A/N: This is the sixteenth part of the Brothers Apart series, and the beginning of the third season. If you want to read the rest of the stories, they are found on my page.

Season 1:

Part 1: Brothers Apart
Part 2: The Golden Touch
Part 3: First Interlude
Part 4: Home
Part 5: Shadows and Reflections
Part 6: Second Interlude
Part 7: Taken

Season 2:

Part 8: The Schism of Fire and Water
Part 9: Adventures at Bobby's
Part 10: A Lich of Sense
Part 11: Calling John Bonham
Part 12: Like a Moth to Flame
Part 13: The Ties That Bind
Part 14: Bittersweet Parting
Part 15: Birth of a Nightmare

Season 3:

Part 16: For Science

Related short stories: Out of the Frying Pan

On the heels of the Winchesters most troubling case yet comes a call. There's trouble in Wellwood forest, home of the peaceful wood sprites they'd befriended before. Parents have been waking up to find their children missing, and there's no trace of the culprit!

Can Sam and Dean, with the help of one Bowman Leafwing and his best friend Jacob Andris, find the person abducting the children before anyone else goes missing?!

~~Possible triggers: Kidnapping of children, harsh treatment

CHAPTER 1: Green-Eyed Nightmare

"Vel, it's time for bed," Nia said softly, standing in the partially slanted doorway of her young nestling's bedroom. He looked over at her in surprise from his intent work stacking small twigs and stones in some kind of structure. He had been so focused on his game that he hadn't noticed the waning sunlight as it trailed up his wall.

"Okay, mama," Vel conceded with a grin. He got to his feet and flopped onto his bed, rolling over with a flutter of his wings. His mother giggled quietly as he wrestled with his blanket, trying to tuck himself in before her slow steps carried her to his bedside.

"You missed a spot, love," Nia cooed, before drawing the cover up and over his head, obscuring his messy locks.

"Mama!" the boy cried with a laugh, throwing the blanket off his head. "That's not how I sleep! I don't cover my head!"

"Oh, is that so?!" Nia asked, looking thoroughly surprised.

"Yes! Mama, you tucked me in last night and the night before and the night before! Don't you remember?" Vel was practically in a giggle fit over his mama's forgetfulness.

Nia pretended to think hard while Vel covered his mouth and stifled more giggles. Then, her face brightened, earning an excited flutter from Vel's wings as he sat up with a grin. Nia sat on the edge of his bed and took the blanket in her hands delicately. "I think I know," she said softly. With that she wrapped a wing around him to draw him close and plant a kiss on his forehead.

"That's right," Vel agreed as he lay back and snuggled into his pillow, even while Nia pulled the blanket over him. He giggled when she tickled the edge of his wing, and hastily tucked the limb closer to himself while the soft fabric settled over him. The sun continued to set outside, and Vel's eyelids grew heavy. There was a faint smile on his face when his mama began to hum a gentle tune. She brushed a hand over his head with a light touch and he nuzzled her palm as she stroked his cheek.

The song was not very long. It didn't need to be. In minutes Vel's breathing evened out and he was asleep. Nia's humming tapered off and she exited the room quietly, almost as the last rays of sunlight did.

She padded lightly into her own bedroom, where her mate waited. "Evening, love," Karlis greeted quietly as she joined him in their bed. "And how is our nestling?"

"Dreaming," Nia answered, cuddling close to him. One of his strong leafy wings formed an extra blanket over the pair of them. Nia found herself humming quietly again while Karlis stroked her hair. She imagined that soon enough all of them would be dreaming pleasantly.

Vel turned in his sleep as a chill raced up his spine. He dreamed up a strange, menacing voice that he didn't like at all. It echoed around him and chanted nonsense words just beyond hearing. The boy uttered a low squeak as he opened bleary eyes, having trouble adjusting to the sight of his bedroom in the dark. With a groan, Vel rolled, hoping to fall back asleep to block out that strange, scary voice.

He fell out of bed with a thump. Vel mumbled to himself, his hands groping around for the blanket he'd dragged along with him. He couldn't find it, and soon enough he had to clamp his eyes shut. There was suddenly a bright white light beating down on him.

At first, Vel wondered if he was being visited by the Earth Spirit. Rischa had told him that was like being surrounded by all white while the Spirit's comforting presence filled the air. Then, he decided that wasn't right, because he saw the greyish color of the cold, hard surface beneath him, and he most certainly did not feel comforted. Beyond that, he could see very little as his eyes adjusted.

"M-mama?" he tried weakly. "Daddy?" His little voice didn't travel far.

Something rushed at Vel from the side. Before he could even turn his sluggish gaze in that direction, something settled on either side of his waist. Vel squealed in surprise and pain as the pressure increased until he was hopelessly and painfully stuck, though he scrabbled against the things even as they whisked him into the air.

The rough texture was familiar...

His wings fluttered fearfully and he whimpered when he realized he was caught in a pincer grip between a finger and a thumb, both larger and thicker than his body. Vel continued to kick his legs and flutter his wings after he stopped before a huge, unkind face. The hand that held him trapped didn't relent in the slightest despite his struggles. He sent the terrifying face a worried, begging glance.

Those green eyes ... "D-Dean?" Vel stammered, tears coming to his eyes now. The face came into focus as the intense green eyes continued to look him over. Icy cold scrutiny practically raked over the young sprite's skin.

It wasn't Dean. It couldn't be. That much became clear quickly enough. Dean wouldn't hold him nearly squished like this. Dean was a nice human. Dean had let Vel make him and his brother Sam his own big brothers. Dean had saved Vel from the stream with a big strong hand that never tried to trap him or hurt him.

Dean helped people. And Vel needed help.

"Please! H-help me! Someone please help!" Vel cried weakly, a shudder running through his still developing leafy wings.

Would they know where he was? Dean had to find him! He had Sam to help him! If they could fight off wolves, they could do anything. "Let me go!" Vel couldn't tell if this giant even heard him. It made no indication as it kept looking at him, turning him this way and that.

Vel squealed with shrill terror when another huge hand appeared and gripped one of his wings in a pinch much like the grasp around his middle. The boy wailed and his free wing shook with fear as his delicate wing was forced open. His face was glistening with tears as the hands so callously manipulated him. "M-mama ... daddy ... someone help me please! " Vel cried, between desperate sobs. "Dean? Sam?" His voice petered out into a broken squeak. His heart pounded and he struggled uselessly against the impossibly huge hands that held him.

The fingers around Vel's waist relented, and Vel gasped. Flailing, he tried desperately to flap his wings hard enough to avoid plummeting to his death. He'd never flown before!

He only dropped a few inches, less than a foot, before he landed in a heap on a gigantic palm. The breath was knocked from him and he quickly sat up, curling his legs close and wrapping his wings around himself for comfort.

He'd been in another human's palm before. Dean had been careful and nice. Dean had made Vel feel safe, and the boy had even hidden underneath the huge hand without worry of danger. Now, he most assuredly did not feel safe. He didn't stop another sob, and the human ignored his plaintive wails.

A self-satisfied chuckle rumbled through the air as the human moved. There was a clatter, more movement, and then Vel tumbled onto something hard.

He looked back as the hand retreated from the cage and latched it up. Those icy green eyes leered at him, and he shook under the weight of that malicious smile. Where was he?!

Sam and Dean ... Please come back and find me!

SUPERNATURAL

Jacob Andris followed a familiar path, well-worn boots brushing past ferns and rustling in the fallen leaves and grass that carpeted the forest floor. The sun shone brightly through any gap in the canopy it could find. The light guided him ever onward on his trek, a journey he'd made countless times before.

Every chance he got, he made his way to the forest, no matter that it was a long drive. Sometimes, it was almost like the trees themselves welcomed him back.

A strong sense of direction kept him on track even when he didn't fully recognize his surroundings. As he delved deeper into the woods, Jacob took note of every leaf that rustled in the wind.

Just in case it turned out to be more than a leaf.

He never visited only for the camping and the scenery. Deep in the forest, beyond a fence bedecked in thick vines and bright yellow KEEP OUT signs, lay a secret. Jacob had only uncovered it two years prior, but it drew him back again and again.

He was back once more to visit the tiny wood sprites that called the forest home. He kept his eyes on the branches above, watching for signs of his friend flitting among them.

Bowman Leafwing, a patrolsprite of only four inches tall, had "discovered" Jacob in the forest back then. At the time, it was hard to tell which of them was more surprised by the other's size. Jacob, for finding a winged man no larger than a finger, or Bowman, who'd never seen a giant before.

Their differences didn't matter much. When another human had come to the forest aiming to harm the sprites, Bowman and Jacob had teamed up to stop him. It nearly cost them both their lives, but it gained them a friendship. The village was safe, and Jacob would help Bowman keep it that way. He owed the little guy his life.

As he drew nearer to the village, it became stranger and stranger that Bowman had yet to appear.

Bowman cherished every chance he had to fly. The role of a patrolsprite took him far and wide over the forest, keeping watch for dangers. Usually, he found Jacob long before the enormous human could reach the village.

Today, Jacob passed by a clearing that the sprites had dubbed "his" after his frequent visits, and he'd still seen no sign of Bowman or any patrolsprite.

He frowned. Something wasn't right. Even if Bowman was patrolling in the other direction, someone would have happened by. Other patrolsprites made their rounds amongst the trees, keeping vigil for predators or any other sign of danger to the village. So far, Jacob saw no fluttering wings or curious faces peeking at him from behind branches. He picked up the pace, heading towards the village on long strides.

The stream burbled somewhere near. Jacob used the rushing sound of water to find the place, and soon he saw it up ahead. The village of Wellwood, nestled at the very heart of the forest.

A cluster of pine trees swayed in a faint breeze, dark green needles rattling and rasping against each other. Tiny staircases wound in elegant spirals around their trunks as if trees were meant to grow that way. On each branch, the cozy, rounded shape of a sprite home swayed in time with the breeze. The sprites cared for the trees and made their homes in them. They always had.

Near one end of the village stood a tall cottonwood tree. The fork of its proud, pale branches housed an even bigger sprite dwelling, and Jacob knew the passages wended all through the trunk. There was no one on its wide balcony.

He paused. Normally, the village would thrive at this time of day. The sun shone on a clearing across from the cottonwood, a circle ringed by stalwart oaks.

Sprites should be flitting to and fro in that light, letting their wings soak up the warmth. The proud, ancient tree in the middle of the clearing shouldhave several sprites crowding its platforms to rest. It didn't.

The ground in front of the pines was clear. The stream winding near the outskirts of the village rushed onward, and no sprites were out doing their washing.

Wellwood had fallen still.

Jacob stood for a moment longer, staring around. He noticed with a jolt that he was being watched. Sprite faces peered out the windows of the little houses on every home tree. Curious and friendly like they'd always been, Jacob had expected them to come and greet him far before he came so close.

They were scared. Something had them all hiding away.

"Jacob!" a familiar voice cried out at last. He looked to the cottonwood, and some of the tension growing between his shoulder blades released.

Bowman stood on the front balcony of the cottonwood's palatial center. A large knot formed a doorway in, and more wood sprites filtered out, their leafy wings twitching nervously. They all looked exhausted. Bowman, too.

"Bowman," Jacob greeted, unsure. "What-"

The four-inch-tall sprite fluttered his powerful green wings and took to the air, interrupting. Jacob remained rooted and watched as he glided over. To his relief, Bowman didn't look injured as he banked in a circle around him by way of greeting.

Jacob held out a hand in front once Bowman looped back around, and Bowman landed on his palm without hesitation. Up close, he looked even more harried.

"I thought I heard a giant wandering up," Bowman said, stretching his wings out before folding them to his back. His voice was joking, but his bright green eyes didn't quite match the tone.

"Yeah," Jacob answered, his brow pinching. "Bowman, what's going on? Why's everyone hiding inside in the middle of the day?" Was I thatloud walking up?

Bowman couldn't hide his worry. His feet shifted on Jacob's palm, green boots barely leaving an impression. He shot a glance over his shoulder at the village, quiet and stifled. Jacob saw the concern in every one of Bowman's few inches.

"I woulda come to check your clearing," Bowman finally said, staring up at Jacob's face. "I said you'd be able to help if you came."

Jacob nodded, the seriousness sinking in with every distracted word his friend uttered. Bowman usually got straight to the point.

"Stay with me, buddy," Jacob encouraged before Bowman could ramble more. He curled his thumb and brushed it against Bowman's wing. The wing twitched, and Bowman shot him an offended glare. "Start at the beginning for me. I'll do whatever I can but you gotta keep me up to speed, dude."

Bowman rolled his eyes. Jacob saw some of the familiar sass back in the sprite's posture. "Yeah, I'll keep up the speed," he groused, mincing the phrase like he often did. Still the same Bowman.

With Jacob's expectant look egging him on, Bowman began. "It's just … many many days ago, maybe even a full moon cycle, a nestling disappeared."

Jacob's brow furrowed. His mind brought up memories of young wood sprites leaping around in the grass to test their wings. Gathering pine needles in their tiny little arms, or helping their mamas by the stream. Grinning at him in awe and giggling when they got to ride on his hand.

Bowman went on. "At first, we thought maybe an animal … that he wandered off, y'know? But then days later …"

"Another one," Jacob filled in. "How many since it started?"

Bowman's wings were agitated. "Four," he grit out. "Even one of the wraiths went missing."

Jacob's eyebrows shot up. Wraith sprites, lost and unsafe in their old home, had come to Wellwood as refugees. They lived among the wood sprites, learning a different way of life far away from humans. Jacob rarely saw them when they first moved to the village, and he still didn't see them too often. He was getting used to them as much as they were to him.

They were strange little beings in a lot of ways, from their quiet, knowing stares to their colorful quills on their backs, but they were harmless. Like their wood sprite cousins, they had lost one of their precious children.

Jacob glanced towards the home tree with the newest dwellings on it. Pale little faces peeked out at him, a contrast to the darker skin of the wood sprites. "Four nestlings," he echoed, already unsure of how he'd help.

"The most recent was today," Bowman said. His wings were tense now, as if he was ready to burst with his growing worry. "In bright daylight, right in front of her mama. She just vanished, Jacob."

This time, there was something like pain in Bowman's voice. His home had come under attack far too many times for one sprite to have to deal with. Jacob lifted him to eye level. "I'm gonna help," he promised. "I dunno how yet, but I'm gonna help."

Bowman sighed and his wings flared open briefly. "We've been talking in the cottonwood," he said, nodding towards the large tree where other sprites still watched Jacob cautiously. "I told 'em you'd want to help."

Jacob glanced towards the tree once. Among the sprites watching there, one stood out more. He was missing a wing, a remnant of an injury from the first time Jacob had ever come to Wellwood. He hadn't been able to prevent some of the pain that visited the innocent sprites then, but he was going to do his best to be there for them this time.

He glanced back to Bowman, who waited on his palm. "Y'know, Bowman, I think the more help we can bring in, the better," he admitted. "It sounds a lot like some kind of bad magic, like when you were telling me about … that lich thing."

Bowman perked up, and Jacob saw understanding in those green eyes. Bowman might not know how a lot of "human stuff" worked, but he was a smart little guy. "Dean and Sam," he said.

Jacob nodded. "Dean and Sam," he agreed. "I'm betting they can weigh in on this, too."

Bowman sighed. The tension in his shoulders didn't lessen, but the resolve in his face became easier to see. He had a goal, something to do to help the missing children. "Right, they knew a lot about bad magic," he said. Then, without waiting for another word, he turned away and his wings opened up. Graceful as a leaf on a breeze, Bowman dove off Jacob's hand and glided towards one of the home trees.

While Bowman was away, Jacob inched towards the cottonwood tree. Some of the sprites there leaned away from his approach, ever wary and awed by his size. Jacob had grown even larger since the first time many of them saw him (something Bowman might never let him live down).

"Um, Lord Cerul, sir," Jacob greeted haltingly, fixing his eyes on the one-winged sprite. If Wellwood had a leader, this sprite was it. "I heard what happened. I'm going to do what I can to help. Did you, uh. Notice anything when the nestlings vanished?"

Eyes the color of tarnished gold stared up at him steadily. Cerul shook his head and sighed. "Nothing," he admitted, and Jacob was surprised. Cerul was one of two wood sprites that Jacob knew with an ability they called the Voice. He would be the most likely to have felt magic closing in on the village.

Jacob's mouth twisted in a frown, but then he turned to look back towards Bowman's home tree. "Well … we'll find something to help us know what to look for. I'm going to call Dean and Sam Winchester back to Wellwood, too."

Bowman was already dragging something out of his front door, the gleaming white of a business card visible from several feet away. Cerul nodded absently. "Thank you, Jacob," he said. Bowman took flight as they watched. "We've been at a loss so far. The mothers … they can't tell me anything but their own anguish."

Jacob clenched his jaw and held a hand out for Bowman again as he approached. We'll find them. There has to be some kind of sign left over.

"Here's the card," Bowman announced as he landed.

Jacob glanced over the information printed on the card while he dug his cell phone from his pocket. On any other day, he might have joked about the dark green ink Bowman had used to cross out the name John Bonham printed on the card and scripted in Dean and Sam Winchester instead.

Today, he didn't have time to joke around. He typed out the phone number with a thumb and pressed Call.

Wellwood needed all the allies it could find.

A/N

The third and final season of Brothers Apart has officially begun!

This story is a longer one, and you'll be seeing a lot of action for these boys! Sam and Dean are summoned back to Wellwood only to discover that their old friends are facing a crisis, where the sprite children are going missing, one by one.

Will the boys be able to get to the bottom of the case? Will Bowman hold in the snark when he encounters Dean again? Stay tuned to find out!

Story cowritten by PL1, the creator of the Wellwood sprites and Jacob Andris!

Beta read by creatorofuniverses on tumblr.

Leave us a review to let us know what you think!

Next: June 7th, 2020 at 9pm