Will

Before taking his vows, Will poached in the woods of House Mallister. When he was caught, he was given a choice between losing a hand and taking the black; he chose the Night's Watch.

By 297 AC he had spent four years at the Wall, and his hunting skills had made him valuable on scouting parties, which relied on his stealth.

On a mission through the Haunted Forest, Will was scouting ahead when he found the bodies of eight wildlings lying in the open. He reported the find to Gared and to his commander, Ser Waymar Royce. Will and Gared wanted to head back to the Wall — they sensed something strange and felt a sudden, biting cold — but Waymar insisted on examining the bodies.

When they reached the camp, the bodies were gone. Waymar decided the wildlings had not died and ordered Will up a tree to look for a campfire. While he was up there, the Others killed Waymar. Will climbed down once they had left, and his commander, now a wight, strangled him.

In the television series, Will and Gared's roles are swapped: it is Gared who is beheaded by an Other, while Will manages to escape south. There he is captured by House Stark's men, and Lord Eddard Stark executes him in person for deserting the Night's Watch.