Spearwives are female warriors among the Wildling people who
live north of The Wall. Not all the women of the Wildlings are
spearwives, but those who have been trained to hunt and fight are
as formidable as their male counterparts and are referred to by
this term. Jon Snow's deceased lover Ygritte and Rickon Stark's
bodyguard Osha are prominent examples of this group. They are
common among the wildlings, whereas other fighting women are rare
in Westeros.