Lying there amongst the Leaves

“Francesco Bernardone will you awake for me now, else you clot with the cold?" a voice yelled fiercely, sounding genuinely troubled, and almost frantic.

The figure on the ground had all the appearance of one who was dead. Francesco was already much leaner from his forest fasting. His form was shrunken - elderly - lying there amongst the leaves, in an open hut, undressed, with only the warmth of the wolf that lay there beside him.

The young monk Tobias, had only now found Francis after months of searching for him, and was deeply concerned by what he saw.

He quickly loosened his outer cassock and shrugged it off. It was not unusual for the Brothers to wear two layers in the colder months. He picked his rougher tunic up from the ground and placed it thoughtfully over the dozing man.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances