Ancient Stones

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

For now I focused on turning back my arm instead of overthinking this.

The main problem with my current situation was, turning back that arm costs me lots of strength. This other body has kind of it's own will. It doesn't want to go 'back'. It want's freedom, which is definitely understandable, but I can't give it that. So it was, as always, a fight to turn back the arm.

Fight may be the wrong term, it's not like fighting someone or something. Not like a classic brawl or arm wrestling where it can go back and forth between both sides. It's more like... something I have to beat down, that simply takes the punches without getting hurt much by it. It needs many, hard punches to go down... if that makes any sense.

And that costs me energy, which means I have to eat & drink more afterwards.

The first meal usually is the biggest, then it goes down drastically meal by meal till I'm back to 'normal'.

This time it was just the arm, so a hare or three as first meal would surely be enough, tho I didn't have that much left.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I went back into the cave To have my peace and quiet while transforming Although I had mastered it pretty well I still needed all the focus I had

It was risky to do this outside I'd be completely unprotected for the whole time and someone could see me transforming There was no way I'd take that risk

A few days later I was back looking like me again Dammit, again those scars from wounds I never had They were everywhere, on my arms, my legs, my chest I do have a few scars that genuinely are 'mine' who I got by myself, from being careless around the forge I paid well for those unwary moments, a large burn on my left arm and smaller ones on my right Naturally some on my hands too, but those are rather usual After I was done in the cave, I went to the pond to wash the clothes I got from that old man Wonder if anyone found that guy

I went back to the cave, put the wet clothes on a flat rock then I gathered a few stones, put them in a circle and stacked the firewood inside I got the fire going with some dry grass and Flintstones and went into the cave to get the meat I had cut up Hope it isn't spoiled yet

Picture Night Plains by danielwachter

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I could take care of the blood on the bow later. People might notice it, but I am hunting after all. It's easy enough to just tell them it's the blood of some prey or maybe even my own... That sounds like a good idea, make up some story where I hurt myself because I wasn't careful. Some story where I learned something from it. Yeah I think people won't question that much... but I guess they won't question that it's animal blood either.

As long as I don't tell anyone it's the blood of some, probably noble, hunter whose head I cut off...

Wow... how easily I can let that run through my mind... I cut off someones head. I decapitated a human. And still... the thought... awakens no big response in me...

I mean, Yes, he was helping someone that wanted to kill me. I was only defending myself but... I can't help thinking that running away would've been enough... but then again I didn't really have any control over what happened...

I guess in the end... it's not really my fault... right, it's not me who did it.

Årë yøû rællý sâtissfïéd wìth zåt? Säyîng ít wâssn't yöú? Sâyïng ìt's zë fåült øf sômeöne élsè?

Ye... no... but...

Ït's yøµr fâült wæ gøt ïntô zåt sitûätiøn. I jµst dïd whæt häd tô bë dønê tó gèt üs øût öf ît ågæîn.

…

$sø døn't hïdê bæhînd thåt lïæ, yøû'rë nô kïddô ånýmørë.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

Completely forgot to make an episode for last friday, sorry. I’ll make it up with an extra episode this week ^_^

Thanks for Reading, Thanks for Following, and a nice week to all of you :)

Realization

Starting Disease

I woke up drenched in sweat.

Did -- did this all really happen? There's no other reason for me to be out here. I climbed down from the tree.

Why would the king order this? Why would he send such a madman to our small town to destroy it? We didn't do anything wrong --- or did we?

I was lost in thought for a long while. That was the first time it really hit me what had happened a few days ago.

Picture Creek by TWPictures

Music Starting Disease by Eduardo C.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Thoughts

But what now? I had learned to transform by will, had gained back my human self.

There was something I still had to do but... I was much to scared of that scared of going back to my dreams scared of continuing on that path wherever it leads.

So what else do I have left? Living out here would be an option, no one has come yet to solve this monster problem I guess it's true what they say; Out of sight, out of mind

But then again, it would be quite lonely out here peaceful, at least at peaceful as it can be with IT around but very lonely

And I could walk around without problem I got this transforming thing under control But how to continue out there? I can't stay with Martin & Ruth, I'm unsure how much they did notice, and I don't want them to live in fear

But I should at least them tell what happened or at least bits of it, maybe just that I'm alive They should know at least that

© 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

One day as we went out hunting, when we already were a bit in the nearby forest, Ingrid gave me her Bow and Arrows.

“Today it's up to you what meat we'll bring back. Use whatever means you want to get your hands on some game, I'll stay in the back.”

“W...What?” I looked at the bow and then at her in disbelief. “What did you say?”

“Don't kid me, I know you've got sharp ears, today you'll be the hunter and I the follower”

“But-”

“No but! You will hunt and we will bring back some game”

“Guess I don't have much of a choice”I looked at the bow. I wasn't the guy who really believed in himself, I was afraid I wouldn't bring back anything. But she said any means necessary, so I could set traps too... maybe even... No. Not while she's around. Not anytime for anything else than an emergency.I looked up at her again and saw that she believed in me. She knew I could do it.So I began looking for tracks, thanks to the newfallen snow it was quite easy.

First I found the tracks of a hare, I was relieved of that. I had caught many of those before. So like always I set up a trap at the tracks. Put some bait there too just to be sure it'd go through the loop too, and not around.

Not far away from the hare tracks I found the tracks of a stag. And this time I was sure. The tracks were pretty deep, must be a big one. Going at a steady pace, and seems to be healthy. We followed, or rather I, couldn't see Ingrid anywhere around but I had a feeling she watched from somewhere.

After some time I found him. I've seen her do this a hundred times, I can do this. She always shoots head or shoulder with such large animals so I'll go for that. But where does she aim on that distance?

I just aimed a bit over it's shoulder, knowing the arrow would curve downwards after some distance. I drew the bow, and released the arrow.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

There was it again, that sound.

What could this be... and why are they so spread?

It was clear that simply couldn't be one singular being making this, not because of the difference in sound and tone, but because of the distance, because of where these sounds came from.

I looked at my arm shortly I'll have to find out later what that was, surely won't fall off for now

...Ss$ûrræ he he hee

He surprised me, and that comment of his shortly filled me with fear What could he have done? How could he have? But I calmed myself nearly immediately again No, he couldn't... just trying to get some revenge... stay calm

So again I focused on the... on whatever was around me.

I was still in the safety of the bush, so I took a moment to listen The water was calm, the wind was calm, the birds were mostly calm too, a few panicky ones from one of the direction I heard that sound from.

Hooves!... deer? No... to heavy... and just one... it's coming closer... barking?... hounds?... why out here?...

It was just about to run by me I opened my eyes and looked into the direction I expected it to run by in a moment.

A horse, with a rider, quite plump man, quite fancy hunting dress too. Right behind him came two big grey hounds.

One of them stopped

and looked right at me

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

A cool breeze came up. Adding to how cool it already was it was rather unpleasant but I had to keep up with it. There were more sounds throughout the forest now. Crackling, rustling, swishing all around me. Most surely came from the wind, but I had a feeling it wasn't only the wind who rustled and crackled around me.

I took a moment to let my eyes get used to the darkness. Then searched for a stable and above all, climbable tree.

It took me a while. Most trees around were quite stable, but few climbable.

After a bit of searching I found a good one. Climbable, stable, and some thick branches a bit over my head. It was a conifer too. Although it stung in quite a few places, I got myself pretty well protected after bending and 'knotting' some weaker branches around myself.

It was fairly secure up on that branch too. Although I had some eerie feeling sitting up in that tree. As if... something was nearby... watching me.

I didn't think more over it, just thought I was imagining things.

It wasn't the most cozy place to be at this time, maybe a bit softer than on the ground but colder, without a fire. But still, I got very drowsy after a short while.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016