I Enjoyed That Moment For A While Longer, Just Sitting There. It Was A Welcome Change From Walking Near

As I came out again, both arms stacked with raw meat A woman was inspecting the fire I had made Are you serious? No one for years but NOW someone comes by? As she looked up again she noticed me immediately

“Is that your fire?” She asked, eyeing me

“Yeah. Any problem with it?”

“Not really, was just curious who made the fire”

“What are you looking for out here?”

“That's my line”

She seemed rather defensive, from her looks she was a hunter Had a bow, arrows, knife and some sturdy leather boots Looked pretty professional from what I knew

“So, are you looking for anything out here? Or maybe just hunting for sport?”

She squinted at me “Yeah, right. Some half naked guy told me there'd be some creature around here, gave me some good money to take a look. He seemed drunk to me, no clothes and all. So I thought, why not? You seen this... creature?”

That guy really made it to a place where someone listened to him? Impressive.

“Might have, Any hints on what it looks like?”

“Guy was rather panicky, but he said something about nightmarish skin, claws and a horrible screech”

“He was drunken you said?”

“Probably”

“There's this hollow tree further in the forest, really creepy looking. Got 'arms' and has some red plant growing all over it. Can show it to ya if you feel like it”

She laughed “No need, I think”

Wow, that lie worked out far better than I imagined. Good I made this up in the time I was stuck here.

I allowed myself a short laugh too

“Any more problems then miss huntress?”

“Only one question; Any particular reason for being naked?” She chuckled

“Oh” I felt my face redden “Long story”

Picture MMMMeat by NadiavanderDonk

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I looked around for a moment. Ok, which way should I choose? Just into the forest would be a bad idea... follow the river... yeah, but upwards, stream-wards there is only unnecessary danger.

So I went up the stream. Focus on your hearing now, don't need touch or sight for now. I stood still, closed my eyes and worked on my focus.

I heard a crack, my head turned in the direction out of reflex. I waited some time Come on, gimme another sound. I promise it'll be quick.

Nothing more, either an old tree or something that noticed it's wrong doing.

I continued listening for some more time. I don't know for how long, I just stood there, focused on my hearing. My eyes were closed, a flock of deer could walk by directly in front of me... if they were silent enough.

No, away with these thoughts, they only distract you.

Still nothing. After a while I continued. I bore my bow over my back, it was easier to switch on all fours that way if I had to.

Come on, you gotta find some food. We... you... I... whatever I shaked my head this had never happened before, this situation, there was always enough food after turning. I'm unsure if I wanna find out what happens if there aint.

I stopped again, closed my eyes, and focused.

Birds. No... won't ever hit them, and even if I would, I would need uncountable of those. Done with the thought. Silence.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I gave away my presence a bit rashling in bushes, cracking twigs, jumping through tree crowns, even a short growl

That's was the first time he actually looked afraid guess he must fear wolves good then that I aint one

The whole encounter itself was over before it began

I screeched, loud, and I was less than a dozen paces from him He fell on his rump, spilling some of the baskets contents

It was filled with vegetables So I was right with the selling stuff

He was crawling away from me, stumbling over potatoes and carrots

I am able to arouse such fear in people without them even seeing me

I jumped out of a bush, landed right over him he just sat there, paralyzed by fear I leaned over him, getting on all fours Still trying to 'run' from me he got closer and closer to the ground As there wasn't any more room between him and the dirt the moment I was right beside his ear Saliva dropped on him I really am one of these fiercy monsters, even drooling The moment the saliva hit his face

He pissed himself and fainted

Picture [Study] old man by GDYang [EDITED]

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The Madman

Descendent of God

They marched into the village. It was still early. The Sun had just dawned and the cock hadn't crown yet. Behind them lay already the soldiers who were supposed to watch the road.

Finally. After all these years in that goddamn dungeon someone saw my potential. Someone saw that my power, my lust for destruction isn't something bad, it's useful. He snapped with his fingers and a spark emerged from them. It flew to a house in an instant. WOOOSHH The house was ablaze an instant later.

Mwuahahuahahua After all those years... His eyes started glowing red. He snapped his fingers again and another house stood ablaze. ...I nearly forgot how much fun this is Hahahahahaha Burning people started running out of the houses. Screaming out of pain.

'Go. Do has he told you. Don't let a single one survive. All Hail the King' Mwuhahuahahuaha

Picture Crimson Mage by Izzy Medrano

Music Descendent of God by DeVso Music

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The first half of the deer didn’t last for long. But it sated my appetite, so I took the other half with me.

How long until raw flesh gets foul? I wish I knew. I should eat it by tomorrow ‘round this time, just to make sure it doesn’t get tainted.

After I was back to my cave and had ‘stored’ the remaining half of the deer a question came up.

So… what now? I figured out I can only see moving things, everything else is blurry and reddish. I am able to hunt, apparently I got amazingly sharp claws. Only question is; What to do with this new won free time? Hunting for fun is a waste and only gives me unnecessary attention – What do dragons do in their caves? I guess they sleep in their piles of gold, until some brave hero comes who ends up eaten alive. But I am no dragon, at least I don’t look lik…

Then it struck me, What do I actually look like in this form? I went out again, in search of water. It didn’t take too long till I found some.

I gradually moved my head over the water. To not scare myself too much.

Picture Inside the Cave by Joaru

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

There was no way for me of coming out of this, so the only thing I really could do was stretch out my arms as good as possible to break my fall with them, instead of doing that with my head.

I fell to the ground, felt several sharp stones pierce my chest and stomach. Although my whole body was in pain I turned on my back a few moments after I had landed.

Almost immediately I felt a pain in my leg, only as my leg began moving on it's own I noticed it was the hound who bit me. I kicked him with my other foot, more out of escape-reflex than actually thinking I had a chance to skill escape.

Before I manage to kick another time the rider was standing besides me, calling back the dog and getting of his horse. He gave the dog a short pat on the head and then focused on me.

“An' you are?” he asked in a quite arrogant tone

“Me? I am myself, and your prey too, I guess” I paused, catching my breath “An' you?” I mockingly imitated his tone

“Hold your tongue, peasant, I am Bhaltair, son of Eoghan, count of these lands, including this forest. I will not ask again, Who are you?” he began sounding a bit aggressive, but still with this noble & arrogant tone

© 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

What Attack?

Prepare for the Onslaught

Rrëmêmbêãrr zê ãttâck?

There it was again. What attack? It all flushed back into my mind in an instant. I was there again.

'...Survive' She yelled. I ran out back. Suddenly she started crying 'Leave me be, please. I don't want to die' 'Like I give a shit. It's all on the king's orders' Hahahahaha

That laughter. I knew it from somewhere. She started screaming. Louder and louder. You could feel her pain in those screams.

I turned around and ran. Ran to the forest. I didn't turn back anymore, I just ran. Ran for my life, hoping I never have to feel the pain I heard in those screams

Picture Burning House by Nemo-Li

Music Prepare for the Onslaugt by Epic Score

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

A Survivor Born?

Panic Man

I woke up in the middle of the forest. What was that dream? It felt so real, like I was standing right there. I could feel the heat. I looked around. Where am I? Why am I sitting on the ground, in the forest? Why is my back so stiff? How long have I already been here?

Ssø mãny küêsstîønss, ssø fêw åñsswêrss ha ha ha ha ha

What? Where did that come from? 'Hello? Is someone there?'

No one. I was all alone. But where did that voice come from then?

Picture Forest by aJVL

Music Panic Man by FesliyanStudios

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

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