After Eddard’s departure, Maester Luwin visits Catelyn in Bran’s chamber. He informs that the management of the castle requires her attention, particularly the ruinous cost of the king's visit. Catelyn angrily says she cannot leave Bran’s side as Robb arrives and asserts that he will make the appointments and look at the accounts, to Luwin’s satisfaction. After Luwin takes his leave, Robb opens the shutters so Bran can hear the direwolves howling for him and then asks his mother when she is planning to leave Bran’s room. He notes that the most dangerous time for Bran is past, but Catelyn refuses in case anything happens. Robb declares that her other children need her, stating that Rickon is six, doesn't understand what is happening and spends his days following Robb around, asking where his mother is. Catelyn asks Robb to close the window, but as Robb turns he sees fire and smoke in the distance, from another part of the castle. He rushes out to investigate. Several moments later a hooded man slips into the room and is surprised to see Catelyn. The man tells her that Bran is dead already and this will be a mercy, drawing a sharp and elaborate dagger. Catelyn fights him off, cutting her hands against the blade in the process. Bran's direwolf then charges into the room and tears out the would-be assassin's throat. Lady Catelyn looks gratefully at the animal as he jumps onto Bran’s bed and stands guard over him.

Catelyn later investigates the tower from where Bran fell. Scouring the interior for clues, she finds a single strand of golden hair. She then meets with Robb, Maester Luwin, Rodrik Cassel and Theon Greyjoy in the godswood to inform them that she no longer believes that Bran fell from the tower, adding that there have now been two attempts on Bran's life and the only reason for this is if he saw something he shouldn’t have. She has no idea what that is, only it is important enough to be killed over. Catelyn asserts her suspicions that the Lannisters are plotting against the crown. Robb angrily denounces the Lannisters for their acts, suggesting that if it is war they want, he will give it to them. Luwin then asserts that someone must inform Lord Eddard of their findings. Robb offers to go, but Catelyn replies that there must always be a Stark in Winterfell. She will go instead, leaving Bran to Robb’s care. That afternoon, wasting no time, Catelyn leaves her woven Seven-Pointed Star, filled with representations of the Seven, on Bran’s wall before taking her leave and traveling down to King’s Landing.

Coincidentally, some hours after his mother’s departure, Bran wakes from his coma without either of his parents by his side, no memory of the events leading to his fall and without the ability to walk. Afterwards, a crow flies into Bran's bedroom and starts cawing at him. Old Nan, a senior servant to Winterfell, tells Bran to ignore it, as crows as are all liars. She then tries to cheer Bran up, offering to tell him a story about Ser Duncan the Tall. Bran asserts that he hates her stories and prefers scary stories. Old Nan retorts by asking him what does he know about fear. She then starts to tell him about the Long Night, when the land froze under a winter thousands of years ago that lasted for years on end, and out of that darkness the White Walkers came, riding their dead horses and hunting with packs of giant spiders. His brother Robb then enters and interrupts her fabled tales from centuries ago, dismissing Old Nan and commanding her to have supper so he can be alone with Bran. Robb passes off Nan’s stories as tall tales, stating that once she had told Robb that the sky was blue because they all lived within a giant’s blue eye. He then asks Bran how he fell, but Bran still can’t remember. Robb is puzzled, as he's seen Bran climb a thousand times in all weather and never fell. Bran asks if it’s true that he will never walk again and Robb nods in confirmation. Bran insists that he’d rather be dead. A shocked Robb chides his little brother for expressing such thoughts, but Bran reiterates his feelings, as a boy who wants nothing more than to grow up as a knight.

Days later, a sleeping Bran dreams that he is practicing his archery in Winterfell's courtyard when a raven flies into the yard. Curious, Bran follows it, as it flies into the entrance to the family crypts beneath the castle. Bran then notices that the raven has three eyes before waking up in his bed, startled. Theon Greyjoy arrives to summon Bran to the Great Hall as they have visitors. Bran doesn't want to see anyone, but Theon insists that his brother Robb has commanded it, as the acting Lord of Winterfell. Theon then summons Hodor, a large simple-minded servant of the castle, to carry him down to the hall. In the hall, he is greeted by Lord Tyrion Lannister, the youngest of the Lannister siblings, who is paying a visit as he heads back down to the capital. Tyrion asks Bran if he remembers anything about being pushed as Maester  Luwin confirms that he cannot remember anything. Tyrion then asks Bran if he likes to ride. Bran confirms, but notes that he will not ride again due to his injury. Tyrion assures him that with the right saddle even a cripple can ride. He then hands Bran a design for a saddle. Tyrion informs that with it he can ride as well as any boy. Robb asks Tyrion why he is doing his brother a kindness as Tyrion replies that he has a weakness for “cripples, bastards and broken things.” Robb then offers Tyrion the hospitality of Winterfell, but Tyrion refuses it, saying he’d rather take his ease in the brothel in the outlying village of Winter Town.

Some time afterwards, Maester Luwin is teaching Bran about the Great Houses in the castle courtyard. First up is Theon Greyjoy’s home of the Iron Islands, as Bran accurately replies what their words are and what their sigil is. After accurately reporting the details for House Baratheon, Bran then gets stuck on the Lannisters: he gives their motto as, "A Lannister always pays his debts," which Luwin points out is a common saying, but not their official motto, which is "Hear Me Roar!" Bran runs through the mottos of House Martell and House Hornwood before saying the words of House Tully: “family, duty, honour,” the words of his mother Catelyn’s house. Bran repeats the house motto and angrily asserts that family comes first, as Luwin then realizes Bran is upset by his mother's long absence. Luwin insists that Catelyn had to go and will be back as soon as she can. Bran then asks if he knows that for sure, or if he knows where she is today, as Luwin informs that he does not. Bran gloomily watches Theon Greyjoy practicing archery and declares that he will not shoot a bow again. Luwin informs that this is not the case, adding that if Lord Tyrion’s saddle actually works, Bran could learn to shoot a bow from horseback. Luwin then notes that Dothraki boys start to learn when they are four years old. This cheers Bran up.

Days later, after having another dream about the three-eyed raven, Bran tries his new saddle on a ride in the Wolfswood and is thrilled to find that it works. Robb and Theon sit in the center of the clearing as they watch Bran happily riding. However, Robb has received news of grave events that have occurred in King's Landing, as the Lannisters have attacked and killed several of Lord Eddard’s men, with he himself injured in the leg. Theon asks Robb when he plans to tell Bran about them, but Robb insists that the time isn't right. They come to realize that Bran has disappeared on horseback. Meanwhile, Bran continues to ride further into the woods as four unkept wildlings start creeping after him, trying to stay hidden. They sneak up and surround Bran, as a wildling woman named Osha grabs the horse reins. Bran informs that he is unable to get off the saddle due to the design of the straps, allowing them to see that he is crippled. During the ambush, he is cut on the leg, allowing him to discover that he is immune to pain as well as being immobile. Robb and Theon race in and defend Bran, killing three of the wildlings. The lone woman, Osha, puts her hands together and begs for her life, insisting that if Robb will spare her, she promises to serve House Stark. Robb decides to keep her alive, to her great relief.

Some weeks later, word has reached Winterfell that a drunken King Robert has died after being injured by a boar during a hunt. Bran’s father Eddard then challenges the legitimacy of Robert's heir, Prince Joffrey Baratheon, with the recently-discovered evidence of Queen Cersei’s incestuous infidelity. However, Eddard is then arrested for treason and the young Prince Joffrey is coronated as the new king, which results in Robb assembling the North’s bannermen to unite their armies in fighting the Lannisters. After the bannermen arrive, Bran witnesses a violent conflict between Robb and Greatjon Umber, who falsely assumed he would be leading the vanguard south. Later that evening, Robb says farewell to Bran and Rickon as he leaves for war. Bran tries to convince Robb to allow him to join but Robb insist that a Stark must always remain in Winterfell. The following day, Bran prays by the heart tree when he is approached by the surrendered wildling Osha who tells him the Old Gods of the Forest are listening to him. She laments that the south has lost touch with the past, as the southern weirwood trees were cut down years ago, adding that the Southerners have no idea what's awakening in the North. They are interrupted by Bran’s servant Hodor, who was bathing and has forgotten to put his clothes back on. Curious, Bran asks Osha if giants live beyond the Wall. She affirms that they do, and many other beings, though not all of them are friendly. She then asserts that the army Robb has gathered should be marching north, not south.

Weeks later, as Bran rides on Osha’s shoulders, he informs her of the recurring dream he’s been experiencing that feature a three-eyed raven. He also states that he saw his father in the crypts. Osha, however, is skeptical. Bran taunts her about her fear of the catacombs and eventually she agrees to take him down to the crypts. Once underground, Bran recites the names of his deceased relatives as they pass by their statues. They approach the place where Lord Eddard appeared in Bran’s dream. There, they are then startled by his brother Rickon and his direwolf  Shaggydog. Rickon eerily informs that he’s also dreamt of their father in that spot. Bran and Osha then depart to return to the courtyard, as Osha attempts to soothe Bran’s worries about his father. As they exit the crypts, they cross paths in the courtyard with a distraught Maester Luwin, who bears bad news. Bran is then informed that Lord Eddard has been executed in the capital for treason, leaving the future of House Stark in grave danger now with Robb and Catelyn at war with the Lannisters, Sansa held hostage by them, and Arya’s disappearance.

Some months following his father’s execution, Prince Bran holds court with his vassals at Winterfell, as the rest of his family, aside from Rickon, have yet to return. His mother Catelyn and brother Robb are waging war against the Lannisters in the Riverlands while his sister Sansa still remains a hostage of the capital and Arya’s whereabouts have yet to be discovered. In the great hall, a lord begs for assistance preparing his holdfast for the coming winter. The lord recalls the skill of the builders who worked on Torrhen's Square and complains at length about the poor condition of his own home. Maester Luwin reminds the man that the maintenance of his home is his own responsibility as the lord then asserts that his young men are fighting in Robb's war. Bran is offended by the lord's failure to refer to Robb as his king, as well as his inference that Robb wanted the war. Bran questions his fealty, but Luwin interjects that they will lend the man four masons for a week, concluding the discourse. Bran stares at his counselor and Luwin jokes that they didn't want the lord there all day. Bran insists that he didn’t like the way he spoke about Robb, as Luwin sympathizes before reminding Bran of his responsibilities as Lord of Winterfell. He then greets the next in a long line of minor lords, Lord Portan.

Later on, Bran dreams that he is his direwolf Summer and can see the world through the wolf’s eyes, as he stalks through the godswood and looks up at a red comet. He goes to the pool next to the heart tree and looks down at his reflection, staring into the eyes of his wolf. As result of his curiosity towards the dream, the following day Bran has Hodor carry him out to the godswood. The wildling Osha  accompanies them and finds a plant that can be used to make a pain-relieving tea, pointedly informing Bran of their healing properties. Bran curtly informs Osha that he does not feel any pain as she then retorts in saying that he is lucky this is the case. She asks Bran if he has had more strange dreams, though he lies when claiming that he does not dream at all. He changes the subject to the comet, saying that he has heard men say it is an omen favoring his brother Robb in the war against the Lannister. Osha informs that she has heard people say the comet is Lannister red and favors their enemies. She then adds that she also heard a stable boy say the comet was blood red and marked the death of Lord Eddard. Hodor then kneels by the pool as Osha helps Bran to the ground by its edge, affectionately stroking his hair. She tells him that stars do not fall for men and that a red comet signifies dragons. Bran stares at his reflection in the water and asserts that dragons are extinct, unaware that in recent months the sole House Targaryen heir, Daenerys, has brought three dragons into the world over in the eastern continent of Essos.

Some time later, Bran experiences another strange dream at Winterfell. This time he sees the castle through Summer's eyes. Meanwhile, Maester Luwin sends Hodor to rouse Bran. Summer follows Hodor to Bran's chamber and sits on his bed. Bran continues to see himself through the wolf's eyes as he awakens. Afterwards, during his lessons, Bran informs Luwin about his wolf dreams. He relates them to stories of people known as wargs that can live inside animals that he once heard from Old Nan. Luwin, however, tries to reassure Bran that they are only dreams. Bran insists that his dreams are different, reminding the maester that he and Rickon both shared the same dream of their father Eddard’s death the night before learning of his brutal demise. Luwin then shows Bran the Valyrian steel link on his master's chain. He explains that it represents the study of the higher mysteries and asserts that, despite his studies, he never found true magic. Luwin adds that perhaps it was once a mighty force in the world but it is no longer. He then helps Bran to bed and tells him that the dragons are gone, the giants are dead and the  Children of the Forest long-forgotten.

Some weeks later, in the great hall, Bran holds court for his people. A shepherd reports being unable to tend to his flock with his three sons fighting in the south. He reassures Bran of the loyalty of his sons but says that there are growing numbers of wolves in the North and that he cannot protect his sheep from them alone. Bran offers to assign two orphans from Winterfell’s outlying town to aid him if he will give them room and board. The shepherd gratefully accepts as Ser Rodrik Cassel then enters to reports that Torrhen’s Square is under siege. Maester Luwin is shocked, remarking that Torrhen’s Square is just fourty leagues away and wonders how the Lannisters have reached so far north. Osha listens intently as she lights candles at the back of the room as Ser Rodrik speculates that it could be a raiding party led by Ser Gregor Clegane or a group of sellswords. Bran insists that they must help their bannermen. Ser Rodrik nods in agreement and asserts that even with most of their forces fighting for Robb he can still gather two-hundred men. Luwin wonders if Rodrik needs to take so many as Bran cautions that they must protect their bannermen if they expect the bannermen to protect them. Rodrik smiles at the boy’s wisdom and Bran orders him to leave as soon as he has his men. Rodrik confidently declares that it will not take long as southerners do not do well in their territory.

Afterwards, Hodor carries Bran across to the stables as Bran questions Osha about the significance of his dreams. She tells him to ask Luwin and he says that he already has, to no avail. Luwin has never heard of a "three-eyed raven". Osha asserts that this must make the dream meaningless and Bran accuses her of lying. She warns him not to call her a liar despite his status. Hodor and Osha then help Bran into his saddle that Lord Tyrion designed for him. Osha establishes that his dreams have featured the three eyed raven and reminds Bran that he had told her that he didn’t have any dreams when they visited the godswood as she then calls him the liar. He can only smile at this, as it is true. Osha then presses him about the dreams as Bran reports dreaming that the sea had flooded Winterfell and drowned his people, including Ser Rodrik. Osha reassures him that the sea is hundreds of miles away as she hurries to take her basket of potatoes to the kitchens. Bran then asks her what they say about the three eyed raven north of the Wall. She refuses to answer, saying only that people say all kinds of crazy things beyond the Wall.

Some weeks later at Winterfell, Maester Luwin comes racing through a door as he quickly throws the latch to lock it behind him. Outside he can hear cries, crashes and raised voices while he frantically sends off a messenger-raven. A band of raiders from House Greyjoy, led by Lord Eddard’s former ward Theon Greyjoy, are seizing the undefended castle. Bran, awakened from his sleep by Theon, reminds the Greyjoy prince that he left Winterfell to fight for his brother Robb. Theon informs Bran that Robb sent him back to his home of Pyke in order to seek an alliance, however, this is not what his father Balon Greyjoy wanted and saw an opportunity knowing that Winterfell was unprotected. Theon then organized luring the remaining castle’s defenders away with a feint at Torrhen's Square. Theon then demands for Bran to surrender the castle in order to save his people. In the courtyard, Bran submits in front of his assembled people. Ser Rodrik Cassel is captured by Theon's men, as his first mate Dagmer Cleftjaw insists that Rodrik is killed, or lose face in front of his Ironborn raiders. Theon initially botches the beheading of Ser Rodrik, requiring several hacks and a kick, horrifying the people of Winterfell. Later that evening, Osha then seduces Theon into bed, so that she can later sneak the Stark heirs out of Winterfell without him noticing. In the process of escaping with Bran,  Rickon, Hodor and their direwolves, she kills one of Theon's guards in the process.

The following morning, as Theon and his men search the areas outside of Winterfell for the escapees, Summer and Shaggydog roam ahead of Bran, Osha, Hodor and Rickon along the banks of a stream. Osha regrets not bringing more food with them, but Bran asserts that it was too risky to approach the kitchens. Osha argues that the people of Winterfell love the Starks and would have done anything for them as Bran responds that he was not willing to endanger the lives of his people by exposing them to Theon’s wrath. Osha insists that young Rickon cannot survive on walnuts alone, but Rickon assures that he is fine. Hodor then cracks a walnut for him in the palms of his hands. Osha frets that they have been walking for hours, declaring that even Hodor will tire eventually. The simple-minded Hodor responds by repeating his name aloud, as Osha affectionately calls him a sweet giant. The party then crest a hill, and Bran asks them to wait, recognizing a distant farm. He says that it belongs to the shepherd who he recently assigned two orphan boys to. Rickon remembers the boys and adds that they will help them. Bran is dubious about risking their safety, however, Osha warns that Theon will be tracking them with hounds and that they cannot outrun the Ironborn men forever.

Some time later, after Theon cannot locate the escapees whereabouts, he fakes the deaths of both Bran and Rickon using the bodies of the two young boys he captured from the nearby farm. The boys are burned so badly that they are unrecognizable and are hung outside in the courtyard for the people of Winterfell to see, believing them to be Bran and Rickon. Later, however, a distraught Maester Luwin crosses the courtyard and notices a starving Osha sneaking into the catacombs with loaves of bread. Luwin stares thoughtfully at the charred bodies, especially the leg muscle of the larger one, realizing that Theon has only faked their deaths. He then visits Osha down in the crypts, who lights a candle and explains that they went as far as the farm, but then evaded capture by doubling back. She asserts her hope in the fact that the catacombs will be the last place that Theon would think to search for the boys. Luwin insists that she’s been right thus far. Osha then asks about the bodies at the gates as Luwin relates his suspicion that they were the farmers boys. Osha is horrified that Theon killed and burned innocent children for his ruse, and passed them off as Bran and Rickon. Luwin warns her not to say anything to the Stark boys because Bran would blame himself. She promises to say nothing, agreeing that the Starks have suffered enough. However, Bran is awake and listening to every word as he is sat around the corner from them, while Hodor and Rickon are fast asleep.

Some days later, Osha leads Bran, Rickon and Hodor out of the catacombs. They find Winterfell a smoky haze with dead smallfolk littering the courtyard. It is unclear who is responsible for the sack of Winterfell, as Theon wanted to seize the castle, not destroy it. However, the Ironborn are gone and the gates hang wide open. When they reach the godswood they find a fatally-wounded Maester Luwin leaning against the heart tree. Bran tells him that everything has been burned down as Luwin asserts that not everything is lost, taking comfort in the boys being alive. He warns that those responsible might return, urging them to travel to the Wall where Bran’s half-brother Jon Snow will look after them. Osha argues that they should head south to their mother and brother, but Luwin informs that they don’t know their whereabouts and have too many enemies in the south. Bran says that he does not want to leave Luwin, as the maester then grips his hand, telling him that he feels the same way and adds that he considers himself very lucky to have known them. Osha stays behind as Luwin succumbs to his wounds. Shortly after, as Winterfell pours black smoke into the sky behind, Osha and Rickon trail after the wolves. Hodor follows them while pushing Bran in a small cart laden with supplies as they embark on the journey ahead.

Some time after escaping the ruins of Winterfell, Bran dreams that he is walking and hunting in the woods when he sees the mysterious three-eyed raven again. As he aims his bow at the raven, he relives his memories of when he was practicing archery with his brothers Jon and Robb in Winterfell’s courtyard, and hears the voice of his father Lord Eddard commenting on his brothers asking: “Which one of you was a marksman at ten?” Bran attempts at shooting the raven but misses. A young stranger then appears and the boy informs Bran that he cannot shoot the raven, because he is the raven. Bran awakens suddenly, worrying Hodor for a moment, but he insists to the group that he is fine. The wildling Osha asserts they have enough problems without his dark dreams. Bran, Rickon, Osha, Hodor and the direwolves, Summer and Shaggydog,  continue to head north from Winterfell towards the Wall to seek out Jon Snow. Later on, the same boy from the dream approaches their camp in the woods unarmed. Summer snarls at him initially but then sniffs his hand and turns away. Osha comes up behind the boy with a sharpened wooden spear, only for the boy's sister to surprise Osha and put a knife to her throat. The boy introduces himself as Jojen Reed, and his sister as Meera Reed. House Reed are loyal bannermen of House Stark, and they have been searching for Bran and Rickon so that they can protect him in his journey.

When they are on the move again, Jojen and Bran discuss his wolf-dreams. Jojen explains that Bran himself is a warg, as Bran recalls a conversation he had with the late Maester Luwin about people with the ability to live inside and control their animals. Jojen declares that warging starts out as vivid dreams seeing the world through their animal’s eyes, but assures that with practice Bran will be able to consciously enter the mind of his wolf and control its actions. Bran asks if prophetic dreams are part of being a warg, but Jojen explains that's a different yet related ability. “The sight,” also known as greensight, allows those who possess it to see events that haven't happened yet, or events that happened long before they were born. Jojen adds that the ability could allow one to see events happening now but thousands of miles away. Jojen then confirms that Bran's dream of his father Eddard the day he died was an example of greensight, and that Jojen himself had a similar dream the very same day. He asserts that when he told his father, Lord Howland Reed, of the dream, Howland openly wept, for he correctly realized that his son's dream signified that Eddard was dead. Bran informs that Howland was a great friend of his father Eddard's who fought alongside him during Robert's Rebellion. Jojen insists that Howland doesn't like to talk about the war much and then confirms that Bran wasn't simply experiencing a vision of Jojen in his earlier dream, but that he himself reached out with his mind to contact Bran in his dream. He adds that he remembers seeing the raven as well.

Some weeks later in the North, Bran is having a shared greensight dream with Jojen Reed. They are walking through the woods and see the three-eyed raven again. Jojen advises Bran that he must follow the raven, and when he is confused, Jojen points out that he must follow it by climbing a tree. Bran then begins to climb the tree that the raven has landed on but he soon becomes terrified, recalling the fall that crippled him when he was climbing the tower at Winterfell, though still not able to recall the circumstance of the fall itself. His dream then presents a vivid memory of his mother Catelyn repeating her warning to him the day of King Robert’s arrival. The warning in which she made him promise never to climb again - a promise which he broke, and thus indirectly led to the fall that crippled him. Bran is so terrified of the his dream’s interpretation of Catelyn yelling at him that he falls off the tree. Bran and Jojen then wake in their camp in the woods, with Bran disappointed that he couldn’t follow the raven.

Some time later, as they continue their journey towards the Wall, tensions rise when they stop for camp before sunset. Osha tries to instruct Meera Reed on how to skin a rabbit correctly. When Meera replies that she knows how to skin a rabbit, however, Osha insists that she does not, adding that when you grow up in the North you learn the proper way to handle game. Meera then suggests without her bow there wouldn’t be any game to skin and questions why they don’t teach people in the North to say thank you for catching their food. When an increasingly-annoyed Bran has had enough of their argument, he diffuses the situation by shouting at them, asserting that they have both been at each other since meeting. He insists that they make peace or they will never make it to the Wall. They then begrudgingly compliment each other in front of Bran to appease him. The awkward conversation is interrupted as Jojen Reed starts experiencing a seizure while sleeping. Meera explains they are caused by his visions and that they take a toll on his body. When Jojen wakes he then tells Bran that in his vision he saw his half-brother Jon Snow at Castle Black. When Bran questions what he saw Jojen asserts that Jon is on wrong side of the Wall and surrounded by enemies, meaning the wildlings.

One afternoon, later into their journey, Bran’s party makes camp, as Osha grows increasingly more tiresome of the Reeds. She rhetorically questions aloud to Hodor why Jojen gets to sit and talk with Bran all day while everyone else has to do all of the work. As Osha remains distrustful, she interrupts Jojen speaking with Bran to ask what he is telling him, adding that he is filling Bran’s head with black magic. She then reacts with horror when Jojen mentions that they intend to go beyond the Wall instead of Castle Black. Jojen insists that through his vision he has seen that Bran’s brother Jon is no longer at the Wall and their intended expedition is to now find the three-eyed raven. Bran further explains that with the loss of his legs the raven is all he has now, adding that maybe he fell from the tower for a reason. Osha bluntly refuses to go beyond the Wall, as she rages that none of them understand what lies there. She painfully recounts her past to Bran and the Reeds, informing them that her husband disappeared one night and everyone was convinced that he simply left her. However, Osha knew this was not the actions of her husband. She continues to explain that he indeed came back one night, but he was not her husband any longer. He was a dead man walking, who then attacked her until she stabbed him and burned her hut down with him inside. Osha declares that there is nothing left for men beyond the Wall and asserts that she promised Luwin to take them no further than Castle Black.

Weeks later, Bran and his group have passed far enough north that they have left the Seven Kingdoms and entered into the Gift: a stretch of land south of the Wall which was gifted to the Night's Watch thousands of years ago by Brandon the Builder. The Reeds are puzzled, because the Gift possesses good arable land but the countryside is empty. Bran explains, to Osha's discomfort, that wildling attacks coming over or around the Wall had caused most of the  smallfolk to flee the Gift over the centuries. Meanwhile, the Watch's diminishing numbers mean they don't really need that much support from the Gift anymore, explaining why they haven't encountered any brothers of the Watch working the lands either. Bran's group takes shelter in an abandoned mill to avoid an impending thunderstorm. Meanwhile, as Jojen’s vision proves correct, Bran’s brother Jon Snow has joined the wildlings, as he and a small party have also entered the Gift at the same time as Bran. Jon and the wildlings encounter an old farmer who they plan on attacking in order to steal his horses and gold, but Jon insists that the old man is no threat to the wildlings. The wildlings ignore Jon’s insistence, however, when they run towards the farmstead, Jon hits a rock with his sword, alerting the old man who then flees on horseback.

Later on, inside the abandoned mill of Queenscrown, as the storm continues thrashing through the countryside, Bran and Jojen discuss how they plan to cross the Wall before Meera spots the old farmer riding nearby from the window. She also witnesses the wildling party in pursuit of the old man. As the thunder begins to strike louder, Hodor grows increasingly frustrated and continues to shout from inside the mill, with Bran and the rest attempting to keep him quiet to evade them having to deal with their own wildling attack. Outside of the mill, after the old man is captured, the wildlings demand Jon Snow to kill him to prove his loyalty. Jon is ultimately unable to kill the innocent man, proving that he is still loyal to the Night's Watch, which then spurs on an aggressive fight with a warg named Orell. At the urging of Jojen, Bran then enters the mind of his direwolf in order to aid Jon. Summer, accompanied by Rickon’s wolf Shaggydog, kill two wildlings who threaten Jon. After an evenly-matched melee with Orell, Jon gets the upper-hand and is able to kill him with a sword through the chest, but not before the warg’s eagle attacks Jon, scratching his face with its claws. Jon then jumps onto a nearby horse and narrowly escapes the remaining wildlings, also leaving a possible reunion with his brother for another day, as Bran remains hidden inside the mill.

Later that evening, inside the mill, Bran informs Jojen that he was correct about his gifts and now has learned through his experience with warging that he can go into Summer’s mind at any time. Bran then tells Rickon that under the control of his direwolf he saw their half-brother outside fighting against the wildlings, but assures Rickon that Jon got away safely. Osha asserts that Jon will now be heading to Castle Black and they should as well. However, Bran insists again to Osha that he must go beyond the Wall to find the three-eyed raven, as this is his new mission. However, as Bran is concerned for Rickon’s safety, he commands Osha to take his brother with her to the Last Hearth, a nearby castle and holdfast of Greatjon Umber, a loyal bannerman of the Starks whom Bran remembers meeting at Winterfell just before his brother Robb rode south for the war. Bran bids a tearful Rickon farewell, who then leaves with Osha and his direwolf Shaggydog, while Bran plans on continuing northward with Hodor, Summer and the Reed siblings on his search for the three-eyed raven.

Some time later, Bran has finally reached the Wall and arrives at an abandoned castle named the Nightfort, formerly home to the Night’s Watch which had been deserted due to their dwindling numbers. Meera returns from scouting the castle and informs Bran, Hodor and Jojen that the ruined fortress is safe to enter. That evening, while around the fire, Bran tells the story of the Rat Cook, a Night's Watch member who killed a guest under his roof: a sin the gods cannot forgive. Coincidentally, Bran will eventually come to learn in a vision that his brother Robb and mother Catelyn were recently murdered by House Frey under their roof while plotting with the Lannisters. Later that night, Bran and his companions are awoken by a sound as they see someone climbing out of the castle well. Meera quickly attacks and overpowers the intruder, who is revealed to be a member of the Night’s Watch and friend to Jon Snow, Samwell Tarly, accompanied by a friendly wildling girl named Gilly. Samwell quickly deduces Bran's identity by recognizing his direwolf. Bran asks Sam to take him and his group north of the Wall, but Sam protests the idea, given the threat of the approaching White Walkers, who Osha had recently warned them about. Samwell eventually relents and takes them through the passage that exits into the treacherous territories beyond the Wall. Before they separate, Sam gives them weapons made of dragonglass, insisting that it has the power to kill White Walkers. Bran and his party then begin their trek towards the dangers of what lies beyond the Seven Kingdoms.

Some time later, further beyond the Wall, a panting figure travels through a dark, snow-covered forest. The figure kills a deer and just as they make their kill, it is revealed that the figure is  Summer and that Bran has been warging into his direwolf so that he can feed in the barren lands beyond the Wall where hunting has proven more difficult. Bran's warging, however, is interrupted by Meera Reed. He frustratedly asks why she woke him and Meera informs him that he had been gone for hours. Bran is not happy about having been snapped out of his warging, saying that he is hungry and was also trying to gain sustenance from the feed. Jojen Reed then clarifies that only Summer was eating and Bran cannot feed off of whatever his direwolf eats. He adds that Bran spending too much time in his direwolf’s skin is dangerous. Jojen and Meera also caution Bran that warging so long is dangerous for many reasons. Even though it allows Bran the mobility he lost when he was injured, Bran would become trapped, forgetting his friends, his family, his home and even himself. He could eventually forget what it is like to be human and if Bran forgets himself, they all lose everything.

Later on, the group breaks camp and continues traveling through the snowy forest. They eventually come upon a weirwood tree when the party notices Summer standing by it in the distance. Bran has Hodor take him to the tree. Bran then touches the tree just under the face that is carved into it and this spurs on a vision. Several images rush to Bran's mind, including swarms of crows and flashes of the undead, human and horse alike, who he has been warned about twice now from Osha and Samwell Tarly. Bran also sees his fall from the tower that paralyzed him as well as the three-eyed raven taking flight in the family crypts beneath Winterfell. Bran then sees his father, Lord Eddard, sharpening his Stark ancestral sword in the Black Cells, prior to his execution in the capital. As Bran’s visions continue he sees the throne room inside the Red Keep castle of King’s Landing abandoned and covered in snow as well as the shadow of a large dragon flying over the city. Bran also sees several images of a different weirwood tree located on top of an otherwise barren snowy mountain. During the vision, a gravely voice tells Bran to "look for me beneath the tree... NORTH!" Bran then snaps out of his vision out of breath as Jojen and Meera come forward with concern. Bran then matter-of-factly states, "I know where we have to go."

Some weeks later, Bran and his party make camp for the night when they suddenly hear a baby crying in the distance. Summer is especially agitated in hearing the cries until Bran wargs into his direwolf in order to investigate further. As Bran/Summer make their way through the darkened snowy forest they eventually come upon a wooden cage with another direwolf inside of it. As Summer gets closer, he then falls into a man-made trap underneath the snow, which causes Bran to snap out of his vision to alert the Reeds. Bran informs them that he recognises the other direwolf as his half-brother Jon’s wolf, Ghost. When morning breaks the party then find a small homestead in the woods named Craster's Keep, which has been taken over by a faction of deserters of the Night’s Watch. Meera, sensing danger, urges them to move on, but Bran insists on trying to free the wolves. Before they can, however, they are caught and taken prisoner by the rebellious Night’s Watchmen. Some of the deserters amuse themselves by tormenting Hodor, while the others are taken to the sadistic leader of the group, Karl Tanner. Karl asks who they are and answers their silence by threatening to kill Meera and Jojen. Jojen is then suddenly overcome by a seizure and falls to the floor while Meera begs to be let go so she can help him. Karl does so but only when Bran reveals his true identity as a Stark. Another deserter named Rast informs Karl that he is kin to Jon Snow, who they know from the Watch.

Some days later at Craster’s Keep, Bran, Hodor and the Reeds remain captive. Unbeknownst to them Jon Snow and other members of the Night’s Watch have arrived on the outskirts of the homestead, planning a retaliation against Karl and the mutineers for staging an attack some months ago that resulted in the death of the Night’s Watch Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. A member of the Watch named Locke scouts the keep for the traitorous party they were sent to eliminate. Locke finds the hut where Bran, Jojen, Meera and Hodor are being held captive, but does not enter it. Inside the hut, Jojen’s greensight suddenly takes over again and he envisions Bran at the great weirwood tree they are searching for beyond the Wall. Jojen insists that they have to make it to the tree and this capture is not the end of them. When Meera then asks “how do we know the end?,” Jojen responds by saying “you’ll know,” as his right hand goes up in flames without as much of a flinch of pain from him. He stares at it curiously and almost peacefully. Deep into the woods, away from Craster’s Keep, Locke reports back to Jon Snow. He tells them that only eleven traitors are present and most of them are drunk, which is a variation of the truth. More curiously, Locke omits informing Jon of the hut where his brother Bran and his party are in captivity. Believing Locke’s reconnaissance, Jon agrees and tells the party they are to attack at nightfall.

That evening, a drunken Karl enters the prisoners' hut and attempts to rape Meera, but Jojen distracts Karl when he reveals his possession of greensight and then claims to have seen Karl dead before the night is out. At that moment, Rast rushes in to warn Karl the keep is under attack. Jon's party rush through the defenses and in the confusion, Locke slips into the tent and attempts to abduct Bran for his own personal gain, presumably financial with intention to hand over the presumed-dead Stark heir. However, as Locke carries him outside Bran wargs into Hodor and uses him to kill Locke as he is strangled to death. As Hodor runs back into the hut to free the Reeds, Bran spots Jon fighting the mutineers and wants to go to him, crying out Jon’s name too far away to be heard amidst the battle. The Reeds them join him and Jojen prevents him from going to his brother, reminding Bran that they must continue onward to reach the three-eyed raven. Bran reluctantly leaves Jon, though he is comforted in seeing the Night's Watch swiftly overcome their enemies. He then instructs his party to free Summer and continue onwards with their journey.

Several weeks later and the furthest north they have travelled thus far, Bran, Summer, Hodor and the Reed children continue their journey to find the three-eyed raven, though they are on the brink of exhaustion. Jojen has grown sick and he is barely able to stand, eventually collapsing into the snow. As Meera begs Jojen to gather what little strength he can muster to continue forward, Bran calls out to them, revealing that they have finally found the massive  heart tree that Bran has seen in his visions. As they approach, however, wights suddenly burst up from the snow, grabbing Jojen's ankles and attempting to drag him under the ice. Meera  attempts to defend Jojen from the wights, but more keep attacking, as they also begin to swarm over Hodor, who is too scared to fight back. These wights appear far older than those seen near the Wall, appearing as ghastly skeletal warriors who move with surprising agility. Bran wargs  into Hodor's mind and begins fighting off the wights with the aid of Summer, but they are quickly overwhelmed. Suddenly, the wights burst into fireballs, as Bran hears a young girl's voice calling to him from a cave entrance. Amidst the chaos, Jojen is repeatedly stabbed by a wight before Meera can fight it off. The  mysterious female of non-human descent calls to out to Meera, declaring that Jojen is lost and that she must leave him if she wants to live. Meera hesitates, but a dying Jojen urges her to save herself. Crying, Meera slits her brother's throat to grant him the mercy of a quick death. They then run into a dark cave, leaving the dying Jojen behind, and are further pursued by the wights, who instantly shatter upon crossing the threshold of the cave as result of magic. The small, green, elf-like creature named Leaf explains that the power which animates the dead corpses is powerless inside the cave. Bran realizes that she is one of the last surviving members of the Children of the Forest, the original, non-human inhabitants of Westeros he’s heard stories of from Old Nan and Maester Luwin. Leaf leads them deeper into the cave and they arrive at a large central chamber where an old man is seated in the middle of weirwood roots. Bran crawls towards the old man, asking if he is the raven who has been appearing in his visions. The old man admits that he is indeed the Three-Eyed Raven, having taken several forms in the past, but his true form is before them now. The humanized raven informs them that he has been watching all of them throughout their entire lives "with a thousand eyes, and one." He continues by stating that Jojen died knowing that he would perish so that Bran could come here and regain what he has lost. Bran asks if he means he will regain the use of his legs. The Three-Eyed Raven replies that Bran will never walk again, "but you will FLY."