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[dadication]

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.

[gr1m]

Gabriel had lingered, watching the hunter go before he was taking his cart back in to the mines. There were a few days longer he spent there before departing the territory with little to no sort of fanfare, geared up so he could travel and only be mistaken for a hunter or mercenary. Meant he was left alone, going through a few villages and at least one town. Keeping to himself and listening to rumors on the outskirts.

There were more hunters about some weeks after that, as it seemed the Western King had upped bounties for certain monsters. Was enough that it put the gorgon on edge, sent him out of populated areas faster and had him hunting a little less.

Didn't expect to be found when he'd taken some time to make his shed easier in a hot spring, relaxing in those waters and letting snakeskin shed even off his own tail. At least it meant none of the hunters would find his stash, but it also left him with only his own natural gifts to try and get away. Large but quick, keeping them just on the edges of his sight, long muscled tail having batted most of them against trees, suffering wounds from blades that would heal.

Even though he fought hard, took two of the group out, there were just too many of them with how persistent they were. Felt himself growing sluggish and limbs heavy with no doubt that arrows used were laced with something, and far away from where he was camped he finally went down, thick fabriced bag secured over his head by something around his neck.

When he finally came to? All he knew was that he was caged and bound, head still covered and snakes hissing wildly while he was still too out of it other than to know he was in trouble. Didn't know if he'd been tracked or if it had just been a coincidence that put him in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kept coiled, as if his healing body would somehow protect him from... what?

He was so very, very tired.

[dadication]

Jack had carried on with his missions, moving through each one and into areas that he had been to before and others where he hadn't. He kept his ear to the ground for signs of the gorgon, even whispers of a mysterious hunter or some such. Wherever Gabriel had gone, it was out of sight and out of mind, far beyond his reach.

Yet, he had talked to snakes on occasion, and he also had managed to not be bitten in the process. Soon a snake or two would come to his fire to bask in the heat of it, well out of his range at first. Then one or two would come closer. Then one was sleeping with him. He'd even snuck one particularly persistent one into his room at the inn he had been staying at, and it alternated between resting at the fire or slithering over him like its own personal furniture.

He had, of course, heard the Western King was increasing the pay for live capture of creatures for the war effort. Some new magical binding spell to keep them in line and to punish their enemies. Many of the young hunters were excited and formed teams. Jack hadn't shown any interest, never had, but this time even less. He continued with his work, but he still listened to news over the weeks.

Creatures were captured and sent West. Harpies, a mermaid, werewolves and an assortment of others. He'd even heard a chimera was captured by a persistent group. And then the news came that a gorgon had been captured and that the Guild was going to increase in prestige and following because of it. Jack was dubious about that.

No, he rose from his seat at the communal dining area, gathered this things and took the first job that was in the area he had heard the gorgon captured. Below his skill level, but he didn't care.

It took him two weeks to catch up with the caravan from the Guild. He followed the words of villages and rumours, since many had never seen a gorgon. Bound, hooded, injured and subdued with magic, people came to see when the cage stopped in town. So it wasn't hard to find the gorgon and even less difficult to identify that it was Gabriel who was in that cage. He knew some of those scars.

He waited until the caravan was in motion before joining up with it, claiming to be traveling in the same direction for a job. Other hunters didn't question him, so he was given free reign to stay. On the road, he began to undo the magical restraints that kept Gabriel dopey and quiet, let the gorgon wake up.

He engaged another hunter with talk of the gorgon, making certain that Gabriel could and hopefully would identify his voice. A garter snake that liked to cuddle in his cloak was sent into the cage to give the gorgon a time to be ready to escape.

Under the cover of night, Jack killed them all. Quiet as the night itself, he murdered the hunters first then the caravan drivers and he released the other creatures. They did good work mauling the corpses and finishing off stragglers.

He opened the gorgon's cage last, swinging the door open and jingling the key to announce he was coming in. "This is the worst wedding I've never been to," he murmured as he opened the locks to Gabriel's restraints. "We should be away from here quickly. How limber are you feeling?"

[gr1m]

The more aware that he became, the closer that Gabriel listened, remained still and putting on the act that he was still out of it. Easy to do with what was essentially a bag over his head meant to cover not only his face, but the snakes of his hair as well. Remained curled in his coils so the large size of him could fit in the cage they'd placed him in, black and red scales dulled due to injury and little care as he was kept asleep. He was still a sight to behold for those that had never seen a gorgon, bound as he was.

The garter snake? Was kept close and hidden with him so that it wouldn't be seen, caught between knowing one of those voices and what he was told as it hissed quietly.

Remained still, even as he'd heard the other creatures being released simply to try and gauge what was happening; he had a guess, but a part of him didn't want to hope. Knew what a risk this could be if it was—

As the locks were undone he reared up on his tail, hunched over due to the roof of the cage, ripping away the bag as snakes hissed and then quieted as they caught sight of a familiar hunter first. "Time for the bride to runaway then, isn't it?" His voice was hoarse, Gabriel took in the bit of chaos around them as creatures fed on corpses. "Enough, but I don't know how far I can get." They'd done a number on him, but he refused to voice his question just yet as well as he watched Jack.

[dadication]

He could tell that Gabriel was in a bad way, clearly beaten and drugged and there were haphazardly treated wounds from blades as well. He sighed as he viewed them, mostly having to run a finger over them while Gabriel reared up like the gorgon would strike and ripped that hood off. He wasn't at all afraid, didn't stop what he was doing as he freed the chains that criss crossed over that big body.

"You're the bride, are you? I thought you'd be the husband cold feet," he remarked before he backed his way out of the cage so he could force up the other door to give the gorgon a better chance of turning over and slipping free. The faster they were gone, the better.

"We're close to the Western border, so we can't linger here. It took me time to track you and find out what was going on." He looked around, sensing that some of the creatures were ravaging the corpses. They would, eventually, potentially consider him a meal as well, but he would deal with that later.

"If you can change to having legs, I could potentially carry you further." He didn't want to press that point. Might be some pride against being carried.

[gr1m]

"Captured bride, forced marriage to some royal for ego, that old tale." Absently as he rolled muscles along his tail as the chains were being removed, testing himself. Judging just how he felt as he snorted a bit and the snakes hissed just a bit; even they sounded worn along with him.

Was out of that cage the very moment his body was under control, reared up higher in some idle threat to the other creatures. Hoping it'd be enough to get the closer ones to back off and keep the others more interested in their meals. Didn't like the sound of that, how close they were, which meant it wouldn't take long for soldiers to come in search for a late caravan of creatures-

He lowered then. "I don't have the energy for that, but if you don't mind hanging on I can move us both faster, this body is a bit meant for distance." Waste more energy changing than he would slithering on- "Can at least say you've ridden a gorgon if you agree to that one."

[dadication]

Jack moved aside so that Gabriel could emerge from the cage, and it was strange to consider his sheer bulk this close. No wonder it had taken so many teams to capture the gorgon, and no wonder the tactic was to pick on the offspring and mates to lure them out where they could be killed when considering hostages.

He noted that some of the creatures which clearly hadn't been fed well eyed them but then went back to their meals when it seemed that the gorgon was a real threat to them. Easier pickings meant they were willing to stay and eat the people here down to the bones. Good. Less evidence that he had been here at all.

"You want me to hang on? Why don't I just follow the trail that you lead?" He was also looking around for the garter snake that had been keeping him company. Had it gone?

[gr1m]

The garter snake? Was curled around Gabriel's neck like it was a necklace, and when the gorgon leaned in closer made itself known with a little hiss of it's own. Eye to eye even knowing the man was blind, but it seemed better to be more on the level than looming over him given his size.

"Faster, and less likely for you to leave a trail, know how to naturally cover my own." There was a hand offered, his tail brought around and making it that much more clear it was an actual offer. "Better to be clear of this place before any of these creatures finish their meals," and be far enough to at least stop, let him rest.

Always kept the creatures around in some corner of his vision, the snakes of his hair even lifted so even those behind Gabriel were being watched. "Easier for both of us in the long of it."

[dadication]

He was familiar with covering his own tracks, and in the chaos of the situation here, he acknowledged that it would be better for all involved if they were to escape quickly and make it seem like no human left. He reached out to touch the garter snake, but otherwise, he left it where it seemed to be more comfortable.

"As long as it won't hurt you. Looks like a few groups have given you quite the beating." He imagined that the gorgon had given quite the chase. "If you fatigue or are too hurt to go on, you have to tell me and I'll take over."

That's when he took Gabriel's offered hand, and he shifted his weight so he was straddling the big scaled body. It was a strange sensation, not at all like riding a horse. This would be even more an adventure given he was technically blind so fast motions didn't always keep up well with his magical vision.

[gr1m]

The little snake leaned in to that touch, tongue flicking out with a hiss that the snakes of the gorgon's hair echoed as well. His eyes rolled just a little, but he kept that hand steady for Jack to have as a brace to get himself seated. "No worse than I've already been hurting chained up in a cage, you'll be fine."

Gabriel let himself adjust to the weight on him as he took in a breath and at least moved arms behind himself. Hands set against Jack to help keep the both of them steady, looking for a path- "Let me know if I need to stop, and hang on now."

The moment he felt the hunter brace, the gorgon was off at a rather quick speed in that slithering, keeping low enough that nothing could see them off. Went right for the forest away from the border, surprisingly silent other than for what brush he moved against or through. Didn't stop for a good while, covering a great distance, unless Jack said the word that he needed them to. Gabriel concerned with getting a good many miles between them and the wreckage of the caravan, as many as possible before he would have to stop.

Was a cave that he moved them in to, hand braced against a wall as the rest of his body coiled up out of sight from anything passing by- "Empty...?" A quiet question, asking the hunter to check, some admittance to his own exhaustion then.

[dadication]

He tucked his knees to tightened around Gabriel's girth so that he wasn't likely to fall off easily. He knew the motions of snakes, but he had never tried to ride one before. Gorgon's were thick and muscular, and he was clearly certain about quickness. This was going to be an adventure, especially since he had intended to be the one do the saving.

When Gabriel began to move, he wrapped his arms around the gorgon and just held on. He managed to move with motions of Gabriel's body, tightening his legs as they delved into the forest. It became easier the longer that he was straddling that thick body, holding on and not at all impeding Gabriel's movements. He knew that the other creatures would pick their way back to their territories again, and he knew it would be quick about it.

Once inside the cave, he hopped off of Gabriel and cast a quick spell, throwing it out deeper into cave. "Empty of life. Could have leaves, but that's about it." He touched Gabriel's shoulder. "Let's get you in a little further in and laying on a blanket. I'll clean your wounds."

[gr1m]

All the more reason that Gabriel had wanted to put as much distance between there and them as quickly as possible. No chance of any of those creatures catching up to them.

He let out a breath and nodded, fingers brushing the garter snake still around his neck as it moved from there and along Jack's arm to curl up on him instead. "No life is what I was hoping for," no life other than them at least. Meant they could take shelter her for the time being, until it was time to move on again.

Gabriel slithered deeper in to the cave, taking it slower as the snakes of his hair moved down closer to his head. "Haven't gotten the chance to see the number they did on me yet." Had his head covered as quickly as they could manage it after all.

[dadication]

Jack paused as the garter snake moved over to him, and he opened his cloak so that it could snuggle in closer to his body. He knew it would likely leave tonight to hunt some small creature, but for now, he was glad to have it. "I'll put wards up once you're settled and we will be safe here tonight until we can reassess your condition tomorrow."

He moved ahead of Gabriel so he could pull the blanket off of his pack and spread it out in one of the larger spots in the cave. It would allow Gabriel to curl up or spread out, but more importantly, it was hopefully big enough that he could start a fire to keep the warmth up here.

"From the impression I get, you could use with some stitches and bandaging." But that would have to wait for now. "You're safe now. When I heard word that a gorgon had been captured, I set out as quickly as I could."

[gr1m]

"Alright." He would trust Jack to ensure their safety for the night, the travel had taken what little had been in him out. Would be practically useless without rest and, well, anything with how he'd been treated once captured.

Once that blanket was spread out Gabriel let himself lay down, partially coiled but mostly spread out. A hiss of pain escaped him, really feeling the various wounds and bruises given the chance to finally let all of that adrenaline drain out of him. "On the chances it could have been me?" That was-

"What exactly was said? I don't remember much of what happened other than I was trying to shed in peace and then, well." A group had been upon him and it had all felt like it happened quickly.

[dadication]

He waited for Gabriel to lay down, dropping his bag down so he could free himself up for what needed to be done tonight. He didn't need sight to know of Gabriel's wounds, able to sense them like magic bleeding from flesh in places. He would use that as a guide for attempting to heal, but for now, he had to wait on that.

"Gorgons are rare, and you're the first I've seen. If it was you, I... couldn't leave you to that fate." He had heard of what happened to some of the creatures in the Western King's terrorizing reign, and that was not a fate that he would leave anyone he was familiar with to suffer under.

He seated himself next to Gabriel's tail, pulling out his water skin and a cloth, dampening it so he could wash the gorgon's wounds. "Word came back to the Guild a gorgon had been captured and you were being shipped. You took out fifteen men and women on that hunting party. It was only the poison that knocked you down apparently. Guild wants the prestige of its members taking a gorgon." He shrugged his shoulders as he wiped. "I think I bring them more prestige letting you go to live your life."

[gr1m]

Let himself relax, part out of exhaustion and part out of what trust he still held for this hunter. Even more so for the fact that Jack actually came looking to see if it was him in order to get him out. That was a high risk for his person and perhaps more, considering how humans could and would treat their own.

Gabriel pillowed his head against folded arms, his own eyes closed even as those snakes of his hair settled against his back, watching Jack in their own. "I can still feel it, haven't been under any condition to let it flush from my body." The downside to still being in this form was that he needed better heat for his system, but he lacked the energy to change to something much more warm blooded. "They were like a hydra; the more that went down, the more that came," like ants.

Did hiss at certain deeper wounds, but he didn't move so that Jack could clean them better. "Bounty will probably go up when word of the caravan never making it gets out." His nose wrinkled, briefly. "Still, would rather freedom than what would have become of me."

[dadication]

He noticed that Gabriel was relaxing, which was a good sign and a bad one. Exhaustion was one thing, but he appreciated the trust. He had a lot to do tonight, but this simple gesture was a way to repay a kindness that he had received after that fight with the chimera when they had met for the second time. The wounds had to be cleaned or they would definitely fester. He knew they couldn't stay here a long time.

"I'll get a fire going once I clean you up a bit," he murmured softly, hands working on the injuries. For now, they would receive bandages. He had brought extra supplies of those at least, which was going to come in handy given the bulk he had to deal with. There was an awful lot of Gabriel in this form. "They sent teams from multiple Guilds. I don't know how many just yet, but the Western King is paying a fortune to acquire creatures to use in his war."

Once the biggest wounds were cleaned and wrapped, he grunted softly. "Maybe. There are plenty of creatures there and any one of them could have caused the start of the escape." He rose from his place, reaching out to touch Gabriel's shoulder lightly. "I wouldn't have left you there no matter what. I won't let you go back either." A promise.

That was all the assurance he could offer. "I'm going to gather some wood for a fire. Are you hungry? I can try to catch some game."

[gr1m]

"Think a few of them were turned to stone around that hot spring." He didn't know if he could ever go there again, there were others at least, but that wasn't the point of things. "I heard the rumors of that in the last town I let myself visit for a few supplies, tried to go as off the map as possible." Apparently hadn't been good enough.

There would be blame on any one of the creatures, and there'd be no sign of any human interference left; likely hadn't been any the moment any of the more predatory creatures were freed. "Quite a thing to have a gorgon's freedom owed to you," it was said lightly, because it was clear he doubted Jack did it for that reason. "I doubt any hunter or guild could have that attached to them, even quietly." He was grateful.

An eye cracked open at the mention of hunger- "If it wouldn't trouble you."

[dadication]

"Probably. I didn't go and check where you were captured," he admitted. His priority had bene to cover as much ground as possible as quickly as he could. The caravan had had quite the head start on him after all. "You don't owe me anything. You could have left me to fester in the woods and didn't. I'm just repaying a favour you did for me."

He also couldn't exactly get over the notion of what would happen to the gorgon. Gabriel was a rare creature he had made a connection with, brief though it might have been. Random impulse had him acting out on his own more than usual, but that was fine. He had already finished the job he had taken, and that meant he could disappear for awhile. It wouldn't be the first time.

"Let me see what I can do." With that, he headed back out into the wilderness. He cast wards around the cave entrance so animals and people would be deterred from going. First he gathered wood to set at the entrance to take in later then he scouted and set snares for catching food. He hauled water up, let his garter snake go to hunt and managed to come back with a rabbit. Not much, but it would hold Gabriel over.

Back inside he went, rabbit in one hand, some wood under his arm in the other. "It's safe out there. Water is close by and here," he said, offering the rabbit. "I'll get a fire going." And he set himself to that, thinking that heat would make all of this better.

[gr1m]

"I'm likely to not return there myself, went because it was that time of year where my snakeskin needed to be shed." Hot springs made it all an easier and less itchy affair, the heat and water allowing for the ease of peeling it off his own tail and that of those amongst his hair as well. "More than repaid if you ask me," saving from possible death was nothing to sneeze at, but what he'd been in for was a fate worse than death.

Remained still and silent while Jack was gone, Gabriel even dared a bit of a light doze as he coiled himself just a bit more. Of course the snakes watched even as his eyes remained closed, trying to regain a bit of energy.

Did perk up when the hunter returned, shifting himself to just up amongst his coils as he took that rabbit. Decent size- "At least you do not have to watch me eat something like this." Because at this point? That rabbit would be eaten whole, his jaw could certainly unhinge and those teeth were sharp- but he was going to declaw it first, and take care of the larger teeth. "Do you have food for yourself?"

[dadication]

He didn't mind that Gabriel was going to just eat that rabbit whole, figuring that was what would happen. From what he could tell, no one in the caravan had wanted to risk feeding the creatures until the spells to bind their wills were in place, which meant starvation and thirst for most of them. Injuries would heal slower without food, so he wasn't at all disgusted that Gabriel was going to eat quickly and without much fanfare.

No, he busied himself making a fire, doing it the old fashioned way even if he could use magic. He already knew that his magic would be necessary for other matters that were far more pressing. Soon enough, he had an infantile fire coming to life that he was feeding. "I'm blind, remember? I don't technically watch you do anything." A lie. His magical sight allowed him outlines and insights.

"I have rations in my pack," he murmured simply. "I can give you some if that rabbit doesn't satisfy." He was willing to share as Gabriel had once shared a meal with him. More fuel to the fire, building it up. "I think we can risk staying here a week. Are you alright with that?"

[gr1m]

That was a raspberry blown at Jack- "I know you have another means to see, you gave it away yourself while recovering in my home in that one mine if you'd recall." Could shove that technicality, apparently. The gorgon had a very good memory.

Soon enough that rabbit was being eaten whole, jaw unhinged and his mouth splitting far wider than it could appearing to in order to take it down no problem. Did lay amongst his coils again once it was down far enough so that it could be digested better, letting out a small breath. e'd know if it was going to be enough soon at least.

"... Yeah, should be alright so long as we don't have to worry about anything stumbling across us." Last thing he wanted was for the hunter to be caught out with him, whatever trouble tat could bring to Jack.

[dadication]

"I've been hit in the head a lot, so my memory isn't so good," he replied dryly as he built the fire up so it was actually starting to chase away some of the chill in the rocks. It also cast shadows across the walls, allowing him to get a better gauge of Gabriel's size. He was impressive like that.

Rabbit eaten, fire built, and Jack was settling down with his big pack, pulling out some supplies where he could eat some nuts and dried berries. That would tide him over until morning and he could check the snares for hopefully a bigger meal. He was also going to need to sleep once he had finished with his magic, and it was clear Gabe too would need rest.

"The wards I have up will deter anything living from coming up here. They will feel like they need to be elsewhere," he remarked as he moved back over to the gorgon and lay a hand on one of the deepest injuries. Words like when he had healed Gabriel's thumb fell from his lips, and he went to work expending energy to heal the gorgon so he could at least be more comfortable and on a faster track of healing.

[gr1m]

"You remembered me well enough."

Certainly was a lot of him like this, and it was no wonder he took out so many hunters when they came upon and for him. Also told that the gorgon could easily make himself a danger if he actually wanted to, but he didn't. Something of a peaceful life was all he wanted, but it would never stop him from defending himself or picking up the odd job for coin whenever necessary.

Gabriel hummed a little, "Good... good." He could rest a little easier knowing that, or so he hoped. The forced rest in that cage was not something restful, had worn on and exhausted him to the point actual sleep was needed. The snakes watched more than he did, more concentrated on keeping still as he was healed and knowing that this did exhaust Jack himself.

It was only one the hunter was done with healing what he aimed to did Gabriel speak up again. "If you need a moment, you can rest against me- I'm in the warmest spot, at the very least." With the fire and all.

[dadication]

"You leave quite the impression with your warnings."

Jack could appreciate the beauty of this form, especially as his fingers traced over scales to check for wounds that needed healing more than others. He could touch and get a sense of things, but he was a tactile person by nature anyway thanks to his lack of real sight. So as he healed, his fingers caressed scales as he moved along that large snake tail.

His breathing began to deepen as he gave up energy to help the gorgon, pushing his own limits in the process. Healing was a magic he knew, but it wasn't one he was best at. In this case, it would be enough to knit together the deepest wounds, leaving the skin and scales to come back on their own.

He shuddered as he stopped, wavering before shaking it off and gathering himself together. Being bone tired wouldn't help either of them right now. "It's alright. I've done this kind of thing before, and I've worked through it." He moved to the fire, feeding it gradually larger sticks before digging in his pack for a leather bag that had something very special in it: lumps of sugar.

He popped one lump in his mouth, needing the quick energy. Then he offered on to Gabriel. "Here, a treat."