men in cloaks, but when Hake and Dywen tried to tie one onto a horse, the animal went mad, screaming and rearing, lashing out with its hooves, even biting at Ketter when he ran to help. The rangers had no better luck with the other garrons; not even the most placid wanted any part of these burdens. In the end they were forced to hack off branches and fashion crude slings to carry the corpses back on foot. It was well past midday by the time they started back.

The animals know that the bodies are turned into wrights.

They "go mad" from fear if they are close to them.

Ghost is, once again, different.

He have no fear of the cold altered dead.

Another thing that show us that the OG had a hand in making him.

Yet he must have dozed. When he woke, his legs were stiff and cramped and the candle had long since burned out. Ghost stood on his hind legs, scrabbling at the door. Jon was startled to see how tall he’d grown. “Ghost, what is it?” he called softly. The direwolf turned his head and looked down at him, baring his fangs in a silent snarl. Has he gone mad? Jon wondered. “It’s me, Ghost,” he murmured, trying not to sound afraid. Yet he was trembling, violently. When had it gotten so cold?

Ghost backed away from the door. There were deep gouges where he’d raked the wood. Jon watched him with mounting disquiet. “There’s someone out there, isn’t there?” he whispered. Crouching, the direwolf crept backward, white fur rising on the back of his neck. The guard, he thought, they left a man to guard my door, Ghost smells him through the door, that’s all it is.

Slowly, Jon pushed himself to his feet. He was shivering uncontrollably, wishing he still had a sword. Three quick steps brought him to the door. He grabbed the handle and pulled it inward. The creak of the hinges almost made him jump.

His guard was sprawled bonelessly across the narrow steps, looking up at him. Looking up at him, even though he was lying on his stomach. His head had been twisted completely around.

It can’t be, Jon told himself. This is the Lord Commander’s Tower, it’s guarded day and night, this couldn’t happen, it’s a dream, I’m having a nightmare.

Ghost slid past him, out the door. The wolf started up the steps, stopped, looked back at Jon. That was when he heard it; the soft scrape of a boot on stone, the sound of a latch turning. The sounds came from above. From the Lord Commander’s chambers.

Ghost knows that the dead are walking. And leads Jon to them.

Then he saw it, a shadow in the shadows, sliding toward the inner door that led to Mormont’s sleeping cell, a man-shape all in black, cloaked and hooded . . . but beneath the hood, its eyes shone with an icy blue radiance . . .

Ghost leapt. Man and wolf went down together with neither scream nor snarl, rolling, smashing into a chair, knocking over a table laden with papers. Mormont’s raven was flapping overhead, screaming, “Corn, corn, corn, corn.” Jon felt as blind as Maester Aemon. Keeping the wall to his back, he slid toward the window and ripped down the curtain. Moonlight flooded the solar. He glimpsed black hands buried in white fur, swollen dark fingers tightening around his direwolf’s throat. Ghost was twisting and snapping, legs flailing in the air, but he could not break free.

****

Jon’s breath went out of him as the fallen table caught him between his shoulder blades. The sword, where was the sword? He’d lost the damned sword! When he opened his mouth to scream, the wight jammed its black corpse fingers into Jon’s mouth. Gagging, he tried to shove it off, but the dead man was too heavy. Its hand forced itself farther down his throat, icy cold, choking him. Its face was against his own, filling the world. Frost covered its eyes, sparkling blue. Jon raked cold flesh with his nails and kicked at the thing’s legs. He tried to bite, tried to punch, tried to breathe . . .

And suddenly the corpse’s weight was gone, its fingers ripped from his throat. It was all Jon could do to roll over, retching and shaking.

Ghost had it again. He watched as the direwolf buried his teeth in the wight’s gut and began to rip and tear. He watched, only half conscious, for a long moment before he finally remembered to look for his sword . . .

Regular animals won't come close to inanimate wights.

I shudder to think how would they react to walking ones.

But Ghost attacks and even saves Jon's life again.

Jon tried to shout, but his voice was gone. Staggering to his feet, he kicked the arm away and snatched the lamp from the Old Bear’s fingers. The flame flickered and almost died. “Burn!” the raven cawed. “Burn, burn, burn!”

Spinning, Jon saw the drapes he’d ripped from the window. He flung the lamp into the puddled cloth with both hands. Metal crunched, glass shattered, oil spewed, and the hangings went up in a great whoosh of flame. The heat of it on his face was sweeter than any kiss Jon had ever known. “Ghost!” he shouted.

The direwolf wrenched free and came to him as the wight struggled to rise, dark snakes spilling from the great wound in its belly. Jon plunged his hand into the flames, grabbed a fistful of the burning drapes, and whipped them at the dead man. Let it burn, he prayed as the cloth smothered the corpse, gods, please, please, let it burn.

I have to wonder about the raven knowing and shouting that the wight should be burnt.

Could have BR been there that night?

Did he and Ghost work in tandem? Was BR the one to call Ghost and tells him LC will be killed?

“Keep quiet, all of you,” Haider said. “I thought I heard something.”

“Where? I didn’t hear anything.” The horses stopped.

“You can’t hear yourself fart.”

“I can too,” Grenn insisted.

“Quiet!”

They all fell silent, listening. Jon found himself holding his breath. Sam, he thought. He hadn’t gone to the Old Bear, but he hadn’t gone to bed either, he’d woken the other boys. Damn them all. Come dawn, if they were not in their beds, they’d be named deserters too. What did they think they were doing?

The hushed silence seemed to stretch on and on. From where Jon crouched, he could see the legs of their horses through the branches. Finally Pyp spoke up. “What did you hear?”

“I don’t know,” Haider admitted. “A sound, I thought it might have been a horse but . . . ”

“There’s nothing here.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jon glimpsed a pale shape moving through the trees. Leaves rustled, and Ghost came bounding out of the shadows, so suddenly that Jon’s mare started and gave a whinny. “There!” Halder shouted.

“I heard it too!”

“Traitor,” Jon told the direwolf as he swung up into the saddle. He turned the mare’s head to slide off through the trees, but they were on him before he had gone ten feet.

Ghost prevents Jon from being a oath-breaker.

If he hadn't deliberately made noise and startled Jon's horse Jon would have gone unnoticed and would have been a oath-breaker.

This saves Jon life (he would have been beheaded if caught) and returns him to Wall (where the Old Gods want him).

“All I know is that the blood of the First Men flows in the veins of the Starks. The First Men built the Wall, and it’s said they remember things otherwise forgotten. And that beast of yours . . . he led us to the wights, warned you of the dead man on the steps. Ser Jaremy would doubtless call that happenstance, yet Ser Jaremy is dead and I’m not.” Lord Mormont stabbed a chunk of ham with the point of his dagger. “I think you were meant to be here, and I want you and that wolf of yours with us when we go beyond the Wall.”

I agree with the Old Bear. Jon and the Ghost were meant to be there.

The Old Gods made sure of it.

Continues in the next post.

[Dark Heart]

“Your head’s as wooden as your teeth,” Hake told him. “There’s no smell to cold.”

There is, thought Jon, remembering the night in the Lord Commander’s chambers. It smells like death.

****

A sound rose out of the darkness, faint and distant, but unmistakable: the howling of wolves. Their voices rose and fell, a chilly song, and lonely. It made the hairs rise along the back of his neck. Across the fire, a pair of red eyes regarded him from the shadows. The light of the flames made them glow.

“Ghost,” Jon breathed, surprised. “So you came inside after all, eh?” The white wolf often hunted all night; he had not expected to see him again till daybreak. “Was the hunting so bad?” he asked. “Here. To me, Ghost.”

The direwolf circled the fire, sniffing Jon, sniffing the wind, never still. It did not seem as if he were after meat right now. When the dead came walking, Ghost knew. He woke me, warned me. Alarmed, he got to his feet. “is something out there? Ghost, do you have a scent?” Dywen said he smelled cold.

The direwolf loped off, stopped, looked back. He wants me to follow.

****

He found Ghost lapping from the stream. “Ghost,” he called, “to me. Now.” When the direwolf raised his head, his eyes glowed red and baleful, and water streamed down from his jaws like slaver. There was something fierce and terrible about him in that instant. And then he was off, bounding past Jon, racing through the trees. “Ghost, no, stay,” he shouted, but the wolf paid no heed. The lean white shape was swallowed by the dark, and Jon had only two choices—to climb the hill again, alone, or to follow.

****

A quarter way around the Fist he chased the wolf before he lost him again. Finally he stopped to catch his breath amidst the scrub, thorns, and tumbled rocks at the base of the hill. Beyond the torchlight, the dark pressed close.

A soft scrabbling noise made him turn. Jon moved toward the sound, stepping carefully among boulders and thornbushes. Behind a fallen tree, he came on Ghost again. The direwolf was digging furiously, kicking up dirt.

“What have you found?” Jon lowered the torch, revealing a rounded mound of soft earth. A grave, he thought. But whose?

He knelt, jammed the torch into the ground beside him. The soil was loose, sandy. Jon pulled it out by the fistful. There were no stones, no roots. Whatever was here had been put here recently. Two feet down, his fingers touched cloth. He had been expecting a corpse, fearing a corpse, but this was something else. He pushed against the fabric and felt small, hard shapes beneath, unyielding. There was no smell, no sign of graveworms. Ghost backed off and sat on his haunches, watching.

Jon brushed the loose soil away to reveal a rounded bundle perhaps two feet across. He jammed his fingers down around the edges and worked it loose. When he pulled it free, whatever was inside shifted and clinked. Treasure, he thought, but the shapes were wrong to be coins, and the sound was wrong for metal.

A length of frayed rope bound the bundle together. Jon unsheathed his dagger and cut it, groped for the edges of the cloth, and pulled. The bundle turned, and its contents spilled out onto the ground, glittering dark and bright. He saw a dozen knives, leaf-shaped spearheads, numerous arrowheads. Jon picked up a dagger blade, featherlight and shiny black, hiltless. Torchlight ran along its edge, a thin orange line that spoke of razor sharpness. Dragonglass. What the maesters call obsidian. Had Ghost uncovered some ancient cache of the children of the forest, buried here for thousands of years? The Fist of the First Men was an old place, only . .

When the Other and dead walk there is a smell of cold and death around.

Ghost smells something and Jon is concerned. Have the dead come again?

But Ghost, who looks "fierce and terrible" (the eyes of the weirwood are also often described the same) leads him to buried Dragonglass.

Dragonglass that can be used to fight Others.

Ghost could have smelled the cloak it was wrapped in but he could have been lead by the OG / BR too.

Jon did not think sleep would come easily, but he knew the Halfhand was right. He found a place out of the wind, beneath an overhang of rock, and took off his cloak to use it for a blanket. “Ghost,” he called. “Here. To me.” He always slept better with the great white wolf beside him; there was comfort in the smell of him, and welcome warmth in that shaggy pale fur. This time, though, Ghost did no more than look at him. Then he turned away and padded around the garrons, and quick as that he was gone. He wants to hunt, Jon thought. Perhaps there were goats in these mountains. The shadowcats must live on something. “Just don’t try and bring down a ’cat,” he muttered. Even for a direwolf, that would be dangerous. He tugged his cloak over him and stretched out beneath the rock.

When he closed his eyes, he dreamed of direwolves.

There were five of them when there should have been six, and they were scattered, each apart from the others. He felt a deep ache of emptiness, a sense of incompleteness. The forest was vast and cold, and they were so small, so lost. His brothers were out there somewhere, and his sister, but he had lost their scent. He sat on his haunches and lifted his head to the darkening sky, and his cry echoed through the forest, a long lonely mournful sound. As it died away, he pricked up his ears, listening for an answer, but the only sound was the sigh of blowing snow.

Ghost sense his siblings and mourn their lost sister.

He also knows how lost they are and wishes to call them back.

Also, notice that Ghost calls for them.

He sat on his haunches and lifted his head to the darkening sky, and his cry echoed through the forest, a long lonely mournful sound.

Ghost is mute so his "cry" and "sound" must be mental / emotional and only heard with DW bond.

Jon?

The call came from behind him, softer than a whisper, but strong too. Can a shout be silent? He turned his head, searching for his brother, for a glimpse of a lean grey shape moving beneath the trees, but there was nothing, only . . .

A weirwood.

It seemed to sprout from solid rock, its pale roots twisting up from a myriad of fissures and hairline cracks. The tree was slender compared to other weirwoods he had seen, no more than a sapling, yet it was growing as he watched, its limbs thickening as they reached for the sky. Wary, he circled the smooth white trunk until he came to the face. Red eyes looked at him. Fierce eyes they were, yet glad to see him. The weirwood had his brother’s face. Had his brother always had three eyes?

Not always, came the silent shout. Not before the crow.

He sniffed at the bark, smelled wolf and tree and boy, but behind that there were other scents, the rich brown smell of warm earth and the hard grey smell of stone and something else, something terrible. Death, he knew. He was smelling death. He cringed back, his hair bristling, and bared his fangs.

Don’t be afraid, I like it in the dark. No one can see you, but you can see them. But first you have to open your eyes. See? Like this. And the tree reached down and touched him.

Long before he finds BR Bran speaks with the Ghost.

The trees don't feel time like the rest of us. So, in one of the upcoming books Bran will go into the tree and have this conversation with Ghost.

Time travel Martin's way.

And another way to show Ghost/OG connection.

When Brans trays to speak with Ned in the same way, Ned feels "something" but can't hear him.

Ghost?

Not only understands Bran perfectly but can smell BR's cave.

Tree!Bran also shows him the way to "open his eyes".

Then a sudden gust of cold made his fur stand up, and the air thrilled to the sound of wings. As he lifted his eyes to the ice-white mountain heights above, a shadow plummeted out of the sky. A shrill scream split the air. He glimpsed blue-grey pinions spread wide, shutting out the sun . . .

“Ghost!” Jon shouted, sitting up. He could still feel the talons, the pain. “Ghost, to me!”

Ebben appeared, grabbed him, shook him. “Quiet! You mean to bring the wildlings down on us? What’s wrong with you, boy?”

“A dream,” said Jon feebly. “I was Ghost, I was on the edge of the mountain looking down on a frozen river, and something attacked me. A bird . . . an eagle, I think . . . ”

Ghost finds the wildling and is attacked by a eagle.

Jon feels the pains of it's talons.

The bond is now so deep they feel each other pain.

He found Ghost atop the hill, as he thought he might. The white wolf never howled, yet something drew him to the heights all the same, and he would squat there on his hindquarters, hot breath rising in a white mist as his red eyes drank the stars.

The iconic picture; white wolf, on top of the hill howling at the moon.

But Ghost is mute and can't howl. Or maybe he can. Maybe we just can hear him.

Who's to say he's not calling on some "frequency" only his brothers and sister can hear?

“You cannot come with me,” Jon said, cupping the wolf’s head in his hands and looking deep into those eyes. “You have to go to Castle Black. Do you understand? Castle Black. Can you find it? The way home? Just follow the ice, east and east, into the sun, and you’ll find it. They will know you at Castle Black, and maybe your coming will warn them.” He had thought of writing out a warning for Ghost to carry, but he had no ink, no parchment, not even a writing quill, and the risk of discovery was too great. “I will meet you again at Castle Black, but you have to get there by yourself. We must each hunt alone for a time. Alone.”

The direwolf twisted free of Jon’s grasp, his ears pricked up. And suddenly he was bounding away. He loped through a tangle of brush, leapt a deadfall, and raced down the hillside, a pale streak among the trees. Off to Castle Black? Jon wondered. Or off after a hare? He wished he knew. He feared he might prove just as poor a warg as a sworn brother and a spy.

As we see later Ghost understood perfectly and was very capable of finding his way.

I also think that the last sentence is a hint.

Jon thinks he was a poor brother of the NW, poor spy and will be just as poor warg.

But we know he is a very good black brother (will be a LC), a good spy (his spying will save the wall) and he will probably turn to be a good warg too.

He wanted it, Jon knew then. He wanted it as much as he had ever wanted anything. I have always wanted it, he thought, guiltily. May the gods forgive me. It was a hunger inside him, sharp as a dragonglass blade. A hunger . . . he could feel it. It was food he needed, prey, a red deer that stank of fear or a great elk proud and defiant. He needed to kill and fill his belly with fresh meat and hot dark blood. His mouth began to water with the thought.

It was a long moment before he understood what was happening. When he did, he bolted to his feet. “Ghost?” He turned toward the wood, and there he came, padding silently out of the green dusk, the breath coming warm and white from his open jaws. “Ghost!” he shouted, and the direwolf broke into a run. He was leaner than he had been, but bigger as well, and the only sound he made was the soft crunch of dead leaves beneath his paws. When he reached Jon he leapt, and they wrestled amidst brown grass and long shadows as the stars came out above them. “Gods, wolf, where have you been?” Jon said when Ghost stopped worrying at his forearm. “I thought you’d died on me, like Robb and Ygritte and all the rest. I’ve had no sense of you, not since I climbed the Wall, not even in dreams.” The direwolf had no answer, but he licked Jon’s face with a tongue like a wet rasp, and his eyes caught the last light and shone like two great red suns.

Red eyes, Jon realized, but not like Melisandre’s. He had a weirwood’s eyes. Red eyes, red mouth, white fur. Blood and bone, like a heart tree. He belongs to the old gods, this one. And he alone of all the direwolves was white. Six pups they’d found in the late summer snows, him and Robb; five that were grey and black and brown, for the five Starks, and one white, as white as Snow.

He had his answer then.

Jon is faced with a dilemma.

And once again he is in a low moment. He thinks about forsaking his vows and walking away from the wall.

Before he can make that decision a long absent Ghost returns.

Chance or will of OG?

I'm betting on OG.

Especially considering the underlined part.

Ghost is Snow, Ghost belong to Old Gods.

Always had and always will.

Again he influence Jon in staying in NW and on Wall.

The kettle was in the corner by the hearth, a big black potbellied thing with two huge handles and a heavy lid. Maester Aemon said a word to Sam and Clydas and they went and grabbed the handles and dragged the kettle over to the table. A few of the brothers were already queueing up by the token barrels as Clydas took the lid off and almost dropped it on his foot. With a raucous scream and a clap of wings, a huge raven burst out of the kettle. It flapped upward, seeking the rafters perhaps, or a window to make its escape, but there were no rafters in the vault, nor windows either. The raven was trapped. Cawing loudly, it circled the hall, once, twice, three times. And Jon heard Samwell Tarly shout, “I know that bird! That’s Lord Mormont’s raven!”

The raven landed on the table nearest Jon. “Snow,” it cawed. It was an old bird, dirty and bedraggled. “Snow,” it said again, “Snow, snow, snow.” It walked to the end of the table, spread its wings again, and flew to Jon’s shoulder.

Lord Janos Slynt sat down so heavily he made a thump, but Ser Alliser filled the vault with mocking laughter. “Ser Piggy thinks we’re all fools, brothers,” he said. “He’s taught the bird this little trick. They all say snow, go up to the rookery and hear for yourselves. Mormont’s bird had more words than that.”

The raven cocked its head and looked at Jon. “Corn?” it said hopefully. When it got neither corn nor answer, it quorked and muttered, “Kettle? Kettle? Kettle?”

“Sam, Sam, Sam the wizard, Sam the wonder, Sam Sam the marvel man, he did it. But when did you hide the raven in the kettle, Sam, and how in seven hells could you be certain it would fly to Jon? It would have mucked up everything if the bird had decided to perch on Janos Slynt’s fat head.”

“I had nothing to do with the bird,” Sam insisted. “When it flew out of the kettle I almost wet myself.”

The Old Gods sure are subtle aren't they? :lol:

First they get Ghost to keep Jon on the Wall and then the raven (BR?) influence the NW to make him a Lord Comander.

They are telling Jon that he won't be the lord of WF but of NW.

The white wolf raced through a black wood, beneath a pale cliff as tall as the sky. The moon ran with him, slipping through a tangle of bare branches overhead, across the starry sky.

“Snow,” the moon murmured. The wolf made no answer. Snow crunched beneath his paws. The wind sighed through the trees.

Far off, he could hear his packmates calling to him, like to like. They were hunting too. A wild rain lashed down upon his black brother as he tore at the flesh of an enormous goat, washing the blood from his side where the goat’s long horn had raked him. In another place, his little sister lifted her head to sing to the moon, and a hundred small grey cousins broke off their hunt to sing with her. The hills were warmer where they were, and full of food. Many a night his sister’s pack gorged on the flesh of sheep and cows and horses, the prey of men, and sometimes even on the flesh of man himself.

“Snow,” the moon called down again, cackling. The white wolf padded along the man trail beneath the icy cliff. The taste of blood was on his tongue, and his ears rang to the song of the hundred cousins. Once they had been six, five whimpering blind in the snow beside their dead mother, sucking cool milk from her hard dead nipples whilst he crawled off alone. Four remained … and one the white wolf could no longer sense.

“Snow,” the moon insisted.

The white wolf ran from it, racing toward the cave of night where the sun had hidden, his breath frosting in the air. On starless nights the great cliff was as black as stone, a darkness towering high above the wide world, but when the moon came out it shimmered pale and icy as a frozen stream. The wolf’s pelt was thick and shaggy, but when the wind blew along the ice no fur could keep the chill out. On the other side the wind was colder still, the wolf sensed. That was where his brother was, the grey brother who smelled of summer.

“Snow.” An icicle tumbled from a branch. The white wolf turned and bared his teeth. “Snow!” His fur rose bristling, as the woods dissolved around him. “Snow, snow, snow!” He heard the beat of wings. Through the gloom a raven flew.

So many thing here.

First, Ghost not only feels his brother and "his little sister" (I love it that even he is using the same nicname) but can expirience the things they do.

The bond is even stronger.

Shaggydog have flesh and blood in his mouth = Ghost can tast the blood.

Nymeria sings with her pack = Ghost's "ears rang to the song of the hundred cousins".

He also knows where Summer is.

And all the time a raven is following and calling him.

By now we all suspect who the raven is. But the interesting thing is;

Ghost snarls at him.

There are many way to see that. I perfer to think of it as Ghost saying "Not yet."

That BR is calling Jon and Ghost (to tellls them things) but that Ghost think it's not time yet.