When Eben decides to rob the isolated town nestled deep in the woods, he could never have predicted that he would be forced to atone by serving Adder, the powerful and terrifying gorgon charged with protecting the town of Nǣdre Tor.
However, as Eben...
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It's a bit bizarre to awaken here, under the shade of a random oak tree. Adder isn't used to sleeping outside, so in the night he'd subconsciously coiled tight to the nearest source of warmth, Eben. He awakens in the constricting grasp, blearily blinking away the morning sunlight from sleepy eyes.
"I had a dream a tree was growing roots around me, squeezing the life out of me. Guess it was just you. Did you get scared last night?"
"No," Adder lies, intending to keep the memory of jumping at the sound of an owl private, "I just got cold. Not all of us are warm-blooded."
"Sure you did. If you didn't sleep well, you can always nap in the caravan. There's still a way to go before we reach the spot Daisy and Fern are supposed to be."
Adder picks up the bedroll, climbing into the cramped caravan with it. "I'll be fine. I'll wake up more as we start moving."
"Here, have something to eat, at least."
Eben hands a satchel to Adder, pulling out a long bit of jerky to gnaw on as he rides Fairy. Adder looks inside to see what else remains. He finds more jerky, a hearty hunk of bread, and even a sizeable chunk of soft white cheese. Starting with the bread, he tears off a bit, smearing the cheese on top and finishing with a bit of meat. He chews slowly, enjoying the simple meal as he leans out the window. Hues of green pass by as Fairy trots on merrily. Adder attempts to focus on that instead of what they might find ahead.
"Eben, did you often eat like this when you were a bandit?"
Eben looks back, strip of meat hanging from his mouth and both hands on the reins. "Yesh. All teh tem."
"Don't speak with your mouth full, Eben."
Eben takes another bite, tearing a large bit off animalistically before swallowing. "I'm not as refined a monster as you, Adder. You just stay back there and look pretty, leave me to my ruffian ways."
"Only you would call me refined."
"You are though. Those coils and claws don't erase the fact that you require four pillows to sleep properly and refuse to eat oranges without that white stuff removed."
"It's called pith and it's bitter."
"Pith is too bitter for my sensitive scales, ohh."
"You ass! You can't say anything when I see how you refuse to eat your greens."
Eben tears off more jerky, turning back to look at the road. "Don' need em"
Adder laughs, tail wagging in the tight space. Eben always knew how to get Adder's mind off negative thoughts.
He lets his mind go hazy as they bump along, closing his eyes. He falls into a trance-like state, the light peeking from the canopy dancing behind his eyelids in flashes of pink and yellow. It's only when he catches a whiff of werewolf on the wind does he sit up. Daisy comes bounding down the trail in her wolf form, sunshine yellow fur glinting in the morning light. She quickly approaches the caravan, barking gleefully.
