I Was Puzzled.

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

My only real problem at the beginning was I didn't have any coin. So I hunted.Began setting up rabbit traps, selling those to other people on the road or sometimes in towns or villages.

After some three or four dozen days I had enough to get a bow and some arrows. And then I was at it again. Hunting.

I still traveled while hunting, but I usually went a bit off the main road to look for tracks or any other signs of prey or predator. Tho I usually just found rabbits, no big game. I guess I was still to near that road, but I didn't wanna lose sight of it. Had surely lost my orientation somewhere on the way.

It stayed with rabbits for quite a while. They fed my hunger and I could still sell a few. Survived well for quite a while with that, tho one day I dared to venture further into the forest. Search for bigger game. And get some coin out of it. So I could get my main focus on the traveling again.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

From Past to Present

The rest of the evening went without any big happenings.

We ate soup & bread for dinner. It tasted great. And it was great to get something into my stomach again after those days without eating.

After dinner Martin went out and got some hay for me to sleep on.. It wasn't very soft but far better than hanging on a branch in the cold of the night.

Picture Night Swamp by JKRoots

Music From Past to Present by Jeremy Soule

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I enjoyed that moment for a while longer, just sitting there. It was a welcome change from walking near to all day.

The sun had moved quite a bit, lighting the area in a different way, when I noticed a fox drinking from the beck a few paces from me.

I hit myself against the head.

How couldn't I have thought of that. Animals need water. This may not be the only place around here for them to get some but it's one of them. If I just wait around here somewhere... maybe even follow the stream a little, might even find a pond where it ends up.

I got up and packed my stuff. The fox ran away as soon as I moved, but he wasn't my target anyway. But still, I learned something from him too; If I wanna wait around water for animals, I gotta stay still, or move very slowly.

My new plan was set, following the beck to where it ends and waiting for animals. If I can't follow them, I'll wait for them instead.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

As I came out again, both arms stacked with raw meat A woman was inspecting the fire I had made Are you serious? No one for years but NOW someone comes by? As she looked up again she noticed me immediately

“Is that your fire?” She asked, eyeing me

“Yeah. Any problem with it?”

“Not really, was just curious who made the fire”

“What are you looking for out here?”

“That's my line”

She seemed rather defensive, from her looks she was a hunter Had a bow, arrows, knife and some sturdy leather boots Looked pretty professional from what I knew

“So, are you looking for anything out here? Or maybe just hunting for sport?”

She squinted at me “Yeah, right. Some half naked guy told me there'd be some creature around here, gave me some good money to take a look. He seemed drunk to me, no clothes and all. So I thought, why not? You seen this... creature?”

That guy really made it to a place where someone listened to him? Impressive.

“Might have, Any hints on what it looks like?”

“Guy was rather panicky, but he said something about nightmarish skin, claws and a horrible screech”

“He was drunken you said?”

“Probably”

“There's this hollow tree further in the forest, really creepy looking. Got 'arms' and has some red plant growing all over it. Can show it to ya if you feel like it”

She laughed “No need, I think”

Wow, that lie worked out far better than I imagined. Good I made this up in the time I was stuck here.

I allowed myself a short laugh too

“Any more problems then miss huntress?”

“Only one question; Any particular reason for being naked?” She chuckled

“Oh” I felt my face redden “Long story”

Picture MMMMeat by NadiavanderDonk

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I woke up As tense and abrupt as usual But for the first time I was thankful for it

I looked at my hand it was still normal

What happened there what happened to me?

I was still clueless only had the assumption that it came from the claw

but how could that be? How could just that claw make me that hideous?

It doesn't matter at least not right now

I know how to turn my body back I just need time

And it wasn't just time I was out daily, to feed, to replenish my energy but I ceased to count the days after a while

I remember there beeing three snowy seasons but I do not know how many there were before I managed to turn my hand

in the end I learned how to channel my energy more effectively it actually took less and less work to turn a part of my body

Picture Snowy trees by TheMichaelMacRae

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I asked around a bit, knocked at two three wrong doors until I saw a familiar face

“...Ingrid?”

“Mr. Naked guy, a surprise to see you here” She laughed

embarrassed I scratched the back of my head, looked at the ground and forced out a short laugh

“riiight... So you're the hunter of this little village?”

“I am, huntress to be precise. What brings you here?”

“This old guy, Ernest I think, he told me you'd need help hunting and...” I paused for a moment “...and that I could stay at yours as long as I prove to be a help on the hunt”

her face changed suddenly “That old Bastard. Still trying to convince me the housewife's life is what a woman should strive for. To stay in this hut all day, do chores, make food, get knocked up, have a few kids. Bastard.”

“...well I... I can go and talk to him, I'm sure you're not the only one in town who'd need help”

“I'll show it to this old bastard. You know what? Come in. Knock me up! He'll see what good it is if his only good hunter is worried about a kid rather than bringing some meat on the table.”

“...What? No, No, definitely not. I'll rather stay outside the winter than do that.”

“Fine with me. Stay out!” She banged the door shut

I sat down besides the door for a moment, to think through my options So that is Ingrid, quite some temperament. And it sounds like she doesn't really like Ernest, or at least the way he thinks things should be. It looks like I have three options, go back to Ernest & ask for some other place to stay, try to get on Ingrid's calm side or try to get to the next town before it gets too cold.

It was already chilly outside, but the evening sun was still warm. So wonderfully warm, it was great. Not hot so you'd sweat but like lying besides a camp fire that's burnt down all the way, only embers remaining. It made me drowzy. So incredibly drowzy. And tired.

Picture Barbarian Girl by Simon Gocal

© 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

And less than the blink of an eye later I was standing on solid ground.

I took a quick look around Nothing nearby and stretched my body. Loosening up those stiff muscles felt great.

There were some berries right nearby. Small, kinda round, orange-red-ish berries. I pondered over whether I should try some or not. I inspected the bush a bit. It took a while but I found traces of animals eating those berries... or some leaves.

After a bit of thinking I concluded that it must have been some berries. I was quite sure of it.

For safety sake I took one and pressed it in my hands. They were rather juicy, had a few seeds inside too. Didn't smell foul either. So I took the chance and tasted a bit of the juice on my hand.

It was quite tasty.

So I gathered what I could find on that bush in my bag. Wasn't much but it was a change to eating just roasted rabbit. And as I found out a great addition to it too.

Picture Rosehips. Bacche di rosa canina. by Giovanni

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

Sorry for the delay. Really messed up with the queue date on this one :D