Blood of the Wolf: The Warning

My name is Uthgerd -

though you may call me coward -

for this day I ran from a battlefield

drowned in flames.

The jarls said it was just one shieldmaiden

who had betrayed her people,

and justice needed to be served.

So, we took up arms and began the hunt.

But what came through the mists

and the haunting shadows of the deep woods

was no singular Viking

running from their punishment,

but a horde of fangs and claws

rushing toward our party;

hungry for unburnt flesh.

Fire reigned down,

and the beasts swarmed us like vultures

even though we yet lived

and fought with our arms

and shields drawn.

I watched my brethren fall

one by one -

torn asunder with a brutality

I'd thought only existed

in the nightmarish tales told

around the hearth.

Now I know, as do you

that this 'shieldmaiden' is no human,

but a monster disguised as our kin.

Beware the flames,

and watch the moon.

- Storyweaver

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This is a continuation of poetry created for a treasure hunting & lore quest series I designed on the Norsing Home Valheim Server ran by EasyBoarder on Youtube & Twitch!

p.s. - thank you for all the really enthusiastic comments on these for fun pieces! Between you and the people on the server I'm drowning in inspiration! Keep it coming! : D

Want to read more from this series? Check them out below!