And Again I Woke Up.

Floating

I woke up again.

So, my name… my real name is 片 Kata. It’ll take time to get used to, I think. And IT doesn’t want to tell me its name. Why?

With all these thoughts it took a while till I noticed that it’s dark around me.

Am I blind now? Don’t I have eyes anymore?

Carefully I got up. Something in my view was changing. I could see silhouettes like before, but it wasn’t because something was gleaming. I saw things in the dark.

I found my way out of the cave. It was already morning again. The sun had risen and the birds were chirping in the trees. Suddenly I noticed the difference. I could see everything normally again. My view was clear, normally coloured. No blur, no gleaming things.

I looked down at myself, but I got disappointed. Still this burned flesh, these claws. Without much more hope I went to the pond again.

No ears, no nose, no hair. Razorsharp teeth, but my eyes weren’t black anymore.

So, somehow I did make progress. Only question is; How?

Picture Forest Pond by Ruth-Tay

Music Floating by Andreas B.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Martin

A Hard Teacher

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Looking around I was kneeling in grass. No more trees around me. The hand was a man's. It was big and scarred, but it's touch gentle.

'Wha's wi' ye wee 'un?'

I tried to say something but I couldn't bring out a word. I began to cry.

'Noo Noo, na need te blart. Ye git a name?'

'...Bjorn' I said faintly

'So Bjorn, ye hungry?'

I nodded, wiping away my tears

'Folloo me then. Name is Martin by th' wey'

Picture Male Peasant by dashinvaine

Music A Hard Teacher by Hans Zimmer

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I checked out my hand, it had healed already since yesterday. Only a small scar was left of the wound. I cautiously got up, stood on one knee and checked the leg the hound bit into. Lord Raspberry-head continued shouting, stomping and wildly waving his hands through the air so he didn't seem to care much about it.

Those are quite deep, and thorn up too... if that damn hound hadn't... fuck! This will take some time, even with ITs help.

All of sudden I heard the unsheathing of a sword through the shouting. I was half-prepared for this so I wanted to jump back, out of his reach. But my left leg didn't like that idea, it stung like hell. Thanks to hands and the other leg I got up and a bit backwards, but from there on it was more stumbling than jumping.

Before I could get out of his reach, I hit the tree whose roots I fell over.

Fuck!... at least it stopped me from falling

He forcefully swung his sword over his head and at me. He was wide open, this man was either no good swordsman, or his rage had consumed him completely. Lucky for me he didn't quite think about the tree and chopped into it before he could hit me.

Before he could swing another time I jumped to the side, trying to put near to all force on my right leg. Both while jumping and while landing again. Jumping kinda worked, it wasn't like I felt nothing, but far less than at my first jump.

Landing didn't work quite as well. I managed to land on my right foot, without the left even touching ground. But I lost my balance and had to cross-step to stop my body, meaning I had to put all my weight on the left leg.

“AHHHHHH!!!!”

It was stinging even more than the first time. I could feel how more blood was running out of the wound instantly.

Cømë ôñ. ¥ øû knôw yöù'vé gøt me, Ï cån hælp yôµ. Jús$st håvæ tø lêävé mè öút he he he

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I was starting to understand this form. So that's why things seem to disappear sometimes.

With that knowledge I could go hunting. Better than any human hunter. Far better. Although I still had to learn to differentiate between silhouettes.

A glimmer in the corner of my eye Another hare I lept for it. But I overdid the jump. The hare got away.

Damn it! I need to learn to control my strength, my new won abbilites. But I was hungry and it's hard to concentrate with a growling stomach. I went for bigger prey.

I climbed a tree, with ease. Looked around for movement. It took quite a while till I saw some suitable prey. A deer, probably, it came all the way to the tree I was sitting on. Like it wanted to be eaten.

Picture The White Deer by EternaLegend

© 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

Brink

The guardsmen both just went away. Still laughing.

The man looked back at me. He was still extremely tense. The people in the croud started mumbling, talking. About me, about the hunter, wether his tale could be believeable. He took the chance and ran. I never saw a man run this fast. While running he shouted something I didn't quite understand. It was something like 'Yer 'ill al' be sorry for not listenin' ter me.'

The crowd was still standing around us. I could feel their gazes on me. Suddenly Ruth, who had been in some stadium of shock-like parlysis, spoke up.

'Do ya believe a lil' wahn loike 'im could do that? Daan't earwig ter this drunkard 'unter. Rather worry abaht findin' a new 'cause 'e won't be comin' back.'

Picture Taboone-Full by mintyfreshmangos

Music Brink by FesliyanStudios

© 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

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

Wild Woods

I went out, to the pond again.

It was broad day. The sun was high and birds were chirping.

I looked around a bit at the pond.

Hmm… still no one’s come to fight this beast. Didn’t expect it to take them this long to find someone brave enough to kill this monster.

A deer got near the other side of the pond.

A deer?!

I looked down at my stomach.

Well, I ain’t hungry. At least I don’t feel hungry. I’ll let it live. No need to kill it just for sport. Don’t wanna overeat either.

Walking back to the cave I thought about this ‘dream’

How can I beat this guy? He’s superior to me in every way. Stronger, faster, more experienced…

I got his first punch, it hurt like a bitch to block it, but I know he isn’t almighty.

Just have to look out for upper-cuts now. Biting of my own tongue is even worse than getting hit in the arm.

Picture Deer by Jason Behnke

Music Wild Woods by Brandon Fiechter

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Morrowind Soundtrack

First the other hand, then my feet, head after that, then legs & arms and in the end my whole torso

that was the first time I actually looked into the pond again and didn't just drink from it

I had longer hair than ever before was quite a bit taller and naturally I had aged a bit even gotten a few stubbles I had 'gained' a few scars all over my body too

But I didn't stop there, didn't walk back home I had to learn to control this turning to the best I could

Transforming my whole body took a few winters & since I was sure this wouldn't be the last time I had to do it I had to drastically improve that time

It took a bit longer than another two winters nearly reached the third but in the end I was able to turn within a few days and although it took far less energy now I still felt like I could eat an elk afterwards

Picture cave by pilot-whale

Music Morrowind Soundtrack by Jeremy Soule

Note from the Author

I know I'm a lil late but, Happy 2k16 to everybody ^^

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016