A/N

One final thanks to everyone who reviewed this story and came along for the ride with us! (And anyone who reviewed the latest chapter, I can see the messages but for some reason fanfiction hasn't posted them yet :? This website gets slower at posting every week). Thank you to Christine, appletopine, stargazer100, all the wonderful guests that take the time to pop on and leave a nice comment, deanpala, Icy Icee, dalekexterminator, brihun2388, LegacyFalcon, and HerGambitandSwanSong! Without you guys, we'd never have come this far! 3

The clearing around the big oak tree lit up with the warm light of the shifting sky. Yellows and oranges overtook the blue in subtle stages, illuminating the green wings of the sprites flying lazily about in the afternoon. A gentle breeze tousled the soft grass, and the perfect circle of oaks around the heart of the woods waved their branches peacefully. The sweet smell of the forest's maple trees laced the warm summer air.

The village was still in full swing, as if it were any other day. As if there'd never been a giant human sleeping beneath one of the home trees when everyone woke that morning. As if a grave threat had never moved into the forest in the first place.

The sprites were safe and the forest could heal from the unnatural decay. Already the nobility in the cottonwood tree was working out a plan to send those most skilled with Prayer to the place where the lich and its pack of life-sick wolves had nested. The trees needed aid to recover from their foul influence. The Earth Spirit's life energy would be needed swiftly to combat whatever corruption lingered after the lich was destroyed.

Dean Winchester had ensured that the lich couldn't spread its influence any further, but there was still work to be done, and no one was better for the job than the wood sprites of Wellwood.

Bowman Leafwing sat idly on a platform Prayed out of the trunk of the big oak. The view before him made him sigh with contentment. Sprites gossiped together as they flew. Nestlings chased each other through the grass. Knights flitted about, keen eyes watching for birds or snakes that might attempt to cause trouble. Everything looked like it should.

Bowman shifted his wings. The wide, leafy appendages lay slack on the platform behind him. Mottled sunlight cascaded through the leaves above, creating dancing bars of gold that warmed Bowman's wings and upturned face. After everything, he allowed himself to relax fully.

Bowman's contact with the Spirit the night before washed away all of the aches and pains he should be nursing right now. Her influence blessed him more assuredly than even the healing touch Prayer could accomplish. After being grabbed, tossed, bitten, and squeezed, Bowman couldn't help but feel immense gratitude for Her healing.

Keeping humans out of trouble was hard work.

He felt like he only closed his eyes for a few seconds. But when he heard approaching wings and opened them sluggishly, a young sprite woman hovered inches in front of the platform, one pastel green eyebrow lifted pointedly and her hands on her hips. Deep brown eyes met his and Jiria Petalkin leveled Bowman with a stern look. He smiled lazily at her in greeting.

"So nice of you to come and tell me you'd returned safely after being kidnapped yesterday, Bowman, and I appreciate you coming by to tell me what was going on today after you led the humans away," she griped, using enough sarcasm to match Bowman's own. She'd learned his language quickly when they began courting.

Of course, Bowman was immune to the barbs of such snark. He shrugged halfway apologetically. The day before hadn't allowed him much time to go see her, and today he had been bustling about since Candara shoved him gracefully out the door and banned him from the house.

"What can I say? My wings got tired, sunbeam. I just had to stop and rest," he answered, offering a sheepish smile and a faintly apologetic look amongst the amusement on his face. He moved one of his wings to form an empty space next to himself, inviting the girl to join him on his platform.

Jiria pursed her lips, but couldn't stop the smile that worked it's way onto her face as she rolled her eyes and drifted forward to land. She sat next to Bowman with her legs hanging over the edge of the platform, and he let his wing settle lightly around her in a faint embrace. She took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"You're such a scatterbrain," she admonished him.

"Sometimes," Bowman chuckled. "I dunno what it is, but something about saving everyone's lives just gets me flying sideways."

Jiria snickered and elbowed him in the side. "Fine, fine, you're our hero, are you happy?" she said with a grin.

"Much better," Bowman decided, lightly brushing the edge of his wing against Jiria's. He leaned over to touch his forehead to hers.

Before even a second had passed, a voice called Bowman's name and he straightened to look for the source. His eyebrows lifted when he saw Nanya's mother, followed by a few other sprites, gliding up towards him. Jiria's sweet smile morphed into an amused smirk, try though she did to bite her lip and hide it.

Apparently she'd already heard some of the gossip driving those stern-looking parents towards Bowman's relaxed perch.

"Bowman Leafwing," Nanya's mother repeated when she and the sprite parents flanking her arrived, forming a rough half-circle in the air around him. "I was hoping you might have some explanations for us," she said pointedly. There was little doubt as to what she'd like explained.

Just the day before, Bowman had allowed three nestlings to play with the enormous human visiting the woods. No one had gotten hurt, and the kids had a fantastic time. They even got to see a human make a leaf boat, and try a human sweet for the first time. No one could truly claim to be angry over these things, as even Bowman's aunt and uncle were there to supervise.

"Explanation for what?" Bowman asked, raising an eyebrow and playing dumb. No one would fall for that, but he tried it anyway.

Nanya's mother narrowed her eyes. "You know what," she answered. "Just what made you think you should let children play near a giant without even trying to tell their parents, hmm?"

Of course. The nestlings snuck out and came to see Dean on their own, but that was Bowman's fault. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Y'know, they were fine. Dean is an ally to Wellwood," Bowman said calmly, trying to wave off the concern. He understood it, but it still felt a little silly to be arguing over it when nothing bad had come of it.

Another voice, more curious than stern, spoke up among the small gathering of parents. "Bowman, what is 'high five?' Why are the nestlings striking each other's hands now?"

Oh, Spirit, Bowman thought, holding up his hands placatingly. "It's just a thing humans do, it's not-"

Before he could finish, another mother chimed in. "And what is chocolate? Tenner couldn't stop raving about it and keeps saying he wished we could make it here."

More questions came at him, ranging from simply curious to concerned to plain miffed over the simple visit the nestlings had with Dean. Bowman doubted the kids even realized how confusing it all was to their parents as they chattered away, throwing him into the mix as the culprit. Jiria could hardly contain her laughter at Bowman's surprised recoil from the line of questions flying at him.

"Oh, wow," he said loudly, cutting off the confused and curious discussion. "I just realized I have a lot of ah, patrolling to do. Look at the sun, I'll run out of time if I don't go do that."

He gave Jiria's hand one last squeeze. And then, Bowman pushed himself off the edge of the platform, dropping like a stone out of the midst of the parents interrogating him. His wings snapped open to pull out of his freefall and he glided swiftly towards the edge of the clearing.

"Thanks for your very good questions, friends. I'll be sure to give them some careful thought," he called back with a cheeky grin as the parents tried to follow, but soon gave up. Bowman was too fast for anyone to hope to catch when he had such a head start.

His wings tucked close so he could do a sideways roll while he slipped through a tuft of leaves, and they rattled together to mask the sound of his snickering. He'd pay for that hasty exit later, for sure. But for now, Bowman relished the simple freedom of flying in the forest, knowing it was safe once more.

A/N

Thus concludes A Lich of Sense as Bowman escapes the wrath of the parents! Those little nestlings will be high-fiving and asking for chocolate long after Sam and Dean are onto their next case. Thank you to everyone who came with us for this journey, and we hope to see you along for the next! Brothers Lost won the poll, so that will be starting up tomorrow night with The Road Not Taken! For anyone hoping to see the other AUs, they'll be back in the poll after the next story concludes, so have no fear! Epic adventures await!