The charm didn't move again.
It hung crooked on the line, still catching faint gusts.
He shifted his weight by inches. Left knee ground deeper into frozen needles. Right hand stayed loose across the blade hilt.
Breath shallow. Controlled.
He watched.
Waited.
The dark thickened. Not true night. Just enough to make the trees bleed into each other. Enough to lose depth.
Snow dusted down in light spits. Barely touched the ground before vanishing.
He blinked slow.
Eyelids heavier than he wanted.
'Stay awake.'
He bit the inside of his cheek. Felt the blood come up. Coppery. Sharp.
Better than sleep.
He adjusted the scarf higher. Let it cover the raw edge of skin under his jaw.
Still no sound.
Still no movement.
The cold worked past the coat now. Seeped under the collar, along his ribs. Fine tremors touched his fingers. Not enough to matter yet.
He breathed against the cloth. Slow. Careful.
The blade stayed across his knees.
The charm hung steady.
Then.
A shift.
