The Madman

Winterfell

No, it wasn't that she didn't believe. She was unsure if the huntsman lied or not. And I didn't blame her for it, neither do I blame her for it now. She couldn't have known what is true and what is a lie. Even I wasn't completely sure of it at that time.

It would explain a few things. Like what IT meant by 'having control' But what reason could IT have to feed from a dead deer ---wait. Feeding. Exactly. I was starving out there. Does that mean it needs me to survive?

This was the first time after Martin found me that I was completely lost in thought again. Just beeing held in that town by Ruth's firm grip. I was staring far far away.

Picture Still thinking of fall... by Elle-H [EDITED]

Music Winterfell by Ramin Djawadi

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Water!

Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

It was exhausting to walk through the forest. My throat was dry as bone. But it was worth the struggle. After roaming through the forest for a while I found a small pond. Thinking about it afterwards I should have been more cautious. There could have been something wrong with the water. Instead I fell to my knees in front of it, pushed my face into the water and gulped down as much as I could. I felt how the cool water ran down my throat and moistened every bit down to my stomach.

I felt relieved as I sat up again. Not only because I finally got some water, but also because I got some of it onto my neck too. I didn't notice much how itchy the necklace was since I woke up but I felt the relief as I got some water on my neck.

Picture Forest by IIDanmrak

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

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

In lonely admiration

I waited there. Exactly at the same spot. All day long. Hoping someone would come to end this.

No one came.

I'll probably have to wait till some "brave hero" comes by who is daring enough to kill me. I began to wander around the forest. I moved surprisingly fast. Might come from this... form. I'll have to get used to it -- for now.

My "walk" probably took hours. It was already getting bright again as I found a cave. Carefully I took a look into it. No one here I went inside. The cave was large, larger than it looked from the outside. And before I knew it, that cave became my new... place to stay.

Picture Cave by oceancradled

Music In lonely admiration by MIDERA

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Immediately I felt a stinging pain in my lower arm & dropped the bow. I was unsure what happened, but as I looked at my arm it was red as fire.

“Hit yourself with the string?” she laughed as Ingrid came out of hiding.

“What?”

“You hit yourself with the string, that's why your arm is red, and why the arrow fell short. Put some snow on the arm, it helps”

I did as she said. It really was relieving.

“But else quite a good first try. Anyone showed you how to use a bow before?”

“Not really... No. I just... observed you. Did what you did.”

“Ok then...” She got the bow from where I dropped it “... I'll have to show you.

You know how to hold it, nothing really difficult but it's important. But one thing about holding it you did wrong, any idea what? I can hold it like you just did, maybe you'll see it then”

I looked closely at her holding the bow. There was nothing unusual. Held it like she normally did too.

“...can't really see any difference to usually”

“So that's where the problem lies, you didn't observe closely enough. See, usually I hold the bow like this”

She bent her left arm a little to the side instead of holding it straight

“And basically, that's all there is to not hitting yourself with the string”

“...thats all?” I was baffled, but as I thought about it I understood it

“Yeah, that's all. Now to aiming” She gave me the bow

“Lets see...” She looked around “hmm... try hitting that tree over there”

“Funny, we're surrounded by trees”

She made a ball out of snow and threw it at one of the trees “Know wich one I mean now? Try hitting the snow from that snowball”

I took an arrow out of the quiver, put it on the bow, bent my arm this time, drew and released.

The arrow went past the tree

“Try once more”

“...if you say so”

I shot another arrow at the tree, focusing on the snowball

Past the tree again, but this time on the other side.

“When do you release the arrow?”

“What?”

“I know you've heard me boy, don't play the fool here”

“I... I don't know. When I focused on the spot I wanna hit”

“So you have no idea. Ok. Take another arrow, draw the bow, but this time, hold it”

I did as she said, this would soon get difficult to hold. She approched me.

“Look at me now, no need to focus on where the arrow is going.”

She put her hand on my chest, through the bow, if I would let go now I would definitely hurt her. I would probably even hurt her badly.

“Now, focus on your breathing and your heart. Be sure it all goes nice and slowly”

She put her head on my chest, probably to hear my heart beat. Even more danger if I'd let go now. She might had done that on purpose. To force me to hold out.

“Slower, come on, I know you can” her voice got softer, less tense... more relaxed

I focused on my breathing. Took long, slow breaths in and long slow breaths out. After some breaths there began to form a pause between the in and out breathing. Not long, but for an instant I didn't breath at all.

Simultaneously I also noticed how my heart was beating slower & slower. As if there was a connection between those two.

Ingrid lifted her head from my chest and looked me in the eyes for an instant. She rashly turned away and focused again.

Her voice was tense again, but with a bit of an weird soft undertone “Ok, good. You notice the pause between every breath? That's when you release the arrow.”

She still had her hand on my chest. I must admit, I did forget that I was holding the bow there for a moment with her head on my chest, but now I felt it in my arms again. She looked at me again for a short moment, but this time with an evil grin. As if she found it amusing to see me struggle holding the bow.

She lifted her hand. I began breathing in.

Focused on the snowball.

Released.

Hit!

Note from the Author

That got quite a bit longer than intended, but I hope it makes up for the left out episode.

Thanks for reading & a good weekend to ya all ^_^

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

NSFW ban fail

Reblog if you’re still seeing porn bots despite the NSFW ban. I’m still seeing them. Plenty of legitimate followers seem to be blocked from my feed, however.

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

In the beginning, the traveling itself was very exhausting. I took breaks often, even tho I walked at a comfortable pace most of the time. I drank lots of water, really, lots. Until I was reminded that the content of my flask was only finite, and that there wasn't always water around to refill it.

Learning that was rough, but I think I'll never forget that again.

In the Night I mostly sat up a small fire and slept next to it. After these long days of walking I was mostly deep asleep within moments after lying down. Looking back on that I was pretty lucky actually. It was foolish to just set up camp out there, especially when you're going to be sleeping like a rock till sun up and beyond. I could have got attacked by animals, robbed by other people... IT could have taken over. But I was lucky, nothing happened.

Woke up every time just like I laid down. With the exception of being rested & kinda stiff from sleeping on the ground.

Must admit, even now the whole walking all day is still quite exhausting, less than in the beginning, and even less if I'm on horse-back part of the day, but I guess it will never quite stop taking most of your vigour.

© 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

She clapped half sarcastically“Lucky shot”

“...thanks, any chance you could... give me some tips for the more precise aiming too? Like... hitting that snowball over and over again?”

“Not much to tell you there, look at your target, focus and gather much experience. You'll learn the best way to aim through just shooting and hitting or missing. And don't get impatient, latter will happen more frequently.”

“Ok, thanks”

I thought about her words; Look at your target, focus and gather experience. Guess of those three I'm mostly lacking experience... which isn't easy to acquire, but that's what makes it worth the work

“It's just like reading tracks, either you hit or you miss. Only more literally”

I nodded in understanding “I'll give that stag another try. You... do whatever you feel like...”

“I'll be in the bushes behind you” She said with a smirk and disappeared out of sight again.

Ok, first I'll see if I can find those arrows.

I found the arrows. At least three of them. The one I shot at the stag I never saw again. As soon as I lost contact with it while still in flight it was doomed to be lost forever.

After that I took on hunting down the stag. It was exhausting following it, it ran quite a bit. But I managed to track it down. Although I was wondering how Ingrid was holding up, and how we'd get that big animal all the way back, naturally only IF I was able to get it.

I was in close vicinity to him again. Was already down crouching. He was feeding of something growing from trees. Curious, never seen that before. Gotta ask Ingrid about it later.

Wåtchà tãlkîñg 'bøüt, bûddý?

Oh not you, fuck off for a moment, would you?

Nãh, Ï fêél lìkê $sstæyïng

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

It’s gone?

A Lannister Always Pays His Debts

It -- gave up? That easily?

'You won't trick me, you're still there aren't you?' No reply

Is it really gone? Why would it give up so easily? It must have had some reason to come. Did it find what it searched for? Why even overthink it. I finally got rid of it, whatever it might have been.

At that time I really thought IT was gone. That I'd never hear IT again, never again feel IT's presence. I was wrong.

Picture Hunter x Hunter (2011) --- [E131] --- Gon Freecss

Music A Lannister Always Pays His Debts composed by Ramin Djawadi

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016