"Looks like some sort of dog tracks, but different some how. The pad prints are elongated and there only appears to be one set, whereas a canine would leave two sets; front and back. This looks like the animal was only using it's hind legs." Jim commented
Looking up at Jim, Grissom pursed his lips and replied as Jim continued to wander, but at a slower pace, now. After about fifty or so yards, Jim knelt down beside the prints and called back to Grissom who was still snapping pictures.
"Hey, Gil, catch a look at this. The prints have changed. Now they look more like human footprints; heel, arch,
rolling to the ball and toe...this is freaky."
Snapping pics as he approached Jim, Gil gasped as he photographed evidence from where he had been to where Jim stood. The pics showed clear progression from the animal type prints to the more human looking prints. Standing up and adjusting the neck strap of his camera around his neck, he spoke softly as he looked down at the prints at his feet.
"Lycanthrope"
"Bless you." Jim said in response
Glaring over at Jim, Gil elaborated.
"I didn't sneeze, I said Lycanthrope...werewolf"
"There's no such thing as werewolves. They're just myth and urban legend." Jim said in even tones
"Then how do you suppose to explain the change in progression of these prints? It wasn't some barefoot guy walking a two legged dog, Jim. The prints are consistent and uninterrupted." Grissom said as he walked past Jim deeper into the woods
Through underbrush and overgrowth both Jim and Gil walked carefully beside the prints and as Jim looked around Grissom took in a deep breath of the slightly blowing wind. The smell of rotting and decaying flesh having gained both Jim and Gil's attention, they followed their noses as Gil radioed back to Sara as to their whereabouts. Jim's face scrunched up and he covered his nose while Gil pulled the neckline of his shirt up over his nose to cover up the rankness of the air. Jim could tell that they were nearing the lake and as a break came to the tree line, Grissom went in one direction as Jim went in another. As Jim stood by the shoreline Gil found something most disturbing. Calling out to Jim, he snapped pictures of the pile of bones and shredded corpses of forest creatures great and small. Jim arrived at Gil's side and after a few seconds, he stiffened up and pointed to the far side of the pile.
"You see that, looks like a human leg. See the tip of the femur?...right leg, maybe."
Aiming his lens at the spot that Jim had pointed to, Gil snapped more photos as he stepped closer to the pile. He circled the mass of bones and took snaps from every conceivable angle. For some he was crouched and leaning inward and for others, he was nearly right on top of the site. Jim stood back, still cringing as he watched Gil doing his thing.
"You want I should call Greg or Sara?" Jim asked "No, we're fine." Gil said softly "You may be fine, but I'm about to lose my lunch." Jim retorted "We haven't had lunch yet, Jim"
"You know what I mean. This is gross. I've seen a lot in my time, but this is just plain foul." Jim replied
"Death is never pretty, Jim. No matter the mode, manner or cause, death is always tragic and unnerving; especially in a situation such as this." Gil said thoughtfully
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Back at the primary scene, Greg and Sara were still photographing and cataloging the bits of clothing and such. Into bindles and zip-lock bags they placed snips of shredded tent, and other non-biological material. The bits of flesh and other body bits went into the baggies and sealed with date, time and signature of the person who collected it.
Having finished their scene, Greg and Sara went in search of Jim and Gil, setting off in their last known direction. Approximately two hundred yards from the initial scene, Greg spotted something out from under the overgrowth of some sort of ivy that covered a large cluster of rocks. Nudging Sara, he pointed to what he'd just seen. Pulling out her walkie, Sara radioed Grissom who was still snapping photos when his walkie went off.
"Grissom, this is Sara. Greg and I might have found something."
Pulling the communication device from his pocket, he replied.
"Good. Jim and I found something as well. Where are you"
"We're about two hundred yards northeast of the primary scene, near a large cluster of rocks."
"Ok, we'll be there in a few minutes"
"Sure thing. We'll be waiting."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Jim and Gil set out in search of Greg and Sara and after a few minutes Jim spotted Greg standing guard near the afore mentioned rock cluster. Walking up to them, Gil and Jim tread very softly until they all stood in a small circle outside the medium sized enclosure of the rocks. Pointing inside, Sara enlightened them all as to what she'd seen inside.
"It looks like someone has been camping out in there. Its empty now, but there's a matting of leaves and pine needles as well as some old bones. They've been there for a while, at least that's what it looks like. They also seem to have teeth marls on them...too big for a rodent or some such other woodland critter, but more like a dog or larger animal. I bagged them and took pictures of the inside." she explained
Stepping past Sara and into the hovel, Grissom pulled out his flashlight and shone the beam around. On the walls, if that's what you'd call them, there was dried blood, but it was all near the ground. There was no blood higher than six inches from the ground, thusly ruling out arterial spray. The blood was post mortem blood spatter like that of some creature vigorously feeding on it's prey. The way a wet dog would shake the water or rain from it's coat, this creature ravaged its meal and the still warm blood ended up on the ground and low side of the cave wall. Opposite the bloody wall he could see the matting that Sara had mentioned. It definitely looked as if something made it's home there. Taking some pictures of his own, he backed out of the hole and stood straight up,
his back cracking a bit in the process.
Looking around at his colleagues, Grissom scratched his head and let out a sigh. Turning to Jim, he grinned.
"Still think Lycanthropes are myth?" he said, gesturing for Jim to have a look at the inside