CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Let's Go Hunting

"You have one minute to explain yourselves before I drag both your assess back home." John stormed in the motel room, spinning around to glare at Jo and Dean. Sam being the lucky son of a bitch that he was, was still at the library.

Dean's eyes flashed black, angry at the nerve of the man in front of him. "Jo wanted to work a case, what's the big deal?"

What came across as rage was actually John's way of showing his concern, although that was not evident to the hunter and demon. "You went off without telling anybody. Ellen was worried sick. It was reckless Dean, you can't do that anymore." The old hunter chastised, noting the eldest demon's fists clenching.

"Why not? Because I have a father in the picture now? I don't need your fucking permission to do anything." Dean let out a deep breath, his eyes switching back to green. "Now, Jo, Sammy, and I aren't leaving here until this case is done. You can stay if you want."

Figuring he wasn't going to change his son's mind, John sighed as he ran a tired hand down his face. He really didn't want to drive his son away from him but they were so much alike, they couldn't help but argue. His anger receding, John filled them in. "I talked to that Haley girl. Turns out she's planning on going up to Blackwater Ridge tomorrow with some guide. Told her she'd see me there as well. You guys haven't seen the videos right?"

John nearly pissed himself as Sam suddenly appeared in front of him, staring quizzically at the old hunter.

"You okay? You don't look so hot." Sam noted, obviously not surprised John had shown up, before turning his gaze to the pair by the door. "You guys find anything?"

As the demon and hunter updated Sam, John set his laptop on the table, pulling up a video file Haley had sent him. After everybody was all up to speed, the old hunter ushered them over to the small table. "I haven't gotten a chance to look at it yet, but this is the last video her brother Tommy sent her."

As the younger demon watched the video, his eye caught the quick movement of a shadow behind Tommy. "Hold on a sec." He maneuvered his way in front of John so he could manipulate the video, slowing it down tremendously. "Watch right here." He gestured to where the figure had been, playing three frames at a reduced speed. Dean's eyes widened in recognition, Jo's eyebrows furrowing in thought. "That's a fraction of a second. What the hell can move that fast?"

"Werewolf?" Jo said unsurely right as John had said wendigo. "Or that." She added sheepishly. Wanting to defend herself, she continued. "They're normally not around here though."

John shrugged, thinking they had only one way of knowing for sure. "Let's go find out."

….

It had taken the demon brother's and Jo the whole night and the entire ride up to Blackwater Ridge to remember they had no weapons. Thankfully, John knew Bobby kept a well-equipped arsenal in the back of his truck.

"This is awesome." Dean said in appreciation as he picked up a 9' mm. His father quickly snatched it away from him, handing him a flare gun instead while he gave Sam a gun filled with silver bullets. "Just in case." John paused as his gaze landed on his eldest son, his tone taking on one of a teacher. "Dean, if it's a Wendigo, you shoot it. If it's a werewolf, Sam shoots it. Let's go take this bastard down."

Although Jo didn't mind the role of leader getting taken off her shoulders, she still wished John hadn't just assumed he'd take charge. Double checking her 9' was still securely in her waistband, the four walked up the trail.

….

"Oh sweetheart I don't do shorts." Dean clarified, looking somewhat disgusted at even the thought. Jo rolled her eyes before giving Haley an apologetic smile as they all turned in the direction to the forest.

As the eldest demon watched Jo walk in front of him, he couldn't help but think back to when they had been observing them all those years ago.

"Dean this is pointless. They're just worried about ghosts and crap." Sam said, his words laced with annoyance. They had been scoping out this same motel room for days and all they've seen was the mother come and go while the daughter stayed back.

"Shut up, Sammy. Mom told us to watch them, so we're watching them. Besides, the view's great." The hormonal sixteen-year old added, pulling his gaze from the binoculars to shoot his brother a wink. Sam huffed with frustration as he adjusted his position on the roof of the building across from the hunter's room.

The eldest demon returned his gaze to Jo, noting the look of irritation on her face as her mother pointed a finger to the floor and she left. After sending the door a glare, Jo sat down heavily at the motel room table and opened up a laptop.

Dean mentally shook himself, remembering how even back then Ellen was a pain in the ass.

They had only been hiking for what seemed like an hour before they stumbled across a campsite.

"Oh my god." Haley came to an abrupt stop, her panic-stricken eyes taking in the scene in front of them. The group all stood in shock at the mounds of torn open tents and bloodied camping supplies scattered throughout the small campsite.

"Looks like a grizzly." Roy noted, bending down to feel a hole that was ripped through a backpack.

"Jo, come look at this." John stated from the opposite side of the tree. As the blonde came around, she saw the old hunter crouched, looking at something intently. "The bodies were dragged from the campsite and then here the tracks just vanish."

Jo eyed the tracks thoughtfully before biting her lip. "I'm gonna go with it's not a werewolf."

John chuckled as they returned to the campsite, everyone setting down their supplies except the old hunter who kept his duffel over his shoulder. All eyes widened when a gruff scream rang through the woods. Instinct taking over, Haley ran off yelling her brother's name.

"Son of a bitch." Dean muttered as they all took off after her, the group stopping in the middle of another clearing. Haley looked around, frantic to try and find where her brother's voice had come from.

"I could've sworn it had come from here." Haley said with desperation as Roy scanned the area with his rifle.

Something about the situation rubbed Sam the wrong way as he became suspicious. "Everyone back to camp." He ordered, ignoring the questioning gazes from the rest of the party.

Once they returned to the campsite, John muttered some profanity.

"Where's all our stuff? My bag had my cell phone in it." The young girl stated worriedly.

"It's smart. It's trying to cut us off so we can't call for help." Jo clarified, glancing thankfully at John who still had his bag.

After going through the whole 'you guys are crazy' spiel with Roy, the hunters began putting up protective markings.

They had only just finished when someone, something, started screeching. "Stay inside the circle." John barked, pushing Sam behind him in a protective gesture. Without even realizing he had done it until it was done, Dean moved Jo behind him as well.

To the hunter's dismay, Roy shot the monster and took off after it, not too long after a pain-stricken scream pierced the group's ears.

"He's a goner." Dean added unsympathetically.

Rolling his eyes, John smacks his eldest son upside the head before gesturing them to follow. "Come on, we have half a chance in daylight to catch this thing."

A loud twig snapping behind them had them all taking off, Haley and Jo falling over a branch.

"Come on. I gotcha." John said reassuringly as he helped Jo up, Dean doing the same with Haley. Once they made sure they were all right, John and Dean turned to walk away only to hear screaming behind them.

Turning around, they saw no one.

"Jo! Haley!" The eldest demon yelled, his eyes searching the dense forest before he spun around, eyes black. "Sammy!"

….

TBC

And then there were two. Can Dean and John put aside their differences to save everyone? I guess you'll have to wait and see. This will probably be the only hunt I do this in detail (unless you guys want otherwise). Please continue to read and review! It means a lot.