...spn...

Sam marched down the street, determined to find a bus headed for California. A thread bare backpack hung from his shoulder, holding with it all his worldly possessions, save one.

Something tugged against his heart and he glanced back.

His daemon, still an angry pole cat after his argument with John, sat nose to nose with Dean's Alena.

"Ava," he called sharply. She immediately leapt into the air, her feathers dark against the fading light. The raven hovered above Sam's head, before landing heavily on his shoulder.

"I don't think I'm going to change any more," Ava croaked.

"About time," was all Sam said.

...spn...