Hunter Rising, 16/? (R) Dean, Sam, OC
Title: Hunter of the Shadows Book 2: Hunter Rising
Genre: Gen (AU)
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Supernatural and it's characters do not belong to me. All original characters do.
Spoilers: Season One and Two, although the exact sequence of events and the circumstances are considerably different.
Summary: Join Sam, Dean and Tobius where we left them in Book 1. This time, they will need to be stronger than ever if they are to survive the coming months.
Authors Notes: Many thanks to Phx for the beta and for her invaluable help and support.
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Now...
Dean's stirring a steaming mug whilst Sam continues snoring away peacefully in his lap.
"Would you mind passing me the sugar?" Tobius speaks softly from out of shot, and Dean obligingly does as asked. A hand snakes out and grasps the offered small grey metal pot. "So. You two headed into the mountains. But you never really told me what you thought of the Home pack."
There's a question in there somewhere and Dean raises an eyebrow. One gets the impression he's been avoiding this subject for quite some time.
"Yeah, and you never told me why you sent us there. I mean, Sammy I can understand," says Dean, though he doesn't sound angry as such, more guarded. "But me... well, Lucas sure gave me a clue."
"Indeed," Tobius sounds amused.
Dean tilts his head to the side. "He's thinking of expanding the pack further, but he'll need another alpha besides Cornelius," his eyes narrow. "I think it was his roundabout way of asking me to become a pack alpha."
"And?" Tobius response is frustratingly elusive.
Dean sets his jaw, and answers in a low, angry voice. "I said no."
The silence is thick and suffocating as beta and alpha seem to be opposed, and the watcher would pay a small fortune just to see Tobius' on screen right now.
The answer, however, is soon forth coming.
"Fair enough."
"What?"
"You heard me."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"It's not supposed to mean anything."
It's a quick fire round, and once it comes to an end, Tobius leans forward, elbows on knees, which finally brings him into shot, mug clutched in his hands. He appears perfectly calm and collected, smiling even.
Dean just stares at his sire, in part suspicion but mainly in bewilderment.
Tobius sighs, breaking the second brief silence.
"You misunderstand my intentions, young pup," he's still smiling, albeit sadly. "It was not supposed to be a nudge in the right direction. There is no right direction except that which you choose. The journey was indeed a chance for Sam to heal, and I knew young Cornelius would be of great assistance once you got to know him. But the whole point, the real point, was to broaden your horizons, to look forward and think of the future. No one is suggesting you should have accepted Lucas' offer, and believe me when I say that I have never felt so relieved that you didn't, but be honest with yourself if you can't be honest with me." His gaze is intense, eyes glowing deeply. "What did it truly feel like to run amongst a large pack, to see Sam enjoy himself around the pups and watch him grow? You and I both know what he had planned with Jessica, and what he lost when she was killed. I am merely suggesting that you both keep your options open. I will always be here for you, and when you are ready to take your place as alpha, Sam as beta, I will still be a member of this pack. But I'm tired Dean, so tired. I'll be happy to let you boys take over the running and hunting, whilst I stay at home, maintaining our resources and training your pups..."
Dean has been silent up 'til now, mouth open in shock, but now he interrupts with a shaky voice.
"P-pups? What pups? What the hell?"
Tobius smiles. "Sam's, and perhaps, more of yours someday," he shrugs. "Maybe you aren't the settling down type just yet, but Sam is and always will be. It's just one possible future. Who knows what will happen?"
"Sammy as beta?" Dean's still a little shocked, but he lowers his voice and glances down at his brotherson snuggled up against him. "But..."
"Sight isn't everything, Dean, at least not for a werewolf," his Sire murmurs, softly. "Sam's hearing and sense of smell are beyond reproach. He's already beginning to prove that. There is no reason why he still can't be pack beta some day. It might be difficult but not impossible." He nods. "Young Cornelius is a fine example."
"I guess..." Dean trails off with a small, proud smile and a returning nod. Then he freezes. "How did you know about Cornelius? Lucas told me you guys hadn't seen each other in years!"
"Hmm," Tobius sighs, a wistful smile on his face. "In nearly seventy years, in fact. But I still keep my ear to the ground, youngster." He winks, mysteriously.
Dean smiles softly on hearing that.
"Now," Tobius sits back, once again out of shot. "Tell us about your journey through the mountains..."
Then…
Sammy? You ok?
Yeah… wind's a little strong, though.
Just keep pushing against it. We'll soon be outta here.
We trudged onwards as quickly as the gale force winds allowed.
It had taken us several days of high speed running to get half way up the foothills, and after that we quickly learned that Lucas was right. The weather was taking a turn for the worst. Clouds billowed out above us, layer upon layer, grey and heavy with snow, and as we climbed higher the freezing wind picked up and pretty soon visibility was reduced to a mere few feet or so. By this time, we were effectively walking within the cloud itself.
Gotta tell ya, we've never felt so grateful for our thick fur. Without it the trek would've been impossible, though I kept a constant eye on Sammy, watching for signs of exhaustion. Yeah, he's got a thick coat, being a big wolf and all, but he's still pretty skinny under all that fur. With the fast approach of my prime, I was piling on pounds of muscle and much needed fat as my main source of fuel, so the cold wouldn't likely be an issue for me, but I was sure worried about Sam.
The temperature was plummeting the higher we went and the gale raged around us with a fury that was startling. One particularly violent gust swept Sam into a sideways tumble against the rock face, bashing his head so hard for a terrifying minute there I thought he'd been knocked unconscious.
Sammy, wake up! We can't afford to lounge around out here!
The kid looked up me with dazed eyes and staggered to his paws.
Y-yeah… just gimme a sec…
Sorry, kid. We need to keep moving.
Without another word, he pushed himself into an awkward, limping trot. I narrowed my eyes against the blizzard and hurried on after him.
After a while even I was feeling the chill seep through my fur, but as we pressed onwards I hovered close to Sam, occasionally rubbing against him, trying to encourage the poor kid. He was obviously suffering from the cold, and to top it off he must have hurt himself during his earlier encounter with the mountain, because he was still walking with a limp and it was becoming more and more pronounced.
To make matters worse, each time we thought we were getting somewhere, getting closer to the actual mountain pass that would we see us safely through the other side of the range, we'd be demoralized by yet another false horizon. Terrain like this can be deceptive, make you think you're near the journey's end only to find there's another rough five miles of torturous climbing to do. I guess it's a little like being caught in the dessert, with mirages and hallucinations. It was soul wearying, and hard going on the body, especially when the air was growing thinner all the time.
My breathing was becoming affected, and I damn near panicked when at last I couldn't pull enough oxygen into my lungs to satisfy my needs. It wouldn't kill me, but it sure was uncomfortable and it wasn't long before Sam noticed.
Dean stop!
No… gotta keep m-moving…
No! Your fur is freezing up and you can't breathe properly.
I'll be ok…
No you won't!
He halted in front of me and refused to budge, just turned around and crowded me against the mountain wall.
It's just the air, Sam!
It's your fur, it's longer than mine. Just let me help.
Not like he gave me a choice. Sam curled his body into mine, shielding me from the worst of the storm, then opened his huge jaws and carefully closed them round my snout, huffing softly. Quick warm breaths filled my nose and airway, melting the snow instantly, and my God did it feel good! I could finally breathe! The panic eased up and I closed my eyes for a second, revelling in the mild sting as my sensitive nostril hairs unfroze.
Feel better? Sam's gentle voice filled my head and I nodded slowly.
When I opened my eyes again, I instantly saw what he meant by the length of our fur. We're both long-haired wolves, but although Sam carries much of his fur by his ears and under-belly, the whiskers by his snout are shorter than mine. He was in little danger of freezing up, but I did notice that his tall ears were a little snowbound.
C'mon 'ere Sammy. I gently nipped at one of the damp, silky tips.
He obediently dipped his head and let me return the favour, nudging his ears with my muzzle until all the snow had gone.
Thanks Dean. His eyes shone gratefully through the gloom of the storm. They were getting a little cold.
I just pushed against him. And my lungs were getting a little empty, so right back at ya, kid.
The brief respite from our punishing pace had filled us with renewed strength for a while, so we upped the speed, ever hopeful of soon seeing an end to this nightmare.
Sam's movements faltered from time to time, but he kept going until we finally hit the highest point of the trail, the narrow path that ran between two mountain peaks. Edging our way carefully passed a steep drop, we collapsed behind of wall of rock that sheltered us from the high winds and freezing snow.
How's the head?
Sam fell to his belly and groaned. Hurts, but I'll be ok.
I checked him over, nibbling and nudging him here and there until he hissed in pain.
So when were you gonna tell me about your leg?
S'nothin'. Just bruised.
Hmm. Let's get further along the trail a ways, and then you can rest properly, ok?
Tired eyes blinked at me. Sounds like a damn fine idea. Never known a place like this! It's incredible!
I huffed a laugh. Yeah, you can keep it. Next time we decide to re-enact The Incredible Journey, I vote for sandy beaches, warm sunshine and plenty of hot babes.
Sam's wolf-grin made me laugh even harder.
Let me guess, we'd be in traditional greeting form… he let that trail off, already knowing the response.
I grinned back, not wanting to disappoint. Yep. Naked. Let the ladies see all the good stuff!
Forget about any incredible journeys, in that case Dean, Sam replied with a light slap of his tail in my face. We wouldn't be coming home at all!
I let out a low howl of appreciation. Damn straight!
It was a definite relief to be out of that freezing cold wind, with only lightly swirling flakes of snow coming to settle on our backs. We trudged along, Sam limping steadily, the both of us snarking back and forth the whole time about beaches, hot sun and those sticky cocktail drinks with silly little umbrellas and a Carmen Miranda-style fruit garnish.
Nah, Sammy. Beer. Ice cold beer served in frosted glasses.
Huh. I guess that's a step up for you.
What dya mean?
Using a glass for once.
Hey! Just remember who taught you which fork to use at the dinner table!
Yeah, but that was easy. 'Start from the outside and work your way in'.
The good natured bickering continued until we found a low roofed outcrop carved into the side of the rocky trail. It served as an effective natural, but temporary shelter.
Just a few minutes, then we get going again. Got to face the same snowy crap on the other side so the sooner we tackle it the better.
Sam slumped down on his belly the very moment we shuffled underneath the outcrop.
Ok, let me see your leg.
Nah, Dean. Its fine, he replied, sleepily. That wasn't surprising; the thin air was making us both feel a little light headed. Altitude sickness ain't much fun, but it has to be worse for you humans, huh? You have my sympathies.
Quit arguing and show me your leg, bitch.
Sam huffed and obediently extended his rear left leg. Snuffling through the fur with my nose I quickly encountered a small bump, and my eyes could just make out a developing dark bruise under the skin. To my relief, nothing seemed broken or out of place, not that I expected it to. Had that been the case, I would have been forced to change into human form and carry Sam the rest of the way, whilst naked. And let's just say that even werewolves worry about certain things shrivelling up. Only difference is, with us? Nothing turns blue and drops off, so I guess it really does suck to be human.
Sam grimaced a little when I swept my nose one final time through his fur, but he'd been right. Just a bruise. Nothing to worry about.
The cold had to have made the pain a little worse than usual though, so I ducked down next to him and breathed on the injured limb, gradually warming it up.
Thanks, dude. That feels good, Sammy sighed in contentment.
No problem, kid. The heat should help loosen you up a little, stop the leg muscles from cramping.
A close inspection of his head revealed pretty much the same, so it was with grateful sighs from the both of us that a few minutes later we clambered to our feet, and moved on.
I won't bore you with the details of our emergence on the other side of the mountains, or even the descent into the smaller foothills that awaited us. Suffice to say we suffered more of the same battering winds and snow storms, and several times we stopped to clear the snow from each other's face. Sam was fully healed and firing on all four cylinders by this point, and coupled with the downhill motion, our pace picked up again. Soon we were barrelling our way through to the calmer, more peaceful country of our family home.
We were under orders not to head for the cabin. Tobius was worried a nasty surprise might be waiting for us there in the form of either Jake of one of the others. That was just fine by us.
Meandering our way along the foothills, Sam decided to summon a vision just to make sure the way ahead was clear. To my relief, Sam suffered no pain, no blood and no loss of consciousness, which fooled me into thinking that everything was peachy.
It wasn't.
Not by a long shot.
Our conversation ran like this:
Tobius is in trouble.
What?
Actually, scratch that. Tobius is fine, but the blond girl he just shot… uh… isn't.
Andy with him?
Yeah. He's lying on the ground near the Impala… and I hate to say it, Dean, but the car…
What about my car?
Uh… there's a dent in the front bumper. Andy's unconscious…
Someone hit my fucking car?
It's just a small…
My car's been violated?
Not that big at all in fact…
My baby's hurt?
…Andy's fine by the way, just coming round…
Sonofabitch! Who the hell was it? You tell me who it was right now, Sam, and I'm gonna rip out their Godamned throat...
Sam sighed and let me rant it out. He was smart like that, waiting for the right moment when I would actually calm down enough to listen to him.
When I was through, I stood there shaking from snout to tail, spine rigid, head lowered, growling menacingly with hackles well and truly raised.
If Sam had been in human form right then, no doubt he would have been leaning against a tree, ankles crossed and casually examining his nails.
You finished, dude?
Oh yeaaahh… I'm finished alright, and so's the punk who harmed my fucking car…
Dean!
Huffing, and ungraciously standing down from DEFCON 2, I shook my mane and sat back on my haunches. My usual state is DEFCON 3, sometimes hovering on a level 4, depending on how many beers or how much sex I've had lately. Someone screwing with the car definitely kicks things up to level 2, but harming Sammy or Tobius launches me straight up there to the lofty heights of level 1. And that's an extinction level event.
So be warned.
The person who harmed your car is already taken care of. As I said before, Tobius shot her.
Well, gotta say, that was a new and exciting approach to traffic violations but, judging by the tone of Sam's voice right then, it wasn't the right time to mention that.
Though, he didn't sound too upset, not like he had in the past.
The blond girl was one of the special kids. She ran them off the road and tried to kill them both by stopping their hearts. Tobius just caught her in time before she gave Andy the full dose. And Dean?
Yeah? Kid sounded a little worried, in fact. What is it, Sammy?
I think it was quite a skirmish. I sensed Tobius was worried she might actually succeed in taking him out of action for a significant time, mainly because she could effect his heart.
I thought about that, with renewed rising anger. It explained why Sam wasn't so guilt ridden or disturbed by the vision. The dead chick had tried to kill his grandfather and friend. Although it would never make her death ok as such in his book, the fact remained it was in self-defence. And that made the difference.
In that case, I'm doubly glad the bitch is dead.
Her name was Lily, Sam responded mutinously, always respectful of the dead, regardless of the circumstances.
Don't care if her name was Tiger Lilly, Fifi Trixibelle or Peaches, I countered, growling angrily. She's gone and that's one less of the bastards to deal with.
I guess… no. You're right. Sam stretched, yawned, and on hearing his belly grumble in protest, changed the subject. Damn, I'm hungry.
It seemed that Sire had been right. By splitting us up from him and Andy, stuffing us out in the wilderness and in the safe arms of Lucas' Home pack, meant setting themselves up as a diversion and bait… smart bastard was gonna be feeling smug as hell in true La Salle fashion.
Another low rumble suggested there were currently more important things to be considered.
No doubt Sam would discuss his vision in more detail with Tobius when we arrived at the werebears' cabin in a couple of day's time but, for now, my son needed food.
C'mon. I smell rabbit in the area, I muttered in his ear and playfully licked his nose.
Several hours later, we were gnawing, crunching and chewing contentedly by a small fire. We'd found a dip in the ground, almost like a small natural quarry, enough to keep us sheltered from the cold winds that still buffeted the area. It was cosy and warm, sitting side by side with the fire light jumping and dancing.
In all it had taken us five days to pass up through the mountains, with no decent breaks or food, mainly because there was little to eat up there, and even less shelter worth a damn. We were weak with exhaustion and shaky with hunger, but, having said that, there was also the satisfaction of a job well done.
We felt the most relaxed since leaving Lucas and tackling Everest's evil younger sister, able to take stock, eat well and get some decent rest, and God knew how much we needed it. Altitude sickness and extreme cold, not to mention Sam's mild injuries could easily be countered with some good solid food and sleep. After all, werewolves heal amazingly fast provided our needs are tended to.
Dean?
Hmmmm? I didn't open my eyes, lazy wolf that I am. My head was resting on my paws so I just cocked an ear to signify that I was listening.
I had a great time out here.
Me too, kid. Me too.
S'gotta be one of the best trips we've ever taken.
Yeah. It's been fun, huh?
Sam sniffed quietly. I just wanted you to know that, ya know… 'cos of what's coming. I mean… just in case we…
My head snapped up on hearing that. It sounded suspiciously like a 'goodbye' speech.
Don't even think about finishing that sentence, I growled a warning then reached over and nipped sharply at the scruff of Sam's neck. None of that 'in case we don't make it' crap! We've been through a whole world of hurt and pain, Sam, you especially, and we've survived it. So we'll survive what's ahead of us, no matter what. You hearing me, kid? No matter what!
Ok Dean, he replied, with a sigh of resignation.
That had better not be you 'placating' me, Sam!
No Dean.
You know I hate it when you do that.
Ok Dean.
Sam!
At last, he chuckled and shifted against me. We survive no matter what.
That's better.
You're a bossy ol'jerk.
And you're a whiny little bitch. Now get some sleep.
It was well into late morning before we woke up and finished off the remains of the rabbit. They hadn't been especially hard to catch the night before, which was just as well given how tired we were, so we'd caught enough to cover the evening meal and breakfast. Pretty soon we were ready to hit the last leg of the journey, and did so gladly.
A few more days of sleeping under the sky and feeding off the land brought us closer to home, and the yearning to see our alpha became stronger than ever. We were beginning to sense his presence and, in our eagerness, sped up until we were running at full pelt along the ridges, cracks and fissures in the rocks.
Some years back, Sammy and I had a fight about whether or not he should go to college. It got so intense that I scared him into running off on his own, and he became trapped out here on an unstable part of the mountains. It resulted in a huge rock slide and we nearly lost him along with half the mountainside. It was only as Tobius grabbed Sammy and pulled him free in time that it became apparent he hadn't been the only one in danger. The rock beneath my paws had crumbled away with a loud groan, taking me with it.
I'd never been so scared when Sire, Sam and the werebears were digging me out, and though I recovered quickly with no permanent damage, the emotional scars of being buried under a ton of rock had stayed with me for a long time. I've never told Sammy that, though, and I never will. Kid blamed himself enough for that night without adding to his burdens.
But as we raced on by the scene of the accident from so many years before, I barely spared it a glance. Too much on my mind, too much anticipation.
I could smell my Sire, almost hear his beating heart…
I'm glad you're home safely, young pups.
We skidded to a halt, our paws scrabbling at the rocky ground, sniffing the air furiously.
The smell of cigar smoke surrounded us like a comfort blanket and then, suddenly, there he was, approaching from the tree line ahead, tall and proud, a large welcoming smile on his face.
We just stood there, eyes wide, watching him for a fraction of a second. Then we took off, leaping high and colliding with his chest, whining and snuffling excitedly.
Sire didn't even stumble, just stood stock still and wrapped his arms around us both, as though we weighed even less than the air we'd breathed up on the mountain pass just days ago.
There was no need for words.
He held us for a long, long time, just letting us take in his scent, before dropping into a crouch and setting us down gently. Still quiet but also still smiling, Tobius stubbed out his cigar, removed his clothes and changed swiftly. Then the real welcome began.
He pounced on Sam, rolled him over onto his back and blew actual raspberries on his belly. The kid amazed me by giggling like a five year old, head shaking from side to side helplessly and tail wagging nineteen to the dozen.
You're such a sap, Sammy!
Sam couldn't respond he was laughing so much, but Sire sure had something to say. He raised his massive head and I began to back away when I saw the gleam in his eye.
I wouldn't be so cocky, youngster. You're next.
I didn't get time to so much as think let alone run, before the bastard was on me, pulling me down onto my back and… and… aaagghhhhhhh!
It was some time before I could get my breath back from laughing.
Never realized just how ticklish I was, well, apart from when Miss Cassie Sexy Non Lunar Reporter… er… I don't think you want me to go into that. To put your mind at rest, Sire was only blowing raspberries on my stomach. Nowhere else.
Um.
Starting to wish I hadn't brought that up, but hey, ya know what? That's the nature of journal entries. The only people who bother with them are usually fairly unbalanced. Why, otherwise, would we wanna be reminded of our past so damn much?
Sire sat up and scratched at an ear, still grinning widely.
I take it you boys had a good time?
Good time? Sam exclaimed, happily. It was the best! Tobius, we got to meet and spend time with a Home pack of non lunars. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.
And then, I added, interrupting Sam's excited chatter, much to his annoyance. We got to scale a mountain that took us damn close to the next galaxy. Apart from that, it was pretty mundane, ya know?
Tobius snorted with laughter. I see.
I grinned back at him and stuffed my snout in his ear. Just messin' with ya. Sammy's right. We had a great time. Well, until we got skunked, that is. Never smelled anything like it, I pulled back and scowled at Sire a little. Apart from you after a hot curry of course.
Tobius made a half-hearted swipe at me with a large paw. Cheeky young pup.
He jerked his chin towards the trees. Now c'mon. Let's go. I have quite the surprise for you both.
Josey and Gerald's cabin was in the opposite direction to our place, and Sammy and I both glanced mournfully at the trail that turned away from us, back to our own cosy cabin.
Not to worry, youngsters. We'll get to go home soon enough.
Assuming we survived Jake Talley.
I didn't need to hear Sam say it, I could feel it in the way he dipped his head as we trotted through the forest towards the werebears, and it was written all over his face.
Somehow, I just couldn't bring myself to say anything. We'd said it all already.
A quick change of subject was needed instead at that stage.
So, the pack alpha was pretty cool, I murmured casually, but carefully watched Tobius in my peripherals.
Hmm? Sire glanced at me for a second. Yes, Lucas and Victoria are wonderful pack leaders. I take it you met their beta? Young Cornelius?
Yeah, Sam answered, a little subdued. He had a rough time growing up, huh?
Tobius turned kind eyes on Sammy. He did indeed. But I imagine things are much different for him now. Those eyes suddenly flared brightly with pride, and Sam ducked his head shyly.
So my theory was right. Tobius had deliberately sent us out there, knowing full well who we'd run into. But the question was, why didn't he just tell us before hand?
I thought it best you didn't know, said Sire, once again arousing my suspicions of his ability to mind read. I wanted you both to be yourselves and relax around them. First impressions are important amongst non lunars, but the second and third are far more informative. You both followed your instincts accordingly without any preparation from me. And besides, he stopped suddenly and appraised us both, fondly. I can tell the meeting went well. Your eyes are glowing, minds sharp and bright… that's the magic of being in the presence of a Home pack for the first time. An experience I couldn't possibly deny you. Call it my surprise gift to you both.
We trotted on in silence and if I had to blink a few times to clear my blurry vision, Sam and Tobius didn't mention it.
And to think I called Sammy a sap.
Chapter Seventeen
Genre: Gen (AU)
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Supernatural and it's characters do not belong to me. All original characters do.
Spoilers: Season One and Two, although the exact sequence of events and the circumstances are considerably different.
Summary: Join Sam, Dean and Tobius where we left them in Book 1. This time, they will need to be stronger than ever if they are to survive the coming months.
Authors Notes: Many thanks to Phx for the beta and for her invaluable help and support.
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Now...
Dean's stirring a steaming mug whilst Sam continues snoring away peacefully in his lap.
"Would you mind passing me the sugar?" Tobius speaks softly from out of shot, and Dean obligingly does as asked. A hand snakes out and grasps the offered small grey metal pot. "So. You two headed into the mountains. But you never really told me what you thought of the Home pack."
There's a question in there somewhere and Dean raises an eyebrow. One gets the impression he's been avoiding this subject for quite some time.
"Yeah, and you never told me why you sent us there. I mean, Sammy I can understand," says Dean, though he doesn't sound angry as such, more guarded. "But me... well, Lucas sure gave me a clue."
"Indeed," Tobius sounds amused.
Dean tilts his head to the side. "He's thinking of expanding the pack further, but he'll need another alpha besides Cornelius," his eyes narrow. "I think it was his roundabout way of asking me to become a pack alpha."
"And?" Tobius response is frustratingly elusive.
Dean sets his jaw, and answers in a low, angry voice. "I said no."
The silence is thick and suffocating as beta and alpha seem to be opposed, and the watcher would pay a small fortune just to see Tobius' on screen right now.
The answer, however, is soon forth coming.
"Fair enough."
"What?"
"You heard me."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"It's not supposed to mean anything."
It's a quick fire round, and once it comes to an end, Tobius leans forward, elbows on knees, which finally brings him into shot, mug clutched in his hands. He appears perfectly calm and collected, smiling even.
Dean just stares at his sire, in part suspicion but mainly in bewilderment.
Tobius sighs, breaking the second brief silence.
"You misunderstand my intentions, young pup," he's still smiling, albeit sadly. "It was not supposed to be a nudge in the right direction. There is no right direction except that which you choose. The journey was indeed a chance for Sam to heal, and I knew young Cornelius would be of great assistance once you got to know him. But the whole point, the real point, was to broaden your horizons, to look forward and think of the future. No one is suggesting you should have accepted Lucas' offer, and believe me when I say that I have never felt so relieved that you didn't, but be honest with yourself if you can't be honest with me." His gaze is intense, eyes glowing deeply. "What did it truly feel like to run amongst a large pack, to see Sam enjoy himself around the pups and watch him grow? You and I both know what he had planned with Jessica, and what he lost when she was killed. I am merely suggesting that you both keep your options open. I will always be here for you, and when you are ready to take your place as alpha, Sam as beta, I will still be a member of this pack. But I'm tired Dean, so tired. I'll be happy to let you boys take over the running and hunting, whilst I stay at home, maintaining our resources and training your pups..."
Dean has been silent up 'til now, mouth open in shock, but now he interrupts with a shaky voice.
"P-pups? What pups? What the hell?"
Tobius smiles. "Sam's, and perhaps, more of yours someday," he shrugs. "Maybe you aren't the settling down type just yet, but Sam is and always will be. It's just one possible future. Who knows what will happen?"
"Sammy as beta?" Dean's still a little shocked, but he lowers his voice and glances down at his brotherson snuggled up against him. "But..."
"Sight isn't everything, Dean, at least not for a werewolf," his Sire murmurs, softly. "Sam's hearing and sense of smell are beyond reproach. He's already beginning to prove that. There is no reason why he still can't be pack beta some day. It might be difficult but not impossible." He nods. "Young Cornelius is a fine example."
"I guess..." Dean trails off with a small, proud smile and a returning nod. Then he freezes. "How did you know about Cornelius? Lucas told me you guys hadn't seen each other in years!"
"Hmm," Tobius sighs, a wistful smile on his face. "In nearly seventy years, in fact. But I still keep my ear to the ground, youngster." He winks, mysteriously.
Dean smiles softly on hearing that.
"Now," Tobius sits back, once again out of shot. "Tell us about your journey through the mountains..."
Then…
Sammy? You ok?
Yeah… wind's a little strong, though.
Just keep pushing against it. We'll soon be outta here.
We trudged onwards as quickly as the gale force winds allowed.
It had taken us several days of high speed running to get half way up the foothills, and after that we quickly learned that Lucas was right. The weather was taking a turn for the worst. Clouds billowed out above us, layer upon layer, grey and heavy with snow, and as we climbed higher the freezing wind picked up and pretty soon visibility was reduced to a mere few feet or so. By this time, we were effectively walking within the cloud itself.
Gotta tell ya, we've never felt so grateful for our thick fur. Without it the trek would've been impossible, though I kept a constant eye on Sammy, watching for signs of exhaustion. Yeah, he's got a thick coat, being a big wolf and all, but he's still pretty skinny under all that fur. With the fast approach of my prime, I was piling on pounds of muscle and much needed fat as my main source of fuel, so the cold wouldn't likely be an issue for me, but I was sure worried about Sam.
The temperature was plummeting the higher we went and the gale raged around us with a fury that was startling. One particularly violent gust swept Sam into a sideways tumble against the rock face, bashing his head so hard for a terrifying minute there I thought he'd been knocked unconscious.
Sammy, wake up! We can't afford to lounge around out here!
The kid looked up me with dazed eyes and staggered to his paws.
Y-yeah… just gimme a sec…
Sorry, kid. We need to keep moving.
Without another word, he pushed himself into an awkward, limping trot. I narrowed my eyes against the blizzard and hurried on after him.
After a while even I was feeling the chill seep through my fur, but as we pressed onwards I hovered close to Sam, occasionally rubbing against him, trying to encourage the poor kid. He was obviously suffering from the cold, and to top it off he must have hurt himself during his earlier encounter with the mountain, because he was still walking with a limp and it was becoming more and more pronounced.
To make matters worse, each time we thought we were getting somewhere, getting closer to the actual mountain pass that would we see us safely through the other side of the range, we'd be demoralized by yet another false horizon. Terrain like this can be deceptive, make you think you're near the journey's end only to find there's another rough five miles of torturous climbing to do. I guess it's a little like being caught in the dessert, with mirages and hallucinations. It was soul wearying, and hard going on the body, especially when the air was growing thinner all the time.
My breathing was becoming affected, and I damn near panicked when at last I couldn't pull enough oxygen into my lungs to satisfy my needs. It wouldn't kill me, but it sure was uncomfortable and it wasn't long before Sam noticed.
Dean stop!
No… gotta keep m-moving…
No! Your fur is freezing up and you can't breathe properly.
I'll be ok…
No you won't!
He halted in front of me and refused to budge, just turned around and crowded me against the mountain wall.
It's just the air, Sam!
It's your fur, it's longer than mine. Just let me help.
Not like he gave me a choice. Sam curled his body into mine, shielding me from the worst of the storm, then opened his huge jaws and carefully closed them round my snout, huffing softly. Quick warm breaths filled my nose and airway, melting the snow instantly, and my God did it feel good! I could finally breathe! The panic eased up and I closed my eyes for a second, revelling in the mild sting as my sensitive nostril hairs unfroze.
Feel better? Sam's gentle voice filled my head and I nodded slowly.
When I opened my eyes again, I instantly saw what he meant by the length of our fur. We're both long-haired wolves, but although Sam carries much of his fur by his ears and under-belly, the whiskers by his snout are shorter than mine. He was in little danger of freezing up, but I did notice that his tall ears were a little snowbound.
C'mon 'ere Sammy. I gently nipped at one of the damp, silky tips.
He obediently dipped his head and let me return the favour, nudging his ears with my muzzle until all the snow had gone.
Thanks Dean. His eyes shone gratefully through the gloom of the storm. They were getting a little cold.
I just pushed against him. And my lungs were getting a little empty, so right back at ya, kid.
The brief respite from our punishing pace had filled us with renewed strength for a while, so we upped the speed, ever hopeful of soon seeing an end to this nightmare.
Sam's movements faltered from time to time, but he kept going until we finally hit the highest point of the trail, the narrow path that ran between two mountain peaks. Edging our way carefully passed a steep drop, we collapsed behind of wall of rock that sheltered us from the high winds and freezing snow.
How's the head?
Sam fell to his belly and groaned. Hurts, but I'll be ok.
I checked him over, nibbling and nudging him here and there until he hissed in pain.
So when were you gonna tell me about your leg?
S'nothin'. Just bruised.
Hmm. Let's get further along the trail a ways, and then you can rest properly, ok?
Tired eyes blinked at me. Sounds like a damn fine idea. Never known a place like this! It's incredible!
I huffed a laugh. Yeah, you can keep it. Next time we decide to re-enact The Incredible Journey, I vote for sandy beaches, warm sunshine and plenty of hot babes.
Sam's wolf-grin made me laugh even harder.
Let me guess, we'd be in traditional greeting form… he let that trail off, already knowing the response.
I grinned back, not wanting to disappoint. Yep. Naked. Let the ladies see all the good stuff!
Forget about any incredible journeys, in that case Dean, Sam replied with a light slap of his tail in my face. We wouldn't be coming home at all!
I let out a low howl of appreciation. Damn straight!
It was a definite relief to be out of that freezing cold wind, with only lightly swirling flakes of snow coming to settle on our backs. We trudged along, Sam limping steadily, the both of us snarking back and forth the whole time about beaches, hot sun and those sticky cocktail drinks with silly little umbrellas and a Carmen Miranda-style fruit garnish.
Nah, Sammy. Beer. Ice cold beer served in frosted glasses.
Huh. I guess that's a step up for you.
What dya mean?
Using a glass for once.
Hey! Just remember who taught you which fork to use at the dinner table!
Yeah, but that was easy. 'Start from the outside and work your way in'.
The good natured bickering continued until we found a low roofed outcrop carved into the side of the rocky trail. It served as an effective natural, but temporary shelter.
Just a few minutes, then we get going again. Got to face the same snowy crap on the other side so the sooner we tackle it the better.
Sam slumped down on his belly the very moment we shuffled underneath the outcrop.
Ok, let me see your leg.
Nah, Dean. Its fine, he replied, sleepily. That wasn't surprising; the thin air was making us both feel a little light headed. Altitude sickness ain't much fun, but it has to be worse for you humans, huh? You have my sympathies.
Quit arguing and show me your leg, bitch.
Sam huffed and obediently extended his rear left leg. Snuffling through the fur with my nose I quickly encountered a small bump, and my eyes could just make out a developing dark bruise under the skin. To my relief, nothing seemed broken or out of place, not that I expected it to. Had that been the case, I would have been forced to change into human form and carry Sam the rest of the way, whilst naked. And let's just say that even werewolves worry about certain things shrivelling up. Only difference is, with us? Nothing turns blue and drops off, so I guess it really does suck to be human.
Sam grimaced a little when I swept my nose one final time through his fur, but he'd been right. Just a bruise. Nothing to worry about.
The cold had to have made the pain a little worse than usual though, so I ducked down next to him and breathed on the injured limb, gradually warming it up.
Thanks, dude. That feels good, Sammy sighed in contentment.
No problem, kid. The heat should help loosen you up a little, stop the leg muscles from cramping.
A close inspection of his head revealed pretty much the same, so it was with grateful sighs from the both of us that a few minutes later we clambered to our feet, and moved on.
I won't bore you with the details of our emergence on the other side of the mountains, or even the descent into the smaller foothills that awaited us. Suffice to say we suffered more of the same battering winds and snow storms, and several times we stopped to clear the snow from each other's face. Sam was fully healed and firing on all four cylinders by this point, and coupled with the downhill motion, our pace picked up again. Soon we were barrelling our way through to the calmer, more peaceful country of our family home.
We were under orders not to head for the cabin. Tobius was worried a nasty surprise might be waiting for us there in the form of either Jake of one of the others. That was just fine by us.
Meandering our way along the foothills, Sam decided to summon a vision just to make sure the way ahead was clear. To my relief, Sam suffered no pain, no blood and no loss of consciousness, which fooled me into thinking that everything was peachy.
It wasn't.
Not by a long shot.
Our conversation ran like this:
Tobius is in trouble.
What?
Actually, scratch that. Tobius is fine, but the blond girl he just shot… uh… isn't.
Andy with him?
Yeah. He's lying on the ground near the Impala… and I hate to say it, Dean, but the car…
What about my car?
Uh… there's a dent in the front bumper. Andy's unconscious…
Someone hit my fucking car?
It's just a small…
My car's been violated?
Not that big at all in fact…
My baby's hurt?
…Andy's fine by the way, just coming round…
Sonofabitch! Who the hell was it? You tell me who it was right now, Sam, and I'm gonna rip out their Godamned throat...
Sam sighed and let me rant it out. He was smart like that, waiting for the right moment when I would actually calm down enough to listen to him.
When I was through, I stood there shaking from snout to tail, spine rigid, head lowered, growling menacingly with hackles well and truly raised.
If Sam had been in human form right then, no doubt he would have been leaning against a tree, ankles crossed and casually examining his nails.
You finished, dude?
Oh yeaaahh… I'm finished alright, and so's the punk who harmed my fucking car…
Dean!
Huffing, and ungraciously standing down from DEFCON 2, I shook my mane and sat back on my haunches. My usual state is DEFCON 3, sometimes hovering on a level 4, depending on how many beers or how much sex I've had lately. Someone screwing with the car definitely kicks things up to level 2, but harming Sammy or Tobius launches me straight up there to the lofty heights of level 1. And that's an extinction level event.
So be warned.
The person who harmed your car is already taken care of. As I said before, Tobius shot her.
Well, gotta say, that was a new and exciting approach to traffic violations but, judging by the tone of Sam's voice right then, it wasn't the right time to mention that.
Though, he didn't sound too upset, not like he had in the past.
The blond girl was one of the special kids. She ran them off the road and tried to kill them both by stopping their hearts. Tobius just caught her in time before she gave Andy the full dose. And Dean?
Yeah? Kid sounded a little worried, in fact. What is it, Sammy?
I think it was quite a skirmish. I sensed Tobius was worried she might actually succeed in taking him out of action for a significant time, mainly because she could effect his heart.
I thought about that, with renewed rising anger. It explained why Sam wasn't so guilt ridden or disturbed by the vision. The dead chick had tried to kill his grandfather and friend. Although it would never make her death ok as such in his book, the fact remained it was in self-defence. And that made the difference.
In that case, I'm doubly glad the bitch is dead.
Her name was Lily, Sam responded mutinously, always respectful of the dead, regardless of the circumstances.
Don't care if her name was Tiger Lilly, Fifi Trixibelle or Peaches, I countered, growling angrily. She's gone and that's one less of the bastards to deal with.
I guess… no. You're right. Sam stretched, yawned, and on hearing his belly grumble in protest, changed the subject. Damn, I'm hungry.
It seemed that Sire had been right. By splitting us up from him and Andy, stuffing us out in the wilderness and in the safe arms of Lucas' Home pack, meant setting themselves up as a diversion and bait… smart bastard was gonna be feeling smug as hell in true La Salle fashion.
Another low rumble suggested there were currently more important things to be considered.
No doubt Sam would discuss his vision in more detail with Tobius when we arrived at the werebears' cabin in a couple of day's time but, for now, my son needed food.
C'mon. I smell rabbit in the area, I muttered in his ear and playfully licked his nose.
Several hours later, we were gnawing, crunching and chewing contentedly by a small fire. We'd found a dip in the ground, almost like a small natural quarry, enough to keep us sheltered from the cold winds that still buffeted the area. It was cosy and warm, sitting side by side with the fire light jumping and dancing.
In all it had taken us five days to pass up through the mountains, with no decent breaks or food, mainly because there was little to eat up there, and even less shelter worth a damn. We were weak with exhaustion and shaky with hunger, but, having said that, there was also the satisfaction of a job well done.
We felt the most relaxed since leaving Lucas and tackling Everest's evil younger sister, able to take stock, eat well and get some decent rest, and God knew how much we needed it. Altitude sickness and extreme cold, not to mention Sam's mild injuries could easily be countered with some good solid food and sleep. After all, werewolves heal amazingly fast provided our needs are tended to.
Dean?
Hmmmm? I didn't open my eyes, lazy wolf that I am. My head was resting on my paws so I just cocked an ear to signify that I was listening.
I had a great time out here.
Me too, kid. Me too.
S'gotta be one of the best trips we've ever taken.
Yeah. It's been fun, huh?
Sam sniffed quietly. I just wanted you to know that, ya know… 'cos of what's coming. I mean… just in case we…
My head snapped up on hearing that. It sounded suspiciously like a 'goodbye' speech.
Don't even think about finishing that sentence, I growled a warning then reached over and nipped sharply at the scruff of Sam's neck. None of that 'in case we don't make it' crap! We've been through a whole world of hurt and pain, Sam, you especially, and we've survived it. So we'll survive what's ahead of us, no matter what. You hearing me, kid? No matter what!
Ok Dean, he replied, with a sigh of resignation.
That had better not be you 'placating' me, Sam!
No Dean.
You know I hate it when you do that.
Ok Dean.
Sam!
At last, he chuckled and shifted against me. We survive no matter what.
That's better.
You're a bossy ol'jerk.
And you're a whiny little bitch. Now get some sleep.
It was well into late morning before we woke up and finished off the remains of the rabbit. They hadn't been especially hard to catch the night before, which was just as well given how tired we were, so we'd caught enough to cover the evening meal and breakfast. Pretty soon we were ready to hit the last leg of the journey, and did so gladly.
A few more days of sleeping under the sky and feeding off the land brought us closer to home, and the yearning to see our alpha became stronger than ever. We were beginning to sense his presence and, in our eagerness, sped up until we were running at full pelt along the ridges, cracks and fissures in the rocks.
Some years back, Sammy and I had a fight about whether or not he should go to college. It got so intense that I scared him into running off on his own, and he became trapped out here on an unstable part of the mountains. It resulted in a huge rock slide and we nearly lost him along with half the mountainside. It was only as Tobius grabbed Sammy and pulled him free in time that it became apparent he hadn't been the only one in danger. The rock beneath my paws had crumbled away with a loud groan, taking me with it.
I'd never been so scared when Sire, Sam and the werebears were digging me out, and though I recovered quickly with no permanent damage, the emotional scars of being buried under a ton of rock had stayed with me for a long time. I've never told Sammy that, though, and I never will. Kid blamed himself enough for that night without adding to his burdens.
But as we raced on by the scene of the accident from so many years before, I barely spared it a glance. Too much on my mind, too much anticipation.
I could smell my Sire, almost hear his beating heart…
I'm glad you're home safely, young pups.
We skidded to a halt, our paws scrabbling at the rocky ground, sniffing the air furiously.
The smell of cigar smoke surrounded us like a comfort blanket and then, suddenly, there he was, approaching from the tree line ahead, tall and proud, a large welcoming smile on his face.
We just stood there, eyes wide, watching him for a fraction of a second. Then we took off, leaping high and colliding with his chest, whining and snuffling excitedly.
Sire didn't even stumble, just stood stock still and wrapped his arms around us both, as though we weighed even less than the air we'd breathed up on the mountain pass just days ago.
There was no need for words.
He held us for a long, long time, just letting us take in his scent, before dropping into a crouch and setting us down gently. Still quiet but also still smiling, Tobius stubbed out his cigar, removed his clothes and changed swiftly. Then the real welcome began.
He pounced on Sam, rolled him over onto his back and blew actual raspberries on his belly. The kid amazed me by giggling like a five year old, head shaking from side to side helplessly and tail wagging nineteen to the dozen.
You're such a sap, Sammy!
Sam couldn't respond he was laughing so much, but Sire sure had something to say. He raised his massive head and I began to back away when I saw the gleam in his eye.
I wouldn't be so cocky, youngster. You're next.
I didn't get time to so much as think let alone run, before the bastard was on me, pulling me down onto my back and… and… aaagghhhhhhh!
It was some time before I could get my breath back from laughing.
Never realized just how ticklish I was, well, apart from when Miss Cassie Sexy Non Lunar Reporter… er… I don't think you want me to go into that. To put your mind at rest, Sire was only blowing raspberries on my stomach. Nowhere else.
Um.
Starting to wish I hadn't brought that up, but hey, ya know what? That's the nature of journal entries. The only people who bother with them are usually fairly unbalanced. Why, otherwise, would we wanna be reminded of our past so damn much?
Sire sat up and scratched at an ear, still grinning widely.
I take it you boys had a good time?
Good time? Sam exclaimed, happily. It was the best! Tobius, we got to meet and spend time with a Home pack of non lunars. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.
And then, I added, interrupting Sam's excited chatter, much to his annoyance. We got to scale a mountain that took us damn close to the next galaxy. Apart from that, it was pretty mundane, ya know?
Tobius snorted with laughter. I see.
I grinned back at him and stuffed my snout in his ear. Just messin' with ya. Sammy's right. We had a great time. Well, until we got skunked, that is. Never smelled anything like it, I pulled back and scowled at Sire a little. Apart from you after a hot curry of course.
Tobius made a half-hearted swipe at me with a large paw. Cheeky young pup.
He jerked his chin towards the trees. Now c'mon. Let's go. I have quite the surprise for you both.
Josey and Gerald's cabin was in the opposite direction to our place, and Sammy and I both glanced mournfully at the trail that turned away from us, back to our own cosy cabin.
Not to worry, youngsters. We'll get to go home soon enough.
Assuming we survived Jake Talley.
I didn't need to hear Sam say it, I could feel it in the way he dipped his head as we trotted through the forest towards the werebears, and it was written all over his face.
Somehow, I just couldn't bring myself to say anything. We'd said it all already.
A quick change of subject was needed instead at that stage.
So, the pack alpha was pretty cool, I murmured casually, but carefully watched Tobius in my peripherals.
Hmm? Sire glanced at me for a second. Yes, Lucas and Victoria are wonderful pack leaders. I take it you met their beta? Young Cornelius?
Yeah, Sam answered, a little subdued. He had a rough time growing up, huh?
Tobius turned kind eyes on Sammy. He did indeed. But I imagine things are much different for him now. Those eyes suddenly flared brightly with pride, and Sam ducked his head shyly.
So my theory was right. Tobius had deliberately sent us out there, knowing full well who we'd run into. But the question was, why didn't he just tell us before hand?
I thought it best you didn't know, said Sire, once again arousing my suspicions of his ability to mind read. I wanted you both to be yourselves and relax around them. First impressions are important amongst non lunars, but the second and third are far more informative. You both followed your instincts accordingly without any preparation from me. And besides, he stopped suddenly and appraised us both, fondly. I can tell the meeting went well. Your eyes are glowing, minds sharp and bright… that's the magic of being in the presence of a Home pack for the first time. An experience I couldn't possibly deny you. Call it my surprise gift to you both.
We trotted on in silence and if I had to blink a few times to clear my blurry vision, Sam and Tobius didn't mention it.
And to think I called Sammy a sap.
Chapter Seventeen