"It's actually kinda nice here," Dean says, lagging behind to look around. The foliage in this part of the forest is white and translucent, creating the sense of being in a cloud.
"It's deceptive," Castiel replies. He casts his gaze about suspiciously, feeling an ancient magic pressing at the edges of his being.
He turns to see Dean standing in a spot of dappled sunlight, face tilted towards the canopy.
"We can't slow down, Dean. And you need to stay close," Castiel reminds him sharply. He doesn't bother to hide his annoyance, because Dean ought to remember what happened the last time they were separated.
Dean sighs. "I know." He starts ambling towards Castiel at a leisurely pace. He yawns. "It's just, I'm tired man. Can't we rest here? Just for a little while?"
It's tempting. Castiel can feel an aching weariness seeping into him. And this is the first pleasant spot that he and Dean have encountered. Even the sound of a babbling creek nearby seems to whisper, Stay, stay, stay.
Castiel looks at Dean, and thinks that lying down next to him and never moving again wouldn't be a bad thing.
But I promised myself, I promised Dean, he remembers. He shakes his head as if doing so will clear the magic away.
"No. We need to keep going." He grabs Dean by the arm, and starts walking again, but Dean is dragging his feet.
"Oh, come on!" the man wheedles.
Castiel considers flying them out of there. But he doesn't know how long this stretch of forest goes on for, and if its magic is still effecting him when he lands, then he really will be too tired to go on.
Castiel looks at Dean intently, trying to get through to him. "You must remember, Sam is waiting for you." Dean blinks, and some of the sleepy haze fades from his eyes. "We need to keep going."
Dean nods absently. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right." He sets off again, determination in his stride.