The Branch I Found To My Liking Was Thick. I Could Comfortably Sit On It.

We went back to the village in silence.

We had ventured out far. Were back in village a bit after noon.

Nothing really special happened there. People greeted as usual after we came back. Some asked if the hunt was bad. We told them bout the stag we followed but, we altered the story a bit. First time we got asked Ingrid improvised, then we agreed keeping the story of a pack of wolves coming out of nowhere. That they luckily went after the stag instead of us. Must have noticed that he was the bigger meal. We kept the rest to ourselves. No need to tell anyone.

After that day talking between Ingrid and me kept to the most important stuff. Every now and then, I saw in her eyes that she really wanted to get closer to me again, but she didn't try. She feared what might happen. Wished I could have done something about IT back then.

Then spring came, the snow began to melt, birds were chirping in the forest... and my 'bargain'; a warm place to stay in winter, paid with my help came to an end.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I waited in the bush

Maybe he didn't notice me but just heard a sound here

He came closer, about a dozen paces in front of me he began growling.

Hê såw yøü hahaha

I know. Shut up. What now? Run or... don't run...? run or not...? run or not...!?

The hound was just a few more steps from me, I had to decide... NOW!

Run!

I swiftly turned around inside that bush and began running as quick as I could

Is it at all worth to try running? Guessing from the guy on the horse this hound is trained for hunting, such a large one probably for deer or stags, I can't outrun him. Gotta outwit the dog somehow.

I ran for my life, not looking back once. I heard the hound still running after me, and I think I heard some hooves a bit further back too. I tried focusing entirely on running, to not stumble over roots or similar, but I felt that I didn't have any chance to outrun him, I really had to outwit him somehow.

Outwit a hound... outwit a hound... come on, I need some good ideas now

I tried looking around while running, but no ideas came up, just trees everywhere, and this quite shallow beck that the hound would just run over like I'd do.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Burning Flesh

Horoathea Mass of Aegorath

I dreamt of the Attack again. The screams, the smell, it was all there. I just stood at the edge of the forest. Looking at the sea of flames. But still I heard the screams like I was standing right there. Smelled the burning flesh as if it was my own.

In the middle of it, were the screams of my mother. Those screams filled with pain & agony. Although they were mixed with all those other screaming people, you could hear her pain clearly.

I wanted to run into the forest, to make it stop, but I couldn't move. I was frozen in place. And then I saw a light moving away from the village. Towards me. As it came closer I saw who it was. It was that guy who set my mother on fire. He grinned at me from a distance & shouted 'All Hail the King!'

Picture Inner Flames by JudgePikachu [EDITED]

Music Horoathea Mass of Aegorath by Halgrath

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Martin

A Hard Teacher

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Looking around I was kneeling in grass. No more trees around me. The hand was a man's. It was big and scarred, but it's touch gentle.

'Wha's wi' ye wee 'un?'

I tried to say something but I couldn't bring out a word. I began to cry.

'Noo Noo, na need te blart. Ye git a name?'

'...Bjorn' I said faintly

'So Bjorn, ye hungry?'

I nodded, wiping away my tears

'Folloo me then. Name is Martin by th' wey'

Picture Male Peasant by dashinvaine

Music A Hard Teacher by Hans Zimmer

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I followed the trail of blood coming from this half of him. Although the blood had already dried, the scent of it still occupied the air. This heavy, sweet and metallic scent... it made me sick. The still air and the burning sun didn't help it.

As I found his other half I nearly threw up.

It was exactly like one would imagine. He was lying in a dried pool of his own blood, the scent was so thick you could taste it. His entrails were nearly filling up the hole where his other half should be lying.

I've gutted a quite a few animals with Ingrid, but this was nowhere close to it. The blood didn't smell the same. The entrails were nothing like those of an animal. Even the dead stare was horrifyingly different.

I turned around to get a bit away from him, but there was already the next dead guy in my view. That must be the other guy I saw in my memories. He's got a horse... or he had... so it's probably the same guy.

I went closer to inspect him.

Completely contradicting the feeling I had just now, I suddenly got hungry. As if a hole just opened where once my stomach was.

“Seriously? Now!? I'm surrounded by all this death and you think I should eat something now?!?!” Right, I did talk to myself. Loud. Why should I have cared, I was probably the only one around right now.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

After completely focusing on my arm for some time I had back my own arm and hand. Skin, five fingers, nails, hair and all those small marks.

I ate what I had left, emptied and refilled my flask twice. By the time I was done the sun was high in the sky. My stomach was grumbling and I sensed that I was far from my usual state. I usually wasn't the guy to go jumping through the woods because he was overflowing with tons of energy, but now I was near to drained.

It was time to preserve my energy as good as possible, to think twice about it if it's worth running after some prey. Naturally I had to take some risks, but even those had to be close to a bet I'd surely win.

I left all unnecessary stuff at the tree, including my shirt and shoes.

It was rather warm and the air stood still, so it was much more pleasant to run around with just pants, bow, arrows & a knife. Might have been a good idea to take some rope with me too, to set up some traps in case I found any good spots, but didn't really think of that then. The Idea was more, fast & much. And traps usually weren't the fast way of getting prey.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Whø ëls$ê shøµld håvæ döné ìt?

Errh... I don't know

Æxåctlý

But still, why?

Årë yøû såýìng yôu'd råthër bê dæd nøw? Håd räthêr gôt chøppéd òf yøµr hëâd bý thîs såd ëxcú$sé ôf å swørds$smân?

Nono... Just wonder why you do help me

Ëâsy, yøû'ré nøt thè önlý ønë thât dïê$s

...Wait... what?

Yøû hærd mê, nów léàvê mê bë

No! If I die, you die too? But you're just some... thing, you'd just go back to where you came from.

He didn't answer anymore. What he said really left me wondering. If I'd die, he'd do too. But that shouldn't cause any problems for him. He's just some... I don't know what he is, but I can't imagine dying being of any concern to him and his like.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The first half of the deer didn’t last for long. But it sated my appetite, so I took the other half with me.

How long until raw flesh gets foul? I wish I knew. I should eat it by tomorrow ‘round this time, just to make sure it doesn’t get tainted.

After I was back to my cave and had ‘stored’ the remaining half of the deer a question came up.

So… what now? I figured out I can only see moving things, everything else is blurry and reddish. I am able to hunt, apparently I got amazingly sharp claws. Only question is; What to do with this new won free time? Hunting for fun is a waste and only gives me unnecessary attention – What do dragons do in their caves? I guess they sleep in their piles of gold, until some brave hero comes who ends up eaten alive. But I am no dragon, at least I don’t look lik…

Then it struck me, What do I actually look like in this form? I went out again, in search of water. It didn’t take too long till I found some.

I gradually moved my head over the water. To not scare myself too much.

Picture Inside the Cave by Joaru

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

My stomach growled as if it wanted to say “Yes!”

“Well and what would the sir desire to eat? We've got dirt, bark or leaves.”

Nøt s$ôlëlý ha ha haa

Wait... you don't mean I should...

I looked down at the rests of Lord whatever...

...Ï dø ... ëxåctlý thæt

“No. NO!...”

I took a step backwards

“People are not for eating! Even if it's an enemy!”

Whý?

“Because... because...”

Séè, yøü'væ göt nô gòód ræ-

“NO! Simply NO! If you've got nothing else to contribute go fuck off!”

Yøµ évên hævê twø... wôn't gö húñ-

“Right! That other guy, he had a horse. That I could eat”

Whý?

“Leave me be”

... Whý?

“Ah Fuck you, I'll just ignore you for now.”

...hrg hrg hrg … Whý?

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

A Survivor Born?

Panic Man

I woke up in the middle of the forest. What was that dream? It felt so real, like I was standing right there. I could feel the heat. I looked around. Where am I? Why am I sitting on the ground, in the forest? Why is my back so stiff? How long have I already been here?

Ssø mãny küêsstîønss, ssø fêw åñsswêrss ha ha ha ha ha

What? Where did that come from? 'Hello? Is someone there?'

No one. I was all alone. But where did that voice come from then?

Picture Forest by aJVL

Music Panic Man by FesliyanStudios

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016