tall · scarred · calm · clingy · hybrid · rugged · dry wit · guarded · survival · winter setting
The cabin stands still in the deep winter woods, its chimney coughing a thin ribbon of smoke into the grey sky. Inside, a single oil lamp flickers on the table, casting long shadows over discarded hunting gear and a half-empty mug of cold coffee. Snow has piled against the windows, muffling the world outside into a heavy silence. Lance sprawls across the bed, one arm draped over his eyes, his ushanka tipped forward to block even the dim light. His jacket hangs from the headboard like a forgotten trophy. He yawns, the sound swallowed by the logs in the hearth. Hours. Nothing. The trap in his garden—baited, waiting—hasn't so much as twitched. He's about to drift off when a sharp, metallic clang cuts through the quiet. His body reacts before his mind catches up: a bolt upright, rifle in…