A/N: Once again, I'm sorry this update has taken so long. My internet time is even more limited right now, but I am trying to sneak in at least writing a chapter here and there. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! Thanks to Trasan!

The Forest

Chapter Three

Dean stared across the table at Sam and Rob. The two were frowning with a very similar look of concern. He glanced at Galen, then sighed. "Living death? Zombies?" 'Cause that would suck. Hate zombies.

"Well?" Galen asked.

"No, not zombies," Rob said with a bleak look.

"Sam?" Dean said to his brother.

"I didn't read that part, Dean, couldn't, it was in Anglo-Saxon," Sam said with a sigh. "I do know if it catches you, it feeds off of you as long as it can."

"Feeds?"

"Blood and life-force." Sam dropped into a chair.

"Fun," Dean said. "What else?"

"Rob?" Galen said. "Well?"

"After it's done, um, feeding. It has other plans for you."

"The other plans are always the ones that really suck," Dean tried for a smile.

"Yeah," Rob agreed softly.

"Out with it," Galen snapped.

"Tarantula wasp," Rob grated out.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Oh god," Dean looked at the other in horror. "Us?"

"Yeah," Rob said.

"Dean? Do you know what he's talking about?"

"What kind of TV do you watch?" Dean chuckled, rubbing the throbbing spot on his chest. "Every time I come in you have it on documentaries and you've never run across a tarantula wasp? It's a bee..."

"Wasp," Rob corrected.

"Yeah, whatever, it captures a tarantula, paralyzes it, but doesn't kill it so..." Dean swallowed, his headache was coming back. "So it can lay eggs on the spider, and when they hatch the larva have a nice fresh, living body to devour."

"It eats them alive?" Sam asked.

"Yep, fun times, Sammy."

"That's what it wants us for?" Galen said, getting up and walking into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I think so, Galen. It will feed, then lay its eggs in one or both of you." There was a knock on the door. "I'll go down," Rob said.

"It's Flash, I'll come, too," Galen said, heading down the stairs.

When the two were gone, Dean turned to his brother. "Sam?"

"How do you feel?"

"Fine," he said quickly.

"Right," Sam said, frowning at him. "How bad is it?"

"I'm fine," he repeated, trying to keep his voice steady. Sam's frown turned into the full squinch. Dean realized he was unconsciously rubbing the aching wound in his chest. He sighed and dropped his hand. "Sam..."

"Don't, Dean," Sam said, tears at the edges of his eyes.

Dean took a deep breath, ready to deny everything, but the look on Sam's face changed his mind. "What else did you find?"

"Five people have disappeared over the past three years, bodies, or at least the dried remains of bodies, were found. Huh," Sam paused, "one showed evidence of teeth marks. Something had been chewing on it. I wonder if the worm laid eggs, but they died before they could mature."

"They must have, there only seems to be one out there."

"Maybe it needs a different kind of host." Sam's voice trailed off, his eyes focused inward. It was Sam in full research mode, he was putting pieces together. "I wonder, I'll have to ask Rob."

"Sam? Pretend I can't hear what you're thinking."

"What? Oh, well, if Rob was right about that Anglo-Saxon text, and it did seek Keepers, maybe it needs something specific from them?"

"Where do I come in?"

"There was a long text on it feeding on warriors."

"I'm a warrior?" Dean smirked. Hell, yeah, that's me, kick ass warrior.

"Maybe to it you are," Sam smiled. "It needs someone strong to feed on, someone who can last awhile."

"Why don't I find that comforting?"

"Dean..." Sam began.

"No, Sam, you're not hunting that thing alone."

"Rob would..."

"NO!" Dean shouted, then regretted it. The cry felt like he'd stabbed himself in the head. "No, you are not going out there without me."

"You aren't up to the hunt," Sam said desperately. "And that poison will draw the creature right to you."

"And Galen," Rob's voice entered the conversation.

"Yeah, so you two need to stay here," Sam continued.

"No, you're not hunting alone," Dean said.

"I thought we'd settled that," Galen agreed.

"Dean..."

"Galen..."

"No," Dean and Galen said together.

"Rob? Why don't you and Sam get one of the jeeps ready?" Galen said, staring at his brother. Rob's eyes narrowed. "No, Brat."

"Galen?" A shout drifted up the stairs.

"What?"

"Where's the amp?"

"Behind the box in the back of the storeroom."

"Which box?"

"The only box in the back of the storeroom, Flash!" Galen walked to the head of the stairs. "Are you blind?"

"Bite me." It was quiet for a moment, the tension still in the room, when a loud crash came from downstairs. "I didn't do it!"

"What didn't you do?" Galen asked with weary amusement in his voice.

"Didn't break nothing," the other said. There were footsteps on the stairs and Flash came into the room. He was about thirty, with several scars on his face and his neck, long black hair pulled back in a pony tail, and wearing a Black Sabbath t-shirt. "I need the key if you want me to open in the morn...What's going on?" he said, stopping in the doorway.

"Nothing. We're just getting ready to go," Galen said with a false smile. "This is Flash, he plays bass in The Urban Werewolves. Flash, this is Sam and Dean."

"Hi!" Flash said. He frowned at Dean, then turned to Galen. "Galen?"

"It's okay, Flash."

"You're oozing so's he," Flash pointed at Dean.

"What?" Dean looked down, there were blood and green-black stains on his t-shirt.

"Oh my god, Dean!' Sam said, taking a step towards him.

"Huh," Dean pulled his shirt out. "I liked this shirt, too."

"How long will you be gone?" Flash asked.

"I don't know, tomorrow at least," Galen said.

"You do plan on coming back?"

"Yeah, we do," Rob said firmly. "Let me show you where that new shipment is, I want to get a few things from the shop, I'll be right back," he said over his shoulder. "Sam? You want to give us a hand?"

"Uh, sure," Sam said, following Ron and Flash down the stairs.

"They're up to no good. Don't let Rob get too close to you," Galen said with a smile.

"Don't drink anything Sam gives you," Dean grinned back.

"Oh?"

"He doesn't do it often, but every once in awhile for..."

"Your own good?"

"Yeah, that's his excuse." Dean sighed, remembering the last time his brother had drugged him. To be fair to Sam, he was in bad shape, at the very end of his endurance, and still wouldn't stop. So Sam had solved it. Someday, I'll find that stash.

"We should pack," Galen said, walking out of the room, Dean trailed after him. Galen walked into one of the bedrooms, stopping in front of a large closet.

Dean wandered in and stood behind him. "Holy shit," he said, looking into the closet.

"Thanks?" Galen said with a grin. He reached in and picked up something in a scabbard, pulling the blade out he handed it to Dean. "This is my favorite, a falcata, based on the Iberian design."

"Nice," Dean took an experimental swing with the sword. It was well balanced. He handed it back to Galen and looked around the small area. "You've got a little of everything here."

"Something for nearly every occasion." Galen was sorting through the weapons on the shelf. "

This is nice," Dean said, picking up the Browning 9mm from a shelf.

"Yeah, I've had that one a long time," his eyes darkened briefly like that one. "Rob prefers a .45."

"My dad always made us black the night sights," Dean said, putting the gun back.

"Rough."

"Yeah. What are these?" Dean reached for one of a pair of swords resting against the wall, as he touched the scabbard something that felt like an electric shock buzzed up his hand and exploded behind his eyes, he stumbled back into the wall.

"Dean!" Galen steadied him, warmth flowed up his arm, stilling the pain pulsing behind his eyes.

"What the hell?"

"Sorry," Galen sighed. "I didn't know they would affect you like that."

"What?"

"Our swords, the swords of the Custodes Noctis." Galen picked one up and pulled it from the scabbard. The blade was covered with words, runes and other squiggles that could be writing. "I know they have a spell of protection on them, but I've never seen anyone... huh... I wonder..."

"Wonder?"

"Nothing, I'll ask Rob, he's a font of information," Galen chuckled. "Okay, what else? Blades, guns..."

"Is that a water gun?" Dean asked.

"Supersoaker, in fact," Galen handed it to him. "It is handy for delivering things like herbs in water or holy oils."

"Good idea." Why the hell didn't I think of that? Holy water in a water gun? Brilliant. Buying one tomorrow. Oh, yeah, if I live.

"Thanks. I don't think we'll need it this outing. Actually, I have no idea what we need." He grabbed several items from the shelves, stuffed them in a bag, picked up the Custodes Noctis swords and closed the door. "You should leave the Impala here, the jeeps have four-wheel and if they get banged up you aren't putting a dent in that car." Galen smiled appreciatively. "I'd hate to see that."

"A dent in my baby? That would be bad." Dean hated the idea of not driving, of not being in control. What if...?

"I know," the healer said quietly, "but it's better if we stick together."

"Yeah," Dean sighed. Doesn't mean I have to like it. He took the items Galen handed him and followed him out of the room.

XXX

The jeep was speeding along the highway, heading into the mountain. Sam glanced over at his brother, Dean had his eyes closed, his head back against the seat. Dean's t-shirt was wet with a combination of blood and the green-black, the red ring that had appeared on his chest was now a wound, oozing the fluid. This is not a good idea, I don't care if it might come after him in the city. This is not a good idea. Sam sighed.

He wasn't happy his brother was hunting the creature, and he knew Rob felt the same way about Galen. They'd tried to gather up the items from the shop and get out the back without the others, but their brothers apparently had the same idea. When Sam and Rob walked out the back door, Dean and Galen were loading one of the jeeps. Yeah, "loading" they had every intention of leaving. After a short discussion, they'd finally all agreed it would be better to stick together.

"I think this is the turn," Galen said, breaking into Sam's thoughts.

"Okay." Rob pulled off the highway onto a small dirt track. The jeep lurched as they went off the pavement. "Sorry."

"Where are we?" Dean said, sitting up and looking around.

"Just took the turn into the national forest." Galen twisted so he could look at them. "This is where we were when I was attacked, I think. It looks familiar."

Sam leaned forward so he could see the map. "Take the next left, that's where we were." A small groan from beside him pulled his attention back to Dean, his brother's face was white. "Dean?"

"I'm okay," he replied.

"We're getting close to its hunting grounds," Galen said, looking over at Rob.

"I still don't like this, Galen."

"Do you think we'd let you go hunting without us?" Galen asked.

"Yeah," Dean agreed.

"You should have," Rob said with a growl. "What's that?" He stopped the jeep.

"I don't know," Sam said, looking out.

"What?" Dean leaned over so he could see out of Sam's window. "It's dead whatever is."

"Check it out?" Rob asked.

"Probably should," Galen said, getting out.

"Wait for us," Rob said to his brother.

"It's really dead," Dean said a few minutes later, looking at the remains on the ground.

"Really, really dead." Rob grinned. "Human."

"There's something that had fur over there," Galen said, gesturing towards a stand of trees.

"Think it feeds here?" Dean looked at Sam.

"Maybe," Sam said, crouching down by the body. "This isn't as old as it looks, Dean."

"What? It looks like a mummy."

"Yeah, but I think it's not that old, look at this," Sam pointed to one of the leg bones, something had been chewing on it. "This is broken like a fresh bone."

"You're right," Rob squatted down beside him.

"How old?" Sam asked the other.

"I don't know, my anatomy classes went in one ear and out the other." Rob chuckled.

"Not helpful, Brat. Dean and I will go check..."

"No!" Sam and Rob said together.

"That is getting irritating," Dean said to Galen.

"Yeah," Galen agreed.

"We could..." Dean began.

"Dean?" Sam stood and faced his brother. No, Dean just no.

"One hunter, one Keeper, Rob, we could cover more..." Galen added.

"No."

A cry sounded from the forest. Sam glanced at his brother. It had sounded almost like the werewolf they'd been hunting when the creature grabbed Dean. The cry came again closer that time. "Dean!" The blood had drained from Dean's face and he fell to his knees. Out of the corner of his eye, Sam saw Galen stagger against Rob. "Dean?"

"I'm okay, Sam."

"What's going on?"

"It's close, Sammy," Dean said as Sam pulled him to his feet.

"We need to get you two out of here," Rob said, his voice strained.

A low growl rumbled under Sam's feet. He saw something moving in the trees, at first he took it for a shadow, but it stopped, edged forward and stopped again. The growl bounced around them. "Dean..." Sam started pulling him towards the jeep. "Rob's right we need to get you out of..."

It struck, flying through the trees so fast Sam barely registered the movement before it was too late. Dean was knocked down, the huge black creature covering him.

And they were gone.

"DEAN!" Sam shouted, racing into the woods following the trail the thing left as it moved through the forest.

"Get the weapons, Rob!" Galen said. Sam heard them following him moments later. "Sam! Stop, let us catch up!" Sam slowed but didn't stop. The trail suddenly ended as Rob and Galen caught up. "Left!" Galen said as he came up beside Sam.

"Okay!" Rob said, moving off the trail and into the bushes. "Over here!"

Sam turned in the direction of the shout, plunging into the undergrowth, ignoring the blackberries as they tore at his clothing. The trail led to a clearing surrounded by ferns. A huge maple stood in the center, but there was nothing else growing in the large circle. They slowed. Rob and Galen skirted the edges of the clearing and Sam walked into the center.

"The trail ends here," Galen called from Sam's right. "I think it's gone underground." He walked to Sam.

"How did it get underground?" Rob asked.

"You're the one who found out what it was, you tell me," Galen snapped.

"Where's Dean?" Sam said softly. "How did it move that fast?"

"I'm not sure," Rob said. "We need to back track and see if we can find out where we went wrong."

"It was here, Rob," Galen said with certainty.

"How do you know?" Sam asked, trying to stay calm. His panic level was quickly going from nothing to full blown. Hang on, Dean.

"Yeah, it was, but the trail fades out," Rob said.

"Okay, so, where do we start?" Galen was rubbing his chest, swallowing hard. "I... Sorry, lunch isn't agreeing."

"Yeah, right," Rob said with a frown.

"We have to find Dean." Every instinct Sam had was screaming for him to move, follow the trail do something, anything.

"I know," Rob said, glancing towards the far side of the clearing. "No!" He was running towards Galen when the creature burst into the clearing. It slammed into Galen, they heard a scream of pain and it was gone again, vanishing before their eyes. "Galen!"

"What happened?" Sam ran up beside him.

"I saw it appear out there." He looked at Sam, his eyes filled with panic. "Galen?" he said softly, so softly Sam barely heard it. "Galen? Can you hear me?" He cocked his head to the side as if he were listening for something, then shook his head.

"What're you doing?"

"Oh, sorry, as Custodes Noctis, we share a psychic link."

"You can communicate through it?"

"Yeah, it also alerts us to what's happening with the other and..." He paused. "Galen are you and Dean..?" he said, his eyes unfocused. "Galen? Oh gods. NO! GALEN!" He shouted.

"Rob? What is it?" Sam caught him as he staggered.

"Galen, he's... No. Sam, I think, oh gods," Rob was having a hard time breathing. "Galen, no."

"Rob?"

"Galen..." Rob gasped out, he collapsed against Sam, his breathing more and more ragged. "He's gone. They both are."

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" Sam lowered him to the ground. "Rob?"

"I'm sorry, Sam."

Sorry?

Gone?

Dean?

To Be Continued