Neverwinter Forest and i wish i’d known that you were bleeding while i sat and watched you reading

a cry rose up, and with it sparked murderous intent within merrick. had he not been so ravaged, he would have flown after the caller and put him to death, spattered this wood with his sinner's blood. but as it was, the boy was hard-pressed to collect himself, nudging astara sharply at the tone in caiaphas' voice.
so they were to be routed before they even had a chance to rest. he was bone-weary and shot through with agony; the burn of his single eye sauntered toward their fearless leader. "we will meet you outside the wood," he assured caiaphas with a grinding of his jaw; a single nod, and he had turned in the opposite direction.
splitting their scents was best to throw aside those who pursued them, and merrick began to run into the cold air, eyes half-closed, determination steeling his faltering gait. astara was near; she would not leave him; in her was home and in her was solace.