Morrowind Soundtrack

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 :)

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

I woke up in the forest. The clearing was familiar, the sun was shining.

For a moment there I believed it was all just a bad dream. That I still was the little boy from back then who had just lost his parents. Who just escaped from that maniac.

But as I looked down on me, looked at my hands, I noticed; I wasn't. It hadn't been just a bad dream, I wasn't that young boy again who just had lost his parents. Hadn't just escaped from that maniac. I was still this... monster. Abomination. IT. I screamed.

I expected that even the people in town heard that screech, but I didn't care. My life as Bjorn was over, now I was this... thing. May they come and end my life, if you could call it that.

Picture Master Study: Forest Sunrise by Illustrum

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I went back to the stream to wash off my blood and see how big the wound really was. It cost some time and energy but I'd rather check on that and maybe fix it somehow than leave a blood trail after me. Who knows what or who might sniff me up thanks to that.

The holes in my hand weren't that big, he did bite me two times so naturally there were four, two on the back of my hand, two inside of it. There wasn't much blood running from them tho, the bleeding had been worst in the beginning.

I tried moving my hand around a bit, into different positions I could think of that I'm using while hunting. But there was nothing that really caused much more bleeding than when I relaxed the hand.

A bit more when drawing my bow but I guess I had just to be a bit more selective with my prey, and more accurate with my shots.

I went on, looking for any kind of tracks of animals, focusing on my senses to hear if there's anything nearby. I found another hare, but this time I managed to sneak up and get it with my bow. Hit right in the head, quite a lucky shot I had there.

Guess that means one more to go, and then I'll eat something. My stomach growled Yeah I know it's time, I know that I'm tearing at my reserves, just gimme a bit more time

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I was unsure at first. Feared meeting an unfortunate end in that forest, but without risk; no reward.

So I went further and further into the forest. Always as low as possible, constantly switching focus between eyes and ears. Between seeing and hearing.

It was quite a bit harder to find any tracks on the overgrown forest ground than in fresh fallen snow. I had to look more closely if I ever wanted to find anything. Not only that, I had to learn about other tracks animals leave behind too; claw marks on trees, ruffled soil, trampled grass...

Lotsa things I had to keep my eyes open for. And it wasn't helping that it got dimmer by the moment.

I could use ITs eyes but the idea itself feels like playing foul. After all it's still kind of... a contest... I guess... between the hunter and the hunted. One flees to save his life, the other attacks to save his own... or that of those he cares for. And then there's me, right now, hunting for my own luxury. For being comfortable. So I can travel a bit in peace, don't have to worry about hunting my own food.

Still, there are things I need. Things I can't make myself, things I can't hunt out here. So I have to get some coin. After all I can't hunt for books with bow and arrow, neither for clothes, or armor.

While these thoughts ran through my mind it had gotten dark around me.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

My hundreth post \(^_^)/ Yeah not quite my hundreth story episode but I'm still very happy I got so far. And again I have to thank a very special woman for that.

Or at least blame her for getting the ball rolling <3

How? What? Where?

Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

I snapped out of it I was back again. On the hard, cold ground of the forest.

'How did you do that? What are you? Where are you?'

Nothing. Not a single word. First then, as I listened closely, I noticed all the sounds around me. A crack here, a bird there. Then, a crackle. It came from a bush a few paces in front of me. I didn't know if I should run away or go to it, so I just sat there. Staring at it.

It was just a beaver. It looked at me shortly and then turned around and ran away.

Wait... a Beaver. That means there's a body of water near. I'm sure it'll return to it sooner or later. I went the direction the beaver disappeared into but there was no trace of it. I just continued in the general direction.

Picture Forest by gugu-troll

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

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I held my sword up to deflect the hit. One hand on the grip, the other on the tip of the blade.

The hit was hard. Harder than I imagined would be possible for something of it's size.

My grip around the sword was tightening. I was far too concentrated on counteracting the pressure. IT loosened the pressure and kicked me in the stomach.

It didn't hurt at all for some reason. Although there was much force behind the kick. Right, this is just a dream after all

Nøt cömplêtèlÿ trrüè bôý. Êvën ìf thïss íss nøt yôür phý$icäl fôrm, yóù'll stîll gët d@mågëd.

I noticed my hand was bleeding. And although I only was surprised for a moment, it was a moment too long. IT attacked me again, but this time IT hit.

Picture The Demon Within by lauraneato

© 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

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

Blood

Calm Panic

Blood. I had blood on my hands. BLOOD. Why do I have blood on my hands? Whose is it?

I went back to the pond to wash it off, but it wasn't there. I remember wich way I had to go and I was sure I went in the right direction but the pond was gone.

I followed my own footsteps back to the tree to double check. As I came to it I noticed that there were bloodstains all the way up to the branch I was on. And this wasn't at all the tree I climbed up last night. How did I get here?

Picture Blood on Cloak by mohzart [EDITED]

Music Calm Panic from P.T.

Note from the Author

Hope you do like the story so far. And that my writing is not too horrifying :D But anyway, I'm always happy about some feedback so just send it my way ;)

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016