Disclaimer: I still don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…I'm still just having fun!

Heart of the Protector

Chapter 10 – Lone Wolf

The nymph screamed in frustration. She knew that she had to be close; she had sensed the hunter and knew that he would be a danger to Dean. Dean must have been hurt, because she had lost contact with him. For the first time in her long life, she began to wonder if she was doing the right thing. She had always done whatever was necessary for her to protect those in her care. That is what she was created to do…and yet, perhaps there was something more important than her task.

She shook her head, now was not the time to be second guessing her decisions. She had to find Dean and quickly before it was too late. Once she found him, there would be time to re-evaluate her decision to use Dean.

ooooooooo

The hunter moved cautiously through the woods, heading for the spot where he had seen the wolf fall. Another trophy for his collection…the hunter smiled, of course he would have to hide it from the law, shooting wolves in this area of the country was illegal. But that didn't bother the man. He enjoyed the hunt and the feeling of power that went along with it.

As the hunter approached the spot, he stopped and kicked at the dirt in frustration. The wolf had gotten away! Bending down to examine the ground closer, he smiled again…he found blood which meant that the wolf was wounded. He would just have to track him down and finish the job.

ooooooooo

Dean had come to shortly after he had fallen, a burning pain in his shoulder where the bullet had grazed him. He decided that he needed to get out of here before the idiot with the gun came looking for him. He felt anger towards the man; for the first time, he could understand the nymph's anger. This hunter had broken the law and deserved to be punished…but Dean still did not believe in his heart that the punishment should be death.

Dean noticed that he was leaving a bloody trail. The hunter in him knew that he had to find a way to disguise his trail. He knew exactly what he needed to do, he headed for the small stream that he remembered seeing on the map. Dean's limp became more pronounced and he started to feel dizzy, probably from the loss of blood. He sighed with relief when he reached the stream.

Dean walked into the shallow stream and began moving upstream. He knew that the hunter would not be able to follow his tracks. He was also hoping that the cold water would help staunch the blood flowing from the wound. "Man, I never realized before how useful hands could be!" Dean thought as he tried to figure out a way to take care of the wound. Growling in frustration, Dean continued to walk in the stream until he felt like he couldn't go on any longer.

Leaving the stream, Dean realized that he would need to find shelter. Looking around, he saw what looked like a small cave at the base of a rocky incline. Once again, he smelled the air to check for any threat in the area. Sensing none, Dean walked into the small cave, curled up and closed his eyes.

oooooooo

Sam continued to follow Dean's trail. The only problem was that Sam wasn't sure what he would do when he found his brother. He had to believe that somewhere inside the wolf; his brother still existed and would remember him. Sam's head snapped up as he heard a gun shot in the distance. "Dean!" yelled Sam as he began to run towards the sound.

A short time later, Sam came upon the area that he had heard the gunshot from. He didn't see any sign of his brother or the source of the gunshot. As Sam entered the clearing, he found his brother's trail heading back into the forest. Following the trail once more, Sam stopped when he saw signs of a wounded animal. The blood had to be from the wolf…which meant that Dean was hurt. "Oh God Dean…I don't know what to do!" Sam muttered as he started to follow the trail once more. His concern grew as he noticed a set of human prints following the same trail.

As Sam continued on the trail, he wondered briefly what had happened to the nymph. It was obvious that she had not been able to control Dean…Sam wondered why his brother was able to resist when a demon had not been able to do the same thing. He would need to find the nymph and try again to convince her to restore Dean; he just hoped that she would have the power to reverse the transformation.

Sam jumped as the object of his musings suddenly appeared in front of him. "Hello Sam, I've been waiting or you."

"Where is Dean?" Sam asked, stepping back from her. He didn't want to be transformed like Dean had been.

"I'm sorry Sam, but I can't sense your brother any more. I felt him for a brief time, but he must either be unconscious or dead. I tried to warn him of the danger, but he would not listen to me. I don't understand why he wouldn't listen." The nymph sat down on a nearby log, shaking her head as if this was something she had never experienced before.

"Has anyone else ever been able to resist your mind control?" Sam asked as he continued to scan the area for signs of his brother…Dean couldn't be dead…he had to be lying somewhere injured. If Dean was dead, Sam would know it...he would feel it.

"Not until recently. The demon that I had under my control found a way to block my control for short periods of time. When I felt that he was getting out of hand, I transformed him into a lowly rat…I assumed that he would be no further danger to anyone in that form."

"Believe me, he was able to still gather an army of his buddies and attack me and my brother. You can't just kill a demon by killing the body it inhabits…for lower level demons, you have to behead them and then burn the remains. Otherwise, the demon can just move on to another form."

"How do you know this?" The nymph asked, taking a closer look at the young man standing in front of her.

"Let's just say that it's the family business…my brother and I hunt demons and other creatures that would harm others. Believe me, you shouldn't mess with demons…even lower level ones like this one can be dangerous. They only live to kill and create havoc and they don't care who gets in their way. "

"And how do you see me Sam…am I one of these creatures that you and your brother destroy?"

Sam looked at the nymph, trying to decide the best way to answer this question. He decided that it would be best to be honest with her. "Dean and I came here to find out why hunters were being killed. At first, we thought it was a werewolf causing the problem. But when I was attached by the possessed wolf, we figured that it was a demon creating the problem. To be honest, I'm not quite sure what to think of you. I know that you are neither good nor evil, you were created to do a job…but that job is causing the death of innocent people…we just want to stop the killing."

"I admit that my original intension was not to kill those who hunted. But I can't condone the senseless slaughter of those who live under my protection. Give me another option Sam and I would be happy to stop the killing…on both sides."

Sam sighed as he decided to give the nymph the benefit of the doubt. He sat next to her on the log and considered her request. It was a difficult problem and Sam wasn't sure he was the one to solve it.

"You said before that you understood the need for men to kill for the purpose of survival. Years ago, our ancestors had to kill more of your animals than they do today. Yes, we still hunt but there are laws that were made to protect your animals. Some animals can never be hunted, such as the wolf and the bear. But even with the others, there are limits as to the number that can be killed. I realize it is not a perfect solution, but it is the best we can offer for now."

"And what of those who do not follow your laws…what if I were to tell you that your brother was shot by a hunter who even now continues to search for him. Would you kill this man to protect your brother?"

"Only if there was no other alternative. I would first try to stop him and then turn him over to the police…it is not my job to judge this man or to determine his fate. But if there were no other way, then I would kill him." Sam wasn't sure that the nymph would be able to understand the subtle differences between killing only when there was no other choice. She appeared to see things in simple black and white...her animals were in danger, so she killed. It accomplished the job and she had probably never seen any reason to look for another alternative.

"I think I understand what you are trying to say Sam, but I'm not sure that I understand how this will help me protect those who are under my care. I will consider what you have said, but now we must move…we must try to find your brother before it is too late."

Sam stood and followed the nymph as she headed upstream.

TBC

Raven524: Here is the next chapter…hope you all enjoy it!