Sweat dripped off Dean as he forced himself keep up an even but fast pace, he'd stripped off his plaid shirt way back down the trail and had it slung around his waist but the heat of exertion continued to bead his skin with perspiration. He pulled the hem of his T up and wiped his forehead not that it did much good as the material was already wringing wet.

They'd been walking steadily uphill for three hours and the thing that Dean found incredible was not the steep incline or the dense undergrowth to the side or even the huge trees but that they weren't alone, so much for tranquil beauty, the place was more crowded than lunchtime at MacDonald's. Young couples in pristine matching gear sporting ski-pole walking sticks, families dragging less than enthusiastic teenagers, dads with kids slung on their backs or their fronts; all heading unaware, upward into the forest, tramping trail and communing with nature.

Sam nodded, smiled and spoke, saying "Good morning," while Dean had kept his head down, uncomfortable with the presence of people so near a hunt, in his eyes they were all potential victims.

Two tanned well-seasoned oldies bounding up the path behind him and Sam, hardly out of breath, stopped for a chat. They expounded in great detail and depth on the loveliness of the falls. Apparently they had visited every other weekend for the last two decades and now that they were retired even stayed during the week.

Dean made a finger across the throat mime to Sam trying to attract his attention telling him to cut it short but however many times he performed the action, Sam, much to Dean's annoyance, kept asking questions. He was beginning to despair of ever making the hunt but much to his chagrin and Sam's smug know-it-all superiority the 'casual chatting' had paid off when the couple revealed that they had been the ones to report the last man missing.

"Was there anything unusual about that day?" Sam had put on his most soulful puppy-dog expression and Dean had to admit, grudgingly, that it worked. Maggie and Alan had settled themselves on a nearby trunk obviously delighted that the young man was so interested in what they had to say.

Dean often wondered how his brother had people eating out of his hand within minutes, he had the gift himself but it only seemed to work on a certain kind of woman, mind you he'd never really tried his brand of charm on anyone else. Sam's though, it defied explanation but had saved them on more than one occasion and certainly got the most unlikely people to open up. Dean suspected that it had something to do with the air of scrubbed innocence that seemed to surround his Sammy that fresh faced college boy look that said "Trust me, I care."

Mind you after fifteen minutes, which resulted in them both knowing all about cousin Molly's operation Dean was beginning to realise that opening up wasn't one of Maggie's problems but that keeping to the point might be.

More hikers trudged past as the couple prattled on telling Sam, in mild outrage, how the man's car had been parked in their spot. "We used to camp but now we book a cabin, the same one," and the space in the corner of the parking lot is the one allocated to our cabin. He was parked there when we arrived. Obviously didn't know the rules." She managed to look understanding but sounded disdainful as if he shouldn't have been anywhere near a State Park if he didn't know the etiquette.

Alan took over the story from Maggie. "It wasn't until the Tuesday morning that we saw him to ask him to move it but he didn't."

"He didn't move it?" Sam leant forward.

"Didn't come back to move it." Maggie took back control of the conversation. "He went off quite early and he promised Alan that he would shift the car over one place when he got back. He was very nice about it; you know how some people can be awful…."

Dean groaned inwardly because he could see she was settling in for another half an hour of irrelevant gossip but Sam forestalled her by asking another question. "Did he mention where he was going?"

"Oh up to the top, its lovely up there the falls are spectacular, we never tire of it, mind you, you can't hear yourself speak for the roar of the water…" Thank goodness for small mercies Dean thought as he schooled his face into an interested look. Maggie continued, "…but he did say he wanted to explore a bit further, go right on up."

"Really?" Sam encouraged.

"Oh yeah he looked like the intrepid type," She giggled and gave Sam a significant look, "just like you, dear." Dean smirked his brother'd had this effect on more than one lady of this certain age; Oh yes, Sammy was certainly a babe magnet.

While Maggie was stripping Sam with her eyes Alan who didn't seem in the least perturbed carried on the story. "When he didn't come back we thought it a bit unusual most people arrive back before dark. I mean one or two hike and stay overnight but not often, that's why we waited."

"We waited three days. To give him time, we're not monsters." The mention of the word 'monsters' brought Dean back from his equable reverie about Sam's admirers and he had a sudden irrational thought that these two mild mannered, silvered haired senior citizens might just be the creatures they were looking for.

"So we reported it… Are you all right dear?"

Dean realised he'd been staring and now he was the centre of attention as three pairs of eyes stared back. "Er…I'..I'm fine." He grinned but the effect was not one he'd been aiming for and the couple's faces changed from sympathetic inquisitiveness to 'who's the idiot' as they turned back to his brother.

"Those Rangers, such a nice bunch of boys aren't they? So dedicated."

Dean huffed at that but Sam quietened him with a look. "They sure are. So are you going up to the upper falls?"

For one horrified moment Dean thought his brother was going to suggest that they all trek up together and his brain went into overload thinking all the reasons why they couldn't, he even got round to opening his mouth to protest but Alan saved him. "Oh no, we went up there on the first day. We have a routine, on the first day the high falls, Middle Falls on the second and Lower Falls and beach on the last, when we're tired. Today is our second day so we stake our pitch, eat our picnic midway," he patted the bag he was carrying, "…and watch the world go by."

Literally, Dean thought as yet another party passed by on the trail, kids shrieking, stripping the leaves off the lower branches and scattering the shreds to the ground, now they were true monsters.

"It was a shame, they never found him, you know, such a nice man but the Rangers had his car towed so everything was okay in the end."

About to retort 'glad you think so' Dean caught Sam's eye and turning away he suddenly became extremely interested in a green leaf wafting at eye level. He knew anyway that the irony in such a remark would probably slide way over Maggie and Alan's head and be taken at face value. He was truly wasted on some people.

Looking quite happy and unaware of her narrow escape from being nailed by Dean's sarcasm Maggie slid down off the tree trunk, Alan beside her and started to fuss over the backpack she had deposited at her feet. "Now look at the time, you've kept us talking far too long, you bad thing." She, for want of a better word in Dean's vocabulary, leered at Sam, "… we're all behind schedule." Within minutes the couple were out of sight having leapt up the track like a couple of gazelles.

Leaning back against a tree Dean plastered a wide grin on his face. "She had the hots for you Sammy."

"No she didn't." The younger hunter looked flustered and embarrassed his skin taking on a slightly pink tinge which had nothing to do with his recent exertion.

"Sam you are sooo intrepid."

"Shut up." Turning away Sam continued the climb.

Dean couldn't resist. "You bad thing you."

"Dean…" The reproving tone in Sam's voice wafted down reaching that certain pitch which warned Dean to back off. Giving a slight snicker he heaved his rucksack into place and with a new spring in his step he followed his brother.

Another two hours had them way above the middle falls and relieved to find that the crowds had thinned to a few of the more hardy walkers. They trudged on in silence until Sam turned to him. "You wanna rest?"

"Do you?" It wasn't a competition but Dean wasn't going to be the first to stop. He had to keep reminding himself that he worked out, he was fit and being fit wasn't that you didn't get out of breath but that you recovered more quickly from the exertion which caused the out of breathedness in the first place. It was about this time that he realised his brain was rambling and he shut himself up.

"Yeah, I could do with a breather." Sam stepped to the side of the trail to let another couple pass. They nodded a greeting and he nodded back. "And I wanna look at the map, I think we're nearing the place where we branch away from the main path if you wanna go on above the falls."

"Good." It couldn't be soon enough for Dean. Un-shouldering his backpack he pulled out the water bottle Sam had filled that morning. He'd been a little shocked when his brother had produced two packs, water bottles, dried food and waterproofs along with all the other paraphernalia associated with hunting. Sam had really thought this through and Dean suddenly realised that this wasn't going to be a walk in the park; well it was a walk in the park but one that had mountains, covered over four thousand acres and possibly had a potentially lethal monster in the bushes.

"Maggie said that our missing man, Joseph Caplin, was going beyond the falls further up the side of the mountain and if I remember correctly there is a side trail that leaves the main path… Here." Sam nudged his arm and Dean in mid-drink spilt water over his face and down his neck.

"Damn it Sammy." He wasn't too upset the water was coolish and almost as refreshing on the outside as it was inside but it was the principal.

"Sorry." Sam didn't even look up. "It's up ahead about a hundred yards, come on." He folded the map to the right place and strode off. Dean, still drinking grabbed his rucksack and had to run to catch up, his brother had set off at such a quick pace.

It was hard work and Dean's leg calf muscles ached with the stretch of moving uphill. He remembered the sly sneer as the young, very young and impossibly fit Park Ranger had looked them both up and down and said, "You boys had better be prepared for a bit of a climb," as he'd filed the route Sam had just handed to him.

Dean had wanted to punch the Ranger's smug face in but Sam seeing the danger had laid a hand on his arm and applied pressure. Dean consoled himself with the knowledge that the off trail route the arrogant sh*t had just put in the draw was pure fiction and that he should be grateful that Dean hadn't shoved it down his throat.

He tripped not paying attention to where he was putting his feet and nearly cannoned into Sam who'd slowed slightly gazing around him, head dropping down to check the map and then up again checking the landmarks.

"Dude if you put your finger in your mouth and hold it up to the wind so help me I'll…"

"This way."

Xxxxxxxxx

Sam kept up a rhythm, which was measured and steady but the uphill grind was tiring and he could feel the burn in his muscles with every stride. The wide well-trodden easy trail had narrowed to an overgrown, unfrequented track and he had to tread carefully working his way around tree roots and ducking branches mindful that a leg or ankle injury in this kind of territory could be fatal. He could hear Dean behind him breathing heavily his tread as slow as his own.

"When can we eat, I'm starving."

Dean was complaining again. Sam ignored it, again. It wasn't that his brother was unfit, or couldn't handle the rough climb, he was taking that in his stride but Dean was hungry; so what was new? Dean was always hungry for something, for food, for a hunt, for sex!

"Sam…"

Breaking his silence Sam turned on his brother in exasperation. "Dean we had an energy bar an hour ago. Unless you're gonna go catch us supper, which by the way I don't recommend given that we are looking for a creature which likes to sneak up and most probably eat us for dinner, we have to make our provisions last." He swung back to continue but that didn't stop him catching Dean from the corner of his eye making a face and mimicking what he'd said. "I saw that."

"What?"

Deciding it wasn't worth rising to the bait Sam sighed and continued doing his best to once again ignore Dean's peeved muttering behind him. His brother would be fine, complaining was just the coping mechanism that Dean had when he was in stressful situations that and eating. Mind you eating was Dean's hobby, his solace, his pleasure, his passion, too bad they only had army rations.

They continued along the valley side heading steadily uphill until the track seemed to take a turn, plunging them into denser forest. Here the undergrowth was lush, brushing their legs at every stride making it more of an effort to walk. Panting heavily Sam'd had to stop several times to regain his breath.

He halted again bending forward hands on knees, taking in deep breaths of air, they'd been hiking now for seven hours with only three short breaks and Sam was man enough to admit that he was beat. He brought his head up trying to see the path ahead but saw nothing but leaves and more leaves beyond that. Ranger McFarlane had been right a man could be laid two feet from you and you'd never know.

Gathering one last effort he moved forward and pushing several branches out of his way he pressed on to suddenly emerge into an unexpected clearing. It was cool and leafy green as the late afternoon sunlight filtered down through the canopy illuminating the carpet of dried needles strewn across the forest floor. Looking around Sam scoped the area his eyes taking in the details, analysing and processing and he came to the conclusion, with a certain amount of relief that this was as good a place as any to overnight.

Dean's crunching feet came to a halt behind him. "We stopping?" He sounded hopeful.

"Yeah. We're not gonna get much further today."

"Great." Dean's enthusiasm was almost childlike. "You break out the food and I'll get the coffee sorted."

Easing his backpack to the ground Sam arched his back and smoothed his hand over the sore place on his shoulder, he was glad he'd bought the rucksacks rather than use their duffles, carrying the weight of hunting paraphernalia in those would have rubbed him raw.

"You okay?" Dean had noticed, like he always did when Sam was hurting.

"M'fine."

Sam waited until Dean had resumed his mission to gather kindling before opening his pack. He felt like he was being deceitful or underhand somehow for what he was about to do but he knew that if he told Dean he was sure he would face unmitigated teasing, not just on the hunt but probably, he huffed, for the rest of his life.

Glancing over at his brother to make sure he wasn't watching Sam brought out a small bowl and placed it on the ground. He checked on Dean again and extracted some brown bread from a zipped pocket. Quickly he broke it into pieces and dropped them into the dish. Then he sprinkled in some dried fruit.

Moving as quietly as he could he set the whole thing on a stump at the edge of the clearing. Bending to rummage again in his bag he brought out a carton of milk ripped the top off and placed it carefully by the side of the bowl.

"I'm gonna need more than that Sammy."

His brother's voice, suddenly close and his own guilt made him start but he recovered enough to retort. "It's not for you." Sam had to brazen it out now so he kept his head down and knelt, self-consciously aware that Dean was watching him.

"Are you serious?"

Bowing his head Sam recited several lines of verse. Finishing he rose and faced an incredulous Dean

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Making an offering."

There was a beat and Sam saw his brother struggling to find something to say; his face changing comically until he finally blurted out. "Who to …the fairies?" Sam watched Dean actually swing his gaze over the glade as if he expected to see the tiny winged creatures swirling in the sunbeams. Sam regarded his brother, wondering, could …he took a breath before he spoke.

"Dean, do you believe in fairies?"

The answer came back too quickly. "No"

"You do…you believe in fairies." Sam gazed at his brother with a kind of amused awe, his big, macho brother believed in fairies.

Dean backtracked, "Well I wouldn't call them fairies…as such. I mean I don't think they have tidgy wings and little green hats but I came across a pixie…" He trailed of as Sam's slow smile turned into a full laugh.

"Dean."

Shrugging Dean bent and picked up a stick, feeling its length, turning it over, then he bent again picking another. Sam's mind raced trying to think how he could ease the uncomfortable atmosphere without starting an argument. "I've been reading various pieces of lore which says that in forests such as these, natural not plantations its often wise to make an offering to … the spirits or guardians asking for their blessing to walk amongst the trees."

"Well aren't you the veritable tree hugger."

"Dean…I…"

"Here." Holding out a candy bar Dean avoided Sam's eyes. "Stick this down. It may not be a health freak."

Sam took the bar, peeled off its wrapper and laid it almost reverently next to the bowl and milk. "Thanks man." He was grinning he couldn't help it.

"Sam," Dean's warning note was evident. "I was on a hunt…on my own and…just and…" Sam was still grinning from ear to ear. "So help me Sammy if you ever tell anyone…"

"And who am I gonna tell?"

There was a long silence during which Dean snapped the twigs he'd collected and arranged them inside a small ring of stones. Sam realised that his brother had closed this particular conversation.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The ground was hard, for some reason harder than a proper floor and there were bits sticking in him. Not for the first time and probably not for the last Dean wished that Sam had brought the sleeping bags. He squirmed and rolled onto his other side, curling in an attempt to get comfortable. It was about then that he realised he needed the bathroom, or its equivalent bush. He tried to ignore the feeling in his bladder, to think of something else, anything else.

"Dean are you humming?"

Sam was on first watch sitting about three feet away from him back against a tree.

"Stop watching me sleep."

He heard Sam snigger. "I can't even see you it's so dark."

"Well stop snorting how's a person supposed to get some shut eye with you makin' so much noise."

Dean tried again, forcibly relaxing his muscles and counting backwards from a hundred like he used to tell Sammy to do.

"Are you counting?"

"Shut up Sam."

The trees above him creaked and he could hear tiny rustling sounds right next to his ... "Sonofabitch." He leapt up brushing his face convulsively, real or imagined the sensation of his skin crawling made him shudder.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Breathless with the sudden explosiveness of his movement Dean felt his painfully thudding heart slowing, resuming its normal rate as the rush of adrenaline dissipated. "Something…something…" He brushed his face again as he realised it was probably an insect. "Freaking things think they can walk all over you." He shuddered again, he wasn't frightened of insects, not small ones anyway but he did object to sharing a bed with them. He jerked again as he a felt touch on his arm.

"Hey, hey it's me." Sam squeezed.

"Damn it Sammy don't sneak up on a guy." Dean hadn't even heard or felt his sibling move. He took a couple of steps away snapping a twig loudly under his booted foot. How the hell did Sammy get so close without him knowing?

"Sorry man."

The pine needles gave soft crunches as Sam moved his feet, no doubt taking him back to the tree.

"Look, seeing as I'm awake I'll take over the watch." Dean tried to sound like he was doing Sam a favour when really he was so far past the end of the line of being weirded out that there was no way he would be able to shut his eyes let alone sleep.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." He heard Sam lying himself down. "Sam?"

"What?"

"You don't think this thing is a Wendigo do you?" Dean had been mulling this over since discovering Sam laying out the bowl. Why would Sam do that if he thought they were hunting a Wendigo. He knew Sam was into reading all the old beliefs and stuff but the difference between reading and putting the ancient rituals into practice was a whole different ball game. There was a pause but Dean could hear Sam thinking.

"Not sure, it sounds like a Wendigo but…"

"But?"

Sam sighed. "It doesn't feel right."

Dean had learnt to respect Sam's feelings. "So what was that offering thing?"

"Dunno…" Sam sounded genuinely uncertain, "…hedging our bets?"

There was no harm in that Dean thought, nothing like covering all the bases but he still had a deep worry. If they weren't sure what they were up against how the hell were they supposed to hunt whatever it was and how were they supposed to know how to kill it! He pushed down his uncertainty unsure of how to answer his brother. In the end he settled for an uncomfortable silence and leant back against the tree.

"Dean?"

Oh sh*t! "Yeah?"

"I…"

Dean cut across. "Get some sleep Sammy, you can tell me what an awesome brother I am in the morning."