Xerneas finally arrived at Barrowland, a place filled with rolling hills and numerous barrows. It was already night, but Xerneas was determined to reach the woods ahead before taking a break. Despite the darkness, he pressed on without looking back, driven by a purpose that he couldn't quite understand.

All he knew for certain was that he was heading North, and a confidence surged within him as he began to explore his legendary Pokémon abilities, testing out his powers. The only thing he hadn't tried yet was his destructive side, but he felt a strange resistance within himself, a hesitation to unleash such power.

To avoid drawing attention in the human-populated area he anticipated crossing, Xerneas cloaked his presence with mist.

Xerneas soon arrived near Torrhen Square, the home of House Tallhart. The area was situated by a large lake, surrounded by woods. After quenching his thirst from the river but not necessary just out of habit, Xerneas made his way towards Wolfswood, where he planned to take a break.

Moving cautiously, he had to pause from time to time, sensing the presence of humans. He waited for them to move away before continuing, relying on the mist to disguise him. If someone did catch a glimpse, they might just mistake him for an adult elk, thanks to the mist serving as his veil.

Once within the woods, Xerneas released a soft call, summoning his subjects. Soon, a pack of wolves, wild leopards, elks, and even snakes gathered around. Xerneas hesitated at the sight of the snakes, knowing that, as a Pokémon, he was vulnerable to poison and personality based scared of snakes. Nonetheless, the creatures led him deeper into the forest.

On a hillside outside the castle walls, the ranger Will stood before Ned, knowing his sentence was death for claiming to have seen White Walkers. Ned, wielding his family's ancient blade named Ice, carried out the punishment as his sons, even young Bran, watched. After the grim task, he shared a lesson with Bran: "Our way is the old way. The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword." When Bran questioned if the deserter truly saw White Walkers, Ned assured him that they were creatures long gone for thousands of years.

As they journeyed back to the castle, the group encountered a dead stag on the road, partially disemboweled. Theon suggested it might be the work of a mountain lion, but Eddard dismissed the idea, stating none lived in the area. Further investigation revealed a rare dead female direwolf, killed with a stag antler lodged in . The female had died after giving birth, and her five pups huddled nearby for warmth.

Approaching the dead direwolf, a sudden growl echoed from the woods. More than 50 wolves emerged one by one, creating a terrifying sight. Eddard Stark, along with his castle's master-at-arms Rodrik Cassel, urged Bran, Jon, Robb, and Theon to retreat. Despite Jon's insistence on staying, Eddard pushed him to go with his siblings. As they retreated, they noticed many elks standing alongside the wolves, an unusual sight.

While they withdrew, Eddard sensed the presence of Xerneas, barely visible through the trees. For safety, they refrained from making any sudden moves, as the overwhelming number of wolves gave them no advantage. Xerneas slowly emerged from the woods, approaching the dead direwolf. He then turned towards where the Starks had retreated. Xerneas appeared to express satisfaction, perhaps even a metaphorical smile, as it dawned on him that he was an early participant in the intricate game of thrones that was just beginning to unfold. His antlers began to grow, shining in seven colors. His entire body glowed in green, and the once lifeless direwolf started to show signs of life. Slowly, it rose and bowed in the presence of Xerneas. The Xerneas then turned towards the forest, leading the direwolf and her pups, guarded by a massive pack of wolves and a group of elks.