Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm still just having fun!
Summary: A routine hunt leads the boys into trouble in the deep Minnesota woods. WARNING POSSIBLE SPOILERS – story is set some time post Devil's Trap and may refer to things that happened anytime during the first Season.
Raven524: Thanks again to all those who have read and especially to those who take the time to review my previous stories. I hope you like the new one…just drop me a line and let me know what you think!
Heart of the Protector
Chapter 1 – Hunt Gone Bad
The woods were too quiet. Dean looked towards his right and saw his brother moving quietly beside him. Dean knew that the lack of noise meant the werewolf was most likely somewhere in the vicinity. Dean paused as he listened, a slight rustling sound to his left catching his attention. He motioned noiselessly to Sam to follow as the two hunters closed in on their prey.
They had been hunting this werewolf for the past week. Sam had come across the newspaper article that described the unusual number of hunters who had been killed in the dense woods of this remote area of Minnesota. After doing some research and talking to some of the locals, all evidence indicated that a werewolf had taken up residence in the woods.
A menacing growl was the only warning the two boys had before the great wolf launched from the dense brush just ahead of them. Before Dean could react, the wolf was on Sam knocking his brother onto his back. "Sammy!" Dean yelled as he took aim at the wolf.
Dean could see the flash of white teeth and heard the screams of his brother as the wolf clawed at Sam. Dean emptied his gun into the beast, but could not get a clear shot at the wolf's heart without risking hitting his brother. Sam and the wolf continued their life and death struggle as Dean grabbed a tree branch and approached the wolf. He hit the wolf with the tree branch, hoping to dislodge it from his brother. But all that did was enrage the beast further.
Dean watched in horror as the wolf snapped near Sam's exposed throat. Sam anticipating the animal's intent put his arm into the wolf's jaws and pushed back with all his strength…Dean heard the bone snap and cringed at his brother's scream. "Sammy! Hold on…I'm coming!"
Dean launched himself at the wolf, grabbing it around the throat and tried to wrestle it off of his younger brother. "Sammy work with me here…push him off!"
Sam heard his brother's plea through the fog of pain. He pulled his legs up and placing them against the ribs of the wolf, he pushed with all his strength. As he felt the animal roll off of him, Sam immediately rolled away; pulling his gun and aiming for the heart…he pulled the trigger.
The wolf yelled in rage as it disappeared into the brush. But not before Sam caught a flash of yellow in the wolf's eyes. Sam groaned as he tried to get to his feet. He had seen Dean thrown into the bushes by the wolf just before Sam shot him. "Dean…Dean are you ok?" Sam called.
There was no answer. Sam struggled to his feet, swaying with dizziness from the pain of his wounds. He moved towards where he had seen his brother thrown. Keeping a wary eye for the possessed wolf, Sam walked carefully through the brush. He paused as he heard a low moan from directly in front of him. Sam pushed the brush aside and was astonished to see a deep hole in front of him. "Dean…are you down there?" Sam called, reaching into his back pocket for a flashlight.
"Man, watch that first step!" Dean called as Sam's light found his brother's body. Dean was laying on the ground of a vertical cave. The walls were smooth from erosion and it looked like Dean was laying in water that must have gathered from the recent rain.
"Dude are you ok?" Sam asked, trying to figure out a way to get his brother out of the hole. The nearest rope would be back at the cabin they had rented, a mile back in the woods.
"Just peachy and you?" Dean asked sarcastically as he stood in the narrow space looking up at the worried face of his younger brother. "Seriously Sam, I'm fine. A few scrapes and a bump on the head…but otherwise I'm just fine."
"Dean…do you think you can climb out?" Sam asked.
"I don't think so Sam…I don't see any footholds and the walls are too far apart." Dean hated feeling helpless, especially when he knew that his brother needed him. He knew that Sam had to be in bad shape and was probably just remaining conscious through sheer force of will.
Sam looked around, but couldn't see any other way to get his brother out of the hole. "I'm going to have to go back to the cabin and get some rope Dean…will you be ok?"
"Sam…what happened to the werewolf? You know that we need to treat your wounds to prevent the werewolf virus from infecting you…just forget about me. You need to get help for yourself!" Dean knew he was talking to a brick wall…when it came to protecting his back, Sam could be tenacious.
"Dean…don't worry. I don't think it was a werewolf…I hit it directly in the heart with a silver bullet and it just ran off. If it was a werewolf, it would have been killed." Sam tried to stand one more time, getting ready to make the long hike back to the cabin.
"Sammy…if it wasn't a werewolf, what was it?" Dean asked, now even more worried that Sam was alone, unprotected with an unknown supernatural being on the loose.
Sam sighed, he didn't want to worry his brother, but he knew that he needed to know, just in case Sam didn't make it back. "Dean…the eyes were yellow…we're dealing with some form of demon possession."
"Damn it Sammy…you get back to that cabin and stay there…I mean it. I will figure out a way out of this mess. I mean it Sammy….Sammy?" Dean kicked at the rock at his foot in aggravation. He knew that his kid brother was on his way back to the cabin and would return. Hell he would do the same thing if the situation was reversed. But Dean just couldn't stand not being able to protect his brother.
Knowing it would take some time for Sam to return, Dean found a dry area in the small cave and did the only thing he could do. He sat down with his back up against the wall and waited.
As he sat there trying not to notice the cold, Dean started to hum his favorite Metallica tune. The quiet of the cave and the woods surrounding it was unnerving. While the protector in him wanted Sam to stay in the cabin where he would be safe…part of Dean hoped that Sam would hurry back.
Sam groaned as he fell once again onto the forest floor. His head was swimming and his vision was beginning to get cloudy. He knew that he was losing blood, but he was afraid if he stopped, he wouldn't be getting up again. At least the sun was starting to come up. It made it easier for Sam to pick his way through the dense underbrush. He stood once more and started towards the cabin.
If he pushed, he should be able to get there within the next hour. That is if his body didn't give out on him. Sam thought about the wolf that attacked them. He now knew that it was possessed and by the color of the eyes, it appeared to be possession by some type of demon. That meant they would have to behead the animal to kill it. Guns were useless. What he couldn't figure out was why the wolf had run away.
Sam stopped and leaned against a tree, trying to catch his breath. He smiled as he saw the cabin. Sam moved as quickly as his injuries would allow towards the cabin. Once inside, he took a moment to look at his injuries. He knew that if he didn't stop the bleeding and at least immobilize his arm, he would not be able to make it back to help Dean.
Grabbing the first aid kit, Sam quickly poured disinfectant on the open wounds, gritting his teeth against the pain. He wouldn't be able to splint his arm by himself, but he wrapped a bandage around the open wound. He made a make shift sling out of the bandages and immobilized his arm the best he could. Finally, he grabbed some water and downed some of the pain pills that they always kept on hand.
Next Sam went out to the Impala and opening the trunk he grabbed the rope and attached a machete around his waist. Sam looked up and was surprised that it was already getting to be close to noon. He had to hurry if he wanted to get there before nightfall. He knew that he wasn't in any shape to face the possessed animal.
As Sam started back into the woods, he felt a sharp pain in his head. Falling to his knees, Sam groaned. "Not now…please!" But before Sam could finish the sentence, he pitched forward, unconscious.
TBC
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