Chapter 9
Dean never thought he would be thankful for a talking racoon. Jeeze if he'd woken to a giant chattering fungi then he really would have lost it big time. Obviously, he concluded, it was all a matter of degree; insanity or total insanity.
Looking up Dean found Sam eyeing him suspiciously, "You didn't…see…the…er mushroom, did you?" Sam enquired leaning forward.
Dean provided him with a very quick, "No," but Sam didn't acknowledge his negative and was still talking.
"I have a feeling…"
Dean had to make a real effort to listen, his mind kept wandering, thinking about those green eyes staring out, blinking at him from the milky white stem of a giant mushroom.
"…that this thing," looking distinctly uncomfortable Sam swallowed and finished in a rush, "…might be what we're hunting."
Well that figured. It couldn't be something simple like a Wendigo; Oh no it had to be a shapeshifting, green-eyed divine being with a fondness for cryptic remarks and Granola bars. Dean suddenly felt a sense of irony explode over him as he processed the significance of Sam's words. Not only were they hunting something that could look like anything but also the very thing that had probably saved his life.
"You sure?"
"From what I can gather and there's not a lot of lore, basically the spirits are guardians, looking after the forests that they inhabit including the creatures and plants, defending them from harm. There was a tale of them kidnapping young women but normally they stick to playing tricks on humans, imitating voices, luring them off the path, getting them lost stuff like that. Oh and…" Sam was beginning to warm to his subject and Dean detected a note of excitement from his brother. "…They have been known to tickle people almost…to…death…" He stopped and Dean realised that the look he had on his face must reflect his inner sense of disbelief. Sam swallowed and continued. "…but this one's… seems to have taken…"
"… to ganking blundering hikers." Dean finished for him.
"It would seem so." Shrugging Sam set more twigs onto the glowing embers of the fire and Dean could almost hear his brother's giant brain grinding to a halt. Dean half watch thinking of some of the types he'd seen strolling up to the falls, "Mind you anyone who gets their kicks wandering around dense forest probably deserves …"
"DEAN! …" There was a warning tone in Sam's voice which made Dean cut off his diatribe before he'd really gotten going. He followed Sam's gaze and found himself once again face to face with the racoon.
"Hey Rocky you're back." Dean commented rather unnecessarily but it covered the sudden cold dread which spun through him. Even though he knew now that the thing was real he couldn't quite shake his earlier apprehension, the uneasy feeling that somehow it was judging him.
The racoon ignored him, sniffing the air raising its wet snout sucking in the aroma of the soup. "Mmmmm what's that? It smells good."
Dean saw Sam look helplessly at his tin. "It's vegetable soup but there's only a bit left."
Brushing past him in a waft of damp feted fur, bumping his leg with its ample behind the racoon almost ran across the floor, knocking the tin from his brother's hand and slurping with relish what was left of Sam's meal. Sam made a bitch-face and Dean nearly laughed out loud finding it extremely amusing now that he, for once, wasn't the cause or recipient.
The pink tongue laved the rim of the tin as small paws twisted and turned the receptacle expertly. "Any more?"
Sam paused as if he didn't quite know what to say. "er…No."
"Shame." It settled grooming its whiskers like some large cat, running its claws along their length licking them clean then allowing them to spring back to their original position. Finishing the racoon looked up and grinned or grimaced, depending thought Dean on your point of view, curling its lip back and bearing all its teeth.
The effect was rather disconcerting and Dean felt even more uncomfortable than he had before. What did it want? If it was the thing they were hunting then why were they still here? Did it treat all its victims to this kind of consideration before killing them, if so why and if it didn't what made him and Sam so freaking special?
Dean groaned inwardly as the racoon continued to gaze at them curiously. He felt trapped like some captured rare specimen that was about to be dissected in the cause of science. He was about to voice something along the lines of this opinion when the racoon spoke again.
"I think…" it mused after another awkward silence, "…that I'm gonna enjoy keeping you close."
Its words didn't make Dean feel any better; hell it sounded now as if it was gonna keep them on a leash like a couple of pets.
"Yeah having you around to worship me could be just what I need."
The muscle in Dean's jaw twitched as he ground his teeth together. It was a good thing he'd lost his gun and knife because despite the fact that, one, he was slowed by his injuries and two, there may have been dire, possibly unforeseen consequences, he would have tried to ice the creature where it sat because there was no way, ever, that he was gonna worship anything that smelled that bad.
XXxxxxxxxx
Sam had seen Dean's reactive movements, subtle though they were, the pursing of the lips as teeth clenched, the drawing up of muscle, the whole change in tension of his brother's body and he swiftly moved to intercede.
"You miss your followers?"
He'd picked up on the racoon's earlier comments and was forming a theory that possibly the reason he and Dean were still alive was the offering. That his 'Well it couldn't hurt' had somehow saved them from a swift and probably painful death but they were standing on a knife-edge and if Dean did anything to unbalance the current situation then…
The Creature sighed. "I do, I do…that's why it's so nice to find one such as yourself in amongst all the dross." It looked pointedly at Dean.
Not quite sure if he felt entirely comfortable at all of humanity being called into question and that he'd been singled out even above Dean, Sam decided that at this wasn't the time to…
"Hey watch who you're calling dross." The lightness was there in Dean's tone but underneath Sam detected the animosity. Sighing inwardly Sam tried to forestall any further comments. Dean going off at the racoon was not going to resolve anything. "Dean…I think…"
"Last time I looked racoons were vermin." Dean's face taken on a flushed look and he'd pushed himself up to standing, grimacing against the pain.
The racoon huffed rearing up on its hind legs. "And humans are a destructive malignancy on the face of this earth." Sam didn't miss the fleeting look of triumph as the racoon spoke and he realised that it was being deliberately provocative, testing them seeing how they'd react? If that was the case then it was going to find out really quickly what his brother thought.
Sam rushed towards his sibling, who had made to move forward towards the racoon fists clenched. "Hey, hey…Woah there…" Dean never made it; his right leg gave out as he transferred his weight and he fell.
"Dean." He was too late and his brother hit the floor with a pained cry.
"Is he okay?" The racoon enquired innocently, sniffing forward.
Sam found his own anger rising, it was obvious that Dean had taken offence at the creature's 'dross' comment and yet it had intentionally continued in the same vein inciting the elder hunter to anger. "Back off." The freaking thing smirked but it retreated slightly sitting on its haunches observing as Sam turned his attention back to his brother. "Dean?" Gently he tried to uncurl his brother's tensed form. "Hey, Dean, come on… you gotta help me here okay?"
Getting no response he pushed harder and flinched as his brother cried out again. "I'm sorry bro but I gotta see if there's anymore damage." He leaned over reaching to tuck his hand under his sibling's body and was horrified to see thin trickles of blood coming from Dean's mouth and running down his chin.
"Dean, DEAN."
Scooting around his brother's stricken figure Sam knelt and gently felt under the dirtied T-shirt pressing down firmly on the already bound ribs. Dean jerked and moaned pulling his arms tighter around his body, trapping Sam's hand. "S'okay Dean I gotchya. I gotchya." He was hardly aware that he was echoing his brother, using the very same words that the elder hunter had often used to comfort him.
Sam, fearing that his brother really had pierced his lung this time shifted his weight managing to gently ease Dean further onto his side but even that small movement had Dean coughing and more blood flooding from his mouth.
XXxxxxxxx
Sharp needles of jagged pain shot through Dean as his hip protested giving way at the critical moment plunging him to the floor. A cacophony of other hurt ricocheted through his body as first his torso absorbed the impact jarring his ribs and then his head caught in the whiplash of movement banged painfully on the floor.
He lay enveloped in a swathe of agony, shaking with the shock, uncaring of anything or anyone around him. In the distance he could hear Sam calling his name but he couldn't rouse himself from the heavy blanket of pain.
Hands moved riding under his shirt, pressing and pulling, every touch a torture. He instinctively drew his arms tighter trying to hold everything taut against the pain but a warm liquid trickled down his throat and he choked, coughing, trying to drag air in while at the same time expel the fluid obstructing his gullet.
A hot metallic taste filled his mouth as blood spewed out rippling over his chin and he heard Sam again and something about the fear and urgency in his calling permeated Dean's haze.
"Dean! Come on, come on. I need you to talk to me."
"Sammy." His tongue felt huge and sore, more blood washed over his lips.
"Oh God Dean…" Warm fingers stroked his cheek and he managed to flutter his eyes open.
"Sss'okay…Sam" Dean tried to smile but it hurt. "S'not …ribs…bit my tongue."
"You bit…" Sam's smiling face swam into Dean's field of vision but was abruptly replaced by a view of a mop of dark brown hair as Sam dropped his head to his brother's chest in relief.
"Sammy… dude, your ginormo head's damned heavy." It cost him a deal to say even that short a sentence but he couldn't let on how much that small contact had hurt him, not to Sam and certainly not to the sonofabitch racoon which was no doubt enjoying every moment of his discomfort.
His brother's head came up again, " … sorry," he grinned down at Dean. Sam looked tired but it cheered Dean to see the dimples appearing as his younger sibling smiled. Sam might be stressed, be a pain in the ass but he always came through and he always had Dean's back.
Lying as still as he could Dean wished that the sickening swirl of the room would settle to a gentle sway before he had to hurl and set off the whole pain thing again. Gradually, he had no idea of how long it took, he was able to distinguish, feel the various separate parts of his body through the general melee of hurt but on reflection he wasn't sure if that was such a good thing as each individual pain seemed to clash into another.
Groaning, head tight-banded in pain, he experimented by flexing his leg but the jolting electric agony radiated again from his hip making him suck in a quick breath. The sudden expansion of his ribcage ripped more pain sharply through his chest cavity and renewed itself with every subsequent breath he took. Jeeze, Dean allowed himself a small piece of self-pity, even his little toe hurt.
"Dean, you okay?" Sammy was fussing.
"Awesome, Sam just totally awesome."
It came out harsher than he meant. He wasn't really irritated with Sam this time more annoyed at himself for being so helpless and pissed at the pain for hurting so much. Venting didn't really help much either he still felt like crap and now he felt guilty for taking it out on his brother.
Arms slid under his back and Sam's muscles bunched as he heaved Dean's upper body from the floor into a sitting position. He shifted his grip and Dean hissed.
"Sorry."
Dean wished Sam would stop apologising but the snark he prepared in his head fled as his brother changed his hold again, tugging at Dean and sliding him across the floor. Even though Dean knew his sibling was trying to be careful the painometer soared and he couldn't help gasping as his body shifted on the hardened earth.
"Sorry Dean…" There Sam went apologising again, "…s'gonna hurt a bit until I can get you settled."
"No k..idd…ing Sher…lock."
XXXxxxxxxxx
Sam'd almost forgotten about the racoon, relegating it to a background awareness as he dealt with Dean - until it spoke.
"He okay?"
Startled he couldn't stop his body jolting as his heart thumped hard against his breast bone. The creature was close, right at his back, directly between him and Dean and the wall.
"I should think he'd be better over there, more comfortable." It cocked its head indicating the pile of dried vegetation in the corner.
"I'm fine… don't …need sp..ecial treatment." Dean weakly gripped Sam's upper arm and attempted to pull himself up but Sam could see the pain detailed in his brother's face.
"Dean, you're anything but fine."
"Listen to your brother…"
Sam's arms tightened, pulling Dean into his chest in alarm as the racoon's furry face materialised over his sibling's shoulder.
"…He gets my vote."
Its nose grazed the skin on Dean's neck and it snuffled wetly.
Dean jerked, twisting away trying to face the racoon and Sam felt his brother tense. "YOU…d.. don't… get a say…" Dean managed before he fell back into Sam fighting for breath, sweat beading on his forehead.
It only took a few moments of debate and even though he hated to admit it Sam realised that the racoon was right. Summoning up his energy he lifted his brother as best he could and staggered the few yards across the interior to deposit his charge as carefully as he could on the bed of bracken. Dean would be better on the dried stems they would protect him from the damp of the earthen floor.
"D..dude I'm n…not an invalid." Dean made as if to get up but Sam pushed him back down.
"Stay put." He followed up his words with a glare putting all the stern authority he could muster into the look. Dean comically opened his mouth then closed it again but stayed put, head dropping back to rest on the scratchy foliage.
Pleased that his brother had given in so easily but concerned for the same reason Sam retrieved his backpack and a bottle of water. Unzipping the medical kit he extracted two painkillers thought again and added two more. Dean needed a substantial hit, he'd fallen twice and probably managed to undo any good that Sam might have accomplished earlier. At least they could keep the pain relief topped up; Sam checked the number of pills, for the next forty-eight hours or so.
"Here."
He handed the tablets to Dean who looked up at him quizzically silently querying the amount of analgesia but then made no complaint and pushed them into his mouth grabbing the bottle of water from Sam to flush them down.
"That's not gonna do any good." The racoon sounded weird and when Sam rounded on the creature he realised it was because the animal had its teeth clenched around several leafy twigs. It spat them out and retreated raising its head to gaze up at Sam.
"Brew those, give him a dose now and then again in a couple of hours. This one burn on the fire and waft the smoke at him."
Surprised, not realising that the racoon had left the hut let alone returned, Sam went to reply but the creature shuffled away turning quickly and was out through the open door grunting softly leaving him open mouthed and frankly baffled. One minute the thing was goading Dean, pushing his buttons trying to provoke - what, he wasn't sure - next it was trying to help him.
Grimacing Dean raised his upper body so he could see. "I'm not …" his breath hitched, "…taking anything…" he fell back, "…that sonofabitch…" he closed his eyes. "…has given..." After a few moments of waiting Sam leaned over to find that his brother had passed out. Checking Dean's vitals Sam satisfied himself that there was no immediate danger and threw his waterproof over the injured hunter before the cold night robbed him of what little warmth he had. Dean could do with all the sleep he could get.
Although reluctant to leave his brother's side Sam knew that the coat was not going to be enough as the night drew down he needed to get the fire going again. Sitting cross-legged next to the smouldering remnants in the stone hearth he lay on some small twigs and blew gently encouraging the glowing embers to catch on the new fuel. Ten minutes later heat from the flames flushed his face as he added more, thicker branches and finally allowed himself to relax a little.
Only then did he take up and examine the racoon's proffered shoots.
XXxxxxxxxx
Wrinkling his nose Dean squeezed his eyes shut tighter than they already were. There was a smell. He took a tentative sniff. The aroma hit the back of his throat and his eyes watered.
"What the hell Sam," he croaked, "It smells like a skunk died."
He heard his brother laugh, giggle really but Dean dismissed it; however girly he might be, Sam didn't giggle.
Cracking his eyelids open Dean craned his neck searching and sniffing until he saw Sam silhouette in the red glow from the fire.
"Sam?"
"Hey Dean." His brother turned towards him and giggled again.
"Sam?…" Dean struggled to sit up hardly able to believe the suspicion burgeoning. "… are you high?"
"Yeah…" a huge grin slew across his brother's face, "…think I might be." Smoke from the fire rose curling as it floated up towards Sam's face. "S'pretty good stuff, bit more potent than I figured but…" He left his sentence hanging as he wafted the cloud of vapour in Dean's general direction waving his hand back and forth several times.
"Sam… you know what this is don't you?"
Sam nodded, "Uhuh." Then he smiled teeth, dimples and all. "S'weed."
"Where the hell…" He never finished because he knew where; the Goddamned racoon.
"Oh hey…" Sam taking the hand that had been doing the wafting and being overly careful he lifted one of the small metal tins, "You gotta drink this," leaning forward Sam swayed as he stretched out his arm spilling some of the liquid. "Ooops." He giggled again putting his free hand over his mouth.
Blinking Dean watched Sam weave, brow furrowing with puzzlement. How could his brother have let his guard down like this? He struggled for a while until with a final effort he worked out what his brain wanted him to say and with his tongue still feeling tender and huge he managed to stumble out. "Sam, we're on a hunt!" He put all the indignation he could into the word 'hunt' but the effect came out as petulant.
"S'good for you Dean... you neeeed it…" Then Sam's face went all serious. "…couldn't walk you out like you was…an' I can't carry you that far…"
The truth of what Sam was saying hit Dean like a punch in the stomach and he found that he couldn't disagree with his brother's logic. He needed to be mobile, however dangerous and foolhardy the cure might seem.
"Think of it s'medicine." Sam urged the container on to his brother sloshing more and rather than have its contents spilled all over him Dean took the tin, sniffed then took a sip. Distaste spread across his face, "Ugh…that's nasty."
"You know what they say…" Sam leaned over conspiratorially. "…the worse the medi…medicine the better…"
He winked, Sam goddamned winked at him. Dean didn't think that Sam had ever winked at him before and he felt …well he felt …offended in some way.
"…the better… " Sam continued, "…good it does. It's sint…scien...scientificly proven." He pointed his finger to emphasise the significance. "That it helpsss." Then nodded as if agreeing with himself, "Annelllllgesic and Musss…cle relaaaxant."
Dean leant back; he felt better having something solid behind him especially the way Sam kept wavering in and out of focus. S**t he was already feeling the affect. Light-headed and rather ineffectually he tried to wave away the noxious fumes but it got to the point where he couldn't avoid breathing in.
Raw heat seared down his throat and into his lungs as he inhaled. Holding himself still, eyes closed, he held his breath and allowed the smoke to burn until with a sudden bolt of clarity he realised what he was doing. Choking he expelled the air with a rush and flung the drink to the floor.
Tutting and leaning over Sam patted Dean's knee very deliberately, "Gonna have to make s'more now… you sppilllllled it," Sam pouted like a six year old and busied himself.
Actually, when he took stock, Dean did feel better physically. Apart from the pounding in his head which had not abated his hip although stiff and sore didn't shoot strings of pain up and down his spine when he moved and the ache across his chest was that, an ache rather than the violent stabbing pains he'd had before. Experimentally he inhaled, expanding his lungs waiting for the pain and forgetting about the laced smog billowing in the hut's interior.
The second hit buzzed, racing through his body as his lungs distributed the drug adulterated oxygen into his bloodstream. "Crap." Dizzy, Dean rubbed his face as if trying to smooth away the fog invading his brain. Jeeze he hadn't been this stoned this quickly since that weekend in…
The thought lost itself because somewhere in the depths of Dean's brain alarm bells were ringing, clamouring loudly and demanding attention. Shaking his head Dean tried to focus on why… suddenly he knew what it was.
"Sam…SAM." His brother blinked at him owlishly, pupils wide and black. "Where's the racoon?"
Sam in agitated consternation swung round wildly, peering into the darkened corners of the hut.
"It was here."
Sam stood unsteadily visibly sobering as he hung onto the beam above his head. He swayed checking the interior again. "I think I lost track of time."
"You think?" Dean pushed himself up the wall taking his weight on his right leg as he rose. Testing his left leg gingerly, he slowly applied pressure before trusting himself to take a step.
It held and he limped across to his brother.