The hot midday sun beamed down on the two remaining wagons with a vengeance. The pack was tucked away inside except for Cain and Meg, who were both guiding the horses. Cain nursed a pipe from beneath a wide-brimmed hat, casually holding the reins while Meg tolerated the heat in its entirety.
"I wish we could've brought them," she lamented across to the other wagon.
"We said we would honor his decision," Cain replied, not taking his eyes from the path ahead, "He chose to stay and so he will."
"It's unfair. They don't like him, and they don't even like Cas anymore." Meg bit her lower lip momentarily. "We would embrace them both!"
"I know, I know," Cain grunted. He stole a quick glimpse at Meg then frowned. A puff of smoke came from his pipe. "I'm sure Dean knows what he's doing."
"Does he? Does he really?" Meg sounded a bit angry now, though not at Cain. "He was set up to be the leader after you! Who gives that up?"
"Love is a weird thing, Miss Meg."
"Eugh. Tell me about it."
They fell silent for a moment. Nothing more than the clatter of the four horses could be heard. They were out of the forest but still meandering through the valley, drawing closer and closer to the mountains. The pack had gone through them before, but never down to the south.
"I'm sorry," Cain finally broke the silence. "I'm sorry you lost your mate and I'm sorry Dean is gone." Meg remained quiet. "I do believe, however, that he will return to us."
Meg furrowed her brow.
"Really?"
"I think so…but, but I also believe I won't see him again."
"That's no help at all!"
"I'm doing the best I can," Cain huffed. "Or, I can give no advice or predictions. I can stop asking God and stop interpreting the stars."
"No!" Meg instantly shouted. "We've relied it you to do that for too long! Please don't. I'm sorry. I'll be good."
Cain let out a little laugh. "Oh, Meg. I would never stop. Especially if it were just because your sour disposition."
"Mm, thanks."
The next several days were grueling for everyone who was still in the Valley. The heat was unstoppable. Nobody enjoyed it. The river was lower than usual and that worried them, since there was almost always someone down there grabbing buckets of water for their crops, or wading in a desperate attempt to cool off.
The heat was particularly difficult for Cas, since the eggs were noticeably larger every day and he was uncomfortable due to them anyway. His hunger was relentless and every part of him hurt.
"Dean…I'm so hot…please…"
Cas was sprawled out on the floor of their house, nude except for a thin pair of underwear. Both hands rested on his slightly-protrusive stomach.
"There'll be fresh water real soon, I promise," Dean said calmly. He sat next to him on the floor and held his warm hand. Gabe was across from them with his eggs in his lap. He nodded in agreement with Dean but stayed silent.
It was lucky for the couple that Gadreel and Gabe remained on their side. Two extra people to assist with Cas' pregnancy was incredibly useful, especially when they had just endured egg laying.
"I want them out of me," Cas whispered.
"Only a few more days," Gabe said. "Those guys grow hella fast. That's why it hurts so much. But they'll be out before you know it."
"Urrrg, not soon enough!" Cas yelled.
"Shh," Dean tried to calm him down. There was no way getting that upset could be helpful to the babies inside him.
Gadreel soon returned with two buckets full of water. He brought them to Cas' side then joined Gabe. Dean took a smaller bowl and scooped some water out, then dipped a piece of fabric into it and wiped it across Cas' forehead. "Any better?" he asked.
"Some, yes, thank you…"
The day went on and Cas' body felt moderately better. His aches would come and go, thankfully, mostly with the time of day. Once the sun went down he would usually relax. He assumed that it wouldn't have been so cruel had the weather been better.
"I just want it to rain," Cas would sigh.
Well, he got his wish.
On the fifth evening of his pregnancy, the herd noticed storm clouds rolling in over the mountains. There was a visible relief to all except for Anna. Although everyone save for Gadreel and Gabe had completely avoided the hunter and his mate since they announced their eggs, Anna came around when the clouds were approaching.
"Um, Castiel?"
She entered the house with her eggs held close. Cas was sitting in their messy nest with Dean. Gabe and Gadreel were eating at the table. Not surprisingly, Cas worried when he saw Anna's face.
"Have you looked outside?"
Dean immediately got up when she said this, as did Gadreel. They joined her outside of the home and observed the clouds in the distance. Gadreel narrowed his eyes and began to speak, but Dean shouted over him.
"NO!"
"What?!" Anna asked, trembling now.
"It's bad!" Dean yelled. "That's bad!"
He suddenly worked himself up into a frenzy and ran back inside. "Bad! Bad storm's coming!"
"Huh?"
Cas watched Dean as he ran around the house, throwing anything he could grab into a bag. He looked at Cas sharply.
"This heat, that storm—there're clouds coming and I've seen them before. We have to go. We have to go now."
"But, Dean…it's just rain, I'm sure? The sky has been hot, rain always comes."
"NO! Damn it, Cas! Can't you tell when I'm being serious?"
Cas' lower lip wiggled. "I-I'm sorry."
"It's okay. We just—damn—we have to pack up real, real fast. Gabe, Gadreel, can you help?"
Unsure of whose opinion to take, the other mated pair went along with Dean's directions. They took their basic belongings, too, and put them into Dean's wagon.
"Thank Chuck they left me this," Dean said. He took Cas' hands and helped him up. "Be careful. I want you to get into the back of the wagon and stay there. Hopefully we have enough time to get into the mountains where it'll be safer."
"They're far," Cas sighed in a tiny, confused voice. He followed Dean's lead out into the wagon and sat into a crumpled mess of blankets which had been their nest. Gabe joined him while Dean and Gadreel still packed.
The sky grew darker. The storm was coming.
"You think he's right?" Gabe asked. The usual smirk on his lips was gone. Shadows from the wagon's covering and the clouds rolling in made him look strangely grave.
"I…I don't know," Cas whispered in response. He held his stomach and closed his eyes. "I don't know."
They watched out of the back of the wagon as Dean hurried about the place. He was yelling to the other gatherers but unfortunately, most of his words were ignored.
"I know this kind of storm! We've gotta move!" He shouted. "Don't go on with your lives!"
"We need the rain," Cas heard a woman's voice say rather rudely.
"This isn't just rain! DAMN! How are you so stubborn?!"
Gadreel came into the back of the wagon now. He had his arms full of vegetables from the garden. He dropped them into one side and sat down, putting his arm around Gabe. "Don't be frightened," he said to him kindly.
"I'm not," Gabe responded, clearly feeling the opposite.
"Dean is strong and brave and intelligent," Gadreel continued. "I trust him with his decisions."
Cas was silent. He kept watching Dean desperately try to convince his herd to join him. It was useless except for Anna. She had her eggs and a small bundle of things as she walked to the wagon. Her bony face was even more sullen looking than usual.
"Where is Balthazar?" Gadreel asked. Anna climbed up into the wagon.
"He insists that Dean is wrong," she said softly. Her voice was timid.
"But, surely—you can't—you aren't going to leave him with the eggs, are you?"
Tears welled up into Anna's eyes.
"If Dean is wrong," she sniffed, "Then we will return to find our settlement unscathed. If Dean is right…"
Her voice trailed off here. Everyone knew what she was going to say, and uttering those words would only bring more pain. At this point, all was uncertain and it didn't do any good to jump to conclusions.
At long last, Dean got into the wagon. His face was filled with ire and frustration at the people.
"They won't come!" he snapped. "They won't listen! I'm sorry, Cas. But we have to go."
"I understand…"
Dean went to the front of the wagon and took control of the horses. They whinnied then began to trot. Cas held his stomach. He looked out of the back of the wagon and saw the approaching storm.
It appeared as though night had fallen suddenly. The heat was still there but the world held its breath. Cicadas ceased to buzz and birds refused to sing. Cas felt great sadness when he saw his people, the ones he had grown up with, still going about their day as if nothing extraordinary was going to happen. Had his herd always been this hardheaded?
When Dean turned the wagon south, Cas and Gabe both gasped. Between the trees, they had a terrifying view of the storm. Its ominous anvil cloud towered up above like a giant tidal, looming as if it would devour the entire land. Cas felt his heart race. He looked to Gabe and mentally confirmed that he felt the same. Gadreel stole a peek and hugged Gabe tighter, putting a kiss on his forehead. Anna wept silently onto her eggs.
"I can't," she suddenly whimpered. "I have to be with Balthazar."
She got to her feet and hobbled to the rear of the wagon, the bumpiness of the ride almost knocking her over.
"Don't be foolish!" Gadreel shouted. He glared at the woman. "You've already made your choice and he's made his! If you leave now, you risk your life!"
"I don't care…"
The woman jumped out of the back and tumbled to the ground. Cas let out a yell and Dean had the horses stop.
"What the hell?" Dean cursed.
With the wagon stopped, he left his post at the front and walked into the cabin.
"What just happened?"
"Anna jumped out!" Gadreel yelled, still angry.
"What?!"
Cas put his hands over his face. He began to cry. "We don't have time for this!" he sobbed.
"It's okay," said Dean. His voice was hurried.
He, too, jumped out of the wagon. They were still in the settlement, but on the outskirts. Anna was getting up. Her knees were scratched and her hair was a mess but the eggs were unscathed.
"What are you doing?!" Dean yelled at her.
"I have to be with my mate! I change my mind!"
"You idiot! You're fucking indecisiveness has lost us really valuable time! The storm is going to hit and we'll still be stuck in its path!"
Cas, Gabe and Gadreel watched the two interacting. Cas was still crying. His head was spinning. Dean was right.
"I don't care!" Anna whined back at him.
She went running towards the village but Dean pursued her.
"Get back on the wagon!" he yelled. "We're going to save your life!"
"No! My mate!"
"Your mate is an asshole! You made the right choice for yourself and your future family when you got on our wagon!"
"No!"
Their useless arguing came to a sudden halt when an enormous squall of wind rushed down from the storm. It silenced everything with its own deafening roar, bending trees that were never supposed to bend and kicked great clouds of dust up. The wagon shook and rattled. Cas let out a cry of desperation.
"DEAAAN!"
The alpha had been pushed over by the sudden burst of wind. It was still very strong but already appeared to have a rhythm to it. He struggled to get up and hold onto Anna, who had also tumbled once more.
"No!" she yelled at Dean over the hurricane-like gusts.
"IDIOT!"
An obvious chaos has broken out in the settlement. The herd was desperately scrambling to get into their houses and avoid the strong wind, but unfortunately, trees were starting to fall and crush many structures. Already, people were dying.
"COME WITH US!" Dean yelled. His voice was hard to hear. Anna sobbed and wailed as she thrashed, kicking Dean away.
Balthazar must have seen Anna jump from the wagon, since he was hurrying through the storm to meet her. He called out but couldn't be heard through the slices of wind. Anna saw him.
"Balthazar!" she exclaimed.
Dean's hold on her weakened and she ran to her mate. Rain began to fall now. It felt like shards of glass that cut through the wind, making it even more difficult to see. For Cas and the crew within the wagon, it felt like an apocalypse. But still the wagon stood.
"You ruined everything!" Dean yelled at the couple.
A great veiny flash of lightning dazzled the sky and a roar of thunder followed. Dean was crying angry tears now, bitter that his best intentions had failed. He braved the wind and rain and ran back to the wagon. He jumped inside the back, soaked already, and looked at Cas sadly. "It's just us, I guess," he muttered before going back to take the reins of the horses.
The animals were no doubt terrified yet they ran regardless. The wagon jumped and bounced wildly through the storm, sheltering them from the wicked rain and brutal wind. Miraculously, the wagon wasn't toppled.
Thunder and lightning continued. Cas, Gabe and Gadreel were muted by their own fear. It was amazing to see Dean still functional.
By the time they made it to the river, which normally seemed so close but in the storm felt miles away, the rain was more of a monsoon. It was flooding the river. The horses went through it very carefully, all the while thunder and lightning continued to wreak havoc across the sky. Luckily, the wind wasn't as heavy, though is still rolled through in squall lines.
Halfway through the river, Cas looked out of the back and saw Tessa, the black haired gatherer who had been so cruel to him when Dean arrived. She was waving one arm frantically while the other looked broken, trying to support her bundle of eggs.
"Dean!" Cas yelled to the front. He pointed to Tessa. "What do we do?"
The hunter turned his head around sharply and saw Tessa standing there. He sprang off of his steering post and ran through the wagon once more. "Take the reins, Gadreel," he said quickly as he jumped out of the wagon. Gadreel agreed and took Dean's spot. Gabe and Cas watched Dean.
He made a giant splash in the river. It was to his shoulders and rushing violently. That level was almost enough to carry the wagon away.
"Keep going!" Dean shouted over his shoulder. "It's filling fast! The horses won't be able to handle anything deeper!"
Trembling, Gadreel nodded and cracked the reins for the animals to continue. They splashed their way through the river as Dean swam further and further away. Cas wondered how he would get back.
"I'm sorry I doubted you!" Tessa screamed to Dean when he arrived.
"Shut up and hold onto my back."
CRACK!
More lightning and more rain. Tessa shivered.
"But my eggs," she cried. It was difficult to hear her over the rain and thunder.
"It's okay. Hold them close."
The beta climbed onto Dean's back and leaned against him for support. Her uninjured arm helped hold the bundle of eggs close to her, though river water inevitably touched them—it was all the way to Dean's neck, now. He had to swim back to the wagon. Lucky for him, Tessa was quite small.
The wagon had made it over the river but water still flooded the land. Branches kept flying this way and that, but most of the trees that would fall had already done so.
"Gadreel, stop!" Cas cried out. He saw Dean on his way back. "A few moments to let Dean catch up!"
Dean struggled to make it through the river. Tessa was sobbing and trying so hard to keep her eggs close, but the current was too strong. One of them was rushed away.
"NO!"
Her bloodcurdling cry did nothing to help Dean swim.
"Keep the rest close," he muttered, water stuffing itself down his throat. It sounded heartless, but they had no chance to find that egg. It was dead.
Within a few feet of the river's edge, Dean's head was nearly covered. Tessa was higher since she was on his back, and she could see the wagon better. Cas stepped out of the back.
"It's Castiel," she said to Dean.
"Tell him—wrr—tell him to—sta—stay insiidde—"
It was impossible. Dean was fighting a losing battle. Water lashed at his face like hands, desperate to pull him under. He felt his feet continuously slip out beneath him.
"Get—wrrggle—off now," he commanded to Tessa. "You can—mmrkk—rrt…"
The beta was released from Dean's back and nearly rushed down the river, but she threw herself with what strength she had left and landed on the mud on her back. The remaining two eggs were safe. She stumbled and ran to the wagon, where Gabe helper her inside, taking the eggs first. Cas, however, was running out and towards the river.
"He said to stay!" Tessa yelled at Cas.
"No!" Cas shouted back.
CRACK!
More lightning.
He saw Dean struggling to climb ashore. If he ran down there, he could help him. He could save him.
BOOM!
A giant tree came towering down between the river and where Cas stood. He put his hands over his stomach and jumped backwards. Dean was crawling out with his torso exposed now.
"DEAN!" Cas shouted to him.
"YOU GOTTA KEEP GOING!" Dean yelled. "I'LL CATCH UP! PROMISE! DON'T STOP!"
"No, Dean!"
Frozen in his muddy tracks, rain still beating down upon him relentlessly, Cas stared as the river surged and pulled Dean away from his progress. The water came so quickly that he didn't have a chance.
"DEEAAAAAAAAAAN!"