Castiel found himself staring up at the sky. He felt light headed, like he was flying. But he knew he was on the ground, his wings crushed at an awkward angle under him. If Castiel hadn't spread his wings to break the fall surely he would be dead. The nest was at least 30 feet in the air.
He felt like he had been stabbed in the heart, his wings had locked in shock and he fell for the first time in his life. His head was filled with screams. The screams of trees...dying.
Suddenly he heard someone calling his name.
"CAS! CASTIEL!"
The voice was barely audible over the screaming but Castiel heard it.
"Dean." He whispered but all Castiel saw was the blue blue sky.
Black leaked into his vision and he was gone.
He woke up on his side on something soft, that much he knew. When he opened his eyes his vision was blurry and his head seared with pain. He winced before looking to the side.
Dean was sitting there with his hands clasped together and his legs in a cross cross. Dean had his eyes closed, as if he were sleeping. Castiel shifted just a tiny bit and Deans eyes flew open.
When Dean saw Castiel's eyes open he smiled.
"Cas." Dean breathed out relieved and reached over to run his hand through Castiel's dark hair.
"Dean...what. What happened?" Castiel asked turning onto his front to push his body up with his hands, his lower half unsupported and still laying immobile. Castiel looked around, noticing they were in the nest.
"You...you fell Cas." Dean said quietly.
"How long was I out?" Castiel asked deciding to get down to business. The screaming was gone now, his head quiet.
Castiel stood up on shaky legs and Dean stood to support him. Looking at him with a concerned look
"Only a day..." Dean mumbled.
"You carried me up here?" Castiel asked tilting his head.
Dean nodded.
"Had too. Wasn't safe on the ground." Dean said biting his lip.
What do you mean not safe?" Castiel asked confused.
There was a pregnant pause before Dean explained.
"I don't know, all the animals have been moving to this side of the forest and they seemed more upset then usual. They were looking for you so I told them you were hurt, which made them more angry, so they started making sounds at me, but I didn't know what they were saying and..."
Castiel put a hand up silencing Dean. He needed to figure out what was going on and now.
"Stay here." Castiel ordered brushing Dean off to walk to the edge of the nest again.
Dean pulled on his wing though stopping him from taking off.
"What are you nuts? You're gonna try again!?" Dean asked with wide crazed eyes.
Castiel just gave him a glare, which Dean returned with a skeptic look.
"Dean this is my forest. I need to know what's going on." Castiel said calmly.
Dean didn't loosen his grasp. Castiel just sighed.
"I'll be back by sunset. Just stay here and don't move." Castiel said gently, trying to coax the human.
Dean let go hesitantly looking worried. Castiel just looked down,at the ground, for the first time in his life afraid he might actually hit it again.
He looked forward and spread his wings, jumping into the air, and feeling relief when the wind caught him. He glided through the forest and then gained altitude.
His eyes widened when he saw smoke. Not a large enough cloud to be a forest fire, but not small enough to be natural either. The fire must be controlled, or else it would be spreading. As Castiel flew closer toward the smoke cloud he saw something that made him wish death to end him.
Blood. Not the regular sort. Tree blood filled under the earth. Only the eyes of an angel such as himself could see this, all human eyes would see was dirt. But Castiel saw under that, the hills were covered in blood.
He started smelling it which made him want to throw up. Every fiber in his body felt the trees pain, and it made his heart pump loudly within his breast. Then the stench hit him. The stench that he had become so familiar with over the past twenty three years his wings almost locked again. Human.
He flew over his forest and then saw where the source of all the blood and the ghastly odors were coming from. Miles and miles of his forest was cut down, all that was left of the trees were ripped stumps. Castiel felt tears fall from his eyes as he scanned the area.
His beautiful, beautiful forest, at least one third of it. Ruined. He didnt just smell one human. He smelt dozens and dozens of humans. When Castiel thought it couldn't get any worst he saw what the humans called tents set up every hundred feet, housing the humans as they slept. Horses were tied down to logs so they couldn't escape, and small campfires were extinguished, just leaving small trails of smoke.
There was too many tents. Too many humans for him to fight off. There was nothing Castiel could do at the moment. Right now he was too weak to do anything. Like any other angel, he gained strength from his forest. And recently giving Dean half of his grace, he was already in a weakened state. But now that the humans had cut down a good portion of the forest, he was completely useless.
He turned around, not wanting to be spotted, and soared back to the nest.
When he got back at sunset Dean was sitting munching on some grapes. Castiel dropped into the nest and Dean looked relieved.
"Cas, geez I was so..." Dean trailed off when he saw the angels face.
"What's wrong?" Dean asked concerned with a furrowed brow.
Castiel didn't plan to talk but found himself doing it anyway.
"Man." Castiel said tiredly, sitting down into the nest and looking at the fruit sadly.
"Man...as in human?" Dean asked shocked as he knelt by the angel cupping his cheek so Castiel would meet his eyes.
Castiel just nodded.
"They have brought destruction with them in the oath they walk as expected." Castiel growled looking away.
Deans eyes widened.
"They? As in more then one?" Dean asked with raised eyebrows.
"Of course there's more then one. Hungry pack of locust is all they are." Castiel muttered bitterly.
Dean just stared at the angel.
"Can't you drive them out..? I mean you've done it before..." Dean tried to suggest.
Castiel just shook his head.
"I'm not talking about one or two here Dean. I'm talking about dozens. They already cut all the trees down on the whole east side of the forest." Castiel said looking down.
Dean's eyes widened in horror.
"No...No they..does that mean we're next?" Dean asked in a quiet voice.
Castiel just nodded.
"They know I'm here. Regular forest don't grow this green, even in the summer time. They are just trying to draw me out." Castiel said, his heart flaring with rage and vengeance.
Dean looked down in realization.
"To kill you." Dean stated quietly.
Castiel leaned down pressing his forehead to Dean's.
"Yes."