The hunter was being hunted.
The blood-sucking creature had been silently stalking it's prey, waiting for the right moment to strike. Taking advantage of it's nearly invisible nature, it moved closer.
Closer.
Finally, the moment came. As the human paused to take a breather, the creature made it's move, streaking through the air and sinking it's stinger into the pale flesh.
Unfortunately, the hunter had been aware of the attack. The creature barely had enough time to enjoy the sweet taste of blood before the hunter struck back, crushing it with one swift slap of his hand. In an instant the tiny life was over, yet another casualty attributed to the hunter's finely honed skills.
Dean looked at the blood on his palm and wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"Fucking mosquitoes."
The Winchesters had more to deal with than just pesky insects as they made their way through the forest. The uneven terrain was proving quite problematic for the injured pair. Leaf covered divots and snake-like roots had sent both men tumbling to the ground several times.
Now, nearly a mile past the Eagan cabin, both brothers sported crudely fashioned walking sticks as they struggled with the continuous up-sloping of the earth.
The hunters slowed to a halt as they came upon a very vertical, and even more horizontal, hill. It wasn't the tallest they'd ever seen. Any other day they would bound up the hill in three seconds flat. But today, with their collective cracked ribs, twisted knee, and head injury, the ten foot hill seemed as tall as the pyramids. The sudden rise in the earth seemed to go for miles in either direction. Going around it was out of the question. They didn't have the time, nor the energy, to spare.
"Perfect. Just perfect." Dean leaned his elbow against a nearby tree and wiped the sweat from his brow. "I swear to God, Sam, you'd better be leading us in the right direction."
Sam took advantage of the pause to lean down and gingerly massage his right knee. The injured joint was doing it's best to keep up, but was quickly losing the battle. The blasts of fire that had accompanied every step had long since gone and had been replaced with spasms of intense blinding pain. What had started as a simple sprain had definitely escalated. He could practically feel the ligaments getting tighter and tighter, like the strings on a violin, just waiting to snap. There was no way he could make it to the cave and back again. Hell, it'd be a miracle if he was able to make it up the hill. He gave his knee a quick mental pep talk, willing it to last long enough to save Jenna and the other kids. He would worry about the return trip later.
Sam sensed Dean's eyes on him, and he quickly straightened up, working hard to keep the pain from showing on his expressive face.
"Don't worry, Dean. The cave's only about a half a mile or so west of here. We'll get there soon."
Dean continued to stare dubiously at Sam, who rolled his eyes.
Sam stuck a thumb over his shoulder. "I could go ask that family of raccoons for directions if it'll make you feel better."
Dean made a face. "Cute."
Sam flashed a smartass grin, then set his lips in a determined line. The ground seemed to level off at the top of the steep slope. The trick was getting up there. Oh yeah, this was going to be fun.
Dean appeared at Sam's side, ready to help his brother upwards. Dean's ashen face revealed that the eldest Winchester was also in a great deal of pain. Unfortunately, Sam knew he'd never make it up the hill without Dean's help, so after muttering an apology, he gritted his teeth and began the climb.
Each step was more agonizing than the last. Nothing, not the painful grip Dean had on his upper arm, nor the steady throb in his skull, could detract from the all-consuming pain in his knee. They were nearly to the top when Sam's knee finally gave up the fight, locking up and nearly sending him face first into the grass-covered hill.
Dean caught Sam around the waist and pulled him upward, his rumbling bellow mixing with Sam's anguished cry. Sam clawed desperately at the earth as he tried to propel himself up the hill. Two more steps….they were almost there….
Dean gave a breathless, "That's it!" as they made it onto the summit of their mini Andes. Sam rolled away from the edge of the hill and curled inward, his hands gripping his knee as it sent ripples of pain up and down his leg. He turned his head so he was facedown on the earth, letting the cool grass soothe his hot forehead as he worked to control his ragged breathing.
Fingertips lightly brushed his shoulder while a haggard voice spoke his name. Sam forced his head back to the side and looked over at the source of the voice.
Dean was lying on his side, his right arm wrapped as ever around his middle, while his left was stretched out, inches from Sam's face. Once he'd gotten Sam's attention, he pulled the limb back and used it to further cradle his ribs.
Sam pushed himself partway up and leaned on his right arm, keeping his legs perfectly still. "Dean?" he called over, concern for his brother trumping his own injuries. "You ok?"
Moving in eerily slow motion, Dean made his way up to a seated position. He released the shallow breath he'd been holding and smiled humorously at Sam. "No. You?"
Sam returned the sardonic grin, also opting for the truth. "No."
Dean took a deep breath, then winced. Closing his eyes, he leaned back against a large tree, the cocky smirk still on his lips. "Ok, then. Break time it is."
Sam watched Dean for a few moments, then turned his attention back to his knee. He worked his fingers around the swollen joint, trying to lessen the stiffness. It took a while, but finally he was able to get his knee loose enough where he could actually bend it. Now walking, on the other hand….Sam had a feeling he'd be doing a bit of hopping from here on in. What he wouldn't give for a pair of crutches or a wheelchair. Hell, he'd even settle for a piggyback ride right about now, pride be damned.
Leaning back on his arms, Sam absently rubbed his knee as he looked around. With it's mixture of tall, majestic trees and large leafy plants, the forest really was a place of splendor and tranquility. He might've actually enjoyed the beauty of the surrounding nature had he been here under better circumstances. But it seemed the only times he and Dean ventured into the wilderness were to hunt something supernatural. It's hard to commune with Mother Nature when she's constantly finding ways to deliver a hearty bitchslap.
Sam was pulled out of his reverie as he felt something crawl against the back of his hand. A huge hairy black bug the size of a Twinkie had settled itself on his hand. It's long feelers twitched as the insect regarded him with it's shiny black eyes.
"Aahh." Sam shuddered and flung his hand to the side, watching the vile creature launch itself off of his skin. It landed next to Sam's sneaker, which he promptly used to kick the thing away.
"Everything ok there, Sammy?" Dean was watching Sam with amusement.
Sam made a face and went back to massaging his knee, embarrassed that Dean had seen his reaction to the bug. It's not like had an insect phobia, or anything like that. But that was one freaky bug. It was amazing how the most beautiful places could house the most loathsome creatures.
A shot of adrenaline went through Sam's veins as his thoughts turned towards the bendith, and of the revolting crimbils that had taken the place of the Donovan children. Breaktime was over. Every second he spent sitting on his ass was one more second Jenna had to spend locked away in some cold dark cave, that evil creature doing God-knows what to her. Using the large branch he'd made into a walking stick, Sam half rose, half hopped to his feet.
Sam closed his eyes as the world blurred at the edges of his vision. After taking a deep breath he reopened them and took his first real look at the territory before him.
Trees, trees, and, or...what was that over there? Oh, more flippin' trees. The ground definitely seemed to level out from here on out. At least they'd caught a break there.
"Come on, Dean. Let's...go." Sam trailed off, his hazel eyes widening as what appeared to be a large grey blob came into focus.
Sam heard a rustling behind him, followed by Dean's slightly strained voice. "Sam? Sam, what is it?"
"I think," Sam shielded his eyes with his hand, "we found the cave."
A grunt of exertion pulled Sam's attention back to his brother, who was making his way to his feet. Balancing on one leg, Sam reached down and gave Dean a hand. Beads of sweat rolled down Dean's brow as he tried to bring himself to his full height. Dean's injured ribs kept him slightly hunched over, putting him several inches lower than Sam's towering frame. After making sure Dean was alright, Sam pointed to the cave.
Dean squinted into the distance. He nodded approvingly and clapped Sam on the shoulder. "Nice going, Gretel." He looked down at Sam's knee. "You sure you can do this?"
No. Sam bit back his initial response, instead going for the safe, "I can if you can."
Dean rolled his eyes. Neither one was physically up to conducting a rescue, especially given the unknown temperament of the bendith. But with young children's lives at stake, not to mention their own stubborn pride, they had no choice put to go into the potentially dangerous darkness.
Years of training kicked in as the two hunters crept towards the cave. Sam did his best to ignore the unsteady twinge that wracked his knee with every step, instead focusing on the moss covered cave that lay ahead. Despite their injuries, they moved silently through the wilderness. Dean took point, Sam following a close limp behind as they edged to the side of the cave's entrance.
"You sure this is it, Sam?" Dean whispered as he peered around the corner, then looked questioningly at Sam.
Sam refused to let doubt enter in. He looked Dean square in the eyes and nodded confidently. It simply had to be.
Sam checked the gun at his waistband and the knife at his hip, then placed a flashlight in Dean's beckoning hand. The yellow light broke through the yawning darkness, revealing a vast empty space.
Dean looked over his shoulder, his eyes posing a silent question. Sam clicked on his own flashlight, and holding his gun at his side, he gave a tense nod. He was ready.
Following his lead, Sam trailed Dean out of the sunshine and into the inky darkness of the cave. He'd left his walking stick outside and was using the cold cave walls to help keep him on his feet. The fresh smells of the forest were immediately replaced by a wet muskiness as they continued into the dark depths of the cavern. Sam kept his flashlight low to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He felt all of his senses heighten as adrenaline coursed through his system.
An image of Jenna Donovan's sweet cherub face flashed before Sam's eyes, her bright blue eyes shining brightly as she giggled under Sam's oversized police hat. He swallowed the lump in his throat and sent a mental message out into the darkness.
Hang on, Jenna. I'm coming.