Floating

I slowly woke up in a warm bed, a rather slender arm lying on me. It took me a moment to realize this wasn't a dream, would've been the only good one I had for as long as I can remember. Not fully awake I stared at the ceiling for some time, my thoughts so far away I didn't have any.

Still lying down, I looked around a bit. I was in some house. There was a table with two chairs, a bow and some arrows near a door, another door, a fireplace, still some faint glowing embers in it. On the floor where some clothes, they seemed familiar.

Then this thought slowly came up from somewhere. This arm on my chest, this wasn't mine. Mine was touching some soft skin. I looked to the other side of me and fell out of the bed in fright, landing on the hard, wooden floor. Ouch.

From the jerk Ingrid woke up too, sitting up and grasping the blanket to cover herself.

“I did this for you!” She roared immediately

“Thanks... I guess”

“I heard some loud sound outside last night, turned out it was you. Fell asleep beside my door and fell over. You were ice cold. Pale skin, blue lips & all.”

“Ok... but wouldn't just lighting a fire... been enough?”

“I didn't want it to be my fault you froze to death, so I wanted to make sure. But don't you tell anyone about this! This was a one time occasion! Understood?”

“Sure, stays between me and you.”

“And... I am sorry for yesterday, shouldn't have shouted at you because of this old bastard. I'll let you stay, as long as you're a help on the hunt. Else I'll kick you out. Got it!?”

“No worries, forgiven, understood & accepted. But one question-”

“Your clothes? They're by the fireplace”

I looked down at myself and reddend again.

“...n... no... but thanks...”

I paused shortly, trying to get somehow comfortable with the situation of being around her naked, again.

“How... how did you get me in here?”

She laughed “Easy, I'm a hunter, I'm used to carrying full grown deer to this place. I admit you are a bit heavier, but I didn't need to carry you very far.”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Beat by Memories

Looking at it afterwards I’m unsure what I thought. Although he was just an image from my memories, I did barely know how to fight.

The only experience I had was the training with that one guard. And hitting at a tree stump on my own.

I didn’t even know how to use a sword properly, and I had the brilliant idea to fistfight with this guy.

Oh shit-

He came at me with a right. By acting like I had a shield in my hand, I actually managed to block that.

It was a hard swing, It hurt like hell. But I had a small success there.

I was actually able to block that p –

He hit me under the chin.

I felt how I bit through my tongue, then lifted off the ground. Still pushed by his punch.

I woke up again. Panic-stricken, sitting up instantly

He beat me. Should have expected as much.

Picture DOWN + B by vashperado

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

We went back shortly after. Neither of us said much. I looked at her every now and then, to see if she got hurt somewhere. Physically she seemed fine, but I was sure there had to be some serious mental & emotional damage after that.

She didn't tell me what had happened. She might think I know what happened, that I saw it all, but had no control over it. Or maybe... No, I had to stop overthinking this, without asking I can never guess what she thought. It was simply not possible to think myself into having no idea at all of whats up with me. I know not all of it either, but I know some important bits.

“Ingrid-”

I tried to break the silence, had to find out what happened.

“Whatever happened, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you beforehand, but I don't want people to know, for their safety. And now I'm forced to not tell anyone”

She didn't answer. She just continued walking, looking at the ground, staring far far away. Just like I did back then. Seeing that helped me a bit, helped me understand. It was a different situation, a different enemy, a different time, but I think it was somehow still very similar.

“Please Ingrid...” I put my hand on her shoulder “...please, I beg you, tell me what happened. I don't know, I cannot tell you why, not even what, but I never remember those...” I paused, carefully looking for the right word, to stay true to my contract “...those moments”

© 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

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

the Author Speaking

This post won't be about Bjorn, sorry to disappoint you there.

This post is about a woman. But not just any woman. She is... *grins* different. She has far more than just a pretty smile. Some might call her weird, scary, or even damaged. But again, she's more than that.

She's intelligent, calm, focused, just, powerful, deep, *grins* almost harmless. I can promise you, you won't find another like her. She's a fighter, a survivor, inspiring, skilled, got the best make-up tips.

Someday, she awoke through a chain of events. And now, she's just incredible. If you ever meet her you'll know what I'm talking about.

Today she's better known as La Kapitana. And to be honest, all I came here for, today, was to wish her a Happy Birthday.

* looks at the text * shakes head * Somehow this always happens when I'm trying to keep it short

Author - out

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 :)

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

Don't Look Back

Great, now I even have to wash these Anyway, him fainting makes the whole thing easier, at least partially... He won't complain, but I'll have to take off his clothes myself

It was no easy feat to undress the man with these claws and transforming back would've taken too long and been too risky But I managed to get his shirt and pants, without hurting him although the clothes did look a bit butchered Holes and cuts in a few places, all made by me

I went back into the forest, to my cave

Now I do have some clothes, probably won't fit too well but far better than running around naked

Now all I had to do were some preperations I hunted myself a deer first, skinned it, cut part of it in pieces then got myself some wood, piled that up at the cave entrance now all that was left was turning back and washing those clothes

but first I went to the pond another time to get, for now, a last look at this wretched creature I was to burn it into my memories, to be motivated by it

I'll get rid of this cursed thing inside of me someday I'll be cured of this form I'll find a solution to this

Picture Forest Pond by Ruth-Tay

Music Don't Look Back by CMA

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

...Nightmare?

Underground

After that everything was black. But not the usual black like coal. It was... empty. It had this feel of... nothingness to it. Like there would never come anything afterwards. And there never did.

Suddenly I got the feeling that something was there with me. I saw it in the corner of my eye. But when I tried to look at it, it was gone.

Ssø yöû fînãlly cãmë tø mê

What? 'Who is there?'

Ha Ha Ha Ha Î'm ssûrrë yøu wânnä knøw zät

Suddenly something jumped on my back. I couldn't move so I fell. I had no idea where up and down where but I knew I fell.

Picture source unkown

Music Underground by ◄-NATURE-►

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016