Chapter 7 Wendigo of Colorado
The next morning the motel room was relatively silent. Blair had cooked them breakfast from the eggs she had left over. She had been surprised when Dean and Sam savored their food instead of inhaling it like usual. She felt bad for them, it was as though they never had an actual home cooked meal. She made a mental note to make sure to cook for them every so often so that they got a good meal.
Sam was double checking that he had everything as she pulled on her boots and tightly laced them. They were so comfortable that she could forget the nightmare she had. Granted, she had drawn what she had seen. She'd show it to Sam and ask him if he knew any monster that looked like what she drew, but wondered why she would. She didn't really know him and they were at odds for the moment. She was better off showing it to Dean, who was currently guarding and eating the pie she made like Gollum. She half expected him to start calling it his precious.
"I doubt that pie is that good, Dean," She informed the man in a highly amused tone, her voice still slightly husky from sleep.
"That is blasphemous," He informed her after swallowing the bite of pie in his mouth, "Pie is the food of the gods."
Sam looked towards them at that and watched as Blair pinched the bridge of her nose before letting out a low chuckle. He rolled his eyes and shook his head, his hair moving with the motion. Blair had her sketchbook and was showing Dean the creature she'd seen in her dream. It had easily narrowed down what it could be. A Wendigo.
"It looks like a Wendigo," He stated, "Are you sure this is what you saw?"
"Aye, it was walking through some kind of tunnel system," She answered, "I'm thinking it's hiding in one of the abandoned mines."
She was pulling her hair back into the smallest ponytail she could, essentially pulling it away from her face, and a small frown appeared on her face. Dean closed her sketchbook, and took another bite of pie. Drawing what she saw seemed to help her with her nightmares. He had gotten up to use the bathroom when she was finishing the drawing and when he came out she was fast asleep and dreaming. He couldn't make out what she was mumbling, but it sounded content. Happy even. He was glad for that, it meant that she was well rested for her first official hunt. That woman in white didn't really count.
"It's definitely a Wendigo," Dean stated and at Blair's confused look he elaborated, "It's a North American monster, it gets created by a human turning to cannibalism."
"Weird," She muttered as she closed the sketchbook.
Sam left the room and the two shared a look before gathering their things and heading out. Dean quickly finished the pie before driving the Impala to Blackwater Ridge's hiking trail. Blair was pulling on her jacket when they pulled up to the trail. She let out a grunt as she slid into the back of the front seat. She corrected herself and grabbed her backpack. Apparently, Dean had made sure she had some form of weapon in her bag. She was technically carrying extras in case something went wrong. She then remembered that she had been armed by the oldest Winchester, the pistol resting in the back of her pants was cool against her skin, and heavy in her pants. A very early birthday present, the cheeky bastard. Her birthday wasn't until Thursday, the seventeenth.
"Shorts," She muttered upon noticing the way Haley was dressed.
The top was good, but the shorts? She had to think about that. Loose material like pants could get pinned, but you can survive ripped jeans. You'd be screwed if your legs got pinned. Then again, it could be in a situation like Aron Ralston found himself in. Blair gave mad props to the guy, being able to cut of your own arm is pretty gutsy. Showed some good survival instinct.
"What's wrong with shorts," Sam grumbled, his grumpy attitude in full swing.
"Nothing, more like a survival issue," She responded, her neck feeling a bit warm, "Usually this time of year you'd want pants in case you get stranded in the cold."
She was having trouble looking at him without her face turning pink. She'd rather have nightmares than embarrassing dreams about her best friends younger brother. God better not be trying to set her up with anyone. She's not someone's experiment. Sam opened the trunk and grabbed a duffle bag. They were prepared for the wendigo.
"You guys got room for three more?" Dean asked Haley's group as the three walked up.
"Wait, you want to come with us?" Haley asked in surprise.
"Who are these guys?" A middle aged gentleman dressed in flannel gruffly asked.
"Apparently this is all the park service could muster up for the search and rescue," She responded.
Sam walked past the group and Blair watched with slight annoyance on her face. Her eyes slowly drifted downward till she was watching his rear. She couldn't help the appreciative expression on her face from showing. Her face burned a bit and she shook her head from such thoughts and headed away from the group as well. She felt as though she was being scrutinized by the older gentleman. She was growing annoyed by the scrutiny.
"Can I help ya?" She asked him in slight annoyance, still remembering her manners.
"You seem too young to be a Ranger," The man pointed out, "You're also hiking in boots and jeans, doesn't say much for the rangers."
"Sir, can you tell me the difference between a Kodiak and a Grizzly?" She asked, her face blank, "How about which plants are edible or poisonous?"
He glared at her and she gave him a curt nod before walking away. Dean smirked at that and Haley took note. That was a proud sibling look if she'd ever seen one.
"Do you think you're funny?" The man called to Blair, "It's dangerous back country out there. Her brother might be hurt."
Sam turned back to see Blair roll her eyes in response as she passed by him, he could hear her mocking him under her breath. He rolled his eyes in slight amusement. Dean walked up to the man and the two dropouts looked at him. They had stopped in their tracks and were watching in interest.
"We know how dangerous it can be," Dean told the man, "We just wanna help them find their brother, that's all."
He gave the man a strained smirk and headed past Sam. The group began their hike through the forest. Sam and Blair were in the back of the group and were surveying the area, not that the other knew they were doing it. Dean was egging on the hunter, who was called Roy, that Haley had hired and Blair gave a sigh at that. Of course he was. He wouldn't be Dean if he wasn't.
It wasn't until Roy put his hands on Dean that the two in the back tensed up. Sam moved forward just a little and Blair gave a loud groan. She recognized what was on the forest ground. The two men needed to put away the rulers and be serious.
"There's a bear trap," She spoke up, "You warn him and we continue, take this seriously, Roy."
Haley couldn't help but smirk at the tone the Scottish woman had used. Treating him like a child of all things. Roy had been getting on her nerves as well, the man may have been a family friend but his attitude towards the three "rangers" was something else. She was also getting annoyed with Dean. The man didn't act like a Ranger, she was more inclined to believe that the Scot was a Ranger. Either that or she knew far too much about hiking.
"Honestly," Blair muttered as the group started walking again, "Save the boaby measuring contest for later."
Sam couldn't agree more with those words. They were stuck watching the group interact, the two were stuck in a tense atmosphere. Blair finally got tired of it and quickened her pace to reach the front. She was right behind Roy as Dean gave her a raised brow.
"The tense atmosphere was getting to me," She admitted.
He nodded at that just as Haley caught up with him and pulled him aside to interrogate him. Blair stopped to make sure a fight didn't break out. Sam did as well.
"You didn't pack any provisions and you guys are carrying a duffel bag and a backpack," Haley pointed out grabbing Deans arm, "You're not rangers. So who the hell are you?"
Her brother passed by them and Sam hesitated for a few seconds before following after. Blair could watch after his brother, he seemed to listen to her. Well, for the most part. Dean was quiet before responding.
"Sam and I are brothers, Blair's one of my best friends, and we're looking for our father," Dean stated and Blair gave a victory grin at that, "He might be here, we don't know. I just figured that you and me, we're in the same boat."
"Then why didn't you just tell me that from the get-go?" Haley questioned.
"I'm telling you now," He responded, "It's probably the most honest I've ever been with a woman."
"Am I a joke to you?" Blair teased with a grin.
"Hey, best friends don't count," He stated before turning to Haley as Blair laughed, "So, we okay?"
"Yeah, we're okay," Haley confirmed after a few seconds.
"And what do you mean I didn't pack provisions?" He quipped pulling a large bag of M&Ms from his jacket.
He grinned as he stuck his hand into the bag and pulled out a few. He started to continue walking and Blair matched his step. Lightly smacking his arm for his crack at her. He tilted the bag towards her and she reached in and grabbed a handful. Haley watched the exchange, she and Tommy would act the same way. She smiled at that and quickly followed after them.
Dean and Blair were quiet the rest of the way to Blackwater Ridge. Blair was looking around the area with a small smile and was more than happy to look around at the trees. If she had to choose a place to live she'd choose somewhere green like this, or somewhere with a lake. It was green like home, but far less dreary.
"This is it," Roy announced as they came across an area that was mainly used for camping, "Blackwater Ridge."
"What coordinates are we at?" Sam questioned as he moved past the man.
"Thirty-five and minus one-eleven," Came the answer as Roy read off of his GPS.
Blair stood still in her spot and tilted her head. It was quiet. Abnormally quiet. She looked towards Dean and he nodded in confirmation. It was due to the Wendigo. He walked towards her and Sam joined him.
"I've never heard of a Wendigo this far west, they usually pop up in Northern Michigan or the Minnesota Woods, monsters are acting weird," Dean stated.
"I'll take your word for it, but these people wont believe us if we tell them that a monster is out there," Blair added.
"We have to get these people to safety," Sam informed them.
"They won't exactly listen to us with Roy leadin' the charge," She pointed out.
Sam frowned at that fact. Roy was being a thorn in their sides without meaning to. The man in question announced that they'd be continuing forward and the three sighed. Blair couldn't blame them, not many people knew what a Wendigo was. Hell, she didn't fully understand what a Wendigo was. The three stayed at the back of the group.
Blair was getting a bit unnerved by the silence that surrounded them. Her hearing once became muffled in one ear, it had been a weird occurrence but it eventually went back to normal, even then this silence was deafening compared to that event. She was beginning to feel a bit antsy as she looked around the dense woods. She was starting to rethink her idea of living in a place like this. She eyed a boulder with a wry expression on her face, it looked just like the one Ben had been standing on the last time she'd seen him.
"Haley! Over here!" Roy called.
Haley sprinted towards Roy and the others had no choice but to follow after her. They came to a stop in front of the ruins of a campsite. The tents were torn open and had blood covering it. Even the supplies were scattered around. It was as if something had ransacked the camp, but all it took was the campers.
"Looks like a grizzly came through," Roy commented.
Blair sent him a look at that before she walked over to the tents and knelt down to examine them. She picked up the material that wasn't stained in blood. It was a slick material made for camping in a humid area with chances of rain. She held it up to see how the claw marks had been made. They were mainly in the front of the tent, where the broken remains of a zipper could be found. Apparently Wendigo's were smart, at least Dean and Sam knew how to deal with one.
She wasn't sure that she wanted to face what she'd seen in her dreams. She placed the tent down just as Haley began to call for her brother. She moved through the campsite calling for him. Sam immediately headed towards her to shush her. She needed to stay quiet. The Wendigo could still be around the area. If it was, then it already knew they were there. She looked towards Dean, who was knelt towards the ground and pushing back some foliage.
"Sam!" He called for his brother.
She couldn't help but shrug at that. She was better suited to stay in the camp and direct the civilians than fighting the Wendigo. She didn't have enough experience to fight a Wendigo. Her hands began tremble and she formed a fist to stop it. Fear may be a normal reaction to finding something that could easily kill you, but she needed a clear head. She noted that Haley was still looking around the campsite and sighed before standing and heading towards her.
"He could still be alive," She quietly told the shorter brunette.
Haley gave a small sniff and sent the taller woman a look. She got a smile of understanding in return. She got curious about the woman. What brought a Scot over to the stated?
"Do you have siblings?" Haley asked as she rolled the satellite phone, that belonged to her brother, in her hands.
"Yeah, a brother and a sister," Blair replied, "Triplets, and I'd do the same."
Haley didn't need to ask what that meant. Honey eyes moved away from her and towards the forest line. They narrowed slightly before Blair fully turned to face the forest. There was something in there, she could've sworn she had just seen something pale grey streak by. That wasn't a good sign.
"Help! Somebody please help!" A screech echoed through the woods.
"My god," Roy quietly cursed before running towards the source.
Blair shared a look with Dean before they followed after him. Everyone was soon racing through the forest, even Blair was keeping pace with the backpack on, the screeches were echoing around them. There was a primary source, but when they got to the source it was empty. No one was around. They'd been tricked by the Wendigo to leave their things behind.
"It was coming from here, wasn't it?" Haley asked as they looked around.
"Everybody back to camp," Sam ordered.
They quickly headed back. There was an urgency in the group and when they got back to camp. Well, confusion ensued. All the supplies, save for the backpack that Blair refused to put down, were gone.
"Our packs!" Haley stated in slight dismay as she looked around.
"So much for my GPS and satellite phone," Roy stated before turning to Blair, "Do you have anything like that in your bag?"
"No, I have a paper map and a compass," She replied without missing a beat, "You are welcomed to try and hike out of here with that."
He gave her a sneer for that one and she gave him an innocent smile in response. Dean was surprised when she walked over to him. She took off the backpack and rolled her shoulders. Weaponry was just as heavy as usual.
"Please tell me that the supplies I have will actually take down a Wendigo," She muttered.
"We have some Molotov's and a flare gun," He responded, "most of our weapons were in the duffle bag."
"Of course," She muttered, "Its smarter than I thought it would be, it's like its circling the area."
"What the hell is going on?" Haley questioned before Dean could add on to Blair's sentence.
"It's smart," Sam stated, "It cut us off so we can't call for help."
"You mean someone," Roy corrected, "some nutjob out there just stole all our gear."
"How many people do you think can scream like that on a whim?" Blair questioned as Sam walked up to Dean with a frown on his face, "If it had been someone then where's the footprints, for a man that's hunted big game you really aren't the sharpest."
"Tell him how you really feel," Dean quietly muttered.
"If Ah did that ah'd probably cripple 'im," she informed him, "Give 'im a good beatin'. You two go an' have a talk."
"You'll keep and eye on them?" Dean confirmed.
"Aye," She nodded, "not like Ah'll shoot 'im."
He gave her a look at that and she raised her brows in response. He walked away with Sam and they went to go over the game plan. Their father had written something down about Wendigos in his journal. Even a way to protect themselves.
"You talk so tough, but you're really a scared little girl," Roy told Blair.
"For good reason," Blair snapped, her anger rising at the man, "this happens and yet you still act like this is just an animal?"
He moved forward and Haley stepped up. A fight breaking out was the last thing the group needed. She was surprised that it had been the calm Scot that had lost her temper first. She had been gunning for the taller male with the lovely hair. Something was bothering the Scot and she could tell as honey eyes continued to look around the area. Like she was following something only she could see.
"All right, listen up, it's time to go!" Sam stated as the two Winchester's came back, "Things have gotten...more complicated."
"What?" Haley asked as Blair pulled on her backpack once again.
"Really kid?" Roy asked with a roll of his eyes, "Whatever is out there I think I can handle it."
"Your overconfidence will be your downfall, don't be an idiot," Blair stated, her voice a monotone and face expressionless.
That sent a shiver down Deans spine. He spared her a glance. Her pupils were heavily dilated and she was staring past Roy and into the woods. Her body language showed how tensed she was. She was uncomfortable and bristling with anticipation of a fight. It let him know that the Wendigo was indeed watching them, but he wondered if she could pin point where it was.
"Listen," Sam brought the attention away from Blair, "I'm not worried about us, I'm worried that if you shoot this thing, you'll just make it mad. We need to leave, and soon."
"You guys do nothing but talk nonsense," Roy informed him, "You are in no position to give anybody orders, kid."
"Relax," Dean ordered.
He was going to have two angry college students on his hands if Roy didn't shut up. His money was on the students, they were younger and more agile. They could also put aside recent divides and work as a team. He may have wanted them talking to each other, but he didn't want them to pick a fight. Even though a small part of him was ecstatic for the progress.
"We never should have let you come out here in the first place," Sam informed Roy with a scowl, "I'm trying to protect you."
"You protect me?" Roy sneered as he got into Sam's face, "I was hunting in these woods when your mommy was still kissing you good night."
"Really?" Sam asked, bristling in anger, "It's a damn neat perfect hunter, it's smarter than you and will hunt you down and eat your stupid, sorry ass unless we get out of here."
"You guys are crazy," Roy laughed, "You know that, right."
"Sam," Blair quietly stated as she held out an arm and pushed him back from Roy, "Trust me, as much as Ah'd like to see you punch the bawbag, he's not worth the energy."
"Roy!" Haley yelled at the middle aged man.
Dean was able to pull Sam back and Blair moved Roy away from them. The man looked surprised at the amount of force she had put in the shove. He glared at her and she returned the look with a fierce glare of her own. She knew exactly what had happened to Dean and Sam's mum, mainly due to what happened to Jessica, actually, completely from what happened to her. Roy had gone to far, and that was unforgivable in her mind.
"Chill out," Dean told a fuming Sam.
"Stop. Stop it," Haley ordered and everyone turned to look at her, "Everybody just stop, look, Tommy might still be alive, and I'm not leaving here without him."
There was a lull in conversation after that as both parties cooled down for a few minutes. Sam was taking quiet, deep breaths and calming down before he spoke. Blair ran a hand down her face before looking back towards the woods. She could see the leaves of the trees moving as if something had just ran through them. That wasn't a welcoming sight.
"It's getting late," Dean finally stated as he looked at his watch, "this thing is a good hunter in the day, at night it becomes unbelievable and we won't be able to beat it, so we need to settle in and protect ourselves."
"How?" Haley asked.
Dean smiled at her before he turned to Blair. She sighed and motioned Haley and her brother to help her gather firewood. Dean and Sam were walking around the edge of the campsite and writing symbols in the dirt. Anasazi symbols for protection, apparently the Wendigo couldn't cross them.
"Have you ever been camping before?" Haley asked Blair as they gathered wood.
"Yes," Blair admitted, "One year my siblings and I rented a cabin and camped out for a week."
"You ever go the full tent route?" Haley questioned.
"No," Blair replied, "I tried once, but I was paranoid that something was outside the tent."
"You don't seem the type," Haley's brother, Ben, joked.
Blair let out a small laugh at his shaky attempt. It was rather nice being around normalcy. Haley smirked at a sudden thought and she was getting a bad feeling about that smirk. She picked up a large piece of wood, a rather thick stick, and looked at the stitches still in her hands. She needed to get rid of them, and soon.
"So, which one of the brothers are you crushing on?" Haley asked.
Ben let out a groan at that and Blair turned to owlishly look at the smaller woman. Her cheeks felt uncomfortably warm. She couldn't help but remember the first normal dream that she'd have in three weeks. She coughed slightly and went back to picking up sticks.
"Neither, ones like an older brother and the other just recently lost his girlfriend," Blair stated, "I'm not getting into that mess anytime soon."
"Pity," Haley muttered.
The three returned to camp, carefully walking over the symbols etched into the dirt, and started up a fire. Blair broke off from everyone and found a lone rock to lean against. It was still in the protective area, but was far enough away that she didn't have to hear any conversations. She could still see the others, walking around camp and finishing with things. She took off her backpack and got comfortable against the rock.
She studied the others and smiled slightly at the sight of Dean talking to Haley before going to check on Sam. Whatever he said to Sam made the taller man finally give a true smile. He looked towards the camp and eventually they met eyes. She gave him a half assed salute before looking up towards the stars through the leaves. She was content to stay like that all night, until a loud snap sounded from behind her.
"You have got to be kidding," she growled.
"Help me! Please!" A screech rang out.
"No one move!" Blair yelled out, "Especially you Roy!"
There came an indignant sound from Roy as she dug out two Molotov's from her bag and hoisted it back onto her back. She rejoined the group and pressed a Molotov into each of the brothers hands. She had a terrible throw, wonderful aim but weak distance and strength. The light that Sam was shining into the woods was slower than the creature itself.
"Damn it's fast," She muttered.
"Can you accurately guess where it's gonna be?" Dean asked her.
"Almost," She admitted, "It has a bit of a pattern, but not much."
His father could do that as well. The man was a genius when it came to hunting, in Blair's opinion he was a piss poor father but would never say that in front of the two brothers, and could calculated how certain monsters behaved. He once trapped a Wendigo, something that was unheard of in most cases, and brought it down within three days.
"Help!" The screech went out again.
"Everyone just stay calm and stay put," Dean ordered.
"What? Inside the magic circle?" Roy snidely asked.
"Roy," Blair started out sweetly but quickly turned venomous, "shut yer gob."
She was tired of the man running his mouth. In Deans terminology, no one liked a skeptic. Besides, Dean had classified her as family, and she'd be damned if she lost her newfound sibling due to some aresehole. She would be lying if she said she didn't see him as the older brother she always wanted. Being the middle child of three always meant you were either overlooked or left to your own devices. That was neither here nor there at the moment.
"Help! Help me!" The Wendigo tried again.
Once it knew that they weren't going to budge it let out a deep, gravely growl in annoyance. Roy tensed at that and lifted his gun up. He had been proven wrong within seconds when that growl had sounded out.
"Okay, that's not a Grizzly," Roy stated as way of an apology.
"If you shoot it, you'll just make it mad," Blair warned him as Haley comforted Ben, "that's not an advisable move."
Haley shrieked when something rushed past her and Ben and Sam quickly found it with his flashlight. Roy squeezed the trigger of his gun and a shot rang out. Blair hated to admit that it was a damn good shot. It was when a pained and angry growl rang out that she knew he'd fucked up.
"I hit it!" He exclaimed.
A few hands reached for him when he took off after the Wendigo. They all missed. He easily stepped over the symbols and ran after the growling.
"Damn it Roy!" Dean growled before turning to Haley and Ben, "Don't move, Blair stay with them."
"Got it," Blair gave a curt nod as the two Winchester's ran off.
It was quiet, too quiet. There wasn't even the sound of branches breaking before the two men came back. Haley let out a soft sob when she realized that Roy wasn't coming back. Dean gave Blair a nod and she relaxed slightly, her hand had been drawn to the gun that was on her person, and she jammed her hands into her jacket pockets before heading back to her rock. She had, had enough of crying people back when she helped out at the family morgue, she was good with them but it wasn't the right time.
She looked up towards the night sky and let out a very soft sigh. It was going to be a cold night. She knew she wasn't going to get any sleep, at least, the idea of sleep seemed unlikely. She was glad that she could see the stars, she could even see the milky way beginning to show as it got darker. If she was surprised when Sam joined her, then she didn't show it.
"You scared?" He asked.
"Always, but who isn't?" She replied as she continued to stare up at the sky, "I never did get a view like this back home."
He spared her a confused look before following her view towards the sky. He'd never thought about how different the night sky could be for other countries. He looked back towards the camp and Dean gave him a thumbs up. His brother had essentially told him to go and make a friends, as if he was six. He didn't need help making friends, but, as much as he hated to admit it, he needed the push to even attempt with Blair.
"What was Scotland like?" He finally asked after a few minutes of silence.
"There were significantly more bar fights there compared to America," she joked, "Especially during Football season, but other than money and certain laws it wasn't that different compared to here."
"Don't the police carry non lethal weapons?" He asked as he opened his father journal to learn more about Wendigos.
"No, they don't carry any kind of weapons," She admitted, "And gun control does absolute dick when it comes to violent crimes, one of my mates from primary school was killed due to an acid attack another was knifed in the middle of the street."
"Really?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'd rather live here and have the chance of getting shot than being knifed," She admitted, "At least with a gun there's a chance my death'll be quick, with a knife you could bleed out for hours before someone finds ya."
He could see the logic behind that as he scoured the page again. This was harder than he thought it'd be. Then again, he had needed a third party when he was getting to know Jess. He heard a curse and saw a bright light behind him.
"It's like staring into a thousand tiny suns," She grumbled as she lowered the brightness on her phone.
"You still have that picture you took of the map?" He asked.
He was surprised when she handed her phone to him. He muttered a thanks and studied the area. There were two abandoned mine shafts close by that would make a perfect lair for the Wendigo. He fumbled with the phone before figuring out how to zoom in and figure out a route to the shafts. He heard soft breathing behind him and turned to see that Blair had closed her eyes. He tapped his fingers against the back of her phone. He was curious as to what she had on it, but knew she'd probably never trust him again if he looked through it.
"You can look through my phone if you want," Blair piped up, genuinely startling him, "I honestly couldn't care, it's not like I have much to hide."
"I thought you were sleeping," He stated.
"Give me like two more minutes and I'll probably be down for the count," She joked, "I've spent too much time around Dean."
He genuinely smiled at that before exiting out of the photo of the map. He was welcomed to a list of photos, more of a grid, and he scrolled until he found the oldest photos. The oldest photos were of a small, house cat with a kitten like face. The cat wore a gold and red bow tie and had a habit of making funny photos. He let out another smile, he may be a dog person but he was a sucker for a cute animal, and moved through the photos.
Some of them were everyday life with her or her siblings. He could tell the difference between the three. Compared to her siblings she had a quieter personality, she was more prone to being by herself and finding joy in solitude. It made him wonder how she got along with his brother so well. It was probably the fact that she could quote movies with as much as ease, and Dean called him a nerd.
He came across a picture that was newer and he blinked in surprise. She was a bit heavier set compared to what he was familiar with, and her hair was longer. She was sitting on a white, wicker swing chair reading in a white blouse and black pants. It was a nice picture and judging by the one after it, something that had been taken without her permission. She was glaring in the next picture and flipping the bird to whoever took it. He exited out of her photos and was welcomed to a slightly confusing organization system.
He quickly found out that she didn't have much besides the photos and two phone numbers. Deans and his own. He was less than thrilled with her contact name for him Samsquatch. He made a face at that and locked her phone. It had been easy for him to figure out. He quietly placed it in her jacket pocket, her hands had been stuffed inside them but she didn't wake up when he put the phone in there. He didn't peg her for a heavy sleeper.
Her muttering was quieter than usual. It was a Wendigo dream, and he could tell by the less than stellar mumblings about it. Apparently, Tommy was still alive and he gave a quiet sigh of relief at that before turning his attention skyward. He kept watch the entire night, eventually the sun rose and he could hear a few noises of complaint at the sudden invasion of light. He tugged on the lanyard attached to his father's journal before hearing movement behind him.
"Why is the sun such a dick?" He heard Blair grumble in discontent.
That was coming from someone he knew could sleep anywhere. She got up from the ground and he heard a loud series of pops as she stretched. She seemed content after that and ran a hand through her messy hair. How it got so messy was a mystery for the ages since she slept like a corpse, she barely moved an inch during the night.
"Sleep well?" Sam asked her.
"Considering the nightmares," She commented blinking blearily, "I did, I tend to sleep better closer to people, it's a childhood habit that never really died."
She shouldn't have told him it was because she was close to someone. It was a weird thing to say, but that was how she dealt with nightmares as a kid. She'd find a nearby family member and climb into bed with them. Her grandad referred to her as a cuddle bug. She smiled at the memory.
"Childhood habits are usually the hardest to break," He commented as she hoisted her bag into her back.
"Yeah like childhood fears," She added, "Things like clowns or animatronics."
He shot her a look as she headed towards the others. He stayed seated for a few seconds, he somehow felt personally attacked by that. Eventually he got up and joined them. Haley looked up at him.
"Hey," he greeted, and she stood up to listen to him, "We've got half a chance in the daylight and I, for one, want to kill this evil son of a bitch."
"Well, hell, you know I'm in," Dean commented as he fully woke up.
Blair snorted at that as Sam gave Haley and Ben a rundown of what a Wendigo was while using his dad's journal. She sobered up and quietly listened to him. This was information she might need in the future. She gathered that hunters didn't last a long time, and that meant that Dean and Sam might not always be around. She needed to step up.
"'Wendigo' is a Cree Indian word," Sam lectured, "It means 'evil that devours'."
"They're hundreds of years old, and each one was once a man," Dean added, as he walked behind Blair and began to root through the backpack for a second Molotov, "Sometimes an Indian, or other times a frontiersman or a miner or hunter."
"You could've just asked me to take it off," Blair informed Dean as she was jostled a bit by the backpack moving.
"How does a person turn into one of those things?" Haley asked.
"Well, it's usually the same way," Dean replied, "During a harsh winter someone finds themselves starving and cut off from supplies or help, and becomes a cannibal to survive."
"Like the Donner Party," Ben stated.
"Donner what?" Blair quietly asked, not completely sure of American history.
"Donner party, they were a group of settlers that were moving out west and got stuck in the Sierra Nevada during a horrible snow storm," Ben replied in an equally quiet tone, "American history is filled with mishaps."
"Thank you," Blair softly smiled.
"Cultures all over the world believe that eating human flesh gives a person abilities," Sam continued, "Speed, strength, and immortality being a select few."
"I'm gathering that if you eat enough of it you become less than human," Blair commented.
"And the side effect is that you are always hungry," Dean added.
"If that's true how could Tommy still be alive?" Haley asked.
"You'll hate this," Blair stated, "But it seems like they store food, it says here that they hibernate for years at a time, so Tommy would be in a dark hidden place."
"You got all that from a piece of paper?" Sam questioned.
"I was good at pushing the word count in my English classes," Blair stated, "But this does illustrate an idea of a Wendigo's habits."
"Then how do we stop it?" Haley asked.
"Normal weapons such as guns and knives are useless," Dean answered before holding up the two Molotov's, "We have to torch the sucker."
"You are far too happy about that," Blair informed him.
He winked at that and she rolled her eyes in slight disbelief. He began to lead the group through the forest. Sam and Blair took up the rear again, Blair had a good reason. Her left leg was stiff from hiking the day before. According to the doctor in a week or so the stitches on that leg were ready to come out. She hadn't looked at it, but the way it felt was that they could come out any day.
"That doesn't feel right," She commented upon seeing a tree with blood and claw marks.
"It's too clear, too precise," Sam agreed.
She nodded and let out a grunt as her left leg gave out on her and she toppled to the ground. She got back up with a wince and continued walking. Sam hadn't expected her to just walk it off. He stayed quiet as they headed deeper into the forest. They passed more marked trees and eventually Sam worked his way up to lead the group.
"Dean," Sam stopped his brother as the group took a small break.
"What is it?" Dean asked.
"Look at the trees," Sam answered, "All of them are marked in such a precise print, it was too easy to follow."
"Son of a bitch," Dean cursed.
"It's probably followed us since we left the camp," Blair quietly added from the back.
She heard a growling right behind her and quickly moved back towards the group. She had been standing further away from the others and she mentally cursed at herself as she scoured the foliage surrounding them. A twig snapped and she immediately gave her attention to the area. She could see it.
The Wendigo was ugly, it had such ghastly, long, and lanky limbs. There was still some humanesque features in its face, but other than that it was monstrous. It's eyes glared at her before it vanished from her sight.
It was fast for something with such lanky legs. A sudden thump behind her caused her to jump and turn. The mystery of what happened to Roy had been solved. Sam was helping Haley up as Blair walked towards them.
"His neck's broke," Dean announced.
"We should run," Blair quietly stated.
Growling filled the air and Haley was on her feet in a quick manner. There was a sense of urgency that filled the group.
"Okay! Everyone run! Now!" Dean ordered.
That was all it took for the group to start racing through the forest. Ben and Blair were towards the back, Ben not really good at running and Blair due to her fall earlier. Ben stumbled over a unearthed tree root and Blair skidded to a stop and helped him up. A second pair of hands joined hers and she looked at Sam in surprise.
"Keep moving," He ordered.
She gave a nod and they started moving again. A scream rang out. It belonged to Haley. Ben picked up his speed and the other two followed after him. They came across a broken Molotov.
"Dean!" Sam and Blair called out in unison.
"Damn it!" Blair let out as she threw her hands up, "That Wendigo's a right piece O' shite!"
"If it keeps its victims alive, why'd it kill Roy?" Ben asked as if he had finally thought about something.
"Well he shot it," Blair stated as she ran a hand through her hair, it had fallen from its small ponytail within a few minutes after they started running. "That made it mad, and you really don't wanna piss off something that can easily kill ya."
"And you warned him, you both did," Ben muttered as he walked around the area.
Blair could feel herself shaking and she bit her lip to gain some control over it. She didn't like the idea of Dean being in trouble. She fiddled with the cross around her neck before remembering something. She had a flare gun in the bag. She knelt down and removed the bag to root through it.
Sam watched as she searched through the bag of limited weapons before pulling something out. She held it out to him and he blinked in surprise. He'd forgotten about the flare gun during the night. He accepted it and she closed the bag up and hoisted it on her back. It was when she didn't immediately get up that he knew something was wrong. Her expression of both amusement and horror was also a key factor.
"I…I might need a hand up," She quietly admitted.
"Yeah, no problem," He told her as he put the flare gun in the same spot in the back of his jeans that his regular gun would go.
He was able to pull her up to her feet and noticed she was heavily favoring her right leg. She put pressure on her left leg and winced in slight pain before pushing through it. Dean was in trouble, she wasn't going to let a hurt leg stop her from helping save him.
"They went this way!" Ben called.
The two easily caught up to him. He was holding up an M&M. It was a good thing Dean went with the peanut variety as there was a clear trail of brightly colored candy on the wood floor. Sam laughed as Ben handed him the candy. Blair couldn't help but give an amused smile.
"Far better than bread crumbs," Sam stated a he tossed the M&M to the side.
"Let's get a move on," Blair smiled, her face then turned serious, "Before the Wendigo goes on the hunt again."
Sam took the lead and the other two were glad to follow him. The trail was a relatively short one that led to a mine entrance. It had a sign that warned them from danger to toxic material. The three shared a look and Sam shrugged before heading in. It was damp and cool.
Blair hated it. She felt trapped and uncomfortable in the dark tunnel. So, she shuffled closer to Sam. Who had gotten his flashlight out again and was holding the flare gun in the other, just in case. Getting a shot on the Wendigo was highly unlikely at the moment.
A low growling sound came from further in the tunnel and Blair quickly moved Ben towards a wall and put a finger against her lip to quietly tell him to keep quiet. Sam turned off the light and he joined them, his left arm against Blair and Ben in an attempt to make them smaller. Ben found his mouth covered by a small, dainty hand when he almost screamed at the sight of the Wendigo. The Wendigo stopped in its tracks and looked towards their spot before shaking its body and walking to a tunnel across from them. Once it was out of sight the three relaxed.
"Sorry," Blair apologized to Ben.
"Don't worry about it," Ben told her.
She gave a small nod before turning to Sam. He was the unofficial leader of their group. Sam slowly moved his arm away from the two and moved away from their hiding spot. They walked in silence until they came across some floorboards that freaked upon every step taken on the surface.
A loud creak sounded and the three fell through the floor. Their fall was broken by a pile of bones. Ben was the first to his feet as he scampered away from the bones. Sam was next and help up a hand to calm the scared smaller man.
"It's all right," Sam gently told him as he turned to find Blair.
She was slowly pulling herself to her knees. Blood was dripping down her nose from a cut on her forehead. She was glad that hadn't broken any of her bones, it should've but it didn't. Sam quickly moved forward and pulled her to her feet.
"Thank you, Sam," She quietly thanked him, "Deans right behind you."
He pivoted on his heel and saw that his brother was indeed behind him. Dean was hanging from the ceiling by his wrist. Haley was by his side. Sam hurried to his brothers side as Ben did the same for Haley. Blair headed towards the third person, she knew it was Tommy.
"Hey, Tommy?" She quietly questioned, reaching into the bag and grabbing a butterfly knife.
She gently patted his face. He jolted awake and moved away from her with a yell. She shushed him and cut the rope that kept him attached to the ceiling. It was an older rope that had certainly seen better days, gnarly and filthy. She tossed the rope to the side and helped him to his feet.
"Let's get you to your sister," She told him in a calm voice.
"Are you Scottish?" Tommy asked in confusion.
"Yeah," She answered.
"Tommy," Haley breathed out in relief.
She took over helping Tommy and she moved towards Ben. Dean was rooting around the stolen supplies when he came across his duffle bag. He picked up a flare gun and twirled it in his hand. He moved towards the group and watched as Blair slowly move as well. He inwardly cursed, she'd have to go with Haley and her brothers due to her injuries.
"You doin' okay?" He asked her anyway.
"My leg hurts, but other than that I feel great," Blair admitted, "Ah could still shoot the wee bastart."
He handed her a flare gun at those words and she gave him a smile. She seemed familiar with a gun and weighed it in her hand. She could get a good shot out of the flare gun. If she had a clear area to aim, then she could probably take down the Wendigo. She doubted that it would be that easy.
They headed down a tunnel, one that would bring them back to the main system. Sam and Dean took the front to lead and Blair was in the back. It was a triangle defense, one that gave them a good chance to protect the Collins. A growling came from in front of them and the hunters tensed and readied their guns. Dean quickly glanced at those who were injured and made a quick plan.
"All right," Dean started getting everyone's attention, "You guys stay with Sam and Blair, they'll get you out of here."
"Like he said," Sam confirmed, much to Blair's confusion.
"Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to hate what yer about to do?" Blair asked him.
He gave her a grin before breaking off from the group. She was right, she hated it. She was also curious as to what Dean was going to say to get it to follow after him. She hoped it was good.
"Chow time you freaky bastard!" Dean yelled, a growl sounded at his words, "bring it on, Baby! I taste good!"
Sam waited until Dean was far enough away before turning towards the remaining group. He didn't like using this plan. His brother could get seriously hurt doing this, but it was their best bet to get everyone to safety. At least, get them out of the mine shaft.
"All right, lets hurry!" Sam ordered.
"I'm starting to love it when you take control, Sam," Blair quietly muttered as she moved to help Tommy.
Between two siblings and a hunter in training, Tommy was moving faster. The group hurried down the tunnel, tripping over some rocks due to the darkness. The sound of growling caught up with them and Sam pointed the gun towards the source. He then turned his head to look at Blair.
"Get them out of here," He ordered.
"Sam," She hissed, he fixed her with a look, "Fine, let's go you three."
Blair took the lead and Sam turned down the opposite end of the tunnel. His eyes strained against the dark as he searched for the Wendigo. He had one shot in a flare gun and if he wasted it, he'd have to run after the four. He didn't want that to be the case.
"Do you crack jokes when stressed?" Haley asked as the four headed down the tunnel.
"That wasn't a joke," Blair admitted, "I think that was finding something attractive in someone."
Haley let out a sound of disbelief at that. It really wasn't the time to be saying such things. Blair released Tommy and held up her flare gun. The three moved past her and she began to walk backwards upon hearing footsteps rushing towards them. She readied her gun as she stepped back and then lowered it upon seeing Sam rushing them from the dark. His actions showed an urgency.
"We need to hurry," She told the Collins as Sam caught up with them.
They all started to run and ended up at the end of the tunnel. Sam moved in front of the Collins and held his arms up as a protective barrier. He was large enough to fit all three of the Collins, and Blair if she had been hiding behind him as well. He glared at the Wendigo as it stalked towards them, taking its time. That was a sign of victory and one that Blair found obnoxious.
She readied the flare gun and calmed her nerves. She wasn't prepared to shoot something that was living, even though it was a monster, she was used to inanimate targets that could only move when placed on a machine. She quickly weighed the pros and cons before her finger squeezed the trigger. A loud whining growl rang out as the flare hit it the Wendigo in the head. Her hand trembled slightly, she couldn't even remember aiming the gun, she remembered readying it but definitely not aiming. Dean came just in time to see the Wendigo go up in flames.
"Hey, first blood," Dean stated in a grave tone.
He walked up to Blair and removed the flare gun from her shaking hand and gave her left shoulder a brief pat. The Collins let out a breath of relief and the two Winchester's shared a brief smile. Blair was a bit shell shocked that she had even pulled the trigger. She was getting worried about what was going on with her. She didn't start moving when he group began to walk out of the tunnel. Dean gave Sam a nudge to collect her, he was better at that chick flick emotional talk, before helping Haley with Tommy.
"Blair, we need to get going," Sam informed her.
"Right," she muttered, nodding her head.
She tore her sight away from the burning Wendigo and followed behind Sam. She could hear her mum's voice echoing in the back of her head. Every negative thing the woman ever said to her when she joined her schools Riffling club came back to her. Called her a murder in training. As they headed out of the tunnel, the sunlight that met them was dim compared to when they entered the tunnel. She pulled out her phone and checked the time. It was four in the afternoon, if they started walking they could make it to the ranger station by night fall.
It was a quiet trip to the ranger station near the hiking trail but it was a necessary one. Halfway through the walk Sam had commandeered the backpack from a surprised Blair. She would've argued with him if he hadn't shot her a look. She settled for frowning and walking with her arms across her chest. He may have won the non verbal argument, but she wasn't going to just take it.
She was. Her hands found themselves in her jacket pockets as she relaxed slightly. She had calmed down and shoved her mum's horrible influence back into the back of her mind. She didn't need that negativity in her life.
"What caused you to freeze up back there?" Sam asked.
"I've never killed before," She replied, "It's not an enjoyable feeling, but it was necessary…right?"
"Yeah," He replied.
He put a hand on her shoulder and he watched as she completely relaxed. When they made it to the ranger station the two of them headed towards the Impala to put the backpack away in the trunk. He gently pushed Blair towards the ambulance when it arrived and one of the paramedics pulled her to the side to administer some first aide. Sam took to helping Ben answer questions about what happened and Haley talked to Dean.
"Your boyfriend seems really concerned," The Female Paramedic stated.
"I don't have a boyfriend," Blair replied in confusion.
She got a 'sure Jan' look from the paramedic and she sat there in surprise. Her head had a small cut at the top of her forehead that was easily patched up by a butterfly bandage. Her knee was bruised, but not broken. The paramedic even took out the stitches on her leg and the few on her hands.
"You're free to go," The paramedic informed her.
Blair quickly regrouped with Dean and Sam, her limp a bit more pronounced compared to earlier. The two men were leaning against the side of the Impala. They were watching as every thing was cleaned and packed up. They both nodded at Blair as she walked up.
"Man, I hate camping," Dean commented.
"This certainly ruined Camping for me," Blair stated.
"Yeah," Sam nodded.
"You do know we are gonna find Dad, right?" Dean asked.
"I know," Sam stated, a grin forming on his face, "But in the meantime, I'm driving."
"If we're shaking up the formula, can I sit shotgun?" Blair asked with her own grin.
Dean rolled his eyes and tossed Sam the keys. Blair let out a sound of victory as she climbed into the front seat. She was surprised when Dean walked up to the front as well. He ruffled her hair before moving to sit in the back. She made a sound of distress as she attempted to fix the mess that was her hair. Sam climbed into the drivers seat and soon they were heading down the highway.
Blair was surprised that he was actually driving the speed limit. Dean had found some comfort in the fact that the blanket that Blair used was still in the back seat. He grabbed that and pulled it over himself. If he was going to be stuck in the backseat he was going to catch some sleep. He started to understand why Blair slept in the backseat all the time, it was actually comfortable.