The Plan

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 enjoyed that moment for a while longer, just sitting there. It was a welcome change from walking near to all day.

The sun had moved quite a bit, lighting the area in a different way, when I noticed a fox drinking from the beck a few paces from me.

I hit myself against the head.

How couldn't I have thought of that. Animals need water. This may not be the only place around here for them to get some but it's one of them. If I just wait around here somewhere... maybe even follow the stream a little, might even find a pond where it ends up.

I got up and packed my stuff. The fox ran away as soon as I moved, but he wasn't my target anyway. But still, I learned something from him too; If I wanna wait around water for animals, I gotta stay still, or move very slowly.

My new plan was set, following the beck to where it ends and waiting for animals. If I can't follow them, I'll wait for them instead.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

“It... it's ok. You don't have to tell me.” She looked at me and forced a smile

Yøû wõn't téll hèr? Åftær ââââll shë's dønê fór yøû?He... IT asked mockingly

I told you to shut up!

Ingrid took a step back, fright painting her face

“Where does that anger suddenly come from?”

“Please Ingrid, it's in no way your fault.”

“Then I demand you tell me whose it is” Suddenly her voice was tense again. The fright had vanished from her face.

“Please Ingrid-”

“You know where we are?”

“What?” I was confused about the sudden change of topic

“You heard me!”

“...I don't know, in a forest”

“Know how to get back?”

“What?... No. I don't”

“Wonderful, if you wanna get back you tell me. Else I'll leave you here. You know I can”

“Ingrid, that is ridiculous”

“How about that then, we'll exchange secrets. I'll tell you mine, you yours afterwards.”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Just a short notice, got no Internet (router is toast) so I won't be able to upload new episodes till that is fixed. Great week to y'all

And again I woke up.

''GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!!! There gotta be something I can do about this Bastard.''

Annoyed at my own uselessness I went out of the cave again. I was hungry, but it was the middle of the night. ''Guess I'll have to switch to beast eyes''

I jumped through the trees, I had gotten pretty good control over this body in the past time. Using much of it's potential.

Only got a hare that night.

But on the way back, as I was inspecting my claws, I got a flash of insight.

''Why don't I use my claws? I know how to use them, I just need to bring them forth. I'm far better at using them than fighting with my hands, although I just hunted prey with them so far.''

This idea was groundbreaking to me, I just had to be able to actually turn it into action.

I needed to be able to turn by my own will.

I knew how to turn my eyes, I knew the sensation of it.

This concentration, combined with this stream of... Something.

I had just to repeat this with my arm...

Hopefully.

Picture when rabbit howls by Anklebones

© 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

Underground

One night I was back in that blackness. I hadn't been there for a long time, but I knew what it meant.

'What do you want? Why am I here again?'

Döñ't ÿøu rrëmëmbërr? ha ha ha ¥øú S$àîd ït ýûørr$sêlf.

'I don't know what you're talking about!' I tried locating IT but it was like the first time. Always just in the corner of my eye.

¥øu töld mê tø $st@¥ qüíèt, ûñtïll ýøû ¢ôüld fîñd øût whø Î äm

The moment IT said it I remembered it like it was yesterday. That really worked back then. IT really followed the wish of young foolish me. But would IT do that again?

'I banish you foul thing from my dreams, from me, whatever you are!'

Ha ha ha ha Ï æm ñøt før¢cêd tø föllôw ¥øûrr ëvérý wî$h, bøý. Î chøsê tö

Picture Blackout found on 巫女miko's blog

Music Underground by ◄-NATURE-►

© 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

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

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