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[dadication]

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[gr1m]

Part of his coils shifted just to press a little more in against Jack to better prop him as he leaned. Already warming thanks to that fire, taking that second lump to pop in to his mouth and let it melt. "It's good." Sweet like fruits were in a way, and he had noticed bits of it for sale in the few places he stopped but never really purchased any for himself.

That might have to change in some future.

Gabriel settled in amongst coils again, head pillowed against his arms and the snakes of his hair settling. Eyes half closed as he watched the fire. "It will burn out with some rest and warmth, anything I had to held is still stashed away where I'd been taking shelter." Hopefully it was all still there, at least.

[dadication]

He shifted his body a bit to lean lightly against Gabriel's coils that were pressed into him. They were warmer currently than the cave, and he mildly regretted that he hadn't brought more blankets, but he had had to pack light and bring more medical and food supplies as he was uncertain Gabriel's condition. Perhaps he would head to a town to pick up supplies for their needs.

"It is," he agreed, sucking on his lump of sugar. Normally it would go into tea, but his mama had used it to bribe them with, keep the kids in line and helping. She was more carrot than stick sort. "We'll need another blanket at least, especially if we're going to stay here. I don't want you sleeping without one."

His version of suggesting he go to town anyway.

He nodded his head when it came to the poison, and as long as Gabriel was certain he would heal from it, that's what mattered to him. "I can take you back to where your supplies are and let you make your way beyond that if you want." He was kind of committed to keeping the gorgon safe now.

[gr1m]

"I'll be fine for one night." The tip of his tail brushed against one of the hunter's legs in a slight flicking curl of it, head turned on his arm to better look at Jack rather than just the fire. "That can be a trip for tomorrow at the very least, and you can see if word has spread quickly or not while you're at it."

A trip to town was the only way to get a blanket after all, and Gabriel wasn't sure if he cared enough about the cold. Let alone if he wanted to let the hunter risk going out after expending as much energy as he had, eating sugar or not.

His eyes were drifting closed slowly. "We'll get there when we get there."

[dadication]

"I'll keep the fire going tonight," he murmured softly. He knew that heat would help with healing but also it would probably just plain make Gabriel feel better. The gorgon along with all the other creatures that had been captured had not been treated kindly, and they would all need some warmth and food to recover themselves. "Alright, I will head out tomorrow if you're feeling well enough to be on your own."

And right now, they could share body heat together if it was necessary. He wouldn't mind that, wasn't going to put up a fuss when it came to comfort and survival. It was why he leaned a little more against Gabriel's thick coils of a body, letting himself relax a little. It wouldn't be safe for him to make a journey tonight, and they could make it through he knew.

"We will. Get some sleep. I'll keep watch." And he would, feeding the fire, and leaving only long enough to get more wood, stacking more and more up in the entrance so he could just pick from that. Always returned to Gabriel's coils.

[gr1m]

He was coiled on the large blanket Jack had laid out, the least he could do was offer the warmth of his own coils and generating body heat in return. Wanted to. "Have that talk in the morning," because with how exhausted he was between the poor treatment and using what he had left to get them this far? It wouldn't be long until he was out.

"Rest a little yourself, you have your wards up." It was murmured as his coils shifted enough to make a welcoming place amongst them for the hunter to lean and then return to. Gabriel remained like that even once he eventually dozed off and slept deeply.

The snakes of his hair were coiled in a bunch over his shoulder, heads together, black unblinking eyes watching both Jack and the entrance of the cave beyond the fire's light.

[dadication]

Jack kept the fire well stocked and warmed and he did keep watch as promised. He found himself distracted by the snakes that made up Gabriel's hair, noting that they were a big coiled mess. They were apparently on watch too from what he could determine, and he snuggled down when the exhaustion of healing pulled at him.

In the wee hours of the morning, Jack actually lay his head down on... well, he expected it would be where Gabriel's hip or ass would be, but he couldn't tell aside from it being close to where scales ended and a human torso began. He cuddled in there, crossing his arms and tucking his legs, letting himself doze.

Soon dozing turned into sleeping, his sight spell stopping to allow him better sleep. That's when the young garter snake came back, apparently immune to the wards. It snuggled in against his belly where it was warmest between so close to both himself and Gabriel.

[gr1m]

They functioned well as little guards, active and watchful while still allowing for the gorgon to sleep. It was moments like these that allowed them to function entirely on their own, every now and then when Jack moved to settle against coils one of them would stretch to check on him. That head lowered down and tongue flicking out, bumping a little against his temple before retreating to coil back amongst the others once satisfied.

The end of Gabriel's tail curled over Jack's ankles even while he slept, as if to better secure him in amongst coils. A small unconscious gesture that he would be safe there, and was even welcome in that place.

Slept on, deep and silent, a needed dreamless slumber that would at least mean that Gabriel wouldn't be pushed out of sleep by some nightmare. No, he'd sleep on through morning, even as the snakes of his hair stirred about and raised to better watch the mouth of that cave. Ready, even though nothing came and light from outside crept in more and ore as the hours passed by.

[dadication]

If he was aware of the snakes checking on him, he gave no sign of it. At that point, he was committed to getting some sleep, so he was aware that the snakes would keep watch over them both. That his little 'friend' had decided to come back now that it had fed wasn't unheard of, and he did nothing to dislodge it either.

No, much like Gabriel, his exhaustion from expending so much energy traveling and healing kept him sleeping beyond the touch of nightmares. He remained nested in against the gorgon and allowed the hours to pass him by. Being blind, he had no reason to think the sun had begun to rise at all aside from the slow gradual rise of heat from the sun.

He kept sleeping for another hour before slowly beginning to stir, tipping his head so it slipped from where it rested on Gabriel's hip to the gentle curve that made the small of his back. A hand reached out as if searching for a blanket but gave up when one wasn't in easy reach and his hand curled over Gabriel's broad shoulder instead. Very close to the head full of snakes.

[gr1m]

The snakes were not immune from noticing, but they remained only watchful as the cave warmed naturally from the sunlight. It was only once it had started moving more in to an early afternoon that they acted, hissing softly as a few stretched their way to that had on the gorgon's shoulder. Tongues flicking out and nudging against fingers and the side of the hunter's hand, another catching at Jack's sleeve with a tug.

Gabriel had turned his head as soon as one tried to disturb him by flicking his nose with it's tongue, murmuring something as his coils tensed for a moment before relaxing once again. Not one to normally sleep in, but exceptions were very much made whenever he was so bone tired and injured- or sick. Things that weren't often to happen.

[dadication]

Who was he to deny such a wake up call when it began? Jack's fingers twitched the with flick of tongues and nudging, but not yet aware of his surroundings as he was heavily groggy with sleep, he made a move. His fingers shifted to stroke at the nudging heads, touching them and following them to the bulk of their coiled forms so he could touch those warm smooth scales.

He was shifting his body though, stretching out what he could despite being cuddled into the coils of Gabriel's long body. He yawned and came awake slow and heavily, groaning softly as he pulled himself back to the land of the wakeful enough to summon his sight. He then took some seconds to drink in his surroundings and how damn odd it seemed he was sleeping on a snake man with snake hair in a cave...

Oh. Right.

Jack finally pushed himself to sitting up, rubbing sleep from his scarred up eyes and checking on Gabriel. The gorgon was alive, sleeping but apparently being nudged awake too.

[gr1m]

It seemed, at the very least, that the snakes suffered no ill effects from the poisoning that had happened to get the gorgon in this situation. Soft hisses, moving under the touches and even pressing up against Jack's hand with pleased movements. Waking up and getting attention, win-win for the snake hair as far as their little heads were concerned in this matter.

They did rear back to watch the hunter move as he stretched and moved that much more, remaining that way as he sat up, their bodies swaying a little as if it better keep themselves upright as they were.

The gorgon himself? Curled and coiled more as if to make up for the loss of heat in places once Jack had sat up, but never moving enough to dislodge him from where he still sat. It was only when one of the snakes trying to rouse him flicked it's tongue directly in to one of his ears did he wake up with just a little displeased hiss, rubbing his ear with a grumble to go with it.

[dadication]

Jack was awake, and he had apparently been bold enough to pet snake hair in his quest to wake up, which was something he was definitely going to have to think about on his way to town. He shifted and moved from the coils of Gabriel's body so that he could rouse the fire back up with some wood. The cave was still warm enough to be comfortable, but this at stage, he wasn't about to risk the gorgon becoming cold.

He noted that Gabriel was awake based on that hiss, having missing the antics of the little snakes. His own garter was under his clothing and squirming to be free so it could once again to and bask in the sun. It had been awhile, not since before their journey began. "Your hair has a mind of its own. I think they resented us sleeping in."

He was feeding the fire and then digging in his pack to pull out some rations to warm by it. "I'll check the snares in a minute."

[gr1m]

Gabriel was stretching, back arching and a few joints popping just from getting stiff in what little bit of cold had crept in during the night. Some color had returned to him at the very least, even if still clearly injured and not back up to his best. Likely was something, a gorgon stretching out from head to the very tip of his tail, coiling back up to reserve heat and use his own body as a seat of sorts.

Helped him sit up a little easier as he moved fingers through his hair, careful of the snakes and trying to get it all back in to some sort of order. "Probably knowing I'm getting hungry," it was still a bit grumbled, using one of those snakes like a tie to put it all back in some semblance of a ponytail. No snake harmed in the process of it, getting everything up off his neck and shoulders.

"Are you feeling better?" Of course the injured gorgon was the one asking, because he knew how he felt at the moment already.

[dadication]

Jack paused in putting out some of his rations when Gabriel stretched and without the heat of needing to go pressing in on them, he could get a good gauge of how long and bulky Gabriel was. An impressive sized gorgon and likely could do a nasty spit of venom too if threatened or just plain wanted to. Still, it was good to see Gabriel move, and it assured him that his healing helped.

He was offering dried meat and fruit before adding some bread and cheese to the mix as well. He'd need to pick up more soon, and none of it was extremely fresh, but it will fill an empty belly. "Eat some of this. It should be easy enough on your stomach and give you some energy while I get the fire built and check if I caught anything."

He shrugged at the question, mostly not used to being asked. "I rested, and I'll be alright. I need to get better at my healing magic clearly."

[gr1m]

No wonder the hunters had been so very thrilled over catching him, would have surely been a prize and something to boast about not just amongst themselves for that prestige. The Western King likely would have seen him as a prize as well for his army. A lot of muscle throughout that tail, and in his body as well; with nothing covering him likely easier to make any of it out. Did settle at least.

"Shouldn't it be your own energy you should be worrying about?" Gabriel wasn't refusing the offering of food, taking some of it as he places meat and cheese on to that bread to eat. Slowly of course, just in case having that rabbit had been a fluke of being kept down.

He picked at the bits of dried fruit he took as well, eating them between bites of the meat and cheese on bread. "You're still the one who is going to be going out there while I remain here." Seemed to make sense to watch to be sure that Jack would be alright and wasn't pushing himself too much for the gorgon's sake.

[dadication]

It was true that there was plenty of reasons that Gabriel would have been a prize worth a King's ransom. He was big and muscular and also terrifying, and he knew that if he didn't have the actual benefit of being blind, he would have long ago turned to stone. What a way to defeat one's enemies. All the same, Gabriel was impressive and should be allowed to go free and continue to live his life. That's what Jack believed anyway.

"I'm not the one who was assaulted, drugged, tortured, starved and denied water," he pointed out as he took a few slices of dried fruit to chew on as he worked the fire to a good size. That would last for when he needed to go out anyway. "You're a bit of a mother hen, you know that?"

He really wasn't used to people asking after him and pressing about forcing him to consider his own well-being. He was rising and moving over to check Gabriel's bandages to occupy himself. "I'm first going to check if there is food to cook by fire and then I'll be going to town. If I leave in an hour or so, I can make it for sundown." He glanced at Gabriel's face. "How are you feeling?"

[gr1m]

Didn't doubt that whatever bounty there was on him would be raised- or that there would simply be an entirely new one made nearly worth a king's ransom or more. They knew what he looked like, could describe and get an artistic likeness for it and everything- at least in his current form. Would be able to still sneak amongst people when in his other one, but even then there would be the same caution as before.

His nose wrinkled a little at that list of things he'd gone through put in such a way. "I'm not used to anyone wanting to help me with anything, and you've done so in at least two of our encounters," one of which Jack had literally hunted for him to save him out of worry he'd been the gorgon captured. "You're the first."

Shifted enough that Jack could check over the bandaging without trouble, some of them having bleed out a bit through the night but had also stopped within the same frame of time. "I'm tired and ache," truthfully. "Take more than overnight to heal up from what happened."

[dadication]

It was strange to think that he was the only one to bother caring in such a way for the gorgon. He wasn't that type of person after all, keeping to himself, doing his job, and otherwise, making his way through life with as little regard for other people as possible. He didn't train others, didn't engage much in conversation, and yet he also knew that he was deeply lonely for it.

Honestly, it had been in that day of recovery with the gorgon that he actually considered how he treated and was treated. While he didn't question Guild practices of forcing them out barely healed, he took more time to get to his jobs rather than just hurrying in as always. It had almost felt for a few hours that someone might actually care and miss him if he died. Such a strange feeling, and yet when Gabriel pointed it out in relation to him, he could relate immediately.

"I know. Neither am I," he said softly as he ate a little cheese. "People don't care about me, just about what I can do. You were the first to question why I lived as I did, and you... took care of me." He had been mended of course, but it didn't feel the same. It was strange to have someone to level with on such a subject.

He removed the bandages in order to replace them with fresh ones, intending to soak and boil the ones he just removed. He washed those wounds again, stroking his fingers over scaling. "It will. Aside from basking at the cave entrance, I'd like for you to stay here."

[gr1m]

"Should care because of the service you provide," and it was a service, he didn't have to do any of it in his mind. Jack chose the jobs he took and where he went, and while he didn't like hunters he still understood that there were creatures out there that needed to be put down. Sometimes it was a kindness to them. Then there were the times when it was senseless killing, those out there for glory and money, or driven purely by fear for what they didn't understand and branded as-

"I'm a monster because I am not human, none would do anything other than try to kill me the moment they find out." He understood the world of humans better than some may think, and other times it just didn't make any sort of sense. "Because I look different even disguised, people are wary of me and I'm only good for what gold and coin I may carry, or what I might be able to do if one dares speak to me. Mistaking me for a hunter or mercenary." None cared otherwise.

His head tipped a little. "You could have turned and walked away, but you did not," on top of not rushing in to kill him instantly, "I... wanted to." Wanted to take care of him, rather than leave him to rot somewhere after showing some bit of kindness.

He let out a little huff. "I'll not argue that," Gabriel didn't feel like he could leave and things go well for him.

[dadication]

Jack didn't hunt for sport; that was never his thing. When he was much younger, he would take any job and kill any monster no matter what, but over the years, he had began to pity some of the monsters on the Guild's list. For one reason or another, they had lost themselves and needed some kind of mercy. The odd job he would take because a creature was way out of line, hunting and killing just because and that he wouldn't stand for. "Even if I die, there will be other hunters to take my place. In the Guild, I'm only as good as the jobs I fulfill."

But Gabriel hadn't made him feel that way. Sure he had been shown kindness, but hunters were often just one step away from being monsters themselves. "I wouldn't," he murmured softly. "The moment I met you, I knew I wouldn't kill you unless you forced me to." It had taken him time to figure out Gabriel was a gorgon, and then he had been curious and intrigued by this rare creature who had shown him a kindness when no one else would. "People fear what they don't understand. For better or worse, the Guild and leadership had built the narrative monsters are thoughtless beasts. So far from the truth that is."

He was rewrapping Gabriel's wounds again, and then stroking a hand as an indicator that he had done his work. He moved with the soiled bandages to set them aside for cleaning later. "Have you... wanted to take care of someone else before?" It seemed an odd conversation to have, yet here they were.

Well, the sun would do Gabriel some good he figured. The ward will still be up even if you're in the entrance. You'll be safe there."

[gr1m]

"You're not seen as a person, just your job." That was a strange bit of understanding.

Even when he was young, Gabriel hadn't gone out of his way to kill hunters, but only killed those that left him no choice. At first it had been brutal because he was young, only had venom and whatever else natural ability there was when he couldn't hide. "I do not kill unless I am forced to," the warning he'd given had been clear sign of that, and Jack could guess why the three he knew of had died just from that. The narrative was far from the truth.

"I... don't know?" He settled again, coils rearranging so he could comfortably sit amongst them again. "I know I've... wanted to feel cared for and return the favor, but I'm not sure if that's along the lines of what you mean." Something normal in his life, that had been missing since his family was ended.

He finished off the bit of food he'd taken, other than a few pieces of dried fruit he was going to let himself savor a bit. It was still sweet. "I'll be able to get out of sight if anything does somehow wander in to view all the same."

[dadication]

Jack paused in his work, reaching up with one hand to touch the scars on his face. It was only for a second before he abandoned the contact and went back to what he was doing. "If my situation hadn't been one where a hunter had come and if I didn't have magic in my blood, I would be nothing more than a blind beggar in the streets. Or probably dead at this point." Circumstances had been strangely in line for his survival. "People don't like looking at my scars, as I've said before."

He nodded his head, fully believing that Gabriel wouldn't kill unless pushed to do so. There was survival through hunting and survival through warning, and he had seen enough of both to know the difference. From what he could tell of Gabriel's living situation, the gorgon removed himself from conflict as much as possible. "No wonder the bounty is just left in the wind on you. I hope it will stay that way," he remarked, even if he knew it wouldn't. A gorgon on the loose? People would be terrified and hunters would be chomping at the bit for the opportunity.

He was adding some wood to the fire before standing to retrieve what he had left in the entrance so that they could start to stockpile deeper inside. "I know a little of what that's like, but I never thought it would happen. I guess... we have each other for that for the time being?" An offer? Probably.

"The garter snake is basking, so you should be safe there." The cave did have a hidden entrance.

[gr1m]

The tip of his tail brushed just against Jack's side, "And you already know my thoughts on your scars and appearance." He'd said it back in his shelter within the cave system of that long abandoned mind. Still stood by them.

"It might, more so if no one connects whatever they believed to be living in those mines with... what was captured by a hot springs." His appearance was very different in those encounters after all, and it was so far away from the mines most wouldn't believe they could be the same creature- "At most there may be an entirely separate bounty made." Who knows if humans even knew a gorgon had two different forms they could take, for all he knew they could think it depended on if it were a half or full blooded one.

He let himself sort of sink in amongst his coils, watching Jack move- "For the time being, yes." There was no possibility in his min it would last longer than needed, even if any part of him could want different.

"I'll make myself comfortable to bask after you leave, for now this is good for speaking with you."

[dadication]

He turned his head at the feel of the tail tip against his side, though for some reason, he wasn't surprised or shy from it. Instead, his hand dropped to stroke along the tip, fingers caressing over scales and just feeling them a little. "I do. You've just the first to sound truthful when you talk about how little they bother you."

He nodded his head, and that was definitely the track he expected this bounty system to go with, since he had actually read the one on the previous gorgon. If he could push the narrative that Gabriel in the caves was different from Gabriel in the cage then he could hide the gorgon and sneak him back into the safest areas. "I will check in with a Guild outpost as soon as I can, but for now, my priority is your health. Before letting you go on your own again, I'll check in on the bounties and see where yours is."

He had significantly lightened his pack with offloading his food and supplies, and he had built up the supply of wood that Gabriel could use while he was gone. "Well... we have a week or three before we go back to ourselves again," he said with a nonchalance he didn't feel. A part of him didn't want this to end.

"Alright. I will check the snares first, and if we have game, I'll leave it at the entrance, okay? You can eat or cook it as you want. I should head to town so I can make it back before too long," he murmured, though he was slightly hesitant to go. It wasn't because he thought Gabriel would be captured or just leave but more... he just found comfort in the gorgon's company and presence.

[gr1m]

Where there were not scars or missing scales, there was a smooth sort of warmth, could even feel how the scales themselves flexed to move with him. Soft and tough all in one, humming just a little in reply rather than speaking for a moment. Gabriel saw no reason to lie about such a thing after all.

The gorgon nodded a bit. "It might take a bit for the information to spread enough for anything to change," so letting him heal before going out to gather up any news was likely the better way to go about it. Made sense to him.

"Make what we will of the time."

Gabriel let himself move a bit closer so he was more settled beside Jack that still tucked off behind him on that blanket. "Alright. I'll handle any meat you may leave there and do with it what I will." Jack may return to something or a surprise, but that time would tell as well.