A.N. It's been so long, I won't be surprised if you've given up! My only excuse is a very heavy week at work leaving me doing nothing in the evening other than slobbing. (Not a pretty sight).

Chick xxx

CHAPTER 10

000

Sam looked thoughtful as he cast around, trying to link the words with anything he had read.

"Not sure, something about drownings?"

"Right, and the interesting part is how it attracts it's victims. Fosse grimm is a male water sprite, he lures people in with the sound of violin music. Tends to hang around lakes and streams so yeah, victims end up drowning.

"Ok well, first, I'm impressed you remembered something like that, but, it's definitely a harp I'm hearing. You sure about the violin part?"

"Pretty sure. The other thing that doesn't fit is that it targets women and kids. Although, I suppose it could've made a mistake here...What with the hair and the hugging. Yeah...That'll be it, he thinks you're my girlfriend. Oh, man...Wouldn't old Fossey be in for a shock?"

Sam's glare did nothing to dispel Dean's delighted laughter and, infectious as it was, Sam couldn't help but join in.

...

Tent and sleeping bags packed, fire out and fire pit buried, Dean knelt on the floor considering the weapons they had brought with them from the Impala. Sam looked over Dean's shoulder.

"What're you thinking?"

"That we should keep everything to hand seeing as we don't know what we're hunting and, that there's a really good chance you'll go all daydreamy again, so whatever you're carrying is likely to be pointless."

"Oh...Thanks for the vote of confidence!"

"Just saying it like it is dude."

"Fine. But what if you get left behind like last time? I might be the one who gets a shot at our fugly, except I'm hanging around useless, waiting for the slacker at the back whose got all the damn weapons!"

"Ok, ok. We'll split it. I'll keep the Glock and the real ammo, you get the Taurus and the salt rounds. You might as well carry the holy water, it's you it fancy's, you're probably going to be up close and personal before I am. I'll keep the rosary, salt bag and the oil. You ok with the bronze dagger if I get the sword?"

"Fine by me. Just a couple more things and we're about set. Wait here."

"Why? Where're you goin'? I'd feel a whole lot happier if you stay in sight."

"Stop fretting, I will be."

Dean began distributing his weapons about his person, at the same time keeping an eye on his brother. He watched as Sam walked over to a graceful looking tree. Breaking a branch off, Sam snapped it in half across his knee. Taking a penknife from one of his jacket pockets, he wandered back to Dean whilst quickly sharpening one end of one of the two pieces of wood. He tossed the sharpened stake to Dean before beginning to work on the second one.

"Ash...Might come in useful."

...

Sam took a last look around, making certain they had left their night's camping spot in good order. Dean stood waiting, playing with Sam's compass.

"Do you know how to drive that thing?"

"Ass. You ready?"

Sam nodded.

"Yup...Lets do this."

The two hunters strode off, under the watchful eye of a small, scarlet chested robin.

"How far roughly to where you found me yesterday?"

"I'd say around four hundred, four fifty yards or so. You travelled in a kinda zig zaggy straight line."

Sam glanced at Dean and grinned.

"How's that go again? A zig zaggy straight line?"

Dean simply glowered back at his brother.

...

Sam began to drop behind Dean, his pace slowing as he stared around. Worried, Dean came to a halt.

"You ok Sam?"

"Yeah, it's just...non of this looks familiar."

"Trust me, we're heading in the right direction."

"Sure, I don't remember this part is all. How much further?"

Dean gazed around, taking a rough guess at how close they were to the glade.

"Should be about twenty yards up ahead. Hey...Sam...Look."

Turning to look in the direction that Dean was pointing, Sam spotted another robin, this one was sitting in the lower branches of a tree and busily grooming itself under one wing. Dean lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Let's see what he makes of this."

From out of a pocket, Dean produced a sachet of astronaut ice cream. Sam stared in mock horror.

"Dean! No! I'm pretty certain that qualifies as cruelty to birds."

Dean broke off a few crumbs of the pink concoction and threw them onto the floor near the robin. After only a couple of seconds hesitation, the bird hopped down to Dean's offering and began pecking at the tit-bits.

"See? He likes it, don't you fella? Here you go, but that's your lot. Don't want to clog up those little birdy arteries."

Leaving the robin enjoying it's unexpected breakfast, the two hunters walked on, Dean now leading the way.

...

"Up ahead. That's were I found you. Anything looking familiar round here?"

The morning sun wasn't in the right position to shine through the tree tops and into the small clearing. At this time of day the clearing, with it's high roof of thick foliage, was gloomy, the damp air cool, and the place had more than a hint of the mysterious. The trees surrounding it had trunks that were heavy with moss pads and thick limbed climbing ivy's, with leave such a dark green, that they appeared almost black in the dim light. The clearing floor was a spongy bed made up of year upon year of fallen leaves. Still soaked with morning dew the smell was pungent, it was autumn, and fungi, and soil. Sam looked around, frowning.

"I really can't remember being here, it's kinda freaky."

A flash of brown and red flew past Sam, and the robin landed on the clearing floor, looking up at Dean expectantly. Both brothers stared back down at the little creature.

"I think that's your little friend again, back for more dry ice cream."

Dean's eyes narrowed and he looked at the bird thoughtfully whilst he produced the sachet and threw it a few more ice cream crumbs. He turned his attention back to Sam, watching as his brother walked slowly into the centre of the clearing.

"You hearing any hot harp tunes yet?"

Sam shook his head.

"Nope. No harping happening, and I feel fine. Let's give it a minute."

The brothers stood in expectant silence, Dean primed and ready to move if anything seemed to threaten Sam. The whole of his being was tuned to respond to any hint of the supernatural, so when the quiet was broken by the sudden eruption of bird song from the little robin who had become impatient for more food, Dean physically jumped in surprise.

"Jeeze bird! Quit that, will you?...Damn near gave me a heart attack!"

...

Giving up on hanging around in the clearing, the pair set off again, making their way further into the depths of the forest as they followed the map in the direction of the rocky heights. Dean tried a few times to shoo his newest companion away, but the robin steadfastly refused to stop tracking the hunters, flying from tree to tree, always just behind them. Although initially Sam found it vaguely amusing, it wasn't long before he began to became disquieted by the sheer persistence of the bird.

"Dean? Do me a favour will you?"

Walking in step with Sam, Dean raised an eyebrow in enquiry.

"I want you to break up the whole of what's left of that ice cream crap and throw it all down for the bird."

The expression on Sam's face told Dean that something might be wrong here and, without argument, he did as Sam asked. Whilst the bird began to happily tuck in, the brothers turned away and carried on walking.

...

"Dammit!"

Sam's curse was little more than a whisper. Dean had spotted the return of the robin at the same time as Sam did. Without needing to voice anything, both hunters chose not to stop, but continued moving, keeping their pace steady.

"So...I'm guessing Tweety Pie back there is the same little dick we've been seeing all along? No way he's managed to eat his way through all that shit in this short a time. Damn thing's been keeping an eye on us ever since we first got to the forest, hasn't it?"

Sam nodded, his face grim.

"Great!"

Dean's hand carefully reached around to the back of his jeans.

XxxxxxxxXXXxxxxxxxx

A.N. Could I just point out that I have nothing against birds and, in fact, I put food out in my garden for them every single day (and if I'm late, the buggers start lining up and staring through the window at me).

Chick xxx