dadication | Open Post

He turned his head to 'watch' Gabriel, taking note of the offer. It was more than he expected, though he supposed it could be a fact of wanting to keep track of him for as long as possible given he had the gorgon's cart and also the parts of the animal they were going to get money for. "I would appreciate the company. Never know who might be on the roads looking to take advantage of the situation."

He nodded his head, expecting that much of the meat on the back half of the animal wouldn't be able to use. Pelt, if they could get it off, would be worth a considerable fortune. "Good because I don't want to waste any part of it. It gave its life, so we should honour that as much as possible." It was a shame it had come to that, but he knew a bounty would be put on it anyway given the chimera hadn't just attacked farm animals.

He lifted a hand to touch his blond hair after the flick, almost curious of what he might find there. Just hair, but that action had been so... teasing. Like they were getting on. Like they were normal people doing normal things. It kind of threw him. "If you do, I'll think it's a plot to keep me here," he called, a little too late for the moment.

"Especially if someone was coming by trying to see where a certain creature had gone," considering there'd certainly been the smell of human blood on it. Almost wondered which village close by any of the entrances would have a loss, or even completely destroyed if that thing did more than eat a few people.

There was a hum, since even he made sure every part of whatever animal he hunted for food got some use; the furs on his bed came from somewhere after all. A few other things around as well when it came to less edible parts.

"I may be holding you 'hostage' so you let yourself rest, but wouldn't keep you longer than that against your will, hunter." There was something of a joke to his words, more so with the return of 'hunter' after using his name once.

Still, Gabriel did busy himself in cleaning up around the room slowly after pulling on a pair of boots. Getting rid of bloodied water and retrieving fresh from a underground spring source to replenish every bit that had been used. What wasn't eaten of cut fruits were added to a compost around a few plants kept in as well, most of which would likely be planted somewhere within the cave system or somewhere else they could thrive. Couldn't take everything with him when he left after all.

Strangely domestic noise to rest with in the background, honestly.

"They will have commoners hunting it, but it takes time for a bounty through the Guild, even using one of the outposts. Villagers usually don't stand a chance against something like a chimera." Or a gorgon. Or any number of creatures that usually lived in a balance with humanity. Still, there was a strength in numbers, especially with their coin coming from harvesting chimera.

He snorted at the idea of still being held hostage here, aware that it was a play on words and the gorgon would be unlikely to put up any kind of fight if he was determined to leave. "I would fight you if you tried," he remarked, offering a sniff that he had heard nobles doing when looking down on a situation. It was all posh and fluff, nothing serious.

When was the last time he had bantered on and off like this? He couldn't recall. Maybe with his mentor.

All the same, he rested, allowing his energies to come back to him slowly and giving his injured thigh more opportunity to rest and heal. Not much, but he listened to the way that Gabriel bustled around, and it reminded him of the Guild kitchens when he was a boy, new to blindness and often left under work tables to listen and not be underfoot. It wasn't a terrible memory.

"Let me know when you're finished and we can go start to harvest." His voice was low and sleepy sounding, like he was perfectly relaxed in the current situation.

"Likely, yeah." At least no one else would fall prey and become it's meal if it was alone, of course that was the usual for a chimera, solitary creatures. Still ate a hell of a lot, younger ones were a little more opportunistic while the old only came after people if it had been disturbed.

There was a sound of hissing in reply, and a dry chuckle from the gorgon himself not deigning to reply. More amused than anything as he went about his business.

He did glance over Jack, how tired he sounded, and a glass of water set on the table near the bed. "Sure you don't want to sleep for an hour before we go about cutting in to it's carcass?"

He sighed heavily at the seeming offer to just sleep for longer, but he knew that he shouldn't. He had already allowed so much time to get by him as it was, and there was the job to consider as well. He didn't want the Guild to think that something had happened and send someone looking for why he hadn't arrived.

Instead, he forced himself up with his elbows, turning his head at the sound of the water glass and reached for out. His fingers found it after locating the table and then brought it to his lips. He drank the entire contents in a few gulps before sitting up completely.

"No, we should do it now before its been too late. I want to get it to town under the cover of darkness anyway. There will be less prying eyes." But more curious ones. Still, he could deal with them. "Unless you aren't finished with your duties?"

His head tipped then, and he stepped aside to gather the cleaned clothing and pieces of armor he'd taken off of Jack after carrying the hunter up here- "I repaired the rips in clothing as well as cleaned what needed it, simply because it needed to be done." And hadn't messed with anything else otherwise, would find everything in the right place.

Needed to get dressed after all- "You can keep what you're wearing now as well, be less for me to pack away when I move, and I've spares."

No unfinished duties it sounded like.

Jack made a soft noise of surprise to know that the gorgon had repaired and cleaned his clothing, which... well, probably needed it. He had been intending to get to it in the next town, but the fact that it was done now was an odd sort of kindness. "Thank you," he murmured softly, not used to having to express gratitude. He was so used to just doing it himself.

"As comfortable as this clothing is, I should step into town in an official capacity. There will be less questions," he murmured and began to pull on his clothing and armor. Since Gabriel had clearly already seen him naked, he wasn't shy about stripping and pulling his clothing on with a practiced ease of someone used to doing this with no help.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" He had to ask, even if he suspected he knew the answer.

His snakes moved through his hair in some odd braiding fashion, fixing it all up in to something a little more tied back as he went about gathering his own. A soft hiss was all the response to that thanks as if he wasn't used to receiving it, better than no answer at all, probably.

"You can keep it in your pack, like I said, can keep it just to have a change of clothing on you when you can afford to relax." Did pause a little as he was pulling on one of his hooded cloaks, quiet again for just a moment at the question. In some capacity he'd expected to be asked, while the other was hoping it wouldn't come.

He pulled up the hood, allowing cloth to drop over his eyes to better obscure his upper face. "You've given me reason to be." Simple as that.

It was an odd sort of situation that they found themselves in, and he couldn't say that he owed the gorgon or vice versa. For some reason, they had fallen into a symbiotic relationship for the time that they were together, a fact he was definitely not used to. It was more than he ever dared hope to have with another living creature, and of course, it had come with a creature that could literally turn him to stone if he had eyes that worked.

He packed up the clothing that was given to him, only then putting two and two together that he and the gorgon were roughly the same size. That made the other seem even more human to him, a kind of companionable comparison. "Alright, they were quite comfortable, and they are light, which makes them easy to pack."

He was pulling his cloak on, setting his pack upon his back and strapping on his weapons, fingers pausing at the answer. It was an expected one. "I won't know where you go, and I definitely won't be following you, but... stay safe wherever that is."

"It's a nice fabric." One he went in to certain towns for so he could make clothing easy to pack and comfortable to wear when he had the time to relax and rest. All to better prepare him for the other times he ventured out. Had enough of it he could spare to part with some and, well, why not now? Seemed the other could do with a spare set of clothing easy to pack himself.

He made sure the fabric hid his face well, acting as a sort of mask and obscuring far better than just the shadow of his hood could. Snakes comfortable as well, everything in order and ready to delve back in to the mine system.

He was already walking towards the door, easy to be followed. "You as well, and try to let yourself rest a little extra when you can. It does wonders for the body- shall we?"

He was nearing the end of his gearing up, and that was fine by him. After this, it was unlikely that he would be returning to the gorgon's stronghold, what with coin in his pocket and injuries healed enough that he could get by. He noted that Gabriel was making his move to leave, and he nodded his head at the offer to go.

He eased away, tilting his head as he studied Gabriel's outline and some of the details he could pick out with his magical vision. For all intensive purposes, the gorgon could pass as human with that get up, and even more easily pass as a hunter in certain context. No wonder Gabriel had survived so well for so long. Adaptable. That was good.

He eased back into the mines, taking some time to get his bearings as he looked around but also was willing to follow the gorgon until he recognized his surroundings and walked more companionably. It wasn't long before the scent of death reached his nose and he knew they were close to the chimera.

It had served him well, and he'd found just how to make his hoods these days to the point he could travel amongst humans safely; for their sakes. There's be no easy way to get a look at him and turn themselves to stone, no accidental slip, and it sat comfortably on him for himself and the snakes of his hair as well. There were little details that could make it easier to believe he was some type of hunter, and it allowed him to not be questioned for that reason.

No one looked at him twice unless they were desperate for some job to be done, and perhaps he had taken some jobs from any Guilds, but better for him at times. Or the creatures where it was more a mistake than any actual need to kill anything.

There was a ways he had carried Jack, twists and turns to make it difficult to find where he slept if anything ever got past. He reset a trap and even disarmed it, opening passage to where the chimera rested. "Well, there it is." Still dead, an nothing had seemingly found it.

He was able to get familiar with the path that they took as he followed Gabriel, and he was certain that he could he make his way back to that place if he needed to. Maybe a few considering pauses, but otherwise, he was fine to make his own way through the tunnels.

So he was aware of the chimera where Gabriel had taken care to keep it hidden. He shifted his pack off of his shoulder and began to remove his knives and whetstone so he could keep them sharp for this. "How about that cart of yours? We'll probably need it. Or do we need to lug this collection to it?"

He was moving in anyway, starting first to skin the most important parts of the hide that were worth the most point. This wouldn't be his first rodeo when it came to salvaging parts off of his kills. Usually just proof, but he could do more.

"I can go get it, fits through the mine tunnels well enough. Just shout if you need me to hurry back for any reason."

Enough trust being given that he was leaving Jack alone to do the work he'd already settled in to while Gabriel went off to fetch the cart where he kept it stored away. Took a little time to keep moving, but he was coming back pulling it along and the size of it would serve this purpose rather well. Of course he checked to make sure nothing else had wandered in, but there was an all-clear as far as he could tell.

Stopped the cart nearby, coming closer just to see progress made- "Need help with anything?"

"Alright, I will," he said as he continued his work. He knew that the faster they were finished with this ugly business, the better off everyone involved would be. This wasn't the kind of work he enjoyed, but it was necessary.

The fact that Gabriel went off and left him to it was interesting, like they had developed with the rapport together in a relatively short amount of time. He allowed that fact and the scenarios that surrounded it consume his thoughts as his knife worked through flesh. He had much of it skinned by the time Gabriel returned with the cart.

"I'll need a hand lifting this thing into it. Fold the fur side in when we put necessary flesh on top to hold it down," he murmured as he stood up again. "Galbladder, liver, claws, teeth, pancreas are all worth coin. Want to risk taking it all?"

His head tipped to one side. "Alright, and we may as well take whatever can fit in the cart. Part with as much split between us, and it will set me up well enough for when I have to visit any village or town for food." Wouldn't be able to hunt as needed, and it made it easier to just buy meats and breads so he could move on. Already had the dried and preserved things ready to travel.

What wouldn't travel was buried in his various areas, and more would be added to the one here as well.

"Just tell me when to lift, and then I can help pull those parts."

And that was why they were doing this, at least partially. For one, he didn't want to have to explain how he killed a chimera on his own. For two, the coin would be worthwhile to have in case he got himself into a pinch. He also had no problem giving Gabriel more than half, if it would keep the gorgon out of trouble and off the radar of hunters that might be looking for opportunity.

He moved to roll up the pelt as much as he could. "Alright, let's lift." Together with their combined strength, they managed to lift and haul the heavy thing over and into the cart. Their hands brushed as he pulled away to return to the carcass.

He excised the parts that were worth the most coin, filling up the cart. Only once it was full and they could haul it that he left off, wiping his bloody hands on a cloth. "Would you like to take anything before we go?"

Made sure the hide was folded so the fur was inside and protected from getting any further blood or organ fluids on it, helping put things in the cart so nothing would roll and it would be easy to transport. Did leave the corpse in a poorly way, but he'd be scattering the rest of that out and away himself likely. Fine with him.

Did stand back to look things over, letting out a breath as he shook his head. "No, all good here I think. You start pulling and I'll close this back off again. I'll come back once you're past the edge of the forest and scatter what's left for the animals of the forest to pick over themselves."

All of it be done with then- "I'll still be in this mine when you return with what you'll give me of the coins from these parts."

Jack nodded his head when it seemed that they continued to think along the same lines, and it was eerie that they could do that. Well, he was willing to make the most of it now that they had all that they could possibly scavenge. He made certain to cover it with a tarp before he started to pull the cart.

"I'll be back before dawn. Any trouble and save yourself." And if they were close enough to each other, holler and he would come. No point getting the gorgon in trouble because of him or anything to do with him. Gabriel had the mines well worked out anyway, so he wasn't worried about the gorgon.

No, Jack headed off to the town nearby where he knew his dealer would be doing his craft. It took him two hours to arrive, pay off the guards and slip inside with the cart. He took backroads to keep out of trouble and successfully made it to where he needed to be where he was greeted warmly. The fact he brought a chimera was exciting, and they haggled aggressively for price and cost. Then it was unloaded to be smuggled from the city, he was paid handsomely for his work and he left town again.

An hour was all it took to make it back, and it was indeed before the dawn as he had promised. No trouble on the road tonight, which was probably a blessing given how heavy his coin purse was. He had even stopped the wash the cart so it didn't smell of blood before he pulled it into the mine entrance.

"Come collect your cart and coins," he called.

"Alright."

Gabriel did as he said he would, walked with the hunter until the edge of the forest, watching him off for a moment and knowing that it could be the last sight of Jack he could have. There was that bit of trust still left with the man, and he made his way back in to the forest, in to the mines, and did his work of taking what was left to scatter well away from the mine itself. Even through one of the passages he never used to do so.

Sealed it all right back up behind him as any trail left was cleared away, and went to clean himself up as well. The smell of death would air out eventually, but at least what would linger would simply remain where it was.

The gorgon cleaned himself up and continued what bit of packing he needed, did his round within the mine tunnels. Went about the rest of that day as he always would and caught a little rest as well.

The hunter would be welcomed with silence- but just a moment. Gabriel taking a moment to make sure the hunter was alone before he came out and a hand rested on part of the cart. "I take it things went well?"

He didn't need to see Gabriel to know that the gorgon was there. A creature like that had a presence, one that made the hairs on the back of his neck rise when they were in close proximity. He also trusted he wasn't about to take a crossbow bolt to the guts and be robbed. That would be an unfortunate end to a relatively good twenty-four hours anyway.

Instead, his head turned when the gorgon seemed to melt from the shadows, coming in close as he leaned against part of the cart himself. He pulled a purse from his belt and tossed it at Gabriel, expecting the gorgon could catch well enough a gift from a blind man. It was good aim at least.

"He was impressed with it. Paid handsomely, and that's your share," he remarked. It was more than half, since Jack needed far less funds to survive what with the Guild paying much of his way. "Hopefully should get you through wherever you're going. I don't suppose I'll catch wind of you again, hmm? Not until you come back this way and even then, you seem to be well-hidden."

The purse was caught, judging the weight of it in his hand before it was moved under his cloak and the hand returned empty. "It should, and judging by weight enough to tuck away on top of that." It would serve him well, and he could take the time to sort of build up his own funds for when things got tight and he'd have to try and sell off a few things.

Still, he was watching Jack, arms folded on the cart as he leaned against it. "No more than you already have I suppose, but if you ever want some word to get to me you only have to speak with any snake you may come across." No joke there. "It will find me."

No more reason for them to continue this, was there? "I will return eventually, whether we meet again or not, and perhaps you will somehow know when that is."

He nodded his head, able to tell what Gabriel was doing just by hearing alone. He could reason that he had given the gorgon more because he was a hunter and he benefited from the reputation. It had nothing to do as repayment of taking care of him when he had gone down in the fight, nor the fact that he felt the gorgon just plain deserved it more. He didn't have to say anything about the amount he took from it.

He tilted his head curiously at the mention of snakes. As a rule, he left snakes alone to live their lives. It was an interesting offer, and even more so, it was a way to regain contact if the gorgon so choose to do so. "I'll keep that in mind. Just be certain to take care of yourself. I don't want to hear that your bounty has increased."

There wasn't a reason to stay, yet he lingered leaning on the cart all the same. Maybe it was because there was no guarantee of this sort of connection again that he stayed at the edge of it, drinking it in. "Well, take care of yourself. Find yourself a pretty little thing to go on your arm, and I'll be about the only one that can come to the wedding and make out what's going on." His very lame attempt at a tease. Look, he was trying.

There were reasons that once long ago snakes did gather in large number when gorgons did live in communities within large enough cave systems. There were just legends and stories about it now, twisted no doubt, but snakes had always been wonderful messengers for them even amongst themselves. Any that could understand, and allow warnings to be passed without anything else intercepting.

Now there was hardly a reason for it with how few and far between they were, some bit of fear. Yet he still gave that option if it was wanted. "I'd rather it not myself," been doing well enough as it had been.

There was the sound of amused hissing from under his hood, but Gabriel leaned and lightly flicked the end of the hunter's nose- "You'd be the only one to get an invite. Take care of yourself, Jack."

Jack came across snakes often enough in his travels that he knew he would test that theory at least once, possibly more. After all, it was strange to think that he was on good terms with a gorgon, more so than he was with anyone else that he knew. He had no doubt with the passing of their association that such a sensation would fade again, but for now, it was nice to relish them being cordial.

He wrinkled his nose at the flick, causing many of his scars to bunch with the facial expression. He would have said it was sad that Gabriel didn't have any other friends to invite to a wedding, but he instead decided not to. A bit too familiar maybe.

Instead, he pushed off of leaning on the cart and gestured with a vague sort of salute and wave. "Take care, Gabriel." And then he slipped away, heading to his next job with only a little hitch in his step for his troubles.

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