068

Gregor stood tied to the horse picket trying to stretch his back and watching the Skulled Ones, as he'd taken to thinking of them, setup camp. He was exhausted and he could tell that they were as well. Maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was the fear, it probably was the fear, but after days of feeling numb Gregor was sinking beneath the weight of his capture. He had felt these feelings in the past but something felt different this time. This far from civilization and in the face of the failed ambush, what hope was there for a man like Gregor to survive? Years behind a desk had done nothing to prepare him for the reality that stretched before his eyes.

There was a groan from the man laying bound at Gregor's feet. Gregor looked down to see the man's eyes flutter open.

"W...water." The man's voice was low and it cracked even on the short wort he uttered.

Gregor bent and grabbed his untouched cup of water, which lay beside his untouched plate of food. He lifted the man's head into his lap and poured some water into his mouth. The man coughed up the first drop of water, then his throat opened up and he was able to take the next few sips of water the Gregor offered him.

"Go easy, there's not much water and you'll want to drink most of it I'm sure." Gregor said trying to ensure that the man kept the water down.

The Skulled Ones were there, Gregor could hear them speaking in their unknown language. He looked up to see four of them watching the man drink the water on Gregor's lap. The tattooed man was there, nodding as the other two spoke. Satisfied the tattooed man stepped forward and picked up the man spilling the cup of water in the process. He hefted the man from the Contubernium onto his shoulder effortlessly and began walking away with the three other Skulled ones. Gregor sat for a moment motionless, before he brought the plate onto his lap and began eating.