Cairn winced as he tried again to raise his foot. It was no use- his hoof was well and truly stuck in the crevice. Freja's feathers were puffed up in concern. At one point, she'd gone off to hunt, but had otherwise stayed by his side.

It had been hours; he could neither stand comfortably nor lie down, for the angle his hoof was stuck at permitted neither. He'd stood on three legs for a while before he'd managed to sit awkwardly on his left haunch. His hind leg was beginning to fall asleep under him, and it was tingling in a most unpleasant way.

He hoped this wasn't how he was going to die; what a stupid way to go out! Centuries later, his bones being found with his hoof still stuck in this crevice. No, Cairn thought, this was not the way he wanted to die, starving to death under the pitying eye of his hawk.

He'd already tried prying the hoof out with his dagger, but hadn't been able to get decent purchase between his hoof and the walls of the crevice on either side. Rotating his leg only caused strain on his delicate tendons, and he was loathe to injure himself further when he was so vulnerable.

He sighed, resting his head for a moment against the damp ground. Freja came to him and bumped her head against his ear affectionately. He'd work it out eventually.