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At first she used me mostly for carrying her game. I stayed in the back, observing her. And already through that I learned a bit about hunting. But she was always silent. Never said a word. Only gave me hand signals. Pointing to places, sometimes mimicing what she wanted me to do.
After a while tho she had me closer by her. Showing me what different tracks look like, whispering to me what you could tell from them. What kinda animal it was, the animals size, if it was hurt, how fast it was going. And all that from just a series of footprints.
After some time of just showing and describing she began having me look around in the area. Look for tracks, tell her what I'd read from them.
In the beginning I was often horribly wrong. I stopped counting how often she had slapped the back of my head for being wrong. But afterwards she always asked me questions about the tracks. Why I thought it was that animal, why at that pace etc. I got better with time. But I still made mistakes, but then we followed the tracks. I'd always knew there was something wrong when she let me go in front and trace the tracks.
The first time I mixed up deer and boar tracks was also the last time. That time I couldn't fathom how fast Ingrid was up in that tree. But after thinking about it, it definitely is understandable. She was on guard, she knew what tracks I was following and she had keener ears than me. She probably heard them already from far away. I was too focused on not losing the tracks.
Happy I survived that, but I guess I wouldn't if that Sow hadn't been distracted by her piglets.
Note from the Author:Sorry for not posting anything last friday. I wasn't really in shape to focus much on anything other than slow mewsik to be honest. So I had rather a day without a post than a day with a crappy, headache-filled post.
Thanks for reading and hope you leave some feedback.
© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016
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
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
And after that? I could travel
Maybe, just maybe, I can find a way to rid myself of IT Perhaps I'll find out what IT really is, what IT wants from me
And even if I'm destined to live with IT till the very end I'll get to see new places, learn new things Probably help people in need Maybe even hinder something like back then, when my hometown got burned down, to happen again
And so my plan was set Only one question was left Where should I get some clothes from now? I could rob a caravan or the like, naturally without hurting anyone, just taking what I need
© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016
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 thought about it all day. What could have happened that got me my eyes back? Let’s go through it all once more
I ‘woke up’ there, in my dreams. IT, whatever its name may be, told me my real name, 片 Kata. Then IT shouted at me for not knowing what my real name is. That was basically it. How could that give me back my eyes?
Could it really be because IT told me my real name? But that wouldn’t make sense. IT wants to see me suffer, and I’m sure IT wants to take full control someday too. There's no sense in IT helping me so freely to turn back. There must be some catch to it.
Although I’m still unsure about ITs real intentions, now I do know that it really was my name that helped me turn back. It took quite a while till I found out what power my real name had. And what power I had if I knew ITs real name. But I can’t simply break of the whole tale here.
Note from the Author
Welcome to all my new followers and many thanks to the people who liked my posts. It’s not like I define myself through these followers and likes, but I always appreciate to get some kind of feedback ^^
That’s it, I won’t hold you off from whatever you’re gonna do now.
Have a nice day and thanks for reading
© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016
Underground
And suddenly, I was there.
This blackness all around me.
Hey! -- Does it have a name? -- I know you’re there! I need your help!
Sssøö, yôü €åmé aftærr åll. Ýøû wånna knòw whät Ï’m cællêd, æh? Whÿ døn’t yôü leårrn yøurr øwn nåme fïr$sst?
My own name? But I know my name, I’m Bjorn.
Hr Hr Yøü sssêrïøusslý $till bêlïevæ zât? Wëll, sîncæ yôu cån’t wãlk ‘rrøûnd åskin pëøplê ‘bøût it, I’ll tell yøu. Sssincë yøu, 片 Kata, åctûally føûnd më yøursêlf.
Did IT just call me 片 Kata? How can that be my name?
IT sighed Yôü gûýss næverr lêärrn. Yêsss, ýøurr rRRëâl nåmë is 片 Kata!
Ok, Ok, I got it. 片 Kata. So, what do they call you?
Thåt, yøü’ll hâve tø find øût yöûrrsssëlf.
Music Underground by ◄-NATURE-►
© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016
It was a horrible view.
What was left of my hair were a few long, light strands. By far longer than my hair.
My eyes were… black. Deep black. Like ITs territory. The left one looked like it could fall out every moment.
As I saw my mouth… or rather jaw, my heart stopped.
Nothing that would resemble lips in any way. Two rows of razor sharp teeth. Like I had a mouth filled with daggers. And it was wide. Very wide. My… jaw… went nearly from ear to ear.
How could I close this mouth? I would surely hurt myself.
I tried. Now I knew where the blood had come from while deer hunting.
I bit right through what one could call my “skin”.
My skin looked like someone had burned it off. I had neither ears nor nose.
I could’ve never dreamed of such a creature. Not in my wildest nightmare. But there I saw it. Worse than the worst thing I could imagine. And it was my reflection.
© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016
The crowd was still standing around. Unsure if they should believe the drunken huntsman or not.
Ruth grabbed my hand firmly and went through the masses of people. A few dozen paces later she stopped, turned around and crouched down in front of me.
'Don't listen to that drunkard, he always tells stuff like that.' She calmly said to me.But in her eyes I saw that she didn't completely believe those words herself.
© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016