I Was Starting To Understand This Form. So That's Why Things Seem To Disappear Sometimes.

I ran and tried thinking of something.

Come on. I need ideas... ideas... IDEAS!!! come on, right now!! what can I do... what can I do... wait... what can I do, that a deer can't... ok, now we're getting somewhere at least... lets see... I can... climb... … … … damn it! There must be something more... if it'd be just the hound it may be worth a try, but with that rider behind me...

Yøû kñöw... yóµ cåñ dø zï$ önê síng zæt nø ônè æls$së cân dö he he he he

What?! NO! That'd be the last option, that I wouldn't do before he had cau-

Suddenly I hit something with my foot, and I wasn't moving only straight forward anymore, I was... moving towards the ground too.

In that blink of an eye lots of things happened.

First I saw the ground in front of my head, less than an arms length away, I was falling.

Then I realized that I must had stumbled over something, as I slowly looked behind I saw what too. A giant root protruding from the ground

I looked a bit further behind me and saw the hound, already preparing to jump over the root, and the rider only a few steps behind the hound.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

Hey Sorry for the 'long' (I know, it was just a week) break from my side, was sick and in no condition to write anything. Anyway, I'm back to 'normal' and there'll be posts. Double as usual... But only for this week :D

Thanks for reading and thanks for the feedback so far ;)

PS: Ok, it was more than a week, just realized it's Wednesday already :D

She left shortly after Wasn't anything here for her, she said, so she didn't want to waste time

I had a few questions I wanted to ask her What she'd tell that guy if she met him again, where the nearest town is, what her name is but I didn't want to keep her, wasn't anything important anyway and in my current situation I did neither need nor want company Especially not some stranger who'd see me eat nearly a quarter of a deer, half raw, and in less time than some need for a 'normal' portion of meat

I found some branches, sharpened them on the rock walls of the cave, put some meat on them, and placed them over the fire

I was hungry, and that made me impatient so I held one stick right into the flames it took only a few moments till it was scorched on the outside but that was all, inside it was still as raw as before I didn't care, I did that a few times till that hole in my stomach began to fill Then I became patient enough to wait, but there still was one problem I had no idea of cooking, so it was still raw in the center

After eating all the meat I had prepped earlier, I put on the clothes They weren't completely dry yet but at least no longer soaked So I went to the road, by the pond on the way there, only had to choose which way to go now, east or west I'm unsure but I think I came from west, better go east then, I'll have to tell them that I'm alive some other time

© 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 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

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

Intro

Suddenly IT stood in front of me. I could clearly see it although its form wasn't stable. Constantly changing. I wanted to continue to talk to it, but I couldn't. My mouth didn't want to move. Like my lips had been sewn together. I panicked a bit.

Although there wasn't much to see in the darkness I looked around. Maybe there was something here. Then I noticed I had a sword fastened to my belt. I recognised the handle. It was the sword I had forged myself. It wasn't exactly the masterpiece of a well known Weaponsmith, but it worked well for me.

I drew it out of it's sheath to get an even better look. But as soon as I drew my sword, IT jumped at me.

Picture Demon by AlleywayNightscholar

Music Intro (City of Vultures) by Rise to Remain

© 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

Heartbeat

I stretched down. Slowly. To not startle it.

The tree gave off a creak. Shit, I'm too heavy. I need to get the pace up a bit.

The deer looked around immediately, staying like that for a moment. Turning its ears around. But it relaxed again and continued grazing.

I hung motionless for that time, holding my breath. Even when it had already relaxed again. But I continued, stretched myself further and further. Suddenly, a drop of blood. I saw it right in front of me, falling down, slowly. My heart stopped as I saw it. Oh shit The drop landed on the deers head.

To this day I am unsure how long, or rather short, that moment actually was. In my eyes it looked like it took an eternity. But as I look back on it, the deer wasn't even able to react to the blood of drop before I had sliced it in two. I didn't expect my claws to be that sharp, but it was nearly like I just sliced through nothing. Like I sliced through the air. There was no resistance in the deers body at all. Before I knew it I was down on the ground. Standing in between two halves of a deer. I looked at both of them. Besides of other fluids, blood was flooding out like there was no tomorrow. But the deer, it was still alive. At least the half with a head. It all went so fast, it didn't notice that it died.

I bit off its head, to stop the suffering. Even though I'm a monster, an abomination, I'm a merciful hunter. There's no need for suffering, at least if I'm able to end it.

Picture The human heart by SkarlettFury

Music Heartbeat 60 bpm found on Jeroen Klap's Channel

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Drying, Crumbling, Scratching

Panic Music 2

What should I do? If someone finds me here like this... I need to find some water

After wandering through the forest for some time, partially looking for water, partially lost in thought, the blood started to dry. To crumble. I could just scratch it off. And so I did.

I did get most of it off but still there were visible remains. I had to find some water.

Picture Blood on Cloak 2 by mohzart

Music Panic Music 2 by FesliyanStudios

© 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