Grasping the Nettle


E/O Drabble Challenge: word count 100

Challenge word: hold

Warnings: None

Summary: Pre series, John and Dean are unaware that they are on the trail of an ancient legend. And that sometimes it hurts to hold on too tight.


"You have to…"

Dean clung tight as the agony began. Gritted out "Hold on; Dad, I know."

Maybe not having Sam here to do the geek-boy research had made them lazy. When they finally tracked down the woman responsible for the trail of destruction, Dean grabbed her without a thought as she tried to flee.

No ordinary shapeshifter, she was a snarling hound in a blink. In quick succession she became flame, cactus, blade, ice…

Back in the motel John silently cleaned Dean's wrecked hands – burned, pierced, bitten and bloody. He'd had to prise them off her dead body, after.


A/N I remember reading fairy stories where creatures changed rapidly through form after form to escape their captor's grip - so it seemed likely to have happened to the Winchesters at some point...and that if it had, Dean would never let go.