I Gently Stroked Through Its Fur “I Thank You, Brother. May Your Spirit Pass On, While Your Body Feeds

He began shouting unintelligible at me. His face turning more and more red with every word he said. After a few sentences his head was red as embers, I was just waiting for his hair to burst up in flames.

The sight was so amusing I couldn't at all focus on what he was saying. I managed to hear out a few words like poaching & hanging. At first those sent a chill down my back, but then I realized something. What can this blown up snob do to get you there? I mean unless I'd feel guilt towards him, and cooperate with him, I wouldn't expect that he was able to capture or bind me somehow.

He did wear a sword, which might help him, but all I had to do was stay out of his reach. Seeing the way he rages at me, he doesn't seem like he'd be a good fighter. Might only use it for giving the final hit to his prey.

And I do faintly remember a few guards, how to react to them. So if I think fast... No, I don't have to underestimate him, I only got a knife, and it's been years since I had anything like training.

But I've got a knife. As long as he hasn't drawn I do have a chance.

© 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... I am Bjorn”

“Bjorn of...?”

“Bjorn of not your business”

His face began turning slightly red, he stopped holding his nose so high and actually looked at me while talking, or rather, shouting. “I said it before peasant, Hold. Your. Tongue! If I want so I can let you hang before this day is over!”

I sighed “Bjorn, son of a mine-worker, from a town, that has been raided and burnt down several years ago. Satisfied oh mighty lord Bhaltair?”

He straightened his jacket and rose his nose to the sky again “Not fully, but it shall be enough. What is your business here in my forest?”

“Just... passing through.”

“Although it sounds unlikely, I shall believe that for now. Why did you run from my hound?”

“Because it growled at me and was about to attack me”

“Any idea why it could be hostile towards you?”

“No. Are we done?”

“Not yet. What were you really doing here? In this forest?”

“Hunting for gods sake. I am a traveler, was out of rations, so I had to get some food somewhere. How am I supposed to know this is the forest of lord stick-up-his-arse?”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

How? What? Where?

Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

I snapped out of it I was back again. On the hard, cold ground of the forest.

'How did you do that? What are you? Where are you?'

Nothing. Not a single word. First then, as I listened closely, I noticed all the sounds around me. A crack here, a bird there. Then, a crackle. It came from a bush a few paces in front of me. I didn't know if I should run away or go to it, so I just sat there. Staring at it.

It was just a beaver. It looked at me shortly and then turned around and ran away.

Wait... a Beaver. That means there's a body of water near. I'm sure it'll return to it sooner or later. I went the direction the beaver disappeared into but there was no trace of it. I just continued in the general direction.

Picture Forest by gugu-troll

Music Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

How could I've been so dumb not getting that. That also explains why there are nearly now plants in or directly by the pond.

That means the source of whatever danger, is directly inside the pond, or a bit further up the stream. I saw the fox drinking from the stream, and I drank the water myself even further up, it must be safe there.

I decided to go further up the stream again, hide and wait there. There weren't going to be any animals near here anytime soon, that I was sure of.

I'm unsure if you can hear this, and if you might still be ignoring it but... Thank you, probably saved my arse there

Î dïd zæt før mýssëlf, rrêtård

I didn't expect any other answer from IT so I didn't bother saying anything else.

After a while of walking upstream I found myself a new branch to sit on. The sun was already near the horizon and it began getting darker. I climbed the tree cautiously and sat myself on the branch. As usual it wasn't comfortable, but it was safe

...unless I'd fall down in my sleep.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I was helping Ingrid skin a deer. As always, silence was our closest companion.I wanted to bring up the topic of me going to leave, but I didn't know how. It seemed so... ungrateful to me, simply leaving, after all she'd done for me. After having learned so much about hunting & through that also about survival in the wild, out of towns or villages.

How can I ever repay her for what she has done? How? How?!

That thought was racing through my mind. Not just racing through, it was consuming it. All she'd keep from having me around are some sad memories; Hunting, Carrying game, Skinning animals & all while not uttering a single word.

In the back of my head I heard someone calling me. At first it was muffled, nearly unintelligible. Then it became clearer, and clearer; Bjorn... Bjorn? Bjorn?!

She grabbed me by the chin, pulled up my head and looked me in the eyes.

“No black eyes, phew, was beginning to worry”

“What? ...Oh no, no need to worry, I'm fine, it's me your talking to, Bjorn”

“Better be” she laughed shortly

Then we were silent again. It wasn't the first time we had done this. She had shown me how to skin animals. First started of with rabbits, the ones that were already hurt, where the pelt hadn't sold that good anyway. There was no need to talk, we both knew what to do.

Should I take this up now? Would I be disturbing her focus with it? How much does she have to focus on this? As much as me? She has far more experience, but still, this needs focus & speed.

“...Ingrid?”

“Hmmm?”

“...we ...I … ...forget it, we'll take it later, when I sorted my mind”

“Mhhmm...” she nodded slightly, keeping her eyes on the task “...sure” she looked up and smiled at me

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

If you want this totally awesome theme for your blog, here’s the link. & You should definitely check out Themes By Eris. Many more awesome themes there.

Or return to my main blog.

That was by far easier said than done

I waited two days and nights by the road but not a single person came by Why hasn't anyone come by this road yet? No, don't give up now, you need some clothes you gotta be more patient.

So I waited.

Three more days I waited Then finally someone came by

A man. He was wairing a basket on his back, probably filled with stuff he wants to sell somewhere. He was older than me, already had snow white hair but he was very young for having such white hair. Last time I saw Martin he probably was older, and had just grey hair Guess it's different from person to person

I followed him for a while it was hard to attack him This helpless, innocent, old man who just was looking forward to earn some coin

Still I had to do it Either that or I had to wait even longer

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

“Ingrid-”She broke me off aggressively

“No, I won't give you a chance to refuse. You know, my father, he was a bastard. He was once a hunter of this small village. But you know what? He was the worst hunter you could imagine. And know what he did when he came back without any game? He beat me. To a pulp. But the worst part hasn't come yet, everyone knew, Ernest too, but no one gave a shit. And one day, I went with him on the hunt. I persuaded him somehow to let me join. Wanna know what I did?”

“I-”

“No, I told you, no chance to refuse. That day, I took a knife with me and... and...” She paused for a moment, got calmer “He didn't come back with me that day, and neither any time later.

As I came back alone... at first some people asked where he was. As soon as I looked into their eyes they knew, but still I... sarcastically... I told them that he... that he saved me from a boar and didn't get up from that. They all knew he wasn't that kind of person. He had never done that... not for me.”

At that point she was overflowing with hatred and sadness. Tears were running down her cheeks. She dropped down to her knees. And nearly out of reflex, since it just felt like the right thing to do, I held her in my arms.

We sat there like that for a moment.

Still sobbing she said “Now it's your turn...”

“I... I...” I sighed “Where should I start? My village got burnt down. Everyone got killed, except me. I don't know who it was, but this one guy was shouting 'Hail to the king' all the time.”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

At first I didn't hear him at all I was still scared of myself

What am I doing? I do hate this guy for what he did but Just a moment ago this hate consumed me I was only this hate for him no more, no less

I was afraid of it where did this all consuming hate come from and how could it take control over me like that

Many questions, no answers only the idea, the conclusion, that it came from IT somehow through the claw.

But how?

I wanted it gone but I couldn't focus enough not enough to get rid of it again

''Hey! Boy! We're done here! You can go on.''

I looked at him shortly and in him I saw a solution only a temporary solution but better than nothing

''Hit me''

''What?''

''I said Hit me! Like those hundreds of times before''

''But-''

''Just do it for fucks sake''

Note from the Author

Thanks for reading, for following, for liking. It's good to get some feedback, and even better if it's mostly positiv.

Merry Xmas to all of you ^^

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016