Author's notes: Don't own a thing, though I could think of some things I'd like to do with Sam and Dean… ;-) This story started from an idea my sister Ice Queen1 had, I worked on, she rejected, and I started over from scratch with many suggestions from her. Much of the dialogue I owe to her—I swear she channels characters like Dean. Reviews are always welcome. Enjoy!

Whisper quiet, Sam and Dean Winchester stalked along the wooded path through the Mantila Sal National Forest outside of Paradox, Colorado. The brothers scanned the darkness blanketing the forest, trying to discern any movement among the trees. The fact that no moonlight shone through the branches made their job of locating and killing the wendigo responsible for five hikers' deaths that much harder. Dean was focusing so hard on a slightly rustling bush that when Sam tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention, Dean whipped around and aimed his flare gun at Sam.

"Whoa, calm down!" hissed Sam, throwing his hand up in surrender.

Dean smacked his brother in the back of the head. "Stop doing that! Just because I survived that one massive heart attack doesn't mean I'll survive another."

Sam rolled his eyes. "I heard something from over there." He pointed to the underbrush on the other side of the path.

"Sammy, I don't--" Dean broke off as crashing grew louder and louder from the direction Sam indicated. It sounded like something large was running through the woods straight for the brothers.

Sam and Dean looked at each other and aimed their weapons in the direction of the sound. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to get past them.

"That is the LAST time I let you use a weapon!" yelled a female voice.

"How many times have I heard that one before?" a second feminine voice retorted.

Dean and Sam exchanged looks. Since when did wendigos mimic bickering women?

The first voice continued. "You dumb ass! How could you mistake a freaking bear for a rakshasa?"

"Hey, it's dark and all I could tell was that it was big and growled, which doesn't help when hunting a shape-shifting demon."

"Just freaking great! Now we've got a wounded AND pissed bear on our ass! You just shot it in the leg too! Why couldn't you at least shoot it in the face?"

"Hey, you're the one with the shotgun! Why didn't you shoot it?"

"Because it's loaded with rock salt and would be about as effective as a BB gun! How did you manage to get into college!"

"Because none of the questions on the SAT were relevant to bear hunting techniques!"

"TECHNIQUE! SHOOT IT IN THE GODDAMN FACE, NOT THE LEG! That's all there is to it!"

Suddenly two figures burst out onto the trail right where Sam and Dean were aiming. The first one was taller, had long hair in a ponytail, and looked to be carrying a sawed off shotgun. The second was noticeably shorter and was toting a crossbow with a quiver slung across her back. The two women paused long enough to notice the brothers and say, "Hi, we suggest you run for your life before the bear catches up," before pointing behind the brothers and running past them full-tilt.

An angry roar broke the silence of the wood.

"I'm not one for taking advice from strangers," said Dean, "but I'm going to follow their lead. Flare gun isn't much use on Smokey."

"Yeah, let's go," Sam agreed and took off back down the trail.

As the brothers raced on, Dean panted, "I told you it couldn't be a wendigo."

"But the pattern fit! I don't get it. Then what killed those hikers?" asked Sam.

"How about the BEAR, Captain Oblivious? How is it you're the smart brother?"

The brothers burst out into the parking area at the base of the trail, only to be blinded with flashlights.

"Ah shit…" muttered Dean. He hoped it wasn't the local police.

"We know why we're in the woods in the dead of night in a blocked off area due to man eating bear sightings with a sawed off shotgun and a crossbow. What's the deal with the flare gun and the Girl Scout water?"

"Girl scout water?" Sam repeated.

"White gas," Dean replied.

Sam shot a look at his brother who shrugged. "I had my hobbies."

"Arson?"

"Hey! Do I get an answer?" the first voice asked, lowering her flashlight as she pointed it towards the ground.

"Question!" the other girl asked. "Isn't there an enraged bear barreling down the mountainside after us?"

"And whose fault is that?" Dean asked.

"Hers," the first replied, jerking her thumb at the other, shorter one.

"I don't think the bear will choose sides when it gets here, do you?" Sam said.

"You're right," the taller girl said. "It'll eat you first because you're closest to the woods. But all the same, I'd rather not chance it scratching up my car when it's through mauling you."

"I'm not waiting around to be an epitaph," Dean said. "You heading for the hotel or the bar?"

"Does it matter? There's only one of each. And they share the same lot," the first one answered as she headed for their Mustang and tossed the gun across the seat. "Claire! Get in the car and stop ogling!"

"Bitch!"

"Whore!"

"This sound familiar to you?" Sam asked, grinning as he slid into the passenger side of the Impala.

"Since when did I call you a whore?" Dean replied as he gunned for the exit only to be cut off by the Mustang shooting out of nowhere and across the median to beat him to it. "Hmm. Massachusetts plates…makes sense."

Fifteen minutes later Dean pulled up outside Long Shots Bar and cut the engine. The women were already there, leaning on the trunk of their navy blue Mustang. The Winchesters climbed out of the Impala and walked over towards them. In the halo of the neon sign, they could see that the taller of the two women had a long copper ponytail and bottle green eyes while the shorter one's blonder hair grazed her shoulders and blue eyes watched the brothers approach.

"Nice Mustang," said Dean. "You keep it in good condition."

"Thanks, it's a Shelby GT500," the taller one replied. She nodded towards his car. "Nice antelope."

Sam actually burst out laughing at the look on Dean's face.

"Nah, just screwing with you. It's a '67 Impala right?"

The older Winchester smiled. "A woman who appreciates good cars—I like that. I'm Dean, this is my brother Sam."

"Name's Rain. This is mah sistah Claire."

"Rain, you're from New Hampshire. Stop talking like Dixie Land trailer trash."

"Oh, but I wanna be white trash!"

Claire cleared her throat. "Are we going to hang out in the parking lot like a bunch of dumb teenagers, or are we actually going to go into the bar?"

"Ladies first," retorted Dean, his smile souring.

"Last one in buys!" Rain shouted before shoving her sister away from the door and bolting ahead.

"Hey! You don't even drink!" Claire retorted before chasing after her.

"You know, I was thinking that they had to be at least sixteen to drive, but now I'm thinking maybe they're really tall ten-year-olds," Sam mused.

"Well, Claire's about the size of a fifth grader, so it's possible."

"Hey!" Claire snapped, poking her head out the door. "You automatically buy for being a dumb ass!"

"I would've called you a smartass myself," Sam said as Claire disappeared again.

As they pushed open the door Dean glanced around the bar, taking in the handful of middle-aged men scattered at the counter, and muttered, "This place sure is hopping."

"It's a Wednesday night in a small town," said Claire. "No one's out except for the really lost truckers."

The four settled down at a table in the darkest corner. "So, what were you two looking for out in the woods?" asked Dean.

"A man eating bear. Successful night, wouldn't you agree?"

"A rakshasa," Claire replied, rolling her eyes at her sister. "When we investigated the deaths, we thought that the pattern fit the Hindu shape-shifting demon. The only things I know that kill them are arrows blessed by Brahma, thanks to Kolchak: the Night Stalker."

"Yeah, worst idea you've ever had," Rain muttered. "Not to mention you're a total spaz. Shooting a grizzly bear in the leg with an arrow just pisses it off and gets it to chase you."

"I didn't hear you give any bright suggestions," retorted Claire, "and I told you blessed hand grenades are way too messy for use in a state park crawling with rangers looking for a crazed bear."

"Which you just created…"

Sam interrupted, "So tell us, why do you say the creature that's been killing hikers is a rakshasa?"

"It uses telepathic abilities to appear as anyone or anything that a victim would trust, like a parent or best friend," said Claire. "In their natural state they're big—like a bear. Rakshasas like to eat human flesh, hence the torn up bodies. Its MO is a bit like a wendigo's, but those aren't found anywhere near here. There wasn't a whole lot of evidence left at the scenes to determine whether or not we were right in our assumption. The one spot that could've been its lair turned out to be the bear's home instead, so that theory's heading out the window."

"I don't remember ever hearing of one of those," Dean said.

"That's because they're Hindu. Last time I checked, we weren't in India," Rain grumbled.

Claire cocked an eyebrow. "And how long have you been in the business of hunting supernatural creatures?"

"Since I was five," retorted Dean.

"Ok, that doesn't make me feel good. If you've been at this job for that long and you don't have a clue, we're in real trouble."

Sam sighed. "Looks like we're back at square one, just with a couple more options discarded."

"How about we combine forces?" suggested Dean. "So we're not covering the same ground twice, and we don't accidentally shoot at one another when we do figure out what the bastard is."

"Yes…I wouldn't trust Claire's aim or eyesight either," said Rain.

Claire glared. "Just remember I can get you anytime I like, sister dear."

"Yeah, yeah, if I had a dollar for every time you said that, I would've funded my plot to take over the world by now."

"Great!" Dean said, rubbing his hands together. "Since we're here I'm getting myself a beer. Can I get anyone else something while I'm up?"

"I'll come with you," answered Claire. "I feel like doing shots, but I'm not sure of what yet."

Dean smiled as he rose from his seat. "Maybe you're not as uptight as I originally thought."

"Yes she is!" Rain called after them.

"My, your sister seems friendly," Sam said as the older siblings waited for their drinks at the bar.

"Yes, doesn't she? Feel free to take her off my hands for the night. I know her and booze, and I might just try the effectiveness of rock salt on drunks…" Rain trailed off, as though seriously considering what kind of damage she could do to her sister.

"Fun drunk is she?"

"Oh loads. Like a barrelful of monkeys," Rain replied. "I hate monkeys."

"Why were you guys hunting out on a night like this?" Sam asked, steering the conversation away from methods used to torture siblings. He didn't need Dean to overhear and get any ideas. Or worse…contribute some of his own.

"Honestly? Boredom. We weren't going to go out until there was something of a moon to see by, but dear sweet Jesus, there is NOTHING to do around here! We just get a porn channel and public broadcasting at the motel, and you know what? Porno just isn't gratifying after seeing the same thing for six hours. Especially when the body doubles need to enroll in Pilates or something."

"Playmate of the Apes?" Sam asked. That was the movie that had been stuck on their one channel at their motel.

"Nope, Arma-Get-it-On." Rain shuddered. "How anyone can find that garbage entertaining, I don't know."

"Still better than Gilmore Girls," said Claire, returning with a glass of what appeared to be soda and a bottle of beer. She passed the glass over to her sister and said, "I managed to get you a Coke, sans alcohol, as an apology of sorts."

"I might think about forgiving you if this Coke was a caramel latte," Rain said, taking the soda anyway.

"You mean straight caramel syrup with a teaspoon of coffee. Even if I did get you one of those, you'd never let me live down the bear incident tonight."

"Oh, I'm telling any kids you have that story any time they do something stupid just to prove that no matter what they did it pales in comparison to shooting a bear with an arrow. Hell, it's getting mentioned at your funeral."

"You forget I've got just as much dirt on you."

"Hey, at least I've got entertaining stories that don't involve mortal peril due to complete stupidity."

Claire stuck her tongue out at her sister and set the beer in front of Sam. "Your brother told me to tell you to join in the fun and drink up." She headed back towards the bar when Dean waved at her.

"So," Sam began, eyeing the beer, "how long have you and your sister been hunting?"

"Let's see…today's Wednesday, right?" asked Rain, glancing at her watch.

"Yeah, the twenty-fourth. Why?"

"Two weeks…now."

"Two weeks! You've been hunting supernatural beings for just two weeks?"

"Wow, this place really is empty—I hear an echo."

"How—why—did you two just wake up one morning and say, 'Hey, let's go hit the road and hunt supernatural creatures for a living'?"

"Pretty much."

"Didn't you have a normal life? Or at least what most people would consider normal…"

"Sure, I had the whole mom, dad, annoying sister, white picket fence deal, but it gets boring. Besides, what more could a girl ask for in life? Hot car loaded with weapons given by loving family members who think she's off her rocker, her own theme song, and a lifestyle that allows her to kill things while PMS-ing with no legal repercussions. Why the fuck would I want to be normal?"

"You really are certifiable."

"Thank you."

How did I end up with the insane one? Sam thought as he took a sip of beer.

"I don't know about you, but I've about had it with sibling bonding time," Claire grumbled as she knocked back a shot of rum. "Rain has a tendency of believing that she's the older, wiser sister when she not only is younger but has done some incredibly stupid things when she knew better. Pisses me off all the time. Sam do that to you?"

"Nah, just questions my authority all the time." Dean took a shot and reached for his beer.

Claire smiled. "A chaser? Pansy."

"Did you sister lie about you being boring?"

"No, though don't trust anything that comes out of her mouth. If she isn't lying flat out, she's embellished the story to the point where it's hard to separate fact from fiction. What I hate is that with her total lack of morals she feels it necessary to tell me that I'm a lush if I drink one beer in a week. I get worse lectures from Rain than my parents about drinking." She leaned across the bar to get the bartender's attention, allowing her hair to fall to one side and revealing a symbol on the back of her neck.

"Most boring girls don't sport tats. Eye of Ra, isn't it?"

Claire sat up and brushed her hair back over her neck. "Trust me, I'm your average, dull science geek, tattoo notwithstanding. I got that done recently as protection. Helps to have at least one eye in the back of your head in this profession." She nodded at the bartender after he refilled her glass. "I'm not the only one who's superstitious." She gestured at Dean's necklace. "That's an Egyptian protective amulet, isn't it?"

"A geek, huh? Maybe you should be talking to Sam, and I should be talking to Rain."

Claire shot him a sidelong glance as she drained her glass a second time. "Be my guest. As fun as it's been, I'm going to call it a night after one last drink. I don't want to have to rely on someone to take me back to the hotel."

"Can't wait to work with you tomorrow," Dean muttered. "You're just such a ray of sunshine."

"Screw the last drink. I don't need to hear this right now after that's all I heard today from my sister. You two will get along splendidly. I'll see you in the morning." Claire left a few bills on the bar and stalked out the door.

"Night," Dean said under his breath as he rejoined Sam and Rain at the table.

Around seven the following morning Sam sat at a rickety table in the hotel lobby with a cup of coffee, staring at the green muffins that the manager was trying to pass off as a continental breakfast. Just as he was about to risk it all and give into his hunger Claire strolled in. She caught sight of him, smiled, waved, and pulled up a chair next to him.

"You're up early," she said.

Sam shrugged. "Insomnia. You're certainly in a better mood than last night."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I get testy with little sleep and hanging around Rain 24/7 for too long." Claire glanced over at the plate of muffins. "I don't know about you, but I'm thinking that those muffins might try to bite me if I touch them. Want to try that diner down the road?"

"I was thinking more of a take-out kind of place. Dean's not up yet, and he'd probably like something when he finally does get up."

"So? Rain will sleep 'til noon if I don't poke her with a stick. We can get an order to go at the diner, I'm sure. I'm just sick and tired of Egg McMuffins."

"Fair enough. Do we want to risk the wrath of a car-obsessed sibling or walk? It's not far, and it's a nice day."

The hotel manager appeared behind the check in desk, a worried look on her face. "I wouldn't go out walking if I were you. The forest rangers are out looking for a wild animal that mauled someone just outside the national park early this morning."

Claire cringed. "Bear?"

"No, definitely not a bear," answered the manager. Claire sighed in relief. "The rangers aren't saying much, except that the wounds on the victim aren't consistent with a bear attack. The guy's skull was crushed like a watermelon. They're telling people not to go out into the woods until they catch the animal."

"Do you know where the body was found?" asked Sam. "Just so we know where to avoid."

"Just outside the national forest. I think they said it was at the west end, where the state route runs. There's probably all sorts of cop cars marking the scene by now."

Sam nudged Claire. "Time to wake up Dean and Rain."

"I don't know," Claire said as the two headed out of the lobby, "I'd prefer getting chased by that bear than waking up my sister before nine."

"Yeah…she kinda scared me last night. Is she insane?"

"Probably, like most of my family. Only one member's ever been caught and put in a mental hospital though."

"That makes me feel oh so much better."

Half an hour later, after a quick breakfast of smashed granola bars Claire found under the Mustang's front seat, all four hunters stood out in the parking lot checking their arsenals and deciding what weapons would be best to smuggle into the park. Sam checked over the map of the area to try to find the best way of avoiding the rangers around the scene. While counting the boxes of cartridges Dean glanced over at the contents of the sisters' trunk, seeing at least two gallons worth of holy water and a fifty-pound bag of salt packed around an assortment of weapons. "Think you got enough holy water and rock salt?"

"We like to buy in bulk," replied Claire. "It keeps us from having to restock at every single job."

"Everything in this trunk, including the car itself was blessed," Rain added, "just in case. And that rock salt is doubly useful during snow season in New Hampshire when you get stuck in three feet of snow."

"You say you're from New Hampshire, yet you have Massachusetts plates on the car," Dean said.

"What, you think we're stupid enough to keep the car registered in our home state?" retorted Claire. "Makes it harder to trace us."

"We found that plate on the side of the road," added Rain.

"On another car," Claire muttered in Sam's ear. "I had nothing to do with it. My sister's a klepto. Don't show her anything shiny."

Dean interrupted, "So, how's the evasion plan coming?"

"There's a tiny parking area and almost forgotten trailhead about a mile down the road from where the body was found," answered Sam. "According to the news report, the rangers have already searched that area, so we should be able to get in undetected."

"Ok, now for transportation."

"You drive," said Rain. "I don't want to use my gas."

"Cheapskate."

"I call shotgun!"

"That's not going to work," said Sam. "I'm not sitting in back with my knees touching my nose."

"So pair up with the midget," Dean retorted, pointing to Claire.

"Hey!" the sisters exclaimed in unison.

"What? It makes sense to stick the shortest person either in front of or behind the tallest. Why are you even whining, Rain?"

"I called shotgun! It's rightfully mine!"

Claire retorted, "Fine, we can hack off your feet at the ankles so you'll fit with Sam sitting behind you."

Rain stuck her tongue out at her sister. "So long as she doesn't get front, I'm fine."

As the sisters clambered into the back of the Impala glaring at one another, Dean muttered across the roof to Sam, "Let's get this preschool field trip on the road."

After finally reaching the trailhead, Dean parked the car and the foursome grabbed various shotguns, pistols, and knives before heading out onto the disused trail. Branches hung low over the path nearly obscuring the entrance, but after the first bend it widened to the point that they could walk along in pairs.

"You know," piped up Claire, "we could've camped at the National Forest instead of staying at that cheap ass motel."

"People are dying in here," Sam said. "Why would you want to camp?"

"Easy commuting distance for one."

Rain added, "And we'd probably get a refund and a free stay at the motel when the rangers evacuated the campers."

"Why would you even camp in the first place?" asked Dean.

"How can you not like camping?"

"Why would I want to voluntarily stay out in the woods where there are wild animals, supernatural monsters, bugs, and no running water where my only shelter is a frigging nylon bag propped up on sticks and I get to sleep on the rocky ground?"

"Man, you don't know how to camp," said Claire.

"What you're talking about are Boy Scout Camp death marches that are supposed to teach you how to 'rough it' when in reality no one in their right mind, unless they signed up for the military, would camp like that."

"That sounds about right," muttered Sam.

"You need to try our kind of camping."

"Alright, Miss Über Girl Scout, what is your kind of camping?" asked Dean.

"For one, you go to a campground that actually has stuff like a pool and shower house or at least is near something like the ocean. Two, you bring lots of junk food, S'mores supplies, and any booze you want. Three, get a good tent and camping cots."

"So the camping trip in the end is several days lounging around the pool during the day and building a fire at night while drinking and eating sugary crap," added Claire.

"That actually doesn't sound that bad," Dean agreed.

"Women know how to camp. Men know how to make everyone miserable in the wilderness."

Sam arched his eyebrows. "Eh. Sounds like it to me."

The conversation died as everyone concentrated on the task at hand. The group hiked along at a good clip without talking for nearly fifteen minutes before Claire interrupted the silence.

"I'm bored."

Dean glanced over his shoulder at the blonde. "We're sneaking around in a national forest looking for some monster while also dodging the rangers and a bear you pissed off last night, and you're bored?"

"No, more like I couldn't take the silence anymore. There's a difference between a comfortable silence and an awkward one, and I felt like it was getting towards the awkward end."

"Fine. You're the one with the issues, you come up with a conversation topic."

"I'm terrible at that. Rain, how about you?"

The redhead paused in the middle of the trail. "You banned me from suggesting conversation topics after the last one."

"Yeah, well, I'm desperate. Really desperate."

"As long as you admit it." Rain continued walking and asked, "Who do you think would win in a fight between a unicorn and a pirate?"

Sam burst out laughing before Rain punched him in the arm.

"Seriously! Captain Jack or Rainbow Brite? Who wins?"

"Rainbow Brite isn't a unicorn," Dean pointed out.

"Wait," Sam asked, "how do you know that?"

"I used to baby-sit you. If I didn't let you watch that damn show you'd throw a hissy fit."

"Ok, I see this was a bad idea," Claire interrupted.

Rain rolled her eyes. "Told you."

"At least I thought of a better topic in the meantime."

"But no one answered the question at hand!"

"If the pirate has a gun, he wins so long as his aim is good. If not, then the unicorn gores him before he can pull out his sword. End of discussion. Now, if you could be any superhero, who would you be?"

Dean pursed his lips. "Batman. No debate. He kicks serious ass, has the Batmobile, and all the toys that come with the Batcave. Plus, his alter-ego is a millionaire playboy."

"Don't forget the cape!" added Rain. "Chicks love the cape."

"And he's a badass. I could probably deal without wearing my underwear on the outside of my clothes though. What about you? What superhero or heroine would you be?"

"Rain would be the Human Torch from Fantastic Four," answered Claire, smiling at her sister. "She's a smart ass and likes fire."

"Nothing wrong with that," Rain muttered. "You'd be Spider-Man, geek girl."

Dean grinned. "I bet Sammy would be too."

Sam rolled his eyes and asked, "When's the crack about me already having a spider sense coming?"

"Spider-Man! Spider-Man!" sang Claire. "Does whatever a spider—OW!" She glared at Rain and massaged her arm where her younger sister punched her.

"Shut up for one second!" Rain growled. "I think I heard something up ahead."

Everyone instinctively tightened their grasp on their weapon of choice. The path curved around a rock outcropping, and the quartet silently crept along using the rocks as a shield. Around the corner the trail opened out into a picturesque clearing filled with wildflowers. Claire turned to her sister and opened her mouth to tell Rain that she was imagining things when a beautiful, huge, black horse with ember-like eyes tossing its head and pawing the earth with its hooves congealed out of the shadows.

Dean lowered his gun slightly. "Why the hell is there a horse out in the middle of the woods?"

"I don't know, but I wanna catch it!" Rain said.

"Rain, it's a strange horse," Claire said. "You don't know what kind of temperament it has, not to mention whether or not it belongs to someone."

The horse turned its burning gaze on the hunters, whinnied, and reared up on its hind legs. A ball of fire spewed from its nostrils, surprising the hunters.

"SWEET! I WANT IT!" yelled Rain. She approached the horse cautiously calling, "Heeeeeeeeeere horsey, horsey, horsey... come to mama..."

Claire's eyes went wide as saucers. "Oh no. She finally got her wish."

Sam asked, "What wish?"

"You know how most little girls wish for a pony?"

"Yeah?"

"Well… that's Rain's version."

"A fire breathing, murderous, possessed horse?"

"Oddly enough… she used those exact words." Claire called after her sister, who was now about ten feet from the strange horse, "RAIN! You can't keep it!"

Rain stopped to throw Claire a look. "Why not!"

"Because it kills people for fun?" suggested Dean.

Rain rolled her eyes. "Well, duh, why do you think I wanted it in the first place?"

"Aww, man," muttered Claire, "it's going to be impossible to get rid of this thing now that Rain's fallen for it. Actually, if she gets a hold of it, the body count is going to rise if anything."

"Just tell her no," said Dean. "Pull the older sibling card."

The blonde laughed so hard Dean thought she'd suffocate, or worse, spook the horse. "Are you joking! That hasn't worked since Rain was four! Though that might have to do with the fact that she was my size by then with severe rage issues…"

"Aren't you glad you've got me and not a sister?" Sam asked his brother as Claire picked her way down the path towards Rain.

"With all your emotional baggage, Claire seems more like a brother than you do."

"Thanks, Dean," said Claire. "I thought it was just me. Now might you be able to help me drag Rain away from the demon horse before the two of them become friends and torch the rest of this town and take over the world?"

Before Rain could touch the mysterious horse, it reared back and screamed, making the hair on everyone's necks stand on end. By the time the scream died away, the horse disappeared in a ball of fire and smoke.

"Well, that was interesting," said Claire, obviously relieved her sister hadn't got a hold of the horse. Rain looked as if she would burst into tears at any second.

"I think we solved the mystery of what killed those hikers," said Sam. "A phantom horse could easily crush a person's skull. The question now is how do we destroy it before it kills again?"

"My baby!" wailed Rain.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Claire said, ignoring her sister's whimpers. "Rain knows all about animal spirits."

"Because I want to catch them and use them for my own secret, evil plans!"

"But you still know all about them. You could tell us all about the demon horse--"

"Night Mare. You know that was a Night Mare, so don't go trying to manipulate me. I'm the master manipulator around here."

"Night Mare…I've heard about those," Sam said. "They're Native American protective spirits, right?"

"Specifically they protect wild horses. Stupid white people kept trying to destroy wild horses to get at the Native Americans, so they set fire-breathing spirit horses after the bastards."

"Which means that those hikers weren't hikers at all," added Claire. "They must've been going after some wild horses in the area for one reason or another."

"Stupid people. We should let the Night Mare crush them all."

"So how do we get rid of Sparky?" asked Dean.

"But I don't want the pony to disappear!"

"Eliminate the threat to the horses," answered Claire. "The Night Mare should disappear on its own then."

"Sounds like a job for PETA or the ASPCA to me."

"PETA is good for blowing up labs, but alas, we don't have one of those," said Rain. "However, if we do find a need to blow something up, I'm perfectly capable of doing so. No need to outsource."

Claire rolled her eyes. "Not to mention those guys can't do anything with an anonymous tip. Besides, who's going to believe that a Native American spirit horse is killing people threatening wild horses? We're going to have to find out who wants the horses gone and why before going to the cops."

"Lousy land developers," muttered Rain. "They're the real evil beings here."

"If that's the case, we can go to the town offices or the library and see if any developers bought or are looking into buying land near this national forest," said Sam.

"Good, 'cause I don't know about you guys but these mosquitoes have just about sucked me dry," Dean muttered, swatting at something buzzing around his head.

To be continued…