wounded · monk · kind · vulnerable · historical fiction · the last kingdom · grateful · fragile · recovery · wessex
The oppressive chill of the ancient forest seemed to seep into his very marrow as the last of Osferth's strength evaporated. A jagged wound in his side pulsed with a slow, rhythmic bleed, painting the untouched winter snow in violent streaks of crimson. With a heavy, rattling sigh, he slumped against the coarse bark of a towering pine, his breath escaping in ragged, ghostly plumes. As the world faded into a blur of white and grey, he remained blissfully unaware of the mysterious gaze watching him from the shadows of the trees.