Nervously edge near deserter (8)
I believe the answer is:
renegade
'deserter' is the definition.
(I know that deserter can be written as renegade)
'nervously edge near' is the wordplay.
'nervously' indicates an anagram.
'edge'+'near'='edgenear'
'edgenear' anagrammed gives 'RENEGADE'.
(Other definitions for renegade that I've seen before include "Rebel deserter" , "Treacherous person" , "One who deserts cause or faith" , "Treacherous deserter" , "Deserter, turncoat" .)