Bloody Stranger (Ayana & Vestein)

[Vestein Winther]

✧ Bloody Stranger ✧

Vestein's heart raced as he surveyed the chaos surrounding him, panic gripping him like a vise. A deep gash marred his neck, a brutal reminder of a violent encounter—someone had sought his life. The remnants of battle clung to him, a tapestry of wounds that spoke of a war he could not remember fighting. Blood dripped from his body, pooling on the ground like an ominous omen, yet the memory of how he had ended up in this state eluded him, slipping through his fingers like sand.

Stumbling backward from the carnage, he cast a horrified glance at the overturned carriage, its contents strewn across the ground. Horses lay lifeless, their throats savagely torn, and the bodies of fallen comrades littered the scene. A gnawing uncertainty twisted in his gut—had he been the architect of this bloodshed? All signs pointed to him, yet the reason behind it all remained shrouded in a fog of confusion.

Desperate to escape the open, Vestein plunged deeper into the woods, seeking the solace of shadows before the sun's unforgiving rays intensified his agony. Each step became a battle against the weight of his own body, his limbs heavy with exhaustion and despair. Finally, he surrendered, collapsing to his knees with a frustrated groan that echoed through the stillness of the trees. Acceptance washed over him—he was likely to die here, in this forsaken place, his heart aching with the finality of it all.

Thoughts of Ostena flitted through his mind, a bittersweet reminder of the witty barbs and playful insults she would have hurled his way. The sun's warmth enveloped him, but he managed to find a patch of shade, a fragile comfort against the dual threat of bleeding out and burning alive. Healing was a distant hope, and the gash on his neck throbbed ominously, a cruel reminder of his vulnerability.

Deep down, he knew his end would come not with a whisper, but in battle, perhaps defending his cousin, Queen Astrid. Yet, what was his mission? The clarity of purpose slipped away, and the last few hours remained a blank canvas, taunting him with their absence. A huff of frustration escaped his lips as he reclined on the forest floor, staring up at the canopy of leaves dancing in the gentle breeze.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps pierced the silence, drawing his attention. Was this the figure destined to bring his story to a close? The fight had long since drained from him, and a weariness settled in his bones. He longed to close his eyes and drift into a peaceful oblivion, away from the chaos and uncertainty that had come to define his existence.

[Ayana Whitelock]

For Ayana it was a regular day. At least it was supposed to be. The forest was clam at this time, but it was too early to know if it will stay that way. She always was awake at this hour. The nightmares never gave her peace, so she watched after her furry friends and looked for the first rays of the sun. 
it will always help her to wash away the bitter taste in her mouth, that the nightmares left behind. Suddenly the dog she rescued from the hunters was fully awake and whining in the direction of the door, she tried to soothe the animal but it won’t stop, nudging her to the door. she looked out of the window into the forest, it was still dark and she knew that in that darkness she would need light, or else she will get lost in the forest that she knew so well already. After all she was just a girl, and she didn’t have the sight of the animals that she could see in the dark. But if she walk with a light, someone might see her. 
She could feel the fear creeping on her skin, calming higher and digging deeper into her flesh. But the dog looked her in the eyes and the look in his eyes told her to trust him. She bend down to the animal and patted it. Its fur was so soft and warm. “I will trust you to guide me to where you want me” she said softly. She put a warm coat on her self and strapped her bow to her back, she could never know what she will meet out there, the hunters could be on a early hunt, or there could be a wild hunter out there, looking for it’s meal for the day. But she knew that she needed to protect her self. The small bag of herbs was strapped to her belt, in there ware the medical herbs she gathered for herself and the animals that she took care of. Maybe the dog could feel an animal in distress. 

The wind blew calmly, making the leafs on the trees to rustle softly. The forest sounded for alive then it was already. A small smile tugged on her lips as the dog looked at her one more time into the eyes, and he was on the run to what ever he wanted her to see. 
The running, so early in the morning wasn’t new to her but she would prefer a more calm routine, one that she wasn’t feeling the cold morning air burning her lungs and prickling her skin like small knifes. But right now she didn’t have the time to think about it, the dog was running faster and she needed to keep up. From time to time she would look around to see that they weren’t running into hunters, that she didn’t see any torches in her view field. 

She came to a stop. The dog wasn’t running anymore. It was looking at something that wasn’t in her full view yet, but she knew that something was wrong, because the dog was growling and whining at the same time. Like it was afraid and sad at the same time and it was unusual of him. She walked closer and then saw feet. She stoped as the air in her lungs froze for a moment, but then she took a deep breath when she saw all the blood, the wounds. 
She rushed to the stranger, saying nothing because she didn’t knew what to say, but she knew that she had to help him, she can’t leave him here to bleed to death. She looked at the dog and smiled a soft smile, “you are a good dog, but i need you help, i need you to guide us home, so i can help him” she said while the brushed the soft fur. The dog whined for a moment but then he got a look of understanding in his eyes. Ayana looked at the stranger who looked like he wouldn’t survive for long but she knew deep inside her that she had to save him. She opened her small bag of herbs and put small patches on the wounds that she could see, she ripped the side of her coat and tried to tie it around the neck of the man. “You are safe” she whispered to him, she didn’t knew if he could see her clearly with how much blood he was loosing, but she wanted him to know she would help. “I will take care of you” she said to him and grabbed his arms in away that she could put him on her back, while the bow moved to the side. He was heavy, really heavy. She moved as fast as she could between the trees, while the dog was upfront guiding them home. When they got home she put the stranger in her bed and started to take care of the wounds the best she could, the animals woke up one by one and one by one they ran out of the small house and stayed outside. She didn’t know why, but she would think about that later. After she saved the life of the bloody man she found.