At First She Used Me Mostly For Carrying Her Game. I Stayed In The Back, Observing Her. And Already Through

A Hug

Helos

He opened the door. I walked in behind him.

'Martin, where 'ave ya been?'

'Met th' wee un on th' way'

'Wee wahn?'

I came forth from behind Martin. I saw in her eyes that she was exactly like him, only wanted to protect the people dear to her. And it seemed like I just became one of those people.

'Wot 'appened ter ya lil' wahn?' She came down and hugged me tightly. I didn't resist, it felt like paradise. I wanted that moment never to end. This warm, sincere hug. Like the one from a worried mother.

Then, still hugging me, she looked at Martin. 'Ya think...'

'Aye, ah think he cam fae that toun'

Picture Black Butterfly by Selenada

Music Helos by Scott B. Morton & Michael Verrette

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I was unsure at first. Feared meeting an unfortunate end in that forest, but without risk; no reward.

So I went further and further into the forest. Always as low as possible, constantly switching focus between eyes and ears. Between seeing and hearing.

It was quite a bit harder to find any tracks on the overgrown forest ground than in fresh fallen snow. I had to look more closely if I ever wanted to find anything. Not only that, I had to learn about other tracks animals leave behind too; claw marks on trees, ruffled soil, trampled grass...

Lotsa things I had to keep my eyes open for. And it wasn't helping that it got dimmer by the moment.

I could use ITs eyes but the idea itself feels like playing foul. After all it's still kind of... a contest... I guess... between the hunter and the hunted. One flees to save his life, the other attacks to save his own... or that of those he cares for. And then there's me, right now, hunting for my own luxury. For being comfortable. So I can travel a bit in peace, don't have to worry about hunting my own food.

Still, there are things I need. Things I can't make myself, things I can't hunt out here. So I have to get some coin. After all I can't hunt for books with bow and arrow, neither for clothes, or armor.

While these thoughts ran through my mind it had gotten dark around me.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

My hundreth post \(^_^)/ Yeah not quite my hundreth story episode but I'm still very happy I got so far. And again I have to thank a very special woman for that.

Or at least blame her for getting the ball rolling <3

The start of my day was successful. Quite successful to be honest. 'Discovered' some (most probably) edible plant and had already found a way to enhance my meals with it. In my opinion a very good start of the day.

But the day continued, and so I had to continue too.

Continue looking for any tracks of animals. Preferably something large like a deer. Something to get a bit of profit out of.

I remembered the the berry bush I found. There had been some animal eating from those.

I inspected the bush again. The traces were on the upper part of the bush, so it couldn't have been a rabbit or the like. Might have been a deer. Or at least something similar in size. A cow maybe... here in the forest? Well you never know.

As I inspected the bitten of stalks I noticed that they were already dry and brown were it got severed. Guess it's been some time since something fed from that bush.

But I didn't give up. Up until now I had only known how to trace animals by their tracks in the snow, now I could maybe learn how to follow them by other kind of traces they leave.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

' 'tis 'im! Guards! Guards! Capture dis monster!' All people stopped up immediately, and all gazed upon wich the man was pointing.

Me.

Two guards came. Both with there sword drawn, but as they noticed there was no danger, they sheated them again. 'What's happenen eya?' One of the guards asked

'Dis fel -- tin' dare, it ate me game.'

'Coost be a bit mower specific? Yom a hunter, many people ate the mate yaouw bren. That is naaa crime'

'Naw. Yer don't git waaat oi say. Yer man ate me game. Oi 'ad jist shot it, den yer man 'oofed over ter it. As oi came ter 'imself an' asked waaat yer man wus doin' 'is bake wus al' deformed wi' razorsharp teet an' yer man 'ad claws.'

The guards looked at each other. They had to hold back their laughter 'Is that the same kind of story loike that 'un with the three-headed elk yaouw met?'

The man was baffled 'Naw! listen ter me-'

The guards nearly pissed themselves from laughing 'It's alrooight, we'll let yaouw get awoy with this unneeded call fer help since yaouw gave us a bostin loff.'

Picture Deer-ner is Served by Hjoldir-Hildwulf [EDITED]

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The crowd was still standing around. Unsure if they should believe the drunken huntsman or not.

Ruth grabbed my hand firmly and went through the masses of people. A few dozen paces later she stopped, turned around and crouched down in front of me.

'Don't listen to that drunkard, he always tells stuff like that.' She calmly said to me.But in her eyes I saw that she didn't completely believe those words herself.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I woke up again much later.

The first rays of sunlight were already showing at the horizon.

I was cold and stiff, and my butt hurt, this wasn't the most comfortable place to sit all night long. I began with slowly untying the branches around me. They did help quite well at keeping out the cold, but didn't really keep the warmth in either.

To loosen the stiffness in my body I moved my arms and legs a bit before I thought about climbing down.

I took a look down first, Anything down there I could hit? Or that could be waiting for me?

Didn't seem like there was anything under me... just the ground. It wasn't that high, it wasn't the first time I did this, but still... I always had a weird feeling looking down from 'high' up.

But it didn't matter, I got up here, so I had to get down again too.

The legs hanging down I was much closer to the ground already, I held the branch firmly, turned around and slowly let myself down.

As I was fully stretched out I hadn't touched the ground with my feet yet.

Did IT come out tonight? Set me on another tree? No... it couldn't. I hadn't been covered by those small branches otherwise. It may be shrewd but it's simply not able to do that.

I had faith in my judgement and released my grip...

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Awakening

Mystic Moods

I woke up.

Hasty I looked around to see where I was, but my vision was blurry. There was a slaugthered animal right in front of me. But even that I couldn't see clearly. My hands were deep inside of its lacerated stomach.

I pulled my hands out. But instead of fingers, I had claws. Four of them on every hand -- if you could call them that. And all of them Razor sharp.

Then I saw something, in the corner of my eye. It stood out from that blurry mess, nearly shining. What was that? And where was I? I went towards this gleaming thing. Why is it so big? Wait --- I'm walking on all fours?

That gleaming thing -- was it a human? It looked like it. Two arms, two legs, head, body & it was definitely standing on it's legs. I tried saying something but I couldn't. The only thing that came out was a screach.

The Human threw something at me. It was long and the tip was warm. And suddenly it disappeared. Only the warmth stayed, this burning warmth. As I looked back up again the human was gone.

Where am I? Why does everything look so weird? What happened to me?

Picture James Heller's Claw Arm Sculpt by Prototype 2

Music Ambient Fantasy - Mystic Moods

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I woke up in the forest. The clearing was familiar, the sun was shining.

For a moment there I believed it was all just a bad dream. That I still was the little boy from back then who had just lost his parents. Who just escaped from that maniac.

But as I looked down on me, looked at my hands, I noticed; I wasn't. It hadn't been just a bad dream, I wasn't that young boy again who just had lost his parents. Hadn't just escaped from that maniac. I was still this... monster. Abomination. IT. I screamed.

I expected that even the people in town heard that screech, but I didn't care. My life as Bjorn was over, now I was this... thing. May they come and end my life, if you could call it that.

Picture Master Study: Forest Sunrise by Illustrum

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I went on. Waited again after a while.

Frogs... not edib... or are they? Anyway, would take- my head turned in reflex ... in the bushes... irregular... not the wind... no waiting this time.

I went into the direction where the sound came from without hesitating. On hands and feet, was easier to be silent that way.

From here... it must've been round here somewh- suddenly there was no ground beneath where I wanted to place my hand, I fell, hit my face on the ground

Ouch... What's this? A hole... rabbit hole maybe... wanna take the chance...? Yeah, should.

I stuck my hand in the hole, all the way up to my shoulder must be something inside, that rushling could have been from a rabbit, and it could hav-

“AAH!! Fucking Hell!”

I quickly pulled out my hand Great, it bit me... at least I now know that there's something inside

“I'll repay you for this, asshat!!”

I stuck my bleeding hand into the hole again, but only up to my elbow. Ok, touch, only touch... I focused for a moment, luckily didn't get attacked again

Come on! Bite me again! I dare you!

I sat there for a while. Stood still in that position, on my knees, one hand on the ground and the other in a rabbit hole. Could see it in my head.

Away with that, focus!

...for how long have I been waiting for this rabbit now? Fuck I know. Feels like an eternity, could've been only a few mo- ...mrrrm!! gotcha!!

I pulled it out of it's hole “Ha, didn't think I'd snatch ya when you bite me again?”

Ze grræt hûntérr, tålkïn tø ä rræbbît

What is it you want now?!

Øh, nûfín, jùs$t cømmêntïng ón zë h@ppênîng, måybæ dîsstråct yøu å bít ssø tìmé pässêss by, yøû knöw, zê üsµâl

O-no! I won't join in on your games now, go talk to yourself or somethin'

Ha ha ha haa fûnny... fïnê, håvé fûn Mï$stêrr Rræbbît Ss$nætch€rr

I was back with the rabbit in my hand, holding it at eyes height, my blood all over it.

“Sorry I called you asshat, but it was in the heat of the moment, and you bit me”

The rabbit just continued staring at me well what did I expect to happen? It going all like 'yeah totally understand that man, hope I taste good'

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

Kinda sorry for this long episode... or rather for leaving out one on Tuesday. Had no way of getting' to my PC so I couldn't write anything, hope you understand ^_^

Anyway, thanks for following, thanks for reading and a good weekend to all of you. Especially you :D

A cool breeze came up. Adding to how cool it already was it was rather unpleasant but I had to keep up with it. There were more sounds throughout the forest now. Crackling, rustling, swishing all around me. Most surely came from the wind, but I had a feeling it wasn't only the wind who rustled and crackled around me.

I took a moment to let my eyes get used to the darkness. Then searched for a stable and above all, climbable tree.

It took me a while. Most trees around were quite stable, but few climbable.

After a bit of searching I found a good one. Climbable, stable, and some thick branches a bit over my head. It was a conifer too. Although it stung in quite a few places, I got myself pretty well protected after bending and 'knotting' some weaker branches around myself.

It was fairly secure up on that branch too. Although I had some eerie feeling sitting up in that tree. As if... something was nearby... watching me.

I didn't think more over it, just thought I was imagining things.

It wasn't the most cozy place to be at this time, maybe a bit softer than on the ground but colder, without a fire. But still, I got very drowsy after a short while.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016