Wound Treatment and the Campfire

A savage roar sounded from behind, cutting off Gresvin's words. Gresvin shook and quickly turned around, only to see a beast pounce towards him. He quickly lifted his sword in an attempt to block the incoming attack.

A futile attempt, though, as the beast was too fast, and Gresvin felt a searing pain coursing through his whole body as he was body-slammed to the ground. Gresvin had shifted his body at the last second and avoided a direct hit to the head, but the beast had gotten a hold of his shoulder.

Aahhh!!

He cried out in pain. The beast's jaws had clamped down on his left shoulder, and the creaking sound of bones grinding sounded. Gresvin gritted his teeth and swung his sword straight at the beast's neck. 

It separated from Gresvin's shoulders, leaving a bloody and nasty gash of meat flailing about. Blood trickled down his arm. 'I can't feel my arm.' he tried to lift his left arm but to no avail. The beast had injured him severely.

Gresvin's complexion turned pale, and his eyes turned blurry for a slight moment. The pain and the blood loss were making it difficult for him to stay awake, but he knew that if he faltered, then he would die.

He refused to die at the hands of a beast, and once more, he gritted his teeth and took the chance to jump to his feet while groaning in pain.

Only then did he have the time to see his attacker? 'Carrion Stalker!' His vision was not the best, but the silhouette was undoubtedly of a Carrion Stalker.

The carrion stalker was a type of large feline predator that mostly hunted weak and small prey; occasionally, it even hunted larger prey. The beast was renowned for its swift sneak attacks and stalker-like hunts.

"Ughh!" Gresvin groaned in pain. The shoulder was basically useless, and now he had to fight an enemy with only one arm. He could not help but doubt his odds of survival. 

The only consolation he found was that his sword slash was able to injure the beast somewhat. Its left leg in the front was bleeding. It was not a massive wound, but Gresvin believed it would probably hinder its movements as well.

"Haha, it looks like I was not the only one who was surprised," he mocked laughingly. "Come on, then. Let's see who has the better luck!" he shouted.

He knew that if he took another bite like that, he would probably be the one to lose. 

With that in mind, he dug his right boot into the soft earth, propelling himself forward with a burst of desperate speed. The beast, hampered by its limp, couldn't match his initial surge. But it was cunning. Just as Gresvin thought he was within striking distance, the beast twisted with surprising agility. Its powerful hind legs launched it to the side, Gresvin's momentum carrying him past in a dizzying rush.He stumbled, the uneven ground sending a fresh wave of pain through his shoulder. He rolled onto his back, gasping for breath, his eyes locked on the beast. It circled cautiously, and the beast limped slightly, but it faired far better than Gresvin had hoped it would. 

Gresvin knew it was only waiting for an opening, its amber eyes gleaming with predatory hunger. Gresvin took another battle stance and observed his surroundings for any means he could use to help him win.

The trees favored the beast, and Gresvin knew running into the woods would not be favorable. The only other thing that could possibly help him was the stream.

Thinking to that point, Gresvin turned his eyes towards the stream, and his mouth curled slightly into a small.

With a ragged cry, he lunged forward, not at the stalker itself but at a loose rock protruding from the ground. The clang of steel on stone echoed through the clearing as he struck the rock with all his might, sending a shower of sharp fragments flying.

The beast, startled by the sudden noise and movement, hesitated in that split second. Gresvin grabbed a handful of the larger, jagged stones and, with a final surge of defiance, hurled them at the beast. One, finding its mark, struck the stalker's flank with a sickening thud. The beast howled in pain, its injured leg buckling beneath its weight.

Seizing the opportunity, Gresvin charged again. This time, the beast couldn't dodge. With a desperate roar, Gresvin drove his sword forward, aiming for the base of the creature's skull where its neck met its spine. The blade sank deep, finding a purchase point. The beast spasmed, its eyes widening in shock. It let out a final, ear-splitting shriek before collapsing to the ground, unmoving.

Gresvin slumped beside the lifeless beast, his chest heaving, sweat dripping from his brow. Pain throbbed in his wounded shoulder, and his entire body ached with exertion. 

The adrenaline subsiding did not help him in the slightest. The sheer amount of pain that washed over his body made him grit down on his teeth, veins protruding from his neck. The pain he felt was unlike any he had ever experienced.

With a groan, he slowly sat up. He winced with every movement, but from sitting up straight, he was able to stand once more. Even in pain, he knew he could not do anything. He had to find something to help with the pain, something that could help him. He glanced at the satchel on the horse. Surprisingly, the horse did not flee but only backed away far enough to stay away from the fight.

Gresvin smiled in relief. With the horse present, he could at least travel to a place with the right medicine or herbs, but for now, he could only seek medicine from the woods. 

He quickly got a cloth from his bag and used it as a makeshift sling. 'For now, it will have to do,' he said to himself as he looked at the cloth that held his arm still.