*Changed positions for my part time job. Chapters might take either longer or short than before. Sorry everyone. But remember, I don't want to half-ass this thing. I wanna do my best at this story so please try to be patient...
Chapter 21
Bosmer lay paralyzed in the hard ice bottom of the cave. His muscles ached due to both the cold and the pain of the fall. He couldn't-didn't want to move. Death was slowly taking a hold of him. He was surprised at how relaxed he was. He had gained consciousness for a while now, but he feared that moving would disturb the peace his body felt at this moment.
'Dying like this… Pathetic…' He thought to himself.
It was the last thought of defiance that lingered in a body ready to die.
He knew that in his state, he could not exit the cave, and he could still hear the storm howling outside. The wall of snow at the entrance was the only thing that was keeping what little warmth that remained in the cave.
'Move dammit.' He told his body.
But it was useless. He imagined what would happen if he had died at this moment. No-one would miss him. He had no siblings, his parents had died when he was young, and he didn't keep in touch with his other relatives.
Bosmer managed a bitter smile as he realized the only people that would miss him were men who needed a tool to kill.
'All in all, I guess I made most of my life.' He smiled to himself, and then closed his eyes. Sleep would take the pain from him.
'Eternal sleep.' He thought.
With eyes closed, Bosmer lay still for a long time, awaiting his death. To his surprise, sleep did not come as easily as he expected.
He then heard the crunching of footsteps at the end of the cave.
"Is someone there?" A voice asked.
'A woman?' Thought Bosmer. She had his curiosity, but not his attention. His eyes began to shut slowly, this time against his own will.
"By the gods, are you alright?" The woman asked.
Bosmer didn't answer, but weakly blinked his eyes.
Through his failing vision, he could make out that the woman was a Nord with dark black hair. She carried an odd bow that shone with a magical glow, different to any other enchanted item he had ever seen.
His curiosity got the better of him, and Bosmer tried to move, but only managed to twitch a finger, followed by a sharp jolt of pain that woke his senses up.
"Here. Let me help." The woman grabbed Bosmer's arm on her shoulders, and began walking deeper into the cave. Her body was oddly cold, with almost no difference to the temperature of the ice around him.
Each step towards the cave woke Bosmer up from near death; as blood began rushing around his body again, friction generating the heat the body needed to thaw his senses.
"What where you doing out there? Did you fall down?" She asked.
Bosmer groaned at the fact that he could now speak. The woman frowned at him, and continued walking.
"We don't have many materials for a fire because my companion and I don't need it, but we'll try to get one going." She said.
'No fire? In this frozen hell? Are you crazy?' Bosmer thought to himself.
"We're here." The woman announced.
Bosmer looked up to see a very modest set-up of a camp: A small tent and a few packs lying around.
A man wearing an iron helmet with horns slowly came out of the tent. Bosmer managed to raise an eyebrow as he saw that the man's eyes had a yellowish-orange glow to them.
"Who's this?" The man asked. He had a thick Nord accent with a deep powerful voice.
"Found him outside the cave. He looked like he was about to freeze to death." The woman said, and she gently laid Bosmer on the furs on the cave floor.
The man approached Bosmer with a bundle of linen wraps and some cloth, and he set them ablaze after making a small pit, creating a makeshift campfire.
"I'll boil some hot water for him. Serana, try to find some wood or something."
The woman gave an exhausted groan, and began walking away.
"You're gonna be ok elf." The man answered.
Bosmer's eyes closed again, and he dreamt of the fire that was roaring in front of him.
End of Chapter 21