LOL - I couldn't help myself - I hope you like it so far. I'm doing my darnest to get it done and posted for your reading pleasure. The ususal disclaimers and Please R & R for me, thanks

Chapter 5 On the hunt

Sam rolled out of bed moaning and groaning. He wondered if there was a spot on his body that wasn't bruised. Even the tip of his nose hurt. Of course the slide across the surface of the pool table could have had something to do with that.

Reaching for the bottle of aspirin he quickly downed four with a full glass of water. God he hurt!

Dean lay tucked beneath the covers, awake and listening to his pain in the ass brother. He was amused at the sounds. Sam, the jerk - was hurting and he deserved every bump and bruise he obtained the night before. What the hell had possessed him to start the fight anyway? Normally the one to 'turn the other cheek' Sam had faced off with the biggest guy in the room and given as good as he gotten, with a little help from his older bro of course. Dean had a few bruises of his own and sore ribs were only the beginning. It had been a wild ride, six against two until the Sheriff had stepped in and quelled the ruckus; at least he thought she had stepped in. He was still trying to figure that one out. The vision of her standing there supremely confident still invaded his thoughts.

Running the events of the previous evening through his head again – for at least the tenth time, Dean wondered how it had gone so wrong. One minute he's playing pool, flirting with the waitress, the next the room is in an uproar and Sammy boy is accused of bumping the pool table – which of course he says didn't happen.

Either way the redneck bully had taken exception to loosing his shirt and hard earned cash to Dean. He had needed an excuse and gotten one. Deciding to take his frustration and ire out on Sam, who until that moment had been minding his own business – watching the game progress.

Sam had not taken the accusation lightly; in fact he had been down right pissed off about it. For the first time since Dean could remember Sam had not turned the other cheek or backed down from a fight, he had waded in fists blazing. 'Very un-Sammy like,' Dean mussed silently.

He swore softly when he looked at the clock. It was nearing noon and they had a hunt to continue. Throwing the covers off, he sat up quickly, too quickly. Bruised ribs complained and he sucked in a deep breath waiting for the pain to subside. Mumbling beneath his breath he checked the rest of his aching body for signs of damage. More bruised and battered than he cared to admit. A hot shower and a few aspirin later he felt relatively human. He chuckled again when he saw Sam sprawled across the bed.

"Get up sleeping beauty duty calls."

Sam grumbled, moaned and groaned but made it out the door close on his heels.

The Sheriff was sipping tea with her aunt when the brothers limped into the room. Melisandra hid a chuckle behind her teacup – but she couldn't hide the amusement in her eyes.

"Oh boys, you look terrible," the older woman clucked. Her voice indignant she continued, "My niece was telling me all about those horrible men who attacked you."

Dean actually allowed himself to be fussed over too tired to protest, and he didn'twant to hurt the old woman's feelings. He liked her. "God," he mumbled silently, "I'm going soft!"

"I have some nice stew simmering on the stove. I know you boys must be hungry." Without giving them a change to argue or refuse she hurried from the room.

Melisandra picked up her tea cup and strolled the few feet to their table. Pulling out the chair she waited until Sam waved asking her to sit down.

"Considering the odds last night, you guys look pretty good this morning. I didn't expect to see you up and around."

Dean kept his mouth shut, still slightly embarrassed by their last encounter.

Sporting a darkening bruise below his left eyes Sam grinned, then winced when his split lip protested. "Not exactly my type of gathering, but it turned out to be pretty interesting," Sam quipped.

"Well you're both pretty handy with your fists," the sheriff observed. "I actually thought they'd be hauling you both out of there in an ambulance."

"How come you didn't put a stop to it, you are the Sheriff," Sam asked quickly.

"Like I told Jimmy, not my jurisdiction, the place is on the wrong side of the county line and besides I was off duty trying to enjoy my night out."

Even Dean had to chuckle at the mischievous look on her face.

Melisandra managed to keep a straight face, finishing with, "And besides, Jimmy's a pig and his place should have been condemned ten years ago, but it's not in my jurisdiction."

The brothers choked back a laugh.

Dean looked at her asking, "It doesn't seem like your kind of place, how did you end up there?"

"Good question, I'm not really sure. A feeling, some kind of hunch I don't know, but that's where my truck took me." That feeling had played itself out in the form of two colorful little Pixies, but she wasn't going to tell the brothers that. She had made that mistake once and her CO had almost called the men in the white coats to come and take her away, Ha Ha!!

Standing up, Melisandra leaned down eyeing both of the brothers seriously. Her voice a whisper, the words were not what the hunters had expected to hear. "Let Auntie B fuss a little, she gets such a kick out of it."

Dean smiled, and Sam laughed, replying, "Yes ma'am."

Smiling Melisandra spun on her heels and called a farewell to her aunt, "Bye Auntie, I'll see you for dinner."

Coming through the door with a laden tray Auntie B smiled widely replying, "Have a nice day dear, call if you're going to be late for dinner."

"I will," the disembodied voice echoed back.

Seeing the older woman coming into the room with the heavily laden tray the brother jumped to their feet, ignoring the protesting bodies. Dean reached her first and took the tray from her. "Let me get that," he told her gently.

"Such nice manners," she cooed and allowed him to take the tray.

A few feet away Sam rolled his eyes.

Lunch was a cozy affair, the hunters enjoying the woman's company and the outrages stories of her children and the Sheriff's antics when she was a kid. But all too soon it was time to get back to the hunt.

oooOOOooo

Up stairs, sleeping in a fresh bouquet of flowers in the hunters' room, two Pixies were snoring hard. Periwinkle groaned in her sleep and rolled over, pulling a soft pink rose petal across her body to keep her warm. It would be hours before they awakened. Such an awakening would not be pleasant. It would be their first encounter with the after effects of a night on the town and too much drink. A Pixie with a hangover was a grim sight.

oooOOOooo

Sam and Dean didn't know exactly what they were hunting. Grizzly mutt had been moving east when the hunters had picked up his the trail. Parking the still black Impala in the trees they grabbed shotguns, ammo, knives and a few other tools of the trade before hunting the creatures back trail.

The trail was easy to find and easier to follow. Patches of hair and fur littered the ground and hung from the brush, Grizzly Mutt's they guessed. Forty minutes into the hike they heard the crashing of a huge creature in the underbrush ahead of them.

Testing the wind, Dean was thankful that they were moving into it, being down wind gave them an advantage. Slowly they hunters moved forward. A keening whine cut through the quiet forest, followed a few seconds later by another, lower hoarser howl.

Slipping low the hunters covered the last few feet on their bellies. Peering through the thick underbrush Sam's eyes widened in amazement. Two hulking creatures tore at the body of a cow as they devoured it. Here were the missing parts of Grizzly Mutt.

One creature had the head and neck of a Grizzly, body of wolf and hind quarters of a cougar. The second creature's head was that of a huge gray wolf, body of a cougar and legs of a grizzly.

The wolf headed creature howled and staggered away from the shredded cow. Flopping sideways it fell to the ground. A great mournful cry escaped it, a cry of death. The unnatural creature rolled across the grass its body convulsing. Like Grizzly Mutt it was completely devoid of hair. The third creature still had small patches of hair, but several tufts were matted and tearing away.

They seemed to be in great pain. Their new bodies were unable to support the myriad of different DNA strands each animal - cougar, grizzly and wolf brought to the creature. Rage and confusion were the only things that sustained the creatures now.

They hunters shifted beneath the brush scattering a small flock of doves from the trees above them.

Both creatures sprang to attention testing the wind. They turned to face the commotion. The grizzly headed creature growled low in his throat and sprang forward.

Behind it the wolf staggered to its feet. Rage flooded its mind. Pain forgotten it charged forward.

Oh shit! Sam groaned as the lumbering creatures crashed through the underbrush toward him. He had wanted to study the creatures, but it was impossible now. His only choice if he wanted to survive to see another sunrise was to shoot.

A few feet away Dean saw his brother's danger. The first creature couldn't see Sam, but it was moving on instinct and would stumble over his brother if he stayed on the same trajectory. His finger caressed the trigger as he sighted on the Kittybear - Dean's new name for the creature and fired both barrels.

The grizzly staggered backward and roared in pain. The huge head snapped around catching sight of the hunter.

Dean swore softly. Fingers found the extra shells in his pocket as he backpedaled away from the hulking beast lunging toward him.

Sam didn't hesitate and fired giving Dean enough time to reload, but the creature wasn't down yet. Claws and teeth tore at the brush and trees searching for its quarry.

It took eight shots to bring the Kittybear down.

The Wolf headed creature was close on his heels.

Sam rolled right barely avoiding the massive creature as it pounced. The wolf's jaws snapped angrily. But Sam couldn't avoid the creatures' second leap. The creature leaped across Sam's prone body. The creature strattled him legs outstretched on either side claws extended into the dirt.

The young hunter's hands snapped up catching the wolf around the throat pushing and squeezing in hopes he could avoid the razor sharp teeth aimed at his face. He screamed his brothers' name, "Dean" hoping his brother had survived the grizzly's attack and would come to his rescue.

The creature howled in frustration, its sharp claws digging at the earth trying to gain leverage to tear its prey apart. The sleeves of Sam's jacket were shredded, but somehow Sam's arms remained unscathed. The young hunter knew he wouldn't be able to hold out against the onslaught for much longer.

A shotgun blast went off and Sam felt the creature jerk sideways.

His attention diverted toward the new threat the wolf's head snapped around to face Dean.

Sam forgotten, the wolf leaped for Dean. The hunter brought the shotgun up and squeezed the trigger. The shotgun went off a second time. Dean knew he was in trouble as the creature crashed into him. It had taken eight shots to bring the Kittybear down; so far he'd only managed to pump two into Wolfie.

Man and beast tumbled backward to land in a heap beneath a large oak. The back of Dean's head struck the hard ground and neither of them moved. Dean lay stunned beneath the heavy creature, barely able to draw breath. Skill or blind luck, he didn't know, didn't care, but the shotgun blast had slammed through the wolf's mouth, driving the lead pellets into the creature's brain killing it instantly.

As quickly as his abused body would allow Sam climbed to his feet rushing across the forest to where the creature and Dean lay motionless. "Dean," he called urgently.

It took the panic in Sam's second call to rouse Dean. His eyes fluttered open. A sharp blast from behind them broke the stillness of the forest. The grizzly exploded sending shards of black glass sizzling through the air.

Sam leaped forward covering his brother's head. Only one of the black shards hit the hunters, slicing a shallow path across Sam's exposed cheek.

Leaping to his feet Sam grabbed the Wolf's leg and pulled hard. Adrenalin pumped through him lending him an unnatural strength.

On the ground Dean struggled from beneath the creature. If they were caught this close to the blast… struggling harder he didn't want to think about all the tiny little pieces of black glass riddling his body.

Sam didn't want to think about it either. When Dean finally pulled himself free Sam rushed to his side and yanked him to his feet. Dragging him close beside him, Sam rushed for cover behind the big oak.

The wolf's skin hardened. The enery that had sustained the creature dissipated. Turning black it shimmered before tiny lines crackled across its surface. The creature exploded just as the hunters hit the ground. The oak afforded the hunter a safe haven from the explosion and took the brunt of the blast. Thousands of ebony shards of glass peppered the old oaks trunk. It was a ghastly sight.

It was long moments before the hunters moved. Sam struggled to push himself to his knees, but Dean didn't move. "Dean," he whispered urgently.

"I'm just going to rest here for a while," the raspy voice answered.

"Where does it hurt," Sam asked quickly his hand ready to help when Dean answered.

"Where doesn't it hurt," was the grumpy reply.

"Are you bleeding, anything broken," Sam asked again.

"No and no," Dean grumbled, "Now let me sleep." He didn't think he could move even if he wanted too. His head hurt, but it just didn't matter at the moment.

Sam sounded ok, but Dean had to ask before he closed his eyes. "You hurt."

"No," Sam answered, "Just a couple more bruises.

"Ok," came the groggy reply, "Now go to sleep."

"Dean you can't sleep here."

"Can too," came Dean's sulky reply.

Sam wanted to laugh, but knew he didn't dare. Dean would be pissed and besides, it would hurt too much.

Using his best dad voice he urged his brother up, "Dean get up, let's get back to the house. You can take a hot shower, crawl between the sheets and sleep for a week if you want."

"A whole week," Dean whispered, but still he didn't move.

"Dean," Sam whispered sharply.

Dean's eyes flew open, "What, I'm moving."

"I can tell," Sam chuckled. Gazing into his brother's eyes he was relieved to see they were both equal and other than a little glazed from pain and exhaustion there didn't seem to be any sign of a concussion.

"Just…"

"No now," Sam cut him off.

Grumbling beneath his breath Dean pushed himself up and climbed to his feet with Sam's help.

Grabbing the shotgun Sam swung his brother's left arm over his shoulder and pulled him close. It was a long trek back to the Impala and both hunter climbed wearily in and closed their eyes. Dean lay sprawled across the back seat. Sam had climbed behind the wheel, but lacked the energy to turn the key in the ignition.

"Are we there yet," a tired voice asked from the back seat.

"Don't I wish," was the younger hunters, faint reply.

oooOOOooo

Thirty minutes later as the sun was setting over the horizon the Impala pulled into the driveway of the little Inn. Two exhausted, bedraggled figures made their way unseen to their room.

Dean couldn't manage a hot shower, he had strength enough to strip down to his skivvies before sprawling across the bed and passing out.

Sam winced when he saw his brother's bruises. There were even some raw bloody scrapes across his right shoulder where the wolf claws had caught him. Dean barely stirred when gentle hands held a warm cloth over the cuts and smoothed away the dried blood. An antiseptic ointment followed.

Once Dean was cared for Sam slipped into the shower and took stock of his own bruises. Sleep sounded good.

Sleeping Pixie's stirred when the young hunter crawled beneath the sheets.

Buttercup groaned when she tried to sit up – wave after wave of dizziness assaulted her. Her head wobbled on her shoulders and her stomach twisted with nausea. She fell back into the folds of a white carnation and groaned some more.

Periwinkle fared little better. She had stirred once, but had quickly learned that any movement made her ghastly ill.

Moving slowly Buttercup peeked out from inside the carnation and peered owlishly around the room. Her eyes settled on her human and she gasped in horror. Had her meddling done that to him? Nausea and headache forgotten for the moment she flew across the room to gently caress the huge bruise marring the left side of his body.

Remembering the last time she had used pixie dust to heal his wound Buttercup hovered above him and flicked her wings once. Yellow pixie dust fell across the bruise. Slowly the huge bruise faded as the pixie dust and a pixie wish worked their magic. She didn't hesitate, and moved quickly to each cut and bruise spreading her yellow dust across his body. Soon, his harsh breathing evened out as the pain was washed away. He slept then, a peaceful healing sleep.

Neither hunter heard the tinkling of bells wafting on the breeze, pixie sorrow filled the air.

Buttercup didn't stop there. Periwinkle still slept and her big heart held no grudge against her sister or her sisters human. Wings flickered again as she hovered over Sam, repeating the healing wish with each bruise she saw.

Dizzy with exhaustion the tiny yellow pixie crawled back into the soft petals of her carnation and slept.

Please R & R, I'll post another chapter tomorrow if I can get it proof read by then - I don't have a Beta - but wish I did. Hugs