ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: "Put a thumb up if you're not dead."
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VENUS FELT A SMILE SPREAD ACROSS HER FACE as the fresh forest air of Black Water Ridge hit her upon stepping out of the Impala. She swung her bag across her shoulders and followed Dean and Sam over to where Hailey, her younger brother, and their guide stood. 

"You guys got room for three more?" Dean called out to them.

"Wait you want to come with us?" Hailey asked, raising a brow.

"Who are these guys?" their guide questioned.

Hailey turned to face him, "Apparently this is all the park service could muster up for the search and rescue."

"You're rangers?" the guide questioned, his eyes landing on Venus in particular.

"Yeah. Wanna see some ID?" Venus sent him a fake grin.

Hailey gave Dean's attire a once-over. "And you're hiking in biker boots and jeans?" she asked, her tone skeptical.

"Well, sweetheart, I don't do shorts," Dean retorted, walking past her to stand where Venus and Sam were waiting.

Venus smiled to herself, thinking Hailey had a point. Hiking in jeans seemed like hell. She looked down at her outfit consisting of cargo pants—whose pockets were filled with loaded gun magazines and various other small things they may need— timberland boots, a black utility jacket, a blue crewneck, and her uncle's old blue baseball cap flipped backward to top it all off. She was good to go.

"Oh you think this is funny," the guide spoke up, "It's dangerous backcountry out there, her brother might be hurt."

Venus and the boys exchanged a glance. What crawled up his ass and died?  "Well you don't have to worry about us, sir, we know how dangerous it can be," she calmly replied with a sweet smile.

"We just wanna help them find their brother, that's all," Dean told him.

The man rolled his eyes and eventually followed them into the woods, quickly making a show of finding his way to the front of the group.

Dean filled the silence after a few minutes. "So Roy, you said you did a little hunting?" he questioned the older man.

"Yeah, more than a little," Roy answered, obviously proud of himself.

Venus and Sam exchanged a smirk from their position behind the group.

"What kind of furry critters do you hunt?" Dean continued.

Roy shrugged, "Mostly buck, sometimes bear."

Dean came to a stop beside the guide, a mischievous look appearing on his face. "Tell me, uh, Bambi or Yogi ever hunt you back?"

At that moment, Roy snatched Dean by the back of his jacket, bringing the group to a collective halt. "Whatcha doin' Roy?" Dean held the man's stare.

Roy grabbed a stick and smashed it against the forest floor watching as the stick was snapped in half by a bear trap.

The entire group flinched at the sound of the trap snapping what could've been Dean's foot.

Roy smirked at the older Winchester. "You should watch where you're stepping...ranger," he uttered mockingly. 

Dean's jaw clenched as he turned to address the rest of the group. "It's a bear trap," he said before continuing the path behind Roy.

Venus lightly chuckled, "Loser."

They continued to traverse the forest, with her and Sam trailing behind the group and keeping an eye out for anything strange. But her attention was soon brought back up to the front by Hailey's voice. "You're not rangers, so who the hell are you?"

"Shit," Venus and Sam muttered, coming to a stop behind the angry brunette.

Dean locked eyes with Venus and sent her a questioning look. To which she responded with a nod.

Venus and Sam walked past Dean and Hailey, listening as he vaguely explained their relationship and their goal to find John.

"This is it," Roy eventually announced, "Black Water Ridge."

Sam, standing directly behind the guide, asked, "What coordinates are we at?"

Roy pulled out a device of some kind and examined it. "35 and minus 111."

Right where John wanted them to be. Which Venus realized may have been a bad thing considering that she hadn't heard a sound besides the crunch of their feet on the forest floor for the last mile.

Dean walked up to stand by Venus' side. He turned and addressed them both. "You hear that?"

"Yep," Sam mumbled, catching on, "Not even crickets."

"We're cooked," Venus sighed.

"I'm gonna go take a look around," Roy suddenly spoke.

Sam glanced at the guide for a second. "You shouldn't go off by yourself," he advised him.

"That's sweet," Roy grabbed his hunting rifle, "Don't worry about me," he smiled before walking away and onto his own path away from the group.

Venus waved in his direction, suddenly not giving a damn what happens to the idiotic old man, "We won't!" she grinned as he walked away.

"All right. Everybody stays together. Let's go," Dean declared.

And with that, everyone else continued the path to Tommy's campsite.

They walked and looked around for about an hour then-

"Hailey, over here!"

The group's head turned in the direction where Roy's voice came and they took off running to join him.

But they soon came to a stop when they stumbled on Tommy's abandoned campsite. "Oh my God," Hailey exclaimed at the sight.

The tent was disfigured with blood spatters and claw-shaped rips in the fabric, as well as discarded items strewn about.

"Looks like a grizzly," Dean theorized.

Hailey dropped her pack and began screaming her brother's name.

Venus ran after her. "Damnit, no don't do that," she harshly whispered. Maybe common sense wasn't as common as the phrase implied.

"Why?" Hailey protested.

"Whatever did this might still be nearby," Venus explained, looking at the woods ahead of them.

But then a shout from Dean rang out soon after. "Sam! Venus!"

Venus rolled her brown eyes before running in his direction. "Why are you yelling?" she scolded him.

"Look," Dean redirected her attention.

Venus and Sam bent down to look at the tracks Dean pointed to. She immediately noticed how the trail suddenly disappeared.

"The bodies were dragged from the campsite," Dean began to explain, "But here, the tracks just vanish. It's weird."

The three of them stood up from their previous positions and looked around them for more clues. Venus looked directly above them, knowing that unless the creature was some kind of witch or demon, the only other way for that trail to have disappeared was if it crawled up a tree.

"I'll tell you what. It's not skinwalker or black dog," Dean said as they began making their way back to the group.

Their attention was soon called away by a man's screams nearby. "Help!" he shouted.

Dean and Roy took off first, guns in hand, in the direction of the panicked screams. Venus unlatched her machete sheath resting on her back and pulled out her 20-inch beauty, Sylvia, before following.

They ran for some time and came to a stop, aiming their weapons in various directions.

"It seemed like it was coming from around here didn't it?" Hailey panted.

Venus' eyes widened, a theory suddenly presenting itself to her. A look from Sam told her he was possibly thinking of the same thing.

She looked around for a while and listened to her surroundings.

"Everyone back to camp," Sam called out.

They returned to find their packs and duffle bags taken.

"¡Mierda!" Venus muttered to herself remembering the very expensive weapons she had in her bag.

"So much for my GPS and my satellite phone," Roy grumbled.

"What the hell's going on?" Hailey snapped.

Venus kicked at a pile of dirt in anger, "That was a distraction so that the damn thing could steal our stuff."

"It's smart," Sam added, "It wants to cut us off so we can't call for help."

"You mean someone, some nut job out there, just stole our gear," Roy concluded.

Sam grabbed Venus' hand and pulled her with him to where Dean was standing. "I need to speak with you two...in private," Sam whispered to them both before walking away to a more discreet area of the woods.

Venus and Dean exchanged a look and followed him.

"Okay let me see Dad's journal," Sam turned to Dean.

Dean fished out the leather-bound book from his jacket and handed it to Sam.

Venus raised a brow. "What else you got hiding in there?" she asked before digging around the inside of Dean's jacket and finding a half-empty bag of peanut-flavored M&Ms.

"You know, princess, if you wanted to feel me up, all you had to do was ask," Dean smirked down at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him as she dug into the candy. "You knew these were my favorites and you've been eating them without me? Bitch," she shoved his shoulder causing him to laugh.

Sam loudly cleared his throat behind them, holding up John's journal.

"Sorry," the pair mumbled at the same time.

"Check that out," he turned the book to them, opening it to a page containing everything John knew about Wendigos.

Venus skimmed it and nodded, already knowing most of what was written there.

"Oh come on," Dean scoffed, "Wendigos are in the Minnesota woods or northern Michigan. I've never even heard of one this far west."

"Well now you have," Venus retorted, "Think about it, Dean, the claws? The way it mimicked Tommy's voice to draw us from the campsite?"

Dean sighed. "Great," he held up his gun, "Well then this is useless."

Venus twirled her machete, "Not Sylvia, though," she smirked.

"We gotta get these people to safety," Sam walked back to the group.

"All right, listen up," he called for their attention with Venus and Dean trailing behind him, "It's time to go. Things have gotten more complicated."

"What?" Hailey stepped forward.

"Kid, don't worry. Whatever's out there I think I can handle it," Roy boasted.

Sam examined their surroundings. "It's not me I'm worried about."

Roy's head snapped in his direction, taking offense.

"If you shoot this thing, you're just gonna make it mad," Sam added, "We have to leave. Now."

"One, you're talking nonsense. Two, you're in no position to give anybody orders!" Roy sneered.

"Relax," Dean boomed.

"We never should've let you come out here in the first place, all right?" Sam spoke again, his voice remaining even yet agitating the older man even more.

"We're trying to protect you," Venus stepped forward.

Roy took a step also. "You, protect me?" he spat, saying the word with disdain, "I was hunting these woods when your daddy was cutting my grandaddy's lawn."

"¡Te voy a matar, hijo de puta-" Venus lunged at the guide only to be picked up and carried away from behind by Dean.

"He's gonna get what's coming to him, Venus, relax," Dean whispered in her ear as he placed her back on the ground.

Venus took a deep breath and nodded, gaining back control of herself.

"It's a damn near perfect hunter," Sam continued to explain to Roy, "It's smarter than you. And it's gonna hunt you down and eat you alive unless we get your stupid sorry ass out of here."

Roy cackled maniacally and took a step too close to Sam, "You know you're crazy, right?" he taunted.

Venus brandished her machete and appeared between the two men, using the dull part of her blade to tap Roy's chest before he could take another step closer. "Back it up, viejo," she warned.

"Stop it! Everybody just stop," Hailey yelled, walking over to pull Roy away.

Dean grabbed Sam and Venus by the arm and pulled them aside. "Chill out," he scolded Sam. He then turned to where Venus stood sending Roy a deadly stare. "Give me Sylvia," he commanded.

Venus' head snapped in his direction, "Excuse me?"

"Give me the damn blade, Venus," he held out an open palm, "Your machete privileges are revoked till you stop swinging that thing at people."

Venus handed the weapon and its sheath to him with a scowl.

"Listen," Hailey called for their attention, "Tommy might still be alive, and I'm not leaving here without him," she declared.

Venus frowned, suddenly feeling embarrassed about her actions. They were here to help Hailey save her brother and all it took was a stupid racist to get her out of character.

"It's getting late," Dean announced, "This thing is a good hunter during the day, but an unbelievable hunter at night. We'll never beat it, not in the dark."

Venus grabbed John's journal from Dean, opening it to show him the page with the Anasazi symbols. "We need to settle in and protect ourselves," she finished.

-ˋˏ [       ] ˎˊ-

The bright orange embers of the small fire gave light to the grim campsite. Venus sat on a log beside Hailey as Dean carved the last of the protection symbols.

"One more time, that's-"

"Anasazi symbols," Dean answered Hailey, "It's for protection. The Wendigo can't cross over them."

A mocking laugh echoed from where Roy stood.

"Nobody likes a skeptic, Roy," Dean said, walking over to where Sam sat against a tree nearby.

"You're a good person, y'know?" Hailey praised Venus.

Venus locked eyes with her and smiled, "Thanks. Don't know if my machete antics earlier back that up very much though," she chuckled, Hailey laughing with her.

"No, I mean it," she spoke again after their laughs settled, "Dean said you were a close friend but I don't think I have any friends that would be willing to risk their lives in these woods to help me find a relative."

Venus leaned in a bit closer, "Between you and me, their dad is kind of an ass."

Hailey grinned before bursting out into laughter.

"I wish I was kidding," Venus matched her grin, "But, seriously, I'll march to hell and back for my boys."

"Any 'boy' in particular maybe?" Hailey poked Venus' arm teasingly.

Venus swatted her away playfully, "Oh please," she rolled her eyes.

"Come on. I see the way they both look at you," Hailey continued, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"Both?" Venus raised a brow, "Sam's like my little brother for God's sake."

"And Dean?"

Venus clenched her jaw, "That's...well...a bit more complicated," she admitted.

"I knew it," Hailey lowly exclaimed.

"No, not that complicated," Venus shushed her. 

It felt odd to be spilling all of this to a girl she'd only known for a day but there was a different kind of comfort in talking to a woman. It's one of the reasons she loved Jess so much.

"I don't know," Venus looked away, deep in thought, "We've known each other since we were kids. And loved each other for just as long. But we could never seem to get the timing right..." she trailed off.

"Time's not up yet," Hailey reminded her.

"Yeah but I kinda broke his heart a few years ago," she vaguely explained, "I have to gain his trust back. And because he's a stubborn son of a bitch, it's gonna take some time," she turned back to face Hailey with a sad smile, "Which means I'm gonna have to sit back and watch him ogle every woman he sees until then."

"I'm sorry," Hailey frowned.

Venus shrugged, "It's okay. Cause I like girls too," she winked. She could have sworn that she saw a blush on the woman's cheeks but before she could be sure, a man's scream for help could be heard closeby.

"Help!" the Wendigo's poor attempt to draw them away echoed in the forest.

Sam and Dean ran to join the rest of the group in the circle. Dean quickly threw Venus' machete sheath to her and cocked his handgun while Sam pulled out a flashlight and pointed it at the woods around them.

Venus quietly removed her blade from its sheath, keeping her eyes and ears peeled for the slightest sound or movement. Behind her, Hailey clutched her younger brother in her arms, shaking with fear.

"It's trying to draw us out. Just stay cool, stay put," Dean tried to reassure them.

"Inside the magic circle?" Roy huffed.

Venus turned to look at him and for a moment Dean was afraid that she was gonna swing on him. "Hey if you want to step out of it and give that thing a chance to eat your stupid little ass then be my guest."

Before the old man could respond, the Wendigo's taunt sounded again. "Help!" this time it was accompanied by a growl.

"Okay, that's no grizzly," Roy finally caved in.

"It's okay. You'll be alright, I promise," Hailey tried to comfort her younger brother as well as herself.

Venus sensed the Wendigo before she heard its footsteps in the woods around them. She swung her machete to her right and felt it vaguely brush something solid. But the Wendigo was too fast. It ran to the other side of the circle where Hailey sat before Venus could properly stab it.

Roy aimed his rifle at it and pressed his finger on the trigger, but the Wendigo sped out of sight. Roy then pointed his gun at the top of a tree nearby and fired twice more. "I hit it," he called out. He carelessly ran out of the circle and in the direction that the Wendigo went.

"Roy no! Roy!" Dean bellowed, trying to get the man to come back.

He turned and pointed to Hailey, her brother, and Venus, "You three, don't move."

Venus scoffed and caught up to Dean and Sam, "Absolutely fucking not. Sam stay with them," she commanded.

The taller Winchester tried to argue to no avail.

"Sam," Venus said in a tone that instantly silenced him. He sighed and returned to the camp while Dean and Venus took off with their respective weapons in hand.

-ˋˏ [         ] ˎˊ-

Roy died.

Venus felt bad for the simple fact that she hadn't killed him first.

But she hadn't lost a wink of sleep over it. She woke up the next morning feeling her head resting on something softer than the ground she fell asleep on. Her eyes opened to meet familiar green ones staring down at her. She somehow made it to Dean's lap during her slumber, and he even took her cap off and hung it on a tree branch nearby.

"Rise and shine, princess," Dean's voice met her ears.

"You didn't sleep at all, did you?" Venus asked, noticing the exhaustion in his eyes.

"Nope."

Venus sat up abruptly and smacked his arm. "Why didn't you wake me up and let me take over the watch?" she asked, concern lacing her tone. 

"I didn't wanna wake you. You looked like you could use the rest," Dean shrugged, leaving out the part where watching Venus sleep and running his hand through her hair seemed to keep him calm throughout the night.

Venus held his stare for a few seconds too long before forcing herself to look away. "Where's Sam?" she asked, standing up and retrieving her cap.

Dean took a deep breath, getting himself together, "Sitting on a tree stump around the corner," he gestured in Sam's direction.

"Thanks," Venus leaned down and pinched Dean's cheek, an old habit of hers that made Dean smile up at her.

Venus waved at Hailey and her little brother as she passed where they sat, gaining two polite waves back.

She found Sam in the spot where Dean directed her to, clutching his dad's journal in his palms and looking off somewhere in deep thought.

"Morning hermano," she greeted, taking a seat beside him.

Sam pulled out of his thoughts and gave her his attention. "Hey, V."

"Is it okay if I sit here with you, or do you want to be alone?" she questioned gently.

Sam smiled at her, "You don't even have to ask...hermana," he added, loving how Venus' face lit up.

"¡Vaya mírate!" she exclaimed, "Who's been teaching you Spanish behind my back?" she glared at him playfully.

Sam chuckled softly. "Actually, Jess and I were taking lessons off campus. We wanted to be able to understand you when you yelled at us, and maybe even argue back," he confessed.

Venus' face fell instantly. She wanted to burst into tears right then and there. "Oh, Sam," she immediately pulled him in for a hug.

She heard him sniffle once they released each other and wiped a tear of her own. "I miss her so much," Venus whispered.

"Me too," Sam admitted.

 Suddenly inspired by the thought of Jess, Sam stood to his feet, pulling up Venus with him.

"Hey," he greeted Dean and the others as they returned to camp, "So, we've got half a chance in daylight. And I, for one, want to kill this evil son of a bitch."

Dean gave them a once over before responding, "Well, hell, you know I'm in."

Sam looked down at where Venus stood to his right.

"Oh for damn sure."

Sam nodded in understanding and flipped open John's journal, calling over the rest of the group. "Wendigo is a cree indian word," he began to explain, mainly to Hailey and her brother, "It means, 'evil that devours'"

"They're hundreds of years old," Dean chimed in while searching for discarded bottles to make Molotov cocktails, "Each one was once a man. Sometimes an Indian, or other times a frontiersman, or a miner, or a hunter."

"How's a man turn into one of those things?" Hailey's brows furrowed in question. 

Venus responded this time, "During some harsh winter, a guy might find himself starving, cut off from supplies, or help, and just becomes a cannibal to survive. He starts out eating the other people in his tribe or camp-"

"Like the Donner party?" Ben suggested.

Venus snapped her fingers in his direction, "Right on the money," she agreed.

"Cultures all over the world believe that eating human flesh gives a person certain abilities - speed, strength, immortality," Sam continued.

Venus smirked, "and incredibly horrid breath."

"If you eat enough of it," Dean circled them, "Over the years you become this less-than-human thing. You're always hungry."

"So, if that's true, then how can Tommy still be alive?" Hailey wondered.

Venus frowned, "You might not like it..."

"Tell me," Hailey pleaded.

"It hibernates for years at a time but it knows how to survive winters without food, kinda like a bear. So when it gets a victim, it keeps them alive and sorta slowly feeds on them. Which is good for us, cause we'll most likely find him alive, but not so cool for Tommy cause well...he's been suffering for a while," Venus explained, watching the color drain from Hailey and her brother's faces.

"It's keeping him somewhere dark, hidden, and safe," Dean affirmed, "And we gotta track it back there."

"And then how do we stop it?" Hailey asked.

"Well, guns are useless. So are knives and machetes," Dean emphasized the last word with a glance back at Venus who was now putting Sylvia back in her sheath, "Basically, we gotta torch this motherfucker," Dean brandished a small can of lighter fluid.

Venus furrowed her brows and reached down to one of her cargo pants pockets which was now empty, "Did you slip that from my pocket?"

"A magician never reveals his secrets," he sent the brunette a wink.

And then they were off.

The group, now armed with Molotov cocktails, began making their way further into the woods. They walked in the direction that the Wendigo had taken Roy the previous night, having a path of bloody claw prints to follow.

They walked for some time before Sam came to a stop up ahead. Venus and Dean joined his side, noticing him eyeing the Wendigo's prints on the trees above them.

"What is it?" Dean pried.

"You know, I was thinking that those claw prints...so clear and distinct...they were almost too easy to follow," Sam voiced his thoughts with a triumphant grin.

Venus tilted her head to the side, "Don't mean to burst your little genius bubble there, Sam, but uh...wasn't that the point?  It wants us to find it, but we want to find it too. That's why we made these handy dandy little cocktails...right?"

Venus' question remained unanswered because the Wendigo's growls echoed around them at that moment.

Her eyes seemed to move faster than her brain did, landing on the slimy grey creature before she even realized what she was looking at. "Slow down you ugly bastard," she muttered to herself, tightening her grip on the bottle in her hand.

But then, a terrified shriek from Hailey met her ears.

She instantly turned to see Hailey rolling away from a tree where a body fell.

Venus and Sam ran to her aid while Dean knelt and checked Roy's body, seeing that his neck was broken.

"Okay, run, run! Go, go, go!" Dean pushed the group away from the body and back to camp.

Eventually separating from each other, they all individually broke out into sprints. But the sound of Ben tripping on a branch caught Venus' attention. She tugged on Sam's arm and quickly turned back to grab the younger boy, accidentally dropping her bottled weapon in the process.

"Come on, kid, I got you," she panted as she and Sam helped him to his feet.

They took off once again and ran even faster once another scream from Hailey came up ahead. Venus somehow ended up ahead of the boys, jumping over a large clearing with both feet in the air. Her eyes widened at her body's actions but she didn't stop till she got to where she last spotted Dean and Hailey.

Her eyes landed on the broken bottle head of the one Dean was holding. "No," she croaked in horror, realizing they were taken.

Sam landed by her side and rested a hand on her shoulder, trying to keep her calm, "We're gonna find them, come on."

"If it keeps its victims alive, why did it kill Roy?" Ben questioned nervously.

"Same reason why I almost chopped his nose off with my machete; Roy pissed it off," Venus scoffed.

Just then, Ben knelt and picked up something from the ground.

Venus chuckled in slight relief when she realized it was one of the M&Ms Dean had carried. He was leaving a trail behind while eating them too.

"It's better than breadcrumbs," Sam chuckled, tossing the dirt-covered M&M to the side.

The group followed the trail of candy for some time before stumbling across an abandoned mine. Venus and Sam each fished out flashlights and led the way for Ben.

Venus felt the Wendigo's presence and then heard its footsteps, so she pulled Sam to hide behind a wall who pulled Ben with him. They watched with bated breath as the creature stomped past them and further into the mine.

Venus released a slow breath and continued the trek.

The creaking of old wood soon reached their ears. Venus, Sam, and Ben looked down at the slab of wood beneath their feet for a brief second. Venus followed her instincts telling her to step back, but the boys weren't as fortunate.

She almost laughed when they fell through the hole and landed on their asses but leaned over to check on their wellbeing first.

"Put a thumb up if you're not dead," she whispered into the hole, being met with two thumbs up soon after.

Venus shook her head in amusement before jumping down into the hole and landing on her two feet with a thud.

Ben's head turned to meet a pile of bones and skulls, causing the boy to shuffle back in fear. His body slammed against Venus but she quickly caught him and took a step back to keep her balance. Her physical instincts have been off the chain lately, she noted.

"Out of practice my ass," she smirked to herself, recalling Dean's words the week before.

As if summoning him out of thin air, Venus glanced to her right to see the older Winchester and Hailey strung up by the wrist, hanging from the ceiling of the cave.

"Holy shit," she exclaimed, immediately running to Dean's aid. Venus grabbed his face and put two fingers against his neck feeling for a pulse and exhaling in relief when she felt one. "Come on, Dean, wake up," she urged him, lightly slapping his face. She smiled as familiar emerald eyes met hers.

"Venus," he spoke, wincing in pain.

Sam came into view. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah," Dean panted.

Venus pulled two knives from a hidden pocket and passed one to Ben before using the other to cut Dean's rope. He fell into her arms, using her to barely stand to his feet.

Venus brought them over to a pillar noticing Dean was struggling to stand and rested him against it, her face wrought with concern.

"You sure you're all right?" Sam questioned him.

"Yeah, yeah," Dean lied, swallowing a pained grunt, "Where is it?"

"Gone for now," Venus answered, gently examining Dean's head for more injuries.

Dean wanted to wave her off but the feeling of her soft hands against his face helped him calm down, giving him something else to focus on rather than the pain.

The sounds of Hailey's sobs soon met Venus' ears. She turned to see her approaching where her brother was hung by his wrist further into the cave. She smiled once the younger man woke up, missing the way Dean smiled at the sight of her smile.

She then turned back to face Dean only to see the glint of her duffle bag zipper from her peripheral. Seeing Venus' eyes widen, Dean looked in the direction she was staring at and spotted the bag he brought as well.

They opened their respective bags and found three flare guns, exchanging a grin at the realization that they now had weapons to kill the Wendigo.

Venus and Dean stood to their feet. "Check it out," he called for the others' attention.

"Flare guns," Sam smiled, "Those'll work."

Venus twirled her gun before throwing the other to Sam. She reached down into her bag and began stuffing the smallest items and weapons in her numerous pockets.

Dean and Sam glared at her.

"What?" she protested, "This shit is expensive and I'm not lugging this bag up there."

Dean rolled his eyes. "I'll buy it all back. Now can we please get the fuck out of here?"

Venus left the rest of the items and stood up with a grin, "Oh absolutely."

The group carefully began making their way out of the mines. Venus, Dean, and Sam remained at the forefront, ready to fire at the Wendigo if needed.

Growls echoed around them, sounding closer with each passing second.

"Looks like someone's home for supper," Dean joked.

"Too damn bad 'cause we're getting out of here," Venus replied.

"We'll never outrun it," Hailey said.

Dean, Venus, and Sam paused, realizing that she was right.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Dean addressed the others.

"Yeah, I think so," Sam responded.

Venus shook her head adamantly, already knowing what he was thinking, "Nope. You're still hurt, Dean."

"I'll be fine, promise," Dean insisted, sending her a reassuring nod.

"All right listen to me," he turned to Hailey and her brothers, "Stay with Sam and Venus, they're gonna get you out of here."

"What are you gonna do?" asked Hailey.

"Something stupid," Venus explained.

"All right then do it with me," Dean said.

Venus' eyes widened for just a second but her answer came instantly, "Fine."

"Fine," Dean repeated.

They stared at each other for a beat longer before Dean reached down and interlocked their hands, surprising Venus and Sam.

Dean pulled her to the other side of the cave, going down a tunnel away from the group, "It's chow time you freaking bastard!" he hollered, trying to draw the Wendigo away.

Venus sighed, figuring it was too late to back out now, "Come get some bitch! I'll make it nice and toasty for you!"

"That's right. Bring it on baby, I taste good," Dean continued.

They walked around the mine for a while longer, shouting at the top of their lungs to get the creature's attention but it didn't seem to work.

"Where the hell is this thing?" Dean hissed.

The echo of a gunshot came from their left seconds later.

"Sam!" they exclaimed, running in the direction of the shot.

Venus and Dean turned a corner to find Sam and the others backed up against a wall with the Wendgo growling at them.

Venus pulled her last knife from her pants pocket and threw it at the monster, watching the blade land in his back and instantly gaining his attention. Dean then fired a flare into its stomach, taking it down screaming as it burnt to a crisp.

"Not bad, huh?" Dean smirked.

"Eh, I would've shot it in the heart," Venus shrugged.

Dean glared at her, "Can you let me have this?"

"...womp womp," Venus faked a frown then burst out laughing at Dean's expression.

"Yeah, ha, ha. Real funny," he deadpanned.

"It is," Venus laughed even harder.

Sam and Hailey smiled on the other side of the burning monster, watching their interaction.

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A/N: Here's one of those long chapters I promised you lmao.
Feel free to comment, vote, add to your reading lists, whatever
you can just to let me know you're out there y'know?

Happy reading pookies! 🫶🏽

Translations:
¡Mierda! - Shit
Te voy a matar, hijo de puta - I'm going to kill you, you son of a bitch
Viejo - Old man
Hermano - Brother
Hermana - Sister
¡Vaya mírate! - Wow, look at you!

EDIT 01/27/24: Lovely GIF banner up above made by the crazy talented prodigybitxhhh 

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