OK, so while I was looking for the frozen mammoth a Stormcloak (3) Patrol issued a verbal challenge. My weapons were sheathed the whole time and I think I was even in my 'traveling clothes' (non-armor). I spoke to one of them and two of them put their weapons away and started with the, "If you know any true sons and daughters..." dialogue, but the third one kept is weapon drawn. Then, all of a sudden, the other two pulled their weapons back out and all three attacked me. After all was said and done I had 2 more murders in my stats and got the message, "Last witness killed. 1000 bounty removed from the Pale.". I haven't joined either side yet, but I always free the Stormcloak prisoner from the Imperial parties.

Is this just a random encounter or a bug? I don't recall Stormcloaks ever attacking me on this (2nd) or my 1st character.

I quit talking to Stormcloak and Imperial patrols because sometimes one of the NPC's will do someting like this. I always talk to the Thalmor, when my characters are capable enough to (I think) win.
This does not happen that often, but it happens enough when my characters are walking to be an annoyance.

They issue verbal warnings so you don't get too close. If you do, they can consider you hostile and attack.

It's just like walking up to a policeman when he repeatedly tells you to back off. Except with swords.

I guess it's normal then. FWIW I do more exploring on my 2nd character because she has Shadowmere (less likely to die because the horses like to fight so damn much ) so I probably never came across many on my 1st character.

The same thing happened to me earlier on one character, which I found funny because I was going to go to Windhelm to join up with them on that character but after that I have one more Imperial supporter lol.

So did you find the frozen mammoth? I looked today as well and finally found it when the weather cleared. At one time I was in plain view of it... but couldn't see it due to weather.

Yeah, I found it - creepy. It had like 2 spears sticking out of it.

Yup, a steel axe as well. I thought it was pretty cool. I'm still looking and hoping to find the lost fisherman from dark water pass that Sondos speaks of. I searched all over with no luck.

I don't recall that one. I'll have to find Sondos and check that out.

I just found him with my Ranger today. Take the road up following the water (Darkwater Falls) and keep going til you reach a cave embedded in the falls.

No kidding, that's cool. I had hoped it wasn't just some meaningless dialogue thrown in that didn't have anything to it. I kept going downriver, following the idea that he floated down.

Yeah, I'd tried that too the first time I did it. Just flowed with the river looking for a body, got all the way to near Kynesgrove before I realized he must have gone up river to fish.

Well, it is most likely him. Although my only issue is the guys got armor and such. Sondos is just in regular clothing. If this guy is a fisherman, and a friend of Sondos you'd think he'd be dressed similar. But it's the closest thing so I guess that'll have to satisfy.

I'm not sure if he's in armor, he's got a bow on him though.

Oh! heh. Thanks then. I'll have to look around some more. I'm expecting dude to be dead (Sondos says he hasn't seen him in a while after all). I found a skeleton in the pond near the door into dark pass. I'll keep poking around then.

Check around up river and near the falls that are on the mountains south of the mine, you'll need to find a entrance at the edge of one of the waterfall's tiers. He'll be within.