The Guard Changed at Dawn
Chapter 15
Sam looked over at Dean, who was asleep on the couch, his arms wrapped loosely around his middle. Onida had draped a couch blanket over his body and he was relaxed and breathing deeply. While his shirt was in shreds and the leg of his jeans in tatters, he was in one piece, and Sam was happy with that.
.
A little earlier…
After Joseph finished cleaning the dirt and grime from Dean's wounds, he pulled out a vial of medicine. "I'm going to give you something for the pain, and an anti-biotic shot. Who knows what pestilence live in those talons," he joked.
"Just go for the anti-biotic, Doc," Dean said. He knew pain killers knocked him out, and he didn't want to be asleep while everyone else was working.
Joseph eyed the man before him and gave a reluctant nod. Dean wasn't a young man, and he truly felt the man needed to sleep for at least an hour after all his body had been through. But he wasn't going to go against a patient's wishes. Of course, he could go around them. Giving a slight smile, he snuck a mild muscle relaxant in with the anti-biotic. It wasn't enough to put Dean out for long, but it would allow him to relax while Onida worked her magic.
Mary pushed herself to her feet with a sly smile. She didn't need to see it happen to know her husband had given the other man something in addition to the anti-biotic. She was quite familiar with how sneaky he could be. Dean would fall asleep shortly, and Mary wanted him in a position to accept rather than fight it. That meant lying down. Leaning over, she gave Dean a pat on the shoulder and said, "Onida is going to work on healing some of this damage. Why don't you lie down so she can sit here," and she pointed to the chair she was vacating. "She's already expended a lot of energy today, and she'll be more comfortable."
Dean gave one last effort to circumvent Onida's magic. "I think Joseph did a good job, and I'm sure his stitches are great." Casting an eye over to where Onida sat, drinking a cup of coffee and eating some bread Mary had found in the kitchens. "Onida should rest and I'll take the stitches."
Mary merely laughed. Giving Dean's hand a comforting pat, she gave his undamaged shoulder a slight push, urging him to lie down.
"It doesn't hurt," Caleb said, then immediately regretted it when Dean went on the defensive.
"I'm not afraid of the pain," Dean declared. "It's just … unknown medicine," he finished feebly.
"She healed my blocks and I'm fine, right?" Caleb reasoned. "Give it a shot … baby," he finished.
Dean glared at his friend and lay down.
A couple minutes later Onida came over and sat down in the chair Mary had vacated. "Just close your eyes and relax," she said. "This won't take long."
Dean eyed her a moment, before he gave a sigh of resignation and closed his eyes.
Onida gave Caleb a humorous smile before closing her own eyes and focusing on healing. She wouldn't have much energy for the task, after having expelled much of her resources on the canvas. She decided to go with healing the ribs first, then focus on the shoulder. If she had anything left, she would do the ankle.
About twenty minutes later Dean was asleep and Onida sat limply beside the couch. "I … need to rest before I can do more," she said, looking up at Caleb, who was hovering nearby. She was pleased she'd been able to repair the damage to his ribs and much of the damage to his shoulder before she had to stop. Rising, Mary led her to another couch in the corner and pushed her down with the order to rest.
"We'll have food here soon, and you can eat," Mary said. "When do you need to get back?"
Onida glanced at the large clock on the wall. "I have another couple of hours."
"Then get some sleep," Mary admonished.
.
Now…
Moving to the large banquet table, Sam poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down near Caleb. He gave one more look over his shoulder at his brother before relaxing into his chair.
"He'll be fine," Caleb said, sipping his own coffee. "Onida did a good job."
"His shoulder still looked pretty raw. Maybe she can do a bit more later."
"Maybe." Caleb took another sip of coffee. A movement off to his left caught his eye, and he watched as JT rose from where he'd been sitting and walked over to his father. He watched Dean for a couple minutes before he sat on the floor near the couch and leaned back, his head resting near his father's legs. "Johnny's still angry."
Sam's eyes went to his nephew. "Yeah. I don't know what to do about that."
"He's worried about his father," Caleb supplied. "I wish I'd thought of calling for him to come. Something he saw on the canvas freaked him out."
"We'll ask, we'll find out what he saw." After a moment, Sam said, "We also need to talk about what Dean told us, about what happened outside."
Caleb nodded and pulled his eyes away from his godson. "Yeah, okay. Let's get Joshua."
As if he knew that Caleb and Sam were talking about him, Joshua looked up.
Caleb gave a small head jerk in the direction of the door.
Joshua excused himself from his conversation with Mary and headed for the hallway, Sam and Caleb on his heels.
"So Dean said he could outrun the witches?" Sam asked once they were in the empty hall. He was trying to wrap his head around Dean's reveal.
"More like he could keep ahead of them, right?" Joshua looked to Caleb
"I think those were his exact words," Caleb recalled.
"There's a difference?" Sam asked, frowning.
"I believe it has to do with the Guardian mind, perceptions and metaphysics," Joshua said thoughtfully. "Both Dean and JT said they could see the witches running like they were under water, or in slow motion. If the witches are using a metaphysical ability to get from point A to point B without being seen, I think Dean's Guardian brain can see them."
"But how would that translate to being able to stay ahead of them?" Sam asked.
"Maybe they're not moving as fast as we think they are," Joshua suggested.
Caleb nodded thoughtfully, "Or maybe there's a time-bend element to their blurring that doesn't affect the Guardian."
"It might explain the witches being able to move without anyone seeing," Joshua offered.
Sam frowned, thinking over the issue. It didn't make sense, because Dean was as physical as they came. He didn't have a metaphysical bone in his body … unless he did via the water. Because seriously, how could Dean actually have water in his head, and how could he control the water?
Caleb smiled at the perplexed look on Sam's face, and knew the Scholar in him was trying to reason out something that probably couldn't be reasoned. "I don't know that we're going to figure this out, young Skywalker. So much of who the Guardian is and what he can do is a mystery."
A rueful smile appeared on Sam's face. "Yeah, I guess. Also, what about Dean manipulating the water on the witch's cheek? He said she was off him in a flash and kept pawing at her face as if trying to get the Guardian power off."
"Guardian power is different," Joshua said. "The witches are used to elemental power, like from Onida, like from the sun and the earth. Guardian power is magical and alchemic. Maybe that's their kryptonite."
"That could be why they're after Dean," Caleb said. "They know he's different than Onida, and they're afraid."
At that moment the front doors of the building opened and Samuel walked in followed by several other people carrying platters of food.
"Wow," Caleb said moving forward. "Smells great. Do you need any help?"
Samuel smiled and shook his head. "We've got it covered. Let's head into the banquet room and get this feast going."
The three trailed Samuel and the others back into the banquet and meeting room. Soon there was a buzz of action that brought everyone over to the table. Caleb learned that the folks who brought the food were from a local diner called I-Saplíl Xláam, which when translated was The Bread Basket. The restaurant was located on the reservation, and was patronized mainly by locals. They specialized in several different types of Native American breads, sandwiches and savory pies, as well as numerous selections of pastries and desserts.
Joshua moved around the table to stand near Ryker and Max, who were ogling the bounty a few yards away from JT and James.
Sam was pleased at the prospect of sampling foods that were native to the Yakama people. Walking over to the couch, he intended to wake his brother until he got closer. Dean appeared to be sleeping soundly despite the noise in the room. That was always an indication that he was very tired.
"Wow," Caleb said, coming over to Sam, his eyes on the table. "There's so much food there, I don't know where to start."
"You're as bad as Dean," Sam stated with a smile.
"Who's as bad?"
Sam turned around and saw that Dean was awake and rubbing at his eyes.
"Caleb is as bad as you when food is around," Sam stated, sitting beside his brother. "You feeling better?"
Dean yawned and pushed himself upright. "I felt fine before, but now my shoulder doesn't hurt."
"How's your leg?"
Dean flexed his ankle and winced slightly. "It'll hold." Looking at all the commotion around the table, he asked, "What's to eat?"
"I don't know. How about we check it out?" Sam stood and reached down, pulling his brother to his feet. He kept his grip a fraction longer while Dean stabilized his balance on his wounded leg.
The long banquet table was filled with cast iron pans of cornbread, serving bowls full of buffalo stew, roasted chicken and elk, plates of dried meats that were like jerky, and succotash. In addition to the cornbread, there were several other types of breads; acorn bread, bean bread, frye bread and pueblo bread. Additional plates of vegetables and numerous pastries gave off wonderful savory aromas.
"Wow," Dean said. He moved over and sat next to JT, rubbing a comforting hand across his son's back.
Caleb smiled when he saw the tension in JT's shoulders visibly diminish, the soothing touch of his father easing earlier hurts.
Samuel introduced the group to the main Native American dishes one by one. "And this," he said, pointing toward a couple pitchers, "is Tiswin. It's a lightly fermented beverage also called fruit beer."
"Pass it over," Dean stated, motioning for the pitcher to be passed his way.
"I don't know if we should be having anything alcoholic," Sam said. "We've got a fight on our hands tomorrow."
Dean looked offended. "It's fruit, Sam. I need my veggies."
James and Max laughed outright.
"Fruit isn't vegetables," Sam stated, rolling his eyes.
Samuel smiled at how these men, so focused in battle, could be so relaxed around a table. "The fermentation is very light. No one has gotten drunk yet."
"Then why bother," Dean muttered, pouring himself a glass. He sampled it and said, "It tastes like juice."
"Then you should be fine," Sam smiled. He knew his brother's capacity for alcohol was so high, that getting drunk was a rare if not impossible feat. There were troubling years when Dean had consumed hard liquor daily. Luckily those years were in the past, and the only alcohol he drank nowadays was beer.
"This looks amazing," Max said, partaking of the succotash and cutting a huge piece of cornbread.
While everyone dug in, Caleb went over to where Onida slept. He knew she only had another hour before she needed to get back to the canvas. But while sleep was essential to recovering psychic strength, he knew from his own experience that food was just as important.
Kneeling beside the couch, he gently shook her shoulder. When her eyes blinked open, he smiled. "Hey. Interested in some food?"
A sleepy smile spread across Onida's face. "You asking me out?"
"Right now, no. When I ask you out, I'll be paying for dinner," Caleb grinned. "But for now…" he swept a hand behind him to the commotion of the dining table.
Onida sat up and shoved her long, dark blond hair away from her face. "What time is it?"
"Seven-thirty. You've been asleep about an hour."
Onida stood. "Yeah, I'll have something to eat, but then I need to head back to check on the canvas." Walking slowly toward the table, she shook her head. "I still don't understand how that witch got out. The structure was secure, I know it was. There's no way she could have gotten free."
"Joshua suggested that some of the ingredients in the medicine bags may have gotten old and lost their potency."
Onida shook her head. "No, that's not possible. The ingredients are secured with moonstone and turquoise."
Caleb frowned. "Moonstone? How did you know that?"
"Álxayx told me in my training. I can connect with moonstone and make the boundaries stronger."
Caleb got very excited. "You know some of what is in the medicine bags!"
Onida nodded. "Some, but not how it was constructed. The medicine man and watcher of the time put the ingredients together in a specific manner so as to maximize their potency and longevity. I don't know how they did it; I only know some of the ingredients I can connect with on an energy level."
"We'll take everything we can get. When we finish dinner, Sam and I will go back with you. After you check the canvas, we'll start with what you know about the medicine bags, then continue with how the containment works. Sound good?"
"Sounds like a long night," Onida said with a smile. "What about JT?" She'd driven over to the Yakama Building with the young man and knew he'd been angry.
Caleb's eyes went to his godson sitting next to Dean. "He's angry at me for leaving him tonight."
"Yes."
Caleb's eyes went to Onida, and he explained. "As a Knight of the Brotherhood, my first loyalty is to the safety of the Guardian. When I knew Dean was in trouble…" he shook his head and looked back at JT. "My first instinct was to get to him. Though Max is loyal to Johnny, they aren't the Triad yet, so they don't fully understand. But one day, he will. I'll leave the door open, see if he wants a pass or to come."
Onida nodded thoughtfully. "Well then, let's get to eating. We're going to need the buffer in our stomachs, with how much coffee we'll be drinking."
Caleb smiled and followed her to the table.
During dinner the conversation was general; about life on the reservation, life in Kentucky, what it was like growing up in New York, other topics. The talk was relaxed, with laughter prominent over comical anecdotes and pranks. Part way through the meal, Joseph came through the door, his arms full of papers and books. He placed them far from the table and joined Mary in getting some food.
When the last crumb of food had been consumed, Ryker and James helped clear the table and dispose of the trash.
Sam and Onida were headed for the door when Caleb stopped beside JT. "You want to come back to Onida's now?"
JT bit his lip in a way that reminded Caleb so much of Dean. "Do you need me right away?" JT asked. "If not, I'll stay here awhile, go through the research."
Caleb eyed his godson and gave a mental sigh. Nodding, he said, "Why don't I leave you the SUV. Sam and I can drive back in Onida's car."
JT gave Caleb a slight smile. "Okay, thanks."
Caleb headed for the door and caught Max's eye.
Max nodded. He knew JT was angry, but also understood exactly where Caleb had been coming from. Caleb would watch out for Dean, and Max would watch out for JT.
Caleb nodded back and followed Sam and Onida out the door.
Joseph hefted all his papers into his arms and muscled them over to the big table.
Dean eyed the stacks and sighed. He wasn't looking forward to dissecting the medicine bags. Despite what he'd told Sam earlier, his shoulders ached, his leg was throbbing, and his body hurt from being thrown to the ground more than once. Tomorrow was going to be another tough day, and he wished he could take a long, hot shower and get some rest. Instead, he got to his feet and limped over to where Joseph was sorting through his piles.
Joseph glanced up at other man, noted his tiredness and the lines of pain etched around his eyes, and wished he could make them go away.
Before Dean could reach the medicine man, Joshua stepped in front of him with a steaming cup. "Drink this," he ordered.
Dean eyed the liquid. "S'not coffee," he commented.
"Quit equivocating. You'll feel better once you drink it."
After all their years of working together, Dean knew he was right. Taking the cup, he limped over to a chair near Joseph and sat down, draining the draft in one long draught.
Joseph looked intrigued. Picking up the empty cup, he sniffed. "Rosemary, chamomile, some curry and chili powder, and … Oregano?"
"And a couple additional ingredients," Joshua smiled. "I'm sure you have something very similar."
"I do, but I'd love to compare recipes once this business is done."
"That would be welcome," Joshua said with a smile.
"Excellent," Joseph said. Organizing his piles into smaller stacks, he said to the men who'd already gathered around the table, "These are letters penned by medicine men and women for the last two hundred years. This stack," he said, pointing to one in the middle, "contains letters from the time period were looking into. We should start here."
Joshua looked over to Samuel. "Should we split up? Ryker, James and I can go with you to the records room, look through those archives with yours and Mary's help. The rest can stay here and go through the letters."
Samuel climbed to his feet. "Good. Divide and conquer." He and Mary led the other three men from the room, leaving Dean, Max and JT with Joseph.
Max grabbed a legal pad from a stack he'd brought in from the car, took a few letters and sat down a little ways from Dean and JT. Joseph walked off the get some coffee.
Dean glanced at his son. "Need to talk?"
JT shook his head as he pulled a couple letters toward him.
Dean watched him for a moment, then took a few letters for himself. Snagging a legal pad, he sighed and picked up a pen.
"It's just…" JT said softly. He looked over at his dad, who had put down his pen. "I know Uncle Caleb did the right thing when he raced to get to you. I wouldn't want him to do anything else. But it made me angry anyway."
Dean nodded. "What happened?"
JT swallowed. "We were talking with Onida in the kitchen, when suddenly she jumped up and ran out onto the balcony. We knew something was wrong. When I followed her, the canvas had become blood red, and I don't mean like a regular color of dark red; I mean it was like blood was running along the canvas. Caleb was concerned, but Uncle Sam just pulled him back to Onida could work. It was weird, because I knew no one else could see what had happened. I felt like shouting, don't you see that?" JT shook his head. "Then the claws started."
Dean frowned. "Claws?"
JT nodded. "Before it looked like hands were pushing against the canvas, you know? This was like they were trying to tear it apart. Their talons left long claw marks on the canvas, and the canvas got darker at the ends of the gashes, like it was bleeding or something. And all of the sudden … I knew; I knew they were going after you."
"Did you hear them say that?" Dean asked.
Shaking his head, JT said, "No, I just knew it, like I know the sky is blue and the grass is green."
Dean nodded. This wasn't the first time JT had just known something, and he wondered if this was an aspect of the Guardian gifts that was for JT. As Guardian, his unrelenting determination and strength were what he brought to the Brotherhood. But his son was deadly, shrewd finesse. What had Pastor Jim said once? The Guardian gifts were like a nesting doll; always new layers to explore. And, Dean thought, different layers for different Guardians. "Okay, then what?"
"I told Uncle Caleb. I yelled it at him." JT gave his father a direct stare. "The moment I did, the canvas exploded blood all over the balcony."
"What?" Dean exclaimed, startled.
"The moment I told Uncle Caleb they wanted you, it was like the witches knew and went homicidal." JT's gaze shifted away from his father as he remembered. "I know it wasn't real, but it looked real. Onida is there in front of the picture, and dark tentacles of red are streaming from the canvas. It seemed like only a second went by, but when I looked around, Uncle Caleb and Uncle Sam were gone. I ran out to the front door and down the stairs, but the car was already halfway down the driveway."
Dean put a hand on JT's shoulder and gave it a gentle massage.
"So I rushed back to the balcony to make sure Onida was all right. I got there just as she shoved her hands onto the canvas. Sparks and columns of light exploded from the canvas and were shooting around the balcony. Light was flowing out of her body into the picture. I've never seen anything like that before." Meeting Dean's eyes, he whispered, "I was so angry, so mad that they'd left me there … and mad that I got so distracted by the blood that I didn't run immediately too." He looked down. "I'm sorry."
Dean leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. Watching JT intently, he asked, "Did Caleb tell you my reaction when I first saw those hands pushing out the canvas?"
A small smile quirked JT's lips. "He said you pulled your gun."
Dean smiled too. "I did. I've been around, seen a lot of things through the years. But I'd never seen anything like that. It completely freaked me out. You saw that, plus you saw the canvas turn to bloody claw marks, spew blood and you saw Onida's light display in graphic detail as she worked on resetting the trap. With all that crazy going on, you were practically on Caleb and Sam's heels." Leaning in close, he murmured, "I am so proud of you."
JT eyes darted to his father's face, making sure Dean wasn't just saying that. When he read the sincerity there, he sighed. "You sure?"
"More than I can say," Dean murmured, giving JT a comforting squeeze. His son was going to be an amazing Guardian.
Finally JT smiled. "Thanks, Dad." With a sigh, he stood and said, "Now if you and Max think you got this covered, I'll go back to Onida's and check out what else is weird over there."
Dean laughed. "Better you than me, tiger."
JT stopped over by Max, spoke a few words, then headed out the door.
Max gave Dean a smile before bending back over his notes.
Joshua looked through a ledger from 1879. This was his eleventh ledger and it was more of the same; names, medicines dispensed, spirit lodges and recipes for spirit walks. Nothing, however, about the Tah-tah-kle'-ah. Closing that ledger, he pulled another from the stack nearby and flipped it open.
Mary smiled. "I know it's tedious, but if it's there, we'll find what we need."
"I don't mind the research," Joshua said. "I just wish I knew more of what I was looking for."
Ryker looked up. "Do you really think the people who created the potion bags would have written down their recipe?"
"I truly don't know," Mary replied apologetically. "Medicine men, now and then, could be very superstitious. It's very possible they would have felt it was tempting fate to write down the construction of such an important medicine bag. What if someone deconstructed it and set the Tah-tah-kle'-ah free? On the other hand," she gave a very youthful shrug, "they may have written it down in detail in case something happened to the bags in the future."
"Let's hope they opted for construction in the future being needed," Joshua said.
"This might be something," James interrupted. He had been looking through the reservation's public records. "It mentions something about several deaths happening over a short period of time." Looking up, he continued, "I think it's talking about warrior deaths. It says, 'a seventh died this day; tu many. Find anuther way.'"
Ryker, who was reading through the Tribal Chief logs, looked up.
"What year was that?" Joshua asked.
James turned carefully back to the front of his ledger and said, "Um … 1899."
Mary hurried to the correct bookcase and started pulling ledgers, books and records from the shelves.
Joshua went over to help, saying over his shoulder, "Set those ledgers aside; clear some space. These are the records we need to check."
"Put them down there," Mary said, waving a hand toward the far end of the table. "I'll put them back on the shelves later. Right now, we're on the trail of some ancient medicine bags."
James grinned at Ryker as he took several books in his arms and hurried to the far end of the table. "Seems like a Sherlock Holmes movie, doesn't it?"
Ryker chuckled as he hastily dumped some ledgers and journals next to James' stack and went to clean away more. "I like a good mystery."
Once the work area had been cleared of irrelevant texts, Mary and Joshua brought over several dozen ledgers, records and logs from 1899 and 1900. Setting them down, Joshua looked at each person and said, "Read quickly, read carefully. Let's find out what these bags are made of."
"Let's get to it," James said, grabbing his pencil and a thick ledger and getting to work.
JT pulled up to Onida's and turned off the engine. Yet instead of getting out, he merely sat there and stared out beyond the house to the meadow and forest. He couldn't see anything in the darkness like he could see in Onida's canvas. But he knew they were there, watching.
This had been a stressful hunt. He was used to hunting with Max, James and Ryker. They were getting to know one another's rhythms and styles. Dad, Uncle Caleb and Uncle Sam were like a well-oiled machine. They knew when and where to move and be without communication from the others. He knew his Triad would be like that someday, but right now, everyone's normal routines were being disturbed. But while there were things that aggravated him during this hunt, there were a lot of other things he found enlightening. Caleb had been out the door to get to his dad faster than he would ever have thought possible. He hadn't blinked, hadn't asked how JT knew his dad was in danger. He'd accepted JT's word and acted on it. That was faith; that was trust. He hadn't seen it before because his anger had skewed his vision, but now he could. He needed to thank Uncle Caleb for that trust.
Climbing from the car, he felt a light brush on his mind, and he knew that since he hadn't come in immediately, Uncle Caleb was checking on him. He gave back an I'm good message and started for the stairs.
Suddenly, ahead and just off to the right, a rustle caught his attention. Frowning, he pulled his gun and moved carefully along the right side of Onida's house. The sound hadn't been as innocent as an animal, he would have sensed that. No, this was something darker. Steps carefully placed and gun at the ready, he moved slowly forward, the thick trunk stilts at his back. As he rounded the corner, the meadow spread out before him like a dark carpet, the moonlight highlighting the dewdrops on the grass. On another day at another time, it would have been magical. Right now, the night was full of dangers. His eyes swung left and right. The trees were moving gently in the breeze, playing with light and shadows.
Abruptly the branches parted on his right and a witch stood there. She was huge, at least nine feet tall, with shoulders wide and broad. He couldn't see very much of anything else, as it looked like she was covered in a large hooded cape. Slowly he moved so that his back was flush against a tree trunk and raised his gun. However, for some reason he didn't fire.
"What do you want?" he asked the creature.
The witch tilted her head to the side much like a bird would. "Baby."
JT frowned. "I'm not bringing you any children, lady." Inside his head, he thought, Uncle Caleb!
The witch did the bird-like tilt of her head again, cocking it from side to side, as if trying to figure out what he was. "Baby," she said again.
"Not happening."
"Baby Guar…di…an," the witch hissed.
"I'm… Hey!" JT exclaimed, very offended.
"Come," the witch said, making a motioning gesture to JT. "Come."
"No way," JT, raising his gun and sighted on the witch. He knew the bullet wouldn't kill her, but he would make sure she hurt if she attempted to get passed the trap.
Just then Caleb rushed around the corner followed by Sam, and the witch disappeared.
"What happened?" Caleb asked, his gun pointing toward the woods, Sam right behind with his own gun focused on the meadow.
"There was a witch here," JT explained. "I don't think she could get outside the trap."
"Where?" Caleb asked.
JT pointed. "Right there."
Caleb scrutinized the area, walking along the edge of the woods and the meadow before jogging back to where Sam and JT stood. "Clear."
Sam gave the woods and meadow a good look before asking, "What happened?"
"I'm not sure. I was getting out of the car when I heard a rustle over here. I pulled my weapon and came over, and she was just standing there. She … spoke to me."
Caleb frowned. "She what?"
"She spoke to me."
"What did she say?"
"Oh, well, that's not important." JT shrugged.
"JT," Sam said, coming over to stand by his nephew. "You know anything could be important."
JT gave a sigh. "She said baby."
"She wanted you to bring her a child?" Caleb asked.
"No."
Caleb frowned.
"Then what?" Sam asked.
"She called me … baby Guardian and wanted me to come with her."
Caleb felt an almost irresistible urge to laugh, both out of humor and relief. But instead, he said, "She knew you were a Guardian." And suddenly, the humor evaporated like a puff of smoke. JT now had a target on his back just like Dean.
JT nodded.
Sam looked at Caleb. "They must feel the same energy from JT that they do from Dean."
Hurried footsteps sounded, and Onida jogged around the edge of the building. "The canvas is secure. What happened?"
Caleb told her as they all headed inside.
"Seriously?" Onida exclaimed, shocked.
"Did the canvas change at all?" Sam asked.
Onida shook her head. "Not that I can feel. But I think it's a good idea if JT takes a look. He and Dean are the only ones who can see something different than I do." She turned and headed back into the house, followed by the others. Once they were inside, she led the way to the balcony.
JT sighed and reluctantly took one step onto the balcony and froze, his eyes wide.
Caleb was at his side in an instant. "Are you all right? What do you see?"
JT stepped a measure foot or two forward before he said, "It's all black. The canvas is all black except for the words."
Sam frowned and looked at the canvas, which still held the image of the meadow and forest beyond. "Caleb?"
Caleb shook his head. "I can still hear them. They're angry, murderous, in fact. And they're saying…"
"Come to me," JT murmured, his eyes of the words written in blood. "Come to me, come to me, come to me, come to me."
Sam looked at Caleb and said, "Call Dean."
Dean sighed again, and turned over another letter. While on some level he found it interesting to read through letters and journal writings from a hundred years ago, he was tired and his body hurt. What he really needed was some sleep.
Joseph glanced over at Dean and shook his head. The man was stubborn, that was obvious. But stubborn could only get you so far. Rising, he walked over and placed a hand on the other man's shoulder. When Dean looked up, he said, "You need some rest. Your body has been through a trauma tonight, not just being attacked by a witch, but the energy you expended keeping clear of her and the wounds to your shoulder, ribs and legs. Onida may have healed much of the damage, but your body still feels the pain." Nodding his head in the direction of one of the largest couches, he said, "Go and give your body a chance to heal. Max and I will work on the letters."
Though Dean really wanted to lie down, he started to shake his head until a crick in his neck had him stopping the motion mid shake.
"Here," Joseph said softly. He reached around and lightly massaged the knots from Dean's neck. When he finished, he pointed to the couch and said, "Go."
"Go, Uncle Dean," Max said. He'd been watching Joseph try to reason with his headstrong godfather. "JT would be so mad if you didn't rest. I don't want to have to tell on you," he said, with a grin.
Dean huffed out a laugh and nodded. Pushing himself slowly to his feet, he said, "Yeah, okay. But don't let me sleep too long."
Max nodded. "You got it."
Limping gingerly across the floor, Dean stopped himself from groaning out loud as he lowered himself onto the soft cushy surface. Just then his cell rang. So much for rest. He pulled it from his pocket and saw Caleb's name. "Caleb, what…"
"Get to Onida's, now," Caleb said.
Dean shoved himself to his feet. "What happened?"
Across the room, Max was out of his chair and on his way over.
Caleb told Dean what happened with JT. "You need to get here. Now. Bring Max. I don't want you driving alone."
"On my way." Dean shut the phone and said, "We're needed elsewhere. Go fill in Joshua, Ryker and James. I want Ryker in here with Joseph going through these letters. Joshua and James can continue working with Mary. You and I are going to Onida's."
Max had questions, but instead he nodded and darted for the door.
Dean could head his footsteps running down the hallway. Going over to Joseph, he said, "We're going to have to leave. This thing is escalating fast. Are you all right to continue looking through these letters with Ryker's help?"
"Go, go," Joseph said. "I'm fine here. This building has good wards and sigils to protect it. If I need rest, I'll take the couch. Just be careful."
Dean nodded and walked to the door, only a slight limp hinting at his injury.
Max met him in the hall along with everyone.
"What's happening?" Joshua asked.
"Honestly, I'm not sure," Dean said. "Something happened with JT at Onida's…"
"Is he all right?" Max demanded at the same time Ryker and James clamored for news.
"He's fine," Dean assured the young men. "But a witch came to Onida's house and wanted JT to go with her. We're heading over to see what's happening with the canvas." Looking to Joshua, he said, "I need you to spearhead things here; find out about those medicine bags."
Joshua nodded. "We've got Mary's help in the records room, so we can spare Ryker to help out Joseph."
"We'll call as soon as we figure out what's happening," Dean promised, already walking away, Max at his side.
Joshua stood for a minute or so watching his son and the Guardian walk down the hallway and out the door. Finally, he turned to the young men standing with him in the hall. "Well, we've got a lot of work to do." Eyeing each one, he said, "How about we get to it?"
James gave a nod, through his dark eyes remained on the front door. Finally he turned and headed back to the records room where Mary was still working.
"We're going to take these witches down," Ryker said, both as a pray and a vow.
"We will." Joshua gave the young man a solid nod and walked down the hallway to continue his work.
Dean drove quickly and carefully down the dark roads toward Onida's house. There were no street lights in most places on the reservation, so he had to make use of his brights when the road was too dark to see.
"You're sure JT's all right," Max asked quietly.
"Yeah, he's fine." Dean's eyes slid quickly to the right before focusing again on the road. "The witch didn't attack, just spoke to him from the edge of the trap."
"What did she say?"
"Come."
Max stared at Dean, then turned his attention to the road beyond the front window.
Just then a force hit the SUV and knocked it to the right. Dean gripped the wheel and fought to keep the vehicle on the road. "What the hell?"
Max leaned forward, his eyes searching in the darkness for what hit them. "Think that was an animal?"
"Maybe," Dean said, eyeing the road carefully.
Something else slammed into the car on the left, then the back, and again against Max's window.
"Watch out!" Max exclaimed as the car slid dangerously on the side gravel.
"I got it," Dean shouted as he swerved back onto the road. "What's out there?" he demanded, trying to keep focused on the road while another few hits knocked the car. His cell rang, but he ignored it in favor of staying on the road.
"I think it's…" Max said in measured tones, "owls."
"What?" Dean spun the wheel as something else hit his side of the car. "Owls don't knock cars off the road!"
"Maybe they do if they're coming from witches!"
Dean slowed the vehicle and pulled to the side of the road, parking as close to a group of trees as he could get.
"What are you doing?" Max asked, his eyes going to Dean. His cell rang. He pulled it out, but didn't answer immediately.
"We're safe inside the car," Dean said. "The owls can only fly at one side of the car if we're parked near the trees." Just then there was a loud thump and a cracking of glass.
Both men turned and saw that the rear window was filled with spider cracks.
Max looked at Dean. "You were saying?" His cell rang again and Max put it to his ear and said, "Call you back in a sec!"
Dean ground his teeth and grumbled, "Yeah, yeah." Foot to the pedal, the tires spun as he gunned the car back onto the pavement and sped down the road. "We need to get inside … somewhere."
Max began frantically searching the roadsides, but said, "Great idea if we were anywhere with people!" His phone rang again. "Yeah!?"
"What's happening?" JT asked.
"We're being attacked."
"The witches?"
"Owls." Another few hits knocked the car around again.
There was silence on JT's end for a second before he said, "Owls?"
"Yeah, they're flying at the car, and these birds aren't playing around."
"Have JT ask Onida if there's anywhere we can get inside," Dean ordered, "us and the car, but mainly us."
Max relayed the request. After a moment he said over the phone, "There's nothing around here; just lots of trees and darkness." He listened for another second then said, "Yeah, okay. Call you back."
Dean eyed Max a second then he needed to straighten the wheel as another thump hit his side of the car. "What are you looking for?"
Max was staring intently into the darkness. "Apparently there are small markers along the road indicating where we are. Can you go a bit slower?"
"Only if we want to be pecked to death," Dean muttered, but slowed the SUV anyway.
Max stared outside, eyeing the road's edge. Finally he saw what Onida had been talking about. Hitting the speed dial on his phone, he said, "one-o-five." After listening for a couple minutes, he said, "Yeah, all right."
"What did she say?" Dean asked. Another owl hit the side window and the glass cracked.
"She said there's a garage about one mile off the road in three miles. It's after marker one-o-eight."
Several more thumps banged into the car had Dean gripping the wheel to keep the car heading straight. "How many owls live around here anyway," he muttered.
Max watched out the window and said, "One-o-six…One-o-seven…" They continued to drive until he finally shouted, "One-o-eight. Turn here!"
"Where here?" Dean said, squinting into the darkness.
"There!" Max pointed at a small dirt road off to the side.
Dean turned, and suddenly several more thumps hit the car. "Damn it," he mumbled, as he nearly hit a tree. Pushing down on the gas pedal, he gunned the engine and tore down the dirt road.
"Up ahead!" Max shouted.
Dean's eyes went from the road to a small, ancient garage and gas station just ahead. Suddenly three owls hit the windshield, and it shattered, glass flying everywhere inside the car.
"Son of a …" Dean cried out, attempting to shield his face and eyes.
"I'll get the door!" Max shouted, as Dean slowed.
"I'll cover you," Dean stated. "Fire on anything flying."
Max nodded and was out the door and running toward the garage doors.
Dean sighted on an owl dive bombing Max and shot it out of the air. He hit another two before Max was at the door. The younger man shot the lock and began pulling open the doors to the mechanics garage.
A large shadow caught his attention and Max spun around and shot a huge owl out of the air while still pulling open the door.
Two more owls tried to get through the front wind shield, one clawing at Dean's hand on the wheel. Dean shot both and drove into the garage. "Shut the door!" he shouted, unnecessarily. Max had already begun closing the door the moment the SUV's bumper was across the threshold. Several more shots sounded before the door was secure.
Dean climbed out of the SUV, his eyes going to the roof of the building where numerous thumps were hitting the roof and walls.
Max walked over, his own gaze on the walls and windows. "We need to secure the windows."
Dean nodded, and together they covered the two garage windows with tarp and thick panels of metal. When finished, he went to Max and took stock of the blood on his arms and face. "Check in with JT while I see if I can find a first aid kit."
"You need to call Uncle Caleb and Uncle Sam."
"I will. But JT will tell them what they need to know, and I'll call them after I treat those cuts."
Dean gave half an ear to Max speaking with JT while he searched the garage. Inside the small office there was a decently stocked first aid kit as well as a small fridge with water and what looked like fresh sandwiches. "Excellent," he said under his breath. Grabbing the water and sandwiches as well as the kit, he went back into the garage.
"Yeah, tell Uncle Sam and Uncle Caleb that Uncle Dean will be calling in a minute. … Yeah. See you soon." Max hung up. Seeing all the things Dean had found, he reached for a sandwich and said, "Great scavenging, Uncle Dean."
Dean smiled. "Let's get those cuts treated."
"You're next on deck," Max stated.
"Yeah, as Joseph would say, you can't tell what pestilence is in those talons." Dean cleaned the blood from Max's face with water, then applied antibiotic cream and bandages. All the while, owls and who knew what other winged creatures were pounding the walls and roof of the building, trying to get in. It was disconcerting, to hear the scuffling of talons and wings on the building.
Max in turn treated Dean's cuts and scrapes. "I don't think there's any glass in the cuts, but it's too hard to see in here. Should we turn on a light?"
Dean glanced around the building. "I think we'll keep it dark for now. The owls can't do this forever." Meeting Max's eyes, he smiled. "Otherwise the witches will have to empty another couple of forests to replenish their owl population."
Max chuckled softly. He finished his task and sat back, picking up his sandwich. "I'm going to see if I can find any blankets while you make your call. It's cold in here and will only get colder if we can't get out tonight." Opening his sandwich, he dropped the cellophane in the trash and wandered off on his search.
Dean pulled out his phone and called Caleb.
"Are you all right?"
Dean smiled. There was a reason he called Caleb first instead of Sam. In hunting situations, Caleb was the Knight, and his first priority was the safety of the Guardian. Sam would be worried, but his Knightly duty would make Caleb frantic. "I'm fine. A few owl claw marks, but other than that, we're both good." He could actually feel Caleb relaxing on the other end of the line. "Let me loop Sam in on the line."
After a moment, Sam's voice came on. "You all right?"
"Yeah," Dean said again. "We're fine."
"JT told us what happened," Caleb interjected. "Owls were attacking the car?"
"Out of nowhere," Dean confirmed. "They just began flying at us with extreme prejudice. They nearly shoved us off the road."
"How are owls big enough to affect an SUV?" Caleb asked.
"Some owls are as big as a small child and have a wing span of more than six feet," Sam informed them, going to his Scholar place.
Dean smiled. He knew his brother went for the logical when he was stressed or scared. He could control facts even when circumstances were uncontrollable.
"… The Greta Horned Owl and the Snowy Owl have wing spans of over five feet and aren't lightweights. Of course, the Blakiston Fish Owl is the largest…"
"Enough with the PBS special," Caleb interrupted. "Can we talk about the owl problem we have right here?"
Sam rolled his eyes and asked, "They still out there?"
"Yeah." Dean's eyes went to the roof. "These birds are on a kamikaze mission."
Caleb's voice came on. "Can you get to Onida's?"
"Not now. But we'll get there as soon as the owls stop or its daylight."
"You sure the attack will stop during the day?" Sam asked.
"Owls are night creatures," Dean said. "I'm hoping they'll go to sleep … if there are any owls left after this."
A particularly loud thump sounded against the garage door.
"Don't try coming here," Dean said. "I'll call again in a couple hours."
"Sounds good," Sam said, and disconnected.
"You sure you're good out there?" Caleb asked.
"Other than feeling like I'm on the set of The Birds, yeah."
Caleb laughed. "Okay, I'll talk to you in a couple hours."
Dean shut the phone and stared at it for a second, before reaching down and picking up a sandwich.
Max's voice came out of the darkness. "I'll warn you," he said, coming into view carrying a couple of blankets. "Those are Indian sandwiches."
Dean frowned. "What do you mean?"
Max merely smiled and handed Dean a blanket.
Peeling back the cellophane, Dean sniffed at the food and then took a bite. After chewing for a minute, he swallowed and said, "A deer sandwich?"
Max laughed. "I believe its called venison."
Joshua closed his phone and met James' eyes, who had been staring him down the entire time he was speaking with Caleb.
"What happened?"
"Your dad and Max were attacked on their way to Ms. Skogstad's home." Joshua held up his hand to stave off James' concerns. "They're fine. Apparently owls attacked their car, so they had to take shelter in a reservation garage. They'll head on after the owl attack has subsided."
James sniggered a second, then forced himself to stop as he shook his head. "Sorry. It's not often you hear the words owl attack." He looked up at Joshua. "You're sure they're fine?"
"Yes." Joshua looked over to where Mary was asleep on the one couch located in the records room. "It's almost midnight. We're not going to get through this research tonight. Let's get Ryker and head back to the hotel, get some sleep. We can come back and finish tomorrow."
James struggled with the suggestion. He knew his father and his brother were in danger as long as the witches lived. But if they were to take them on, they needed to be at their best. Nodding, he said, "Yeah, okay."
Joshua smiled. "Why don't you go get Ryker, and I'll wake Mrs. Whitetail. She and Joseph can get some sleep and meet us here in the morning."
James nodded and went out the door. After Joshua woke Mary, she turned out the lights and locked the door, and they went down to the banquet and meeting room.
Ryker and James were waiting for Joshua near the door while Joseph gathered his papers.
"Do you want to lock your papers in the records room?" Joshua asked.
Joseph nodded. "Yes. You gentlemen go and get some sleep. Mary and I will take care of this. We'll meet you back here at ten in the morning."
"We'll see you then," Joshua said, shaking Joseph's hand.
"We will find an answer," Joseph stated. "Don't you worry."
"Thank you." Joshua gave Mary and Joseph a nod, and headed to the front with James and Ryker.
They stopped just inside the doors. "You think our car will be attacked?" James asked
"The witches appear to be more interested in the Guardian and the Guardian elect at the moment," Joshua said. "But having our weapons at the ready would be an excellent measure."
"You drive, Parrain," Ryker said, throwing open the doors and heading for the SUV. "I'll take the front seat and James the left side passage seat. Both sides of the car will be covered if owls do attack."
Joshua watched the shadows and examined the darkness. "Let's get back to the motel in one piece, boys. I, for one, would like a good night's sleep in a warm bed rather than the car."
Caleb paced the living room of Onida's house. Sam was asleep on the couch and Onida had gone to get a couple hours sleep before the darkest part of the night called her back on duty. At the moment, JT stood watch on the balcony, keeping an eye on the canvas for any movement. For himself, he knew he should try to catch a few winks, but he just couldn't settle. This entire hunt seemed to be spiraling out of control. Having both Triads in play, his blocks being injured then repaired with psychic energy, his attraction to Onida, Dean and JT being targeted by the witches, Dean being out of his reach… Everything was combining to make him feel off center.
He could almost hear Mac saying, Calm your head, you calm your heart, as he had when he was young and started practicing Tai Chi to get control of his psychic abilities. Moving to the center of the room, he started his long neglected Tai Chi routine, striving to center himself. Though he was tired, he elongated each move to the fullest, breathing in and out with deliberation, striving to hear Mac's soothing voice coaching and encouraging him. Damn, he missed his father. Focus, he could almost hear Mac admonish, and a smile quirked his lips.
When he finished the last flourish and move, a light sweat covered his body, but he felt more centered and calm.
"That was beautiful."
Caleb smiled and turned to see Onida standing in the doorway, watching him. "How long have you been standing there?"
Onida pushed off the door jam and walked into the room. "Half an hour."
Caleb goggled. "Seriously?" He couldn't believe he hadn't felt her standing there.
"You were focused," Onida said, as though she could read his mind. "Was that Tai Chi?"
Caleb nodded. "Dad taught it to me years ago." He sat in one of the cushy chairs near the fireplace and Onida curled up in the opposite one. "When I was first coming into my abilities, it was overwhelming; so many voices and emotions all coming in. It was all I could do to shut them out. Mac thought learning some measured exercises would help me gain some control and calm my anxiety." Caleb laughed softly. "I fought it at first, but eventually, I learned that routine. It worked."
"You miss him so much," Onida commented.
"Yes. Some days it's bearable. I'm hunting, training people, working with Dean and Sam, teaching Max. And it feels like Mac is just a call away when I need him. Then suddenly, this chasm rolls up inside me and I know he's gone." He looked up at her. "I've experienced sorrow before; when Pastor Jim died, when John – Dean and Sam's father - died, others." He avoided going into the trauma of Dean's death. "And while I know Mac lived a good, long life, it's still an emptiness I can't fill."
"Nor should you fill it with anything or anyone else," Onida said. "It's a place in your heart meant for one person; Mac. It will always be his place. But you can fill that emptiness with pictures of him, remembrances of him, moments between you and him that were special and special occasions in your life together. Let that energy fill the hole with joy instead of sorrow."
Caleb's eyes were wet as he looked down at his hands. "Is that…" he stopped and cleared his throat, "is that what you did?"
"Not at first," Onida admitted. "At first I filled that emptiness with anger and revenge. I wanted the witches to pay for what they'd done, and I tried with everything I had in me to end them." She gave a rueful smile. "Since they're still here, you can see how well that turned out. All the revenge and anger was killing me, not them. So I learned," she said, "I learned to put good things and good memories into that empty place." She leaned back in her chair, thoughts inward. "I put the first time I beat Marius at volleyball into that space, the times he met me after my training to walk me home." She smiled. "I put our hikes in the woods, his drawings of birds, going to his track meets, the day he proposed… I put all those and so many other memories into that empty place." Eyes going to Caleb, she confided softly, "I put our daughter with him and that empty space was filled with bittersweet promises of who she would have been and what she would have accomplished in this life if she hadn't given her own sweet spirit to contain the witches and save her mama's life."
Onida didn't realize tears were running down her cheeks until Caleb rose and knelt beside her chair, rubbing the tears away with his thumb.
"For so long I wished I'd died with them. But I didn't. And after a few years I was able to accept that, after more I was able to appreciate life, and after even more, I could live and laugh again."
"Did you ever find anyone else to share that laughter with?"
Onida smiled. "Not to sound too bold, but not until now."
Caleb grinned.
"And now," Onida said, giving Caleb a little push so she could stand, "I need to check on your godson, see how the canvas is doing."
"You know we're going to do something about this," Caleb made a motion between Onida and himself, "once this hunt is finished."
Onida gave him a cheeky smile and stated, "Oh, Caleb. I look forward to it."
Caleb laughed and watched as she walked to the sliding glass doors and went out onto the balcony. He remembered Joshua's grandmother, Jocelyn, saying once that Knights preferred their women to be a bit more forthright in manner. Smiling, he couldn't have agreed more. After a moment, he shook his head and followed.
Sam opened his eyes and watched Caleb close the sliding glass doors. Smiling, he turned over and fell back to sleep.
.
JT sat in Onida's deck glider, gently rocking back and forth. The canvas wasn't black any longer, which was a relief. The all-black picture with red writing had been extremely creepy. When Onida stepped outside, he looked up and smiled. "Hey."
"Hey, back" Onida said with an answering smile. "How's the canvas?"
"Pretty quiet. The words are gone and it's not black anymore."
"Really?" Onida moved forward and put her hand on the canvas. "It's quiet. Strange for this time of night."
"They had a busy day."
Onida looked back at the young man and asked, "How are you doing?"
"Fine, good. Tired," he admitted.
"There's an empty room at the end of the hall. Why don't you go get some sleep?"
The sliding glass doors opened and Caleb walked out.
JT nodded and pushed himself up. "Yeah, all right. " Moving to the sliding glass doors, he said, "Night, Uncle Caleb."
"Night, Johnny," Caleb said, giving the young man a comforting pat on the back as he walked past.
When the door closed again, Onida said, "You need to get some sleep too. Why don't you take my bed? I'll be here awhile."
Caleb watched Onida a moment before he said, "You sure about that?"
"More than I can say." Walking over, Onida gave Caleb a light kiss on the cheek. "Go on. I need to get to work."
Caleb nodded. "Yeah, all right. I'll see you in the morning."
After walking quietly through the living room, Caleb moved to Onida's bedroom door and pushed it open.
Inside was a surprise. Instead of traditional feminine trappings, the room as full of old wood and warmth. Logs latticed the roof, and along one side of the bedroom were floor to ceiling shelves crammed with books. A stone fireplace was tucked into the corner near the outer wall, chimney stones climbing up through the roof. A cheery fire was lit, bathing the room in a warm glow. Across from the fireplace was a large bed covered with blankets and throws in red, grays, browns and greens. Colorful rugs covered the hard wood floor, making the room cozy and inviting.
On the far side was another door, and Caleb walked over and looked inside. "Wow," he murmured. The wood theme continued in here with the bathroom walls made up of polished rustic wood. There wasn't a traditional shower inside. A brass shower enclosure ringed high above the claw footed tub complete with an old fashioned brass showerhead and a shower curtain pulled to the side. More rugs covered the floor in here. Smiling, he walked over to the sink and pulled his shirt over his head. Taking a washcloth from a nearby rack, he wet it and ran it over his body, cleaning away as much dirt and sweat as he could. He could have taken a shower, but he was just too tired.
After toweling off, Caleb stepped back into the bedroom, shucked his shoes, socks and jeans and crawled into the bed. The sheets were warm and smelled distinctly of Onida. Smiling, he closed his eyes and relaxed. Yeah, he could get used to this.
TBC