Chapter 29
-oOo-

Dean looked around the fairly small and irregular shaped grassy glade he was in, deciding it was as good a place as any to wait for Sam. He didn't expect to be waiting for too long, he knew Sam would put those long legs to good use and he would also have the benefit of being guided by both the relatively clear werewolf tracks and by Dean's own fresher and even more obvious tracks. Spotting a collection of limestone boulders, Dean squidged and squelched his way over to them. Closer inspection suggested that he was looking at the remaining three foot long section of what may have once been part of a longer limestone boundary wall back in the day but which had collapsed over time. Dean could see bits and pieces of fallen limestone hunks strewn here and there, camouflaged amongst the long grass by patches of velvety dark green moss, the same lush looking moss that was happily working on covering the last remaining upright portion of wall. Currently the standing section consisted of three layers of limestone rocks, although Dean could see that once upon a time the wall had been higher. Right now, however, it was the perfect height for him to sit down, take his boot off, empty it of water and grab the opportunity to wring out his saturated sock while he was waiting.

Although the clown trail, (as Sam couldn't help but think of it now) took him through forest that was less jungle like and overgrown than the section Sam had previously been attempting to track the werewolf through, the simple fact of him being so tall meant he still needed to dodge and duck while he, quite literally, followed in his brothers footsteps. Despite continually having to watch his head, Sam was able to move much more freely, far quicker and, to his relief, more easily along this trail. High above him, the tree canopy was also less dense, allowing the moon's rays to pierce through to ground level and provide Sam with light enough to see by and comfortably keep on moving without the need to utilise his flash-light.

Forests are places which are never still, time and seasons sculpt and change them, strong winds bring down trees, every spring brings new growth, each autumn lays a new carpet on the ground, summer might see sections razed by fire, long periods of heavy rain can change the course of waterways, move rocks and wash away trails. None of it mattered to the werewolf. Familiarity with the circuit it was following let the predator move with confidence and sure-footedness, maintaining a continuous run while twisting and turning it's supple body to thread deftly around, under and over the forests numerous natural obstacles.

The monster didn't need to follow it's current trajectory, it knew there were any number of alternative, more direct, ways through the forest to reach the road, but still the creature repeatedly chose this route above any other, and for one reason only. It was by travelling in this particular direction that the werewolf had come to experience the unparalleled primal ecstasy of slaughtering and feasting on human flesh for the first time.

Spooned comfortably up against his girlfriend's back, Tyler's soft snores made
Penny smile. It was one of the differences between her and Tyler. He generally
fell asleep after sex, while she was most often left feeling awake and alert. She
didn't mind so much though. The things he did to her during sex, how he made
her feel? It more than made up for his almost immediate need to sleep. It was
Penny's first time camping. She'd never really fancied the idea but Tyler had
been persistent, swearing she would enjoy it until, finally, she had given in. A
consummate city girl, being surrounded by forest put her a long way outside
her comfort zone. She had been surprised to discover that food cooked over a
smokey open fire tasted way better than her usual pre-packed ready meals.
After Tyler zipped their sleeping bags together, Penny then discovered that
sex within the confines of a sleeping bag was fun. Afterwards, when at home,
she would often be up and moving around, but here nothing was familiar. Not
the sounds, not the smells, not the darkness. She had never realised before how
comforting something so mundane as street lights were. And so she stayed right
where she was, wrapped securely in Tyler's arms, hidden safely within the tent.

She had heard something, it had sounded like someone
moving around in the clearing. Nervous, worried, she'd
woken Tyler, but everything was quiet by then. He'd tried
reassuring her but it hadn't worked. So Tyler went outside
to prove to Penny no one was out there, that it was all ok.

Traumatised, terrified, Penny had spent the remainder of that night huddled
in the back corner of the tent crying silent tears. When she finally dared crawl
out at dawn, she quickly averted her gaze from the wide scar of blood that led
away from the clearing. Half running, half stumbling, still sobbing, desperate to
get out of the forest, she somehow finally found herself back at the road, though
not at the same section where Tyler had parked his car. Penny would always be
grateful to the salesman who, when she staggered muddy and hysterical onto
the road ahead of his vehicle, both managed to swerve to avoid hitting her and
then pulled over to ask if she needed help. It was after two further deaths that,
despite there being no body, Tyler Doyle was officially declared dead. He was
forever recorded as Victim #1 of the serial killer who came to be known as the
"Moonlight Murderer"

The sublimely intense thrill of taking and devouring human food animals never dwindle and the clearing that was so popular with campers had proven fruitful for the creature again and again. By the time humans stopped using that area, the werewolf had already extended it's circuit beyond the confines of the forest while searching for other, additional, sources of human prey on which to gorge itself. Tonight it was the monster's desirous intent to use the human town as it's stalking ground.

Dean wriggled his toes back into his wrung out sock, grimacing as the cold damp sock squeaked it's way over his cold damp foot. Next came the battle of the boot, damp foot, damp sock, into wet leather boot. Heaving and tugging he cursed his own foot.
"Get...In...There...You sonova...Ha! I win!"

Triumphant, he tied up his laces. With nothing to do now except wait, he gazed up at the stars shining within the patch of clear sky directly above the glade. The full moon's brightness reduced how many stars were visible to the naked eye but Dean was able to pick out the red hue of Mars and a portion of the constellation that was Orion. Both he and Sam had been taught about the different stars and constellations by their dad, though with John Winchester it was nothing to do with their beauty and everything to do with direction and navigation. Smiling a little at the thought of his dad, Dean closed his eyes and let himself tune in to the night-time sounds of the forest.

A second werewolf's nostrils flared. Coming to a halt it was instantly attentive and alert. Raising it's snout into the air, the creature inhaled deeply through it's nose, then took a step backwards, detecting a familiarity within the scent that belonged neither to itself nor to it's companion. The scent triggered flashes of imagery. A clearing. Two human males. A fire being put out. A tent. Charred meat being thrown amongst the trees. The monster's eyes narrowed, it's brow furrowed and a low rumble began deep in the beast's throat. The humans, at least one of them, had returned and ventured back into it's territory. Quieting it's own growl the werewolf made it's decision. It moved off, continuing to follow the path it had taken the previous night however, the way in which it now proceeded was subtly altered. On all fours, it's movements changed into something far more deliberate. Every step the monster took was measured, purposeful; geared towards achieving maximum efficiency with minimal disturbance as it began to stalk down the owner of the human scent.

Sam turned his wrist until the moon's light illuminated the face of his watch. He had continued to make good progress and, in his own mind, Sam felt pretty certain that he shouldn't be that far off now from catching up with his older brother, especially if Dean had been sensible for a change and decided to stay put and wait for him. Right now Sam sincerely hoped that's exactly what Dean had done as Sam's lifetime's experience as a Hunter suddenly starting to nudge and poke at him. A 360 degree visual scan revealed nothing obvious, nothing that was suddenly out of place and yet, Sam could sense that something had changed. He felt uneasy, tense, exposed. Something did feel different, threatening, and Sam had the awful, heart pounding sensation that said something was beginning to close in on him.

-oOo-
Till next time, *evil cackle*
Chick xxxx