They reach the Nightfort, a source of fearsome tales. Meera goes to the top to look around. No way to make it over the Wall to the haunted forest. There‘s a gate, but it‘s blocked by snow &ice
Once Nightfort was ruled by the Night‘s King who bound his Brothers through sorcery &made sacrifices to the Others
Bran hears footfalls. But it‘s not the Rat Cook it is Sam& Gilly. Sam knows he is Jon‘s brother. Sam talks to the weirwood &opens the gate