Верег - Bereg [open]

[Ziu]

Time: Mid-Morning
Date: Winter of 1940/1941
Weather: Unforgivingly cold, fog with sun
Place: The Russian wilderness

The trees, white as bones, hung heavy with dangling ice. The river was starkly black against the bleak white, silent and unflowing from the season's harsh cold. The morning's fog billowed heavily through the trees, shrouding everything in pallidness and furthering the dead silence. The sagging, thick brush, hard as iron from its frozen coating, rustled and crackled awkwardly with any movement.

Ziu's shoulder was close to killing him. The swelling only went down when he didn't move - the joint was swollen, puffy, stiff as the frigid foliage around him. Hot, scabby lumps had formed over his shrapnel-peppered hip, and he could still feel the bite of the lodged stone and metal. The nipping sting was nothing like his wrenched shoulder, but whatever was in him rubbed back and forth against cartilage and tissue, still making walking miserable. He was near-dragging his front leg, limping miserably in the back - he wouldn't be able to run. Hobble for his life, if he had to, but not run. The fact the snow was up to his shoulders helped nothing.

His stomach growled and groaned, twisting into uncomfortable loops over his own hunger. Snow was a brief but cruel relief, for even though it sated him for an hour or so, it made him feel thirsty and left him further desperate. He had run into the woods to escape the marching humans - he had urinated at the sound of their barking orders, not recognizing their voices as Deutsch - but there were no corpses here. Not even the long pig was scattered around, man-meat in the open left to be picked clean once shot and bled out. What bullet would be able to pierce the walls of plant and winter's influence, and who could easily be found in those woods?

No birds chirped. Few creatures skittered about - even the cold times had a few souls still awake and active. There was nothing like that, in those woods, and Ziu was lurking quietly and carefully. He saw no footprints, and smelt no humans or other dogs - so why the soundlessness? What had the beasts of the forest spooked enough that they kept silent?

Painfully crawling over the small slope above the embankment, Ziu slid down slowly, letting out a whine as he did. He nearly fell face-first, but still had enough balance that he managed to pull himself up and towards the river. Taking a moment to pant and look around, he nuzzled and licked at the rock-hard, ink-black ribbon in front of him. Cold sharpness was all his tongue could taste - he whined again, and weakly clawed at the surface with his bad leg's paw.

Nothing. The ice was inches thick.

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

How did she end up here?

The young Austrian's breath was short and staggered---she was terrified....one moment she was in the safety of a field hospital and now here lost in the unforgiving Russian wilderness. The German Field hospital had been ransacked by the Soviet forces, Liesl prayed she wasn't the only one who had escaped. So many lives were lost---those of the wounded and of the other nurses she had worked with. But, what Liesl was more terrified about was not the cold...no she'd rather take on the elements than get raped by one of the Soviet soldiers.

She could still remember the screams of her friends as they were dragged away. She could only thank God for watching out for her....it was a miracle for her to escape such a fate, yet there was worse things that could happen to her now.

She shivered pulling her wool coat closer to her body as she trudged through the knee deep snow. She couldn't stop. She needed to keep moving. She needed to survive.


If she wanted to see her parents again...to live long enough to travel, she had to survive this.
Her hot breath hung in the icy air as she strained to listen for any voices or at least motor fire---however, it seemed luck wasn't quite on the nurse's side. A shiver ran down her spine when she heard distant voices...though the voices were not of German soldiers. She inhaled sharply, muffling a terrified gasp with her gloved hand and darted towards the woods---finding sanctuary within its trees.

She began uttering a prayer---praying to God, the saints---angels to protect her or at least any saintly being she could think of. As she ran she didn't look where she was going and slipped down a slope towards a frozen river.

"Unf!" grunted the nurse as the bank of the river made contact to her lower back and bottom.

Her teal-blue eyes were disoriented---dizzy from the fall. After she regained her focus, she sat up in the snow as a few dark brown locks fell from her loose bun. She quickly checked her medic bag, frantically checking if everything was still in tack...however, her attention was soon directed at a whine.

She quirked one of her dark brown eyebrows as she looked for the source of the noise. Squinting her eyes she spotted a dog near the bank of the frozen river.

"Ein Hund?" she said softly, her eyes falling on the creature.

Translation:

Ein Hund? --- A dog?

[Ziu]

She began uttering a prayer---praying to God, the saints---angels to protect her or at least any saintly being she could think of. As she ran she didn't look where she was going and slipped down a slope towards a frozen river.



"Unf!" grunted the nurse as the bank of the river made contact to her lower back and bottom.



Her teal-blue eyes were disoriented---dizzy from the fall. After she regained her focus, she sat up in the snow as a few dark brown locks fell from her loose bun. She quickly checked her medic bag, frantically checking if everything was still in tack...however, her attention was soon directed at a whine.

Ziu scratched at the ice again, briefly hopeful that a trickle of water somehow would bubble through. The Shepherd's eyes tried to drill a hole they could not, an annoyed grunt issued when nothing still happened. The dog slowly lifted his head, looking left down the river before slowly turning to his right.

She quirked one of her dark brown eyebrows as she looked for the source of the noise. Squinting her eyes she spotted a dog near the bank of the frozen river.



"Ein Hund?" she said softly, her eyes falling on the creature.

A voice caused Ziu to give a little jump, turning a bit too quickly and nearly tumbling onto the ice. Puffs of snow scattered onto the ice beside him, Ziu wobbling as he backed up a step. The wounded Shepherd would stand at attention - ears pricked, eyes forward, posture stiff and tail slightly raised - as the hair along his hackles went up. His nose twitching, Ziu's back arched as his tail half-tucked, making an S-shape as his ears went backwards. His mouth opened and he let out a growl, jaws slightly apart as he began to back up. Though he had seen few women amongst the human ranks, the scent of man brought fear - he immediately became uncertain, and the she-human was a threat.

He did not lunge at Liesl, but Ziu made it clear her presence was unwanted. With his lips curled back and teeth bared, he let out a deep, baritone sound, a clear warning for any and all to stay back. It slowly worked its way out of his throat - a quiet and rising thunder that ended in a sharp hiss of breath, continuing with another rumble. He did not want to go back to the humans, and neither would he let them catch him. He was staring at the nurse with a slight shake, fighting back the urge to whine as he stood fast. The thought of being touched, even approached by the female, was terrifying. The once-proud animal had been reduced to thinking of humans as nightmarish creatures, all from the savagery of his own handlers and the throes of combat.

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

Liesl flinched when the dog began to growl at her---perhaps she was wrong? It probably was a farrell dog abandoned by a dead German soldier. She sat there shaking, her teal eyes staring into the dark chasms of the dog's. Was it frightened? Whatever it was, the dog was just as scared as she was of it. However, as much as it scared her---her heart did go out to it...something in the woman wanted to help.

Every life was precious...or so that's what she had been taught since childhood.

Slowly she reached into her medic bag and pulled out a dish and a water bottle. She didn't have much water since she was in a hurry to escape the field hospital. Carefully, she approached the dog and place the dish at a safe distance between her and the dog and poured the water into the dish. Quickly, she backed up, standing away from the dog so it could feel safe to take a drink.

It was the least she could do---she didn't have much supplies to keep herself alive....maybe a week at most. She looked around placing the water bottle back into her bag. She didn't quite know where she was. She knew she had to find a way back to the German lines. But how? She felt the little amounts of hope she had drain from her as she sunk back into the slope.

I'm going to die....she thought. It all seemed too real...too real. All she wanted to do was become a nurse and help people. Show mercy to those in need....perhaps she did something wrong? Was God punishing her when her faith was shaken? Was he punishing her for not being able to save that wounded soldier from before?? Or did she not Pray hard enough?

Warm tears began to trickle down the nurse's face---she felt helpless...and scared. She began thinking about her options---should she risk the unforgivable weather of Russia's winter and die alone? Or turn herself in to the Soviets and risk getting raped or even shot on sight. The longer she sat there the more the idea of letting the Soviets have her sounded better than a slow death.

[Ziu]

Slowly she reached into her medic bag and pulled out a dish and a water bottle. She didn't have much water since she was in a hurry to escape the field hospital. Carefully, she approached the dog and place the dish at a safe distance between her and the dog and poured the water into the dish. Quickly, she backed up, standing away from the dog so it could feel safe to take a drink.

Ziu did not move as Liesl backed away. The continued eye contact the nurse made felt threatening, and he heightened the volume of his growls a tad further. His eyes went to the nurse's dish, the animal's jaws closing with a harsh breath. He was suddenly unsure, looking back and forth at Liesl and the water, licking his lips in startled anticipation.

Water. Fresh, nourishing water, though there was nothing to eat. The pang in his jaw made it loosen a little, the dog's tongue sliding out to pant - he was dehydrated from the phosphates in the snow. Ziu took a step forward, sniffing, only to shrink back and let out a very low, very deep growl. The whine that tinged it was one of fear, the dog unbelieving of the small mercy he was being offered. He made a barking snap at the nurse.

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

Liesl pulled her knees closer to her chest, wanting to sink into the snow covered slope. She was submitting...giving up most likely. She wasn't going to see her home again....she wasn't going to see her parents again either. Oh god, why have you forsaken me? she thought as she buried her fair face into her knees. After a few minutes she lifted her head upon hearing the dog snap at her.

She looked at him curiously, not quite understanding what the dog would want. Honestly, she thought the dog would have just left after giving it some water. She sat there taking a moment to get a better look at the creature. Her eyes widening a bit when she realized it was probably wounded. But, how would she be able to approach it without it snapping at her...or worse attacking her.

If the dog use to be one that the German army used, well it would most likely attack her...frightened or not, that dog would be quite dangerous to come within biting distance of. Of course Liesl has seen a few incidents with the soldiers using the dogs to rally Jewish citizens in the ghettos. It was certainly a painful sight to see. How cruel human beings could be towards others....and yet not only to those like them but to animals as well.

The dog that stood before her was the embodiment of human cruelty.

Liesl continued to sit near the slope, keeping a safe distance between her and the dog. She really didn't know what to do at this point. Should she help it? Or not?

[Ziu]

Liesl continued to sit near the slope, keeping a safe distance between her and the dog. She really didn't know what to do at this point. Should she help it? Or not?

Step forward, step back. Step forward, take two steps back. Whine, pace, growl and snap - the dog acted as if was being teased, tormented. While Ziu's aggression was doubtless, he was too frightened of people to get closer. Even though Liesl had scooted back a few meters, in Ziu's mind, she was still within striking range. He did not want to run up, tongue lolling and sloshing about the bowl as he drank, only to be smacked away or punched in the throat. What would have been a bound to the right was instead a stumble, and the dog yipped and snapped at his own shoulder.

The dog began to spin around, gnawing on his own injured hip. He stood again, crying and growling and charging forward. Every desperate drag forward was coupled with a strangled yelp, and he left a messy tear in the snow behind him. The Shepherd almost made it to the bowl, jaws wide to bite as his neck strained forward. At the last minute, he turned and ran away, growling in frustration and giving a desperate, unhappy bark at Liesl.

He wanted her gone. The human bitch's presence was sheer torture, Ziu unable to make up his addled mind. Would she sit and stay as he leapt for the bowl? Would she call for help, or throttle him herself? Did the human not realize he would greedily lick up the water within the silvery pan before him? Ziu had gone for dishes set on the ground before, only to be sent flying backward with a stream of curses!

[Alik Aleksandrov]

He stood alone in the shivering cold. Several dozen men had been sent out to find anyone who had fled, and to bring them back. Yet, he knew what some Soviets would do before bringing them back, or rather they would simply do their deed and put a bullet in a skull, so that none would know. It was the cruel knowledge of war, one that he had realized far too soon for his young age of nineteen.

'Трахни меня' he swore to himself, cursing the circumstances he found himself in. A screech flew in from the pine trees, followed moments later by the single shot of a handgun. He stood silent, all that could be heard was the rustling of leaves, and his own cold breath. A life had just vanished, but who's? He may never know. After a minutes silence, he finally took another step forward.

He would not have heard it, if he were a few feet away, but unfortunately for him, he had indeed heard it. The bark of a dog. He had the choice now, to turn and pretend he heard nothing, a shameful display that if found out, would earn him punishment. Or investigate. He chose the latter.

Bringing the Mosin–Nagant M59 Carbine to heel, Myditsinskoy Ryadovi Alik Aleksandrov, Medic of the Red Army, fell to a crouch. A crest of snow hid his field of vision. He fell flat to his stomach and began to crawl. It was not the most comfortable and warming thing to do, but it was his safest bet if he found a German waiting to kill him. Inching himself closer and closer to the height of the hill, he saw below.

He was opposite to a dog by a frozen river. He could take a shot now, kill the dog before it alerted it's master. But by doing so, he would alert it's master, and he would be after him. Either way, if that dog saw him, he was found out, and firing his gun, he was likewise found out. The Soviet was so focused on the dog, he had yet to even notice the nurse. He lay there, all that could be seen of him was the blotch of brown on his hat, and a few bare inches of pale skin hidden beside the thick layer of snow.

[Ziu]

He was opposite to a dog by a frozen river. He could take a shot now, kill the dog before it alerted it's master. But by doing so, he would alert it's master, and he would be after him. Either way, if that dog saw him, he was found out, and firing his gun, he was likewise found out. The Soviet was so focused on the dog, he had yet to even notice the nurse. He lay there, all that could be seen of him was the blotch of brown on his hat, and a few bare inches of pale skin hidden beside the thick layer of snow.

The dog turned away from the nurse, looking around at all that was behind him. His nose twitched, Ziu whining as he thought he caught the scent of another human. Swinging his panicked expression back towards the nurse, his stomach gave a growl, long and stretched-out through the length of his gut. He needed food, and he needed water.

It was now or never.

With a snarling bark, Ziu launched himself at the bowl, skidding through the snow and nearly tackling the dish into the powder. In a spray of flurries, he barked again and held himself over the bowl, snarling at the she-human to get back. Plunging his nose into what water hadn't been spilt, the dog lapped furiously, whining and grunting as he did. Cold, refreshing, nourishing water - it did not melt and chill his tongue, nor did it dry his throat and mouth when he swallowed! The dog slobbered all over Liesl's gift, licking and licking even when it was empty.

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

Liesl slid back into the snow as the dog suddenly ran towards her---even though she wasn't even near the bowl to begin with, it was still rather frightening to have a feral animal suddenly bolt towards you. Of course out of instinct she yelped her free hand that wasn't gripping her medical bag began forming a snowball to hack at it should the animal push further towards her.

Liesl shifted on to her hip--ready to run off any moment now. She looked around nervously to see if anyone heard her yelp...admittingly she was scared. She didn't know if or when or where she was....but running seemed like a good option right now. More than anything she was more scared to bump into a Soviet Soldier. She began reciting a prayer under her breath....her heart racing at a thousand miles per second.

If God had one ounce of mercy left for her, he would at least let her survive this ordeal....or at least somehow get around the feral dog. She didn't have much to protect herself with...not even a scalpel or syringe...she wasn't even a soldier. She had no gun...nothing that she had on her could protect her beyond the dog. Well...perhaps the only thing she had for protection was the medical arm band.

However, that wouldn't stop lonely soldiers from taking her. Her purity which she valued...the thought made her shiver in terror. Honestly, right now she would rather be shot than have to experience the same fate that befell on her colleagues.

[Alik Aleksandrov]

He was caught, the dog had turned straight towards him. Yet, for reasons he knew not, the dog didn't make for him, nor did it bark to alert it's master, at least, not just then. His heart rate jumped, adrenaline began pumping through him. His aim became horrid as his hands shook, his prone position giving him little in terms of purchase with the weapon.

He heard the first bark and he flinched. Alik gripped tighter onto his carbine, hardly able to muster the courage to open his eyes. When he finally did, he saw the dog was sprinting towards something. 'Сейчас или никогда' he whispered to himself, pulling the carbine taut against his shoulder. A single eye closed and he peered down the barrel of his gun.

As the dog entered his crosshairs, it released a second bark. From this distance, he wasn't sure what it was doing, or if his aim would even hit. But he pulled the trigger regardless.

Pchhtt!

[Ziu]

Liesl slid back into the snow as the dog suddenly ran towards her---even though she wasn't even near the bowl to begin with, it was still rather frightening to have a feral animal suddenly bolt towards you. Of course out of instinct she yelped her free hand that wasn't gripping her medical bag began forming a snowball to hack at it should the animal push further towards her.

He did not.

Instead of racing towards Liesl like she feared, the dog clawed at the dish, whined pitifully, and bolted away from her. His ferocious display was over, giving away to fear of reprisal. He was running/limping, darting for the forest as fast as he could. Surely she would not get him there, the foliage was too packed-together with all the ice — he gave a couple of panicked barks at the thought of getting caught.

A single eye closed and he peered down the barrel of his gun.



As the dog entered his crosshairs, it released a second bark. From this distance, he wasn't sure what it was doing, or if his aim would even hit. But he pulled the trigger regardless.



Pchhtt!

"ARP!"

The sound was as sharp as the gunshot. The dog toppled over and fell onto the solid ice, flailing at the sudden burning in his already-aching shoulder. The bullet had caught him in the meat, slicing through cleanly. Blood smeared on the black ice below him, the dog letting out a series of panicked, painful whimpers as he flailed to get his grip. He writhed on his side like a worm, finally getting to his feet to slip around and cry.

[Albert Hoch]

Albert tensed, and lowered closer to the snow covered ground as a shot rang out. Not the first he'd heard this fateful day. Until now, most shots had come from pistols. But this; this sounded more like a carbine. Either the Soviet was desperate for something else to eliminate the witness to his perverse crime, or perhaps there were other soldiers that had escaped. Albert quickly made the sign of the cross while muttering a desperate plea for help from God.

Why did all the bad stuff have to happen to him, Albert wondered as he kept walking. This time it was getting wounded only for the Soviets to overrun the field hospital he was at. Before that it had been getting transferred to the Eastern Front because he was to nice to the locals in France. And before that it was... a branch snapped and Albert dived for cover.

After the young soldat realized he was still alone, he got up and kept moving. The wound in is leg that had landed him in the hospital in the first place was just minor, and healing well, but walking and putting too much pressure on it was still a bit of a pain for him. Despite that, he knew he had to keep moving in the direction he "hoped" was friendly. And to try not to think about what happened to those unfortunate enough not to escape.

Albert had seen some of the terrible things the Germans did while they were in Russia, and he knew the Russian would take their chance for revenge. Soon, his melancholy thoughts were again interrupted. This time it really was a person. Realizing it was one of the nurses, a miniature heart-attack was averted.

"Pst, Sanitäter!" Albert whispered, hoping she could hear him. "Hier drüben." He motioned for her to come. "Shh!"


Translation:
Hier drüben. - Over here.

[Liesl Von Stauffenberg]

Liesl flinched automatically throwing a chunk of snow at the raging dog. It didn't come close to her but she at least wanted to give the feral dog a good fright so it wouldn't come close to her. Her heart pounded rapidly after hearing a gun shot. The first thing that came to mind was the Soviets. Oh god...thought the young nurse. She felt her breath get caught in her throat---fear freezing her in place. Her gaze falling upon a flock of birds that flew above---wishing she could be one of them to escape this hell.

Pst, Sanitäter!

Liesl shook a bit upon hearing a familiar language. She blinked turning her head in the general direction of the voice. To her surprise it was one of the officers that she had been caring for in the field hospital. For once she couldn't be more than happy to see another soldier. God seemed to be smiling down on her today. Liesl slowly scrambled to her feet and ran over to the German soldier.

The nurse certainly looked terrified if not grateful...she clasped the soldier's arm, shaking, "Ich hörte Schüsse..." she stammered.

Trying to urge the soldier to leave, seeing that he was also injured as well, " Wir werden nicht zum Überleben zu lang hier..." she said quietly.

Translations:

Ich hörte Schüsse --- I heard shots fired

Wir werden nicht zum Überleben zu lang hier --- We are not going to survive too long out here

[Alik Aleksandrov]

The moment the gun fired, he slunk down behind the cover of snow. He didn't need to look to know he had hit the dog, but worse, he didn't kill it. It was now whining loudly, and it's master would soon be here. Or so he thought. He once heard from a sniper 'Never shoot from the same spot twice', and maybe that was his best bet. Get up and move. He pushed himself to his feet, pulling his rifle against his chest he jogged in the snow to the left in a wide arc. Anyone watching would surely see him, but it was only him and the dog right now. Wasn't it?

He collapsed to his knees, 20 meters down from his previous position. There wasn't much for cover, but a decaying bush beside him provided some. He sat there, rifle held down. His eyes squinted as he peered into the distance. He thought he saw some movement near the dog, but shook it off as perhaps a wild animal when it didn't emerge. With the silent murmur of prayer, he waited.