Disclaimer: Seriously? Do i need one? Seriously dude? Fine then, they're not mine (goes off in a strop)

So this little idea wouldn't leave me alone, it's really silly, with a huge amount of swarm about half way through. Had to be done though. Dammit i wanted a hug and for some reason this was the only idea that allowed me to have that moment!!!

So apologise for this but hope you enjoy it along the way!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter One

The cold invaded his every pore, every muscle. Bearing deep into his soul until even the act of blinking drained him.

He'd given up trying to swim what seemed like years ago.

He was flowing downstream like driftwood set free by a storm and left to languish lost in the tide. No say in the direction. No need for protection against the coming storm. He was in it. Not knee deep. Neck deep.

Clumsy arms reached out numb hands for fingers he could no longer tell were attached to attempt to grab the branch held toward him by his brother.

If he brushed the bark he couldn't tell, a fleeting glimpse into the eyes of his only family. The terror , the hopelessness within. Desperate begging within those eyes he loved so much.

He vaguely heard someone screaming 'NO!' Followed by a 'YOU HOLD ON!' and an 'I'M GONNA SAVE YOU!'.

So sorry bro. Not gonna make it this time. Game over. Put a fork in me. I'm done.

The water lapped over his head as he was pulled downward. His world became muffled and he stopped fighting. A gentle calm washed over him as his water logged eyes grew heavy.

This wasn't so bad.

This wasn't something to fear.

Eyes drifting closed as his head hit a rock in the river for the second time that day.

Sorry bro.

Sorry.

XXXXXXXXXX

The brothers walked along ,what someone had laughingly deemed a path, in silence. Dean followed Sam, step for step. His glare boring into the back of his siblings head.

A quick trek through the forest to burn the bones of an angry spirit, some appreciation of nature, a quick hike back and then to the bar on the corner by the motel for some drinks and another round with Kay the waitress. Quick hike his nature saturated ass. Mmm ass, Kay had one killer ass.

Dean smiled behind Sam as he clomped through the leaves and mud.

She was one hell of a lady. A waitress on the weeknights. A stripper on the weekends. And her outfit of choice? A dark blue, tight in all the right places, complete with truncheon and handcuffs, police uniform. And the boots? Oh the boots!

"Dean? You say something?"

"Hey? What, er, no man. Nothing."

"Thought I heard you moan."

"Not me dude, must be the nature getting to you. If you want a moment you go ahead and have one."

Sam shook his head and carried on through the forest, ignoring the moans he was sure were coming from Dean. He didn't want to know what his brother was thinking about.

Kay had been a valuable asset in their investigation. Telling them all about the hikers that had passed through the town on their way to explore the local forest, famed for it's beautiful trees, animal life and waterfalls. The river that ran through attracted families and fisherman alike. Or had done until people started to go missing. At first it was just one or two. Then three or four a week, until no one dared venture into the forest for fear they'd never make it out alive.

The local rumour, according to the dashing dark haired, sultry waitress who'd spotted the boys the second they'd entered the bar, was that the ghost of a local hunter was haunting the forest. Isiah Dunroamin was a man the locals didn't want anything to do with. He was gruff and obnoxious. Only venturing into town when he had to, usually for supplies for his hunting trips. The forest once held an abundant herd of deer, but Isiah had taken it upon himself to hunt them down and drive them from the forest he claimed as his own.

According to Isiah his Daddy bought the forest and passed it down to him. He could never prove this of course, but to anyone who would listen, to anyone within the immediate vicinity , he would loudly proclaim the woodland his and his alone, and mores the fool who ventured onto his land. There would be hell to pay.

The local sheriff had tried everything in his power to get Isiah to calm down, to accept that the public had a right to the beauty of the land . He refused to listen. And that spring had taken a shotgun to four young explorers playing in the forest. Scaring the young boys back to their mothers in tears and panic. A posse had been formed, Isiah had been cornered. He'd made the Sheriff promise that should anything happen to him that he was to be buried out back of the poor excuse for a home he had built himself in the forest. The Sheriff had given his word, and before any of them could reach Isiah to arrest him, he took his shotgun to his mouth and pulled the trigger.

When Kay had finished her story Dean had thrown her a wink and asked for her number in case they needed anymore information. She'd leaned forward , her shirt falling open slightly, and whispered her address in his ear, her tongue brushing across his ear lobe before she turned and walked away to serve another table.

Sam's sigh had resounded around the bar but was quickly silenced as Kay walked back, laid her hand in his lap and whispered in his ear that she really, really liked brothers.

Dean had taken her up on her offer. Sam had stayed behind to do some more research.

The second she had answered her door he'd known he was in for a good time. She was dressed in her police uniform. Her push-up bra threatening to burst the already overstretched buttons of her shirt. Truncheon in hand , she ran the wood up Dean's leg before turning and sauntering toward the bedroom.

Dean had been a bad ,bad boy that night, and had been punished accordingly. When he finally made it back to the motel, Sam had raised his eyes in question, only to avert them when Dean showed him the chaff marks from the handcuffs around his wrists.

Information gathered, route mapped out, the two men headed into the forest for what Sam proclaimed to be a quick hike.

That was five hours ago, and already Dean was getting hungry and tired.

"Dude you said he was buried by his cabin."

"Yeah that's what the newspaper had said."

"Sam we passed the cabin, like, two hours ago."

Sam took a deep, calming breath and forced himself to relax. He had to admit he was getting just as frustrated, but what could they do? They were here now and according to the Sheriff the body had been buried by the south fork of the river, where Isiah spent his summer months.

Sam had spoken to the Sheriff at length, he was a nice guy, seemed to want to do right by everyone. Not the kind of man a town needed as Sheriff, but because he was a push over the local businesses had voted him in without second thought and carried on their legitimate, and other business, as usual. Sheriff Tasker didn't make waves, he couldn't stand anyone feeling he'd let them down, so when Isiah had asked to be buried by his summer hut, Sheriff Tasker thought it was the least he could do.

One thing about a town of hunters and hikers, their idea of a short walk was anything but. Unfortunately Sam was finding that out the hard way.

"I think it's about five more miles this way."

"Are we going to have to camp out here?"

"Dean I've brought everything we'll need just in case."

"Aren't you the good wilderness girl."

"Dude!"

"What?"

"This isn't all my fault you know."

"Excuse me?"

Sam stopped to turn and face his brother, using his height advantage to stare down the older man.

"If you hadn't gone out last night and left me to do all the research by myself I would have been able to properly asses the hike and therefore make a legitimate guess as to the duration of the distance involved."

Dean regarded his brother coolly before shaking his head. "No idea what you just said there Sammy, but it sounded great though."

He pushed past and followed the trail further into the forest, smiling at the frown that Sam was no doubt wearing like a badge of honour across his face. The only way to survive nature? Torment your little brother.

Sam took another deep breath and hoisted the straps to the bag across his back further up his shoulders. They both knew they might have to spend the night in the forest, but that didn't stop either brother being pissed off about the fact.

Neither one was a fan of camping. Especially after their last field trip into the arms of nature, and for Dean, into the arms of a Wendigo.

TBC