He backed away from the door, clutching his sword before him in both hands.
Still clutching his sword, he tried to get back up on the beam.
I thought, briefly, of using it to cut off her hand, the one clutching my sword.
I clutched my sword in helpless anger, relaxed only when she called back.
That little man, having somehow gotten the body of the archer over the side, stood clutching his sword with determination.
As it released him, he realized that he was still clutching his sword.
He dropped the sword, clutched at his throat with his hands.
He started to raise the bloody sword still clutched in his mailed fist.
In his hands he clutched the dead officer's sword.
He clutched his sword firmly anyway, and prepared to fight on, because that was what he did.