A Hug

The beck ended up in a pond.

There were no animals in sight, but that came probably from me just stomping through there, which was quite mindless to do.

My main thought was that I had gotten to my destination and now had to find a place to hide.

I pondered whether I should hide in a bush or in a tree. And after some time I came to the result that it was in many ways better to sit in a tree than in a bush. Better look over the area, no need to worry about predators sneaking up, I could actually move a bit sitting on a branch, in a bush I'd have to sit still all the time. And after deciding whether tree or bush, I only had to find a suitable tree.

The trees near the lake all seemed very young, not one having any branch that would be thick enough to endure my weight.

It took me some time to find a suitable tree. It wasn't directly by the pond, it was a few paces off. Behind some younger trees.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

Once more I have a note for you people out there :D Actually, this time, I wanna thank you all. It's about a year now since I've started this blog and began posting episodes and I am really happy how this all turned out.

So to all my followers, new or old, official or lurkers, trustworthy or... supsicious; Thank you

It didn't take long till I found the other guy and his horse. I pushed the headless and blood soaked rider out of the saddle and removed the saddle too.

I inspected the wounds on the horse. IT had sliced right through muscles, bones and several organs. And altho it already was beginning to rotten in the stomach area, the meat was still fresh at the chest.

My stomach growled again.

As I reached for my knife I noticed it was missing Must have lost it while being in ITs form... maybe I can find it around

I got up and searched for my knife. Already after a short while I noticed the sword of my attacker, but I wanted to rather find my knife than use his sword. Altho thinking back... it didn't really make much sense. Don't know why I didn't pick up his sword in that moment instead.

I searched for a while. I don't know when I started but by the time I gave up it was getting close to dusk.

I sat down besides the dead horse.

“How am I going to eat you if I can't find my knife to cut you to pieces?”

It didn't answer, I didn't expect an answer either.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

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

I checked out my hand, it had healed already since yesterday. Only a small scar was left of the wound. I cautiously got up, stood on one knee and checked the leg the hound bit into. Lord Raspberry-head continued shouting, stomping and wildly waving his hands through the air so he didn't seem to care much about it.

Those are quite deep, and thorn up too... if that damn hound hadn't... fuck! This will take some time, even with ITs help.

All of sudden I heard the unsheathing of a sword through the shouting. I was half-prepared for this so I wanted to jump back, out of his reach. But my left leg didn't like that idea, it stung like hell. Thanks to hands and the other leg I got up and a bit backwards, but from there on it was more stumbling than jumping.

Before I could get out of his reach, I hit the tree whose roots I fell over.

Fuck!... at least it stopped me from falling

He forcefully swung his sword over his head and at me. He was wide open, this man was either no good swordsman, or his rage had consumed him completely. Lucky for me he didn't quite think about the tree and chopped into it before he could hit me.

Before he could swing another time I jumped to the side, trying to put near to all force on my right leg. Both while jumping and while landing again. Jumping kinda worked, it wasn't like I felt nothing, but far less than at my first jump.

Landing didn't work quite as well. I managed to land on my right foot, without the left even touching ground. But I lost my balance and had to cross-step to stop my body, meaning I had to put all my weight on the left leg.

“AHHHHHH!!!!”

It was stinging even more than the first time. I could feel how more blood was running out of the wound instantly.

Cømë ôñ. ¥ øû knôw yöù'vé gøt me, Ï cån hælp yôµ. Jús$st håvæ tø lêävé mè öút he he he

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

He's right... it's my fault... I really killed two humans... decapitated one... split the other apart... I guess it's right that I have not much empathy for those two... after all they weren't just any humans. They were two humans trying to kill me.

For a long while after that my mind felt silent and empty. There was still stuff going on but... no 'main' thought.

It was already past midday when I caught myself and my head began working again. I still stood there, with the bow in my hand and the other stuff on the riverside.

I took the quiver on my back and wore the bow also over my chest. The knife I attached to my pants, and somehow managed to do the same with the flint & iron. Whetstone and meat I kept each in a hand.

Ok, got all my stuff. What else was on the plan... cleaning the stuff... some water... and... right, looking for where I left my bow before I had to run from the hound. But... where should I start?

© 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

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

A Small Measure of Peace

Martin seemed to be a nice man. He didn't talk very much on the way but every now and then he looked at me and smiled.

I guess he was a little bit smaller than most people, as he was only two heads taller than myself. He was about the same age father... was, maybe a little older.

I can't tell why but I somehow knew from the beginning he was a sincere & honest man. He had no reason to wish bad things on anyone. Nor did he want any bad things to happen to himself or the people who are dear to him.

' 'ere we er wee 'un'

Picture house by 0BO

Music A Small Measure of Peace by Hans Zimmer

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I woke up just after sunrise. Birds were chirping all around, the sun was behind me and I had some breakfast with me. I had left over some smaller pieces of the horse meat from my last meal. And even tho cold, they were still tasty.

Getting down from the tree was, just like getting up, not very difficult. I took a look around, to see if anyone or anything was nearby. Nothing.

“Lets see... plan for today... drench thirst, wash blood of my... the stuff I found... hmm... lets see how long that takes. After that maybe try to find my bow and arrows again. Sun will surely be down by that time.”

So I set out to follow that plan.

Went to the nearby beck and drank some water. As I wanted to begin washing of the blood from the stuff I found, I realized that I had no idea how to go about it. The water was shallow, the current was weak, so I decided to just put everything in the water. Except my pants. Then I ripped a piece of cloth out of my pants and used that for cleaning the stuff.

Getting the blood off the Flint & Iron was easy enough. Cleaning it off the whetstone wasn't difficult either. After that I cleaned the knife and the arrow quiver. Cleaning the bow was more difficult. The crust of dried blood came of easily enough, but below that some blood had drawn into the wood. It seemed like my scrubbing had no effect, no matter how long I tried to.

“Guess I'll have to hide that somehow... maybe with more blood on the bow”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016