A/N: Wow! I wasn't expecting such a huge response for my first Supernatural piece, but I'm glad that people are enjoying my work. Please keep the responses coming, I love to read them, they truly make my day, or in this case night. Anyhow, thanks to all those who took the time to leave a note, I appreciate it! On with the next chapter!

Chapter 2

Dean fell into step behind Ron as the man made his way out to the truck to retrieve the tent. A cautious Sam walked behind. The young man had fallen into an eerie silence ever since arriving and Dean was beginning to get suspicious. His baby brother sensed that something wasn't quite right, and Dean believed it. There was definitely something dark and creepy about this river and these woods, he just didn't know what. Not yet anyway.

They had come up on the two vehicles parked one behind the other and Ron let out a low whistle of admiration as he eyed Dean's Impala shining in the moonlight.

"Is she yours?" Ron questioned.

"She sure is." Dean said proudly.

"You must be proud of her."

"You better believe it." Dean said.

Ron climbed into the box of his truck and searched around for a few moments before coming across the unused tent and handing it over the edge to Dean, who took it gently, being careful not to knock anyone out.

The man jumped down from the back of the truck and landed with silent gracefulness as though he'd done it hundreds of times before. Dean nodded approvingly and turned to face Sam, who had his eyes focused on scanning the forest for any signs of danger.

"So, about this Whooper. Has there been any proof of his existence?" Sam asked suddenly, his voice hauntingly hollow in the dense darkness.

"Sam, it's just a legend, nobody has any proof of it. I know that Tyler sounded pretty sure of himself, but I assure you, he doesn't have a lick of evidence supporting his claim to seeing the Whooper. I was with him and I didn't see anything. He saw a flash in the woods near dusk and automatically labeled it as the Whooper. He's paranoid, but he's a good guy."

"Have you ever been to the gravesite?" Sam questioned, his voice still hollow.

"No. I don't have any reason to go that far back in the woods. I have all the fish I want right in that river near our campsite. I don't even know if there really is grave."

"I do. There is a grave, and the Whooper does exist. I know what I saw, Ron. I saw a young man who was mutilated beyond recognition and he was heading straight for me with this look of pure madness on his face. The ghost doesn't only exist, but he's crazy as hell. He's real." Tyler's voice pierced the darkness and made all three men jump.

"Tyler, you don't know squat. You could've seen anything that day; you were so hyped up on whatever that doctor had you on after your accident. You shouldn't have even come with us. You're the one who chose to go against the Doc's orders. The simple truth of it all is that I didn't see what you saw." Ron said, his voice quietly scolding.

"I saw what I saw." Tyler replied, but his voice had become hushed and uncertain.

Dean and Sam watched the rivaling exchange between the two men, but kept out of it. They didn't have any right poking around someone's personal life. It wasn't their job, their job was much more testing, and proved to be much more dangerous than getting on the wrong end of a feud.

Tyler and Ron stopped exchanging arguments when they caught sight of the two men accompanying them, both of whom looked more than a little uncomfortable. Ron smiled tightly and began to walk back down the trail to the campsite where Gray was still waiting next to the fire.

"You can set up over there." Ron pointed to a spot next to one of the main tents.

"Thanks again for this." Dean replied.

"Don't mention it, we're just glad we could help." Ron smiled and came over to give his assistance.

Fifteen minutes later, the tent was up and all were sitting around the campfire talking happily. There was no sign of anything strange and unusual in these woods, maybe all of the tales were simply stories and nothing more, maybe the Whooper didn't exist.

"I think I'm gonna turn in." Sam replied quietly and made to get up.

Dean stopped him with a gentle grasp of his wrist. "You feeling okay, Sammy?"

Sam nodded, but his face looked pale in the silver moon and Dean was a little nervous about how weird his baby brother had been acting ever since turning into the road.

"I'm fine Dean, just tired." Sam brushed the concerned question off and bade goodnight to all those sitting around the fire before vanishing into the tent. There was a bit of movement behind the canvas walls and then nothing, but silence as the youngest Winchester settled in for the night.

"Is there something wrong?" Tyler asked after the silence had fallen. He kept his voice at a whisper so Sam couldn't hear the words being exchanged.

"I dunno." Dean replied quietly, his eyes lingering on the tent before turning back to the fire where he gazed deep into the flames that danced and crackled in the night.


Acouple of hours, perhaps less, after Dean had finally left the fireside to settle down for the night, he awoke with no explanation as to why. The first thing he did was turn to the spot where Sam had been sleeping quietly when last he checked.

To his astonishment, his brother was nowhere to be seen. The sleeping bag that Sam had been occupying was wrinkled and empty, thrown in a heap in the far corner. The door was open and flapping in the slight breeze that chilled the night, but other than that, all seemed well.

The only thing was, it wasn't well. Sammy was gone, and Dean had no idea where. He brushed the sleep from his eyes, staggered to his feet, and immediately exited the tent. He squinted into the dark night, which seemed even darker than it had when he went to bed. That wasn't very hard to comprehend though, after all, some time had passed since Dean was last outside.

His squinting did nothing for his vision however, because he couldn't see Sam anywhere. The only things he could see were the shadows of the forest as the trees reached skyward and the dark, snakelike river twisting among the riverbanks.

"Sam!" Dean yelled into the night, his voice echoed through the trees and ghosted away on the breeze. He received no response.

"Sammy! Sammy, where are you?" Dean called again, his voice taking on a desperate edge.

He looked anxiously around and then instantly made his way to Ron's tent where he knocked his hand against the canvas walls.

"Ron! Ron, wake up." Dean called. Normally he didn't like to interfere with anyone's sleep, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

The sound of movement inside made Dean's heart jump hopefully. The tent door was opened and a very tired looking Ron poked his head out.

"What is it? What's wrong?" The man asked, his voice rattled wearily in his throat, but Dean felt no guilt, his baby brother was missing.

"Sammy's gone." Dean replied urgently.

"Gone? Where'd he go?"

"I don't know, I was hoping you would."

"No, I haven't seen him since he went to bed."

"Shit!" Dean said sharply, his eyes flashed worriedly in the moonlight.

"We'll help you find him." Ron said quickly, then turned back inside the tent.

"Tyler! Gray! Get your asses out of bed, one of the boys are missing." Ron yelled. There were mumbled replies, but nobody moved.

"Damn it, get up!" Ron shouted.

Grumbled replies, and then there was movement. The two men stumbled out of their sleeping bags and outside where Ron and Dean were waiting anxiously.

"What is it?" Gray asked in annoyance.

"Dean's brother is missing. I told him that we'd help look for him." Ron replied matter-of-factly.

"Missing?" Tyler questioned.

"Yes!" Dean replied urgently and cast a glance around the camping area.

"Dean, we'll help you find him, don't worry, he couldn't have gotten very far." Ron said in an attempt to soothe the young man's worry.

"I'll get the flashlights." Tyler replied and disappeared back into the tent, emerging a few moments later with three flashlights. He handed one to Ron, and then to Gray.

"What's this for?" Gray asked, his voice sharp.

"Light. If we're going to help find Sam, we need light." Tyler replied.

"He's not my responsibility, I didn't even want them to stay. If you want to find him so bad, why don't you do it?" Gray said.

Dean lunged forward and grabbed the man's shirt collar. His eyes flashed angrily as he stared the older man down.

"My brother is missing, damn it! If it were your brother, you'd want help too." Dean said, his voice was cutting and filled with anger, as his grip remained closed tightly around the material he held.

"I don't have a brother, I have a sister, and she's not stupid enough to wander Whooper woods at night. If your brother is, then it's your problem, not mine." Gray snapped.

Dean made to punch Gray for speaking about his brother in that way, but Ron's hand stopped him. Dean turned flashing eyes on Ron and kept stonily silent as he waited for an explanation.

"Forget it, Dean, Tyler and I will help you look. We'll find your brother." Ron spoke, his voice eerily calm.

Dean shoved Gray back and the man stumbled a bit before regaining his balance and staring daggers in Dean's direction. Gray's face was angrily flashing and his jaw worked as though he was trying to say something, but couldn't.

With a final stare, Dean turned away and took the flashlight that Tyler offered him.

"We'll start down by the river, that'd be the most likely place to find him." Tyler said and led the way to the water's edge where they shone their lights up and down the land. Dean's light hovered over a spot on the ground and he knelt. Footprints were indented in the dark mud and they led into the river.

"Here." Dean replied, pointing to the footprints.

"They Sam's?" Ron questioned.

"I don't know, but they look about the right size."

"It looks like he went into the river." Tyler stated.

"He likely went across the river." Ron added. He shone his light to the other side of the bank and scanned the area.

A flash of movement darted across the beam and Ron jumped slightly.

"There, what is that?" Tyler questioned as he as well locked his eyes on the opposite side of the river. A dark shadow was moving slowly and silently down the riverbank and into the forest.

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"I dunno, but it just went down the trail to Dead Boy's spring." Ron whispered.

"Then we're going too." Dean said evenly, he stepped into the river and gasped as the cold water sliced through his jeans and the current tugged at his legs.

He pushed his way through the water, which never went past his waist and pulled himself out on the other side. A sweep of his flashlight behind him let him know that Ron and Tyler were following. He cast his light to the trail the shadow had moved into and a glimmer of white caught his eye. He thought back to the previous day, Sam had been wearing a white T-shirt!

"Sammy?" Dean called to the shape. It stopped for a split second then kept going. When Tyler and Ron had come to stand behind him, he began to jog after the white shape. He was comforted when he heard their footfalls running behind him.

Dean once again passed the light he held over the trail in front of him, but was surprised to see nothing there. Not even the flicker of white he had seen hovered in the path ahead, it was only dark. Dean stopped.

"It's gone." He replied. His voice was breathy from running.

Thick silence covered the dark forest and the trees seemed to close in around them. A sweep of the light showed no trail anywhere. As Dean and the others gazed into the dark, the forest seemed to shudder followed by a blood-curdling howl that pierced the night and made everybody's ears ring. The howling continued, sounding like screaming that came from just above their heads. The sound slashed through the trees and echoed around them as they desperately searched for the person or thing that made the noise