𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐀𝐍

𝐒𝐈𝐗

Out of all of the sprinters in the search party, Katherine Louise ran the fastest. She moved like lightning, dodging under branches and leaping over fallen trees, cutting left and zagging right to find the wailing man.

And then the pleas stopped.

As Hailey questioned and commented, Katherine looked around in the glaring sunset for any sign of struggle—a body dragged through the mulch, blood...anything.

"Everyone back to camp," she lowly says, big blue eyes carefully scanning the woods. "Go!" Sam leads the trek back while Katherine and Dean trail.

"You know what's going on?" He asks.

Katherine slowly shakes her head, staring ahead with hard eyes. "Maybe."

"Our packs!"

"So much for the GPS and satellite phone," Roy complains. Katherine rubs her face in frustration.

She friggin loved that GPS. The campsite has been emptied of the fresh supplies. Whatever this thing is, it can definitely move—and quietly. "What the hell's going on?"

"It's smart," Katherine says, staring at the ground. "It wants to cut us off so we can't call for help."

The guide seems unconvinced. "You mean someone...some nut job out there just stole all our gear?"

Katherine ignores him, moving towards Sam with Dean close behind. "Sam," she murmurs, brushing past him, and nods away from the campsite. He catches on quickly and follows after the two.

"Whatcha got?" Dean asks.

"I think it could be a wendigo."

Dean frowns. "Wendigos are in the Minnesota woods or...northern Michigan. I've never even heard of one this far West."

"Okay, well the three of us know whatever called for help wasn't a human, right?" Katherine says, putting her hands on her hips.

"Think about it, Dean," Sam agrees. "The claws...human voice mimicking, the speed..."

"Great," Dean sighs after a moment. He frowns and reaches into his jacket, flashing his .45. "Well then this is useless."

"We have to get these people out of the woods," Katherine points out.

"I'll take care of it," Sam volunteers, already moving forward. Dean looks to Katherine, and the girl lets out a groan, pinching the bridge of her nose, and moves forward with Dean following after her.

She's dealt with a wendigo once before, maybe two years ago, with her father. She doesn't remember much about it.

When the other two make it back to camp, Sam is advising Roy. "If you shoot this thing, you're only gonna make it mad. We have to leave, now."

Roy doesn't seem to take too kindly to this. "One," he begins, lowering his rifle. "You're talking nonsense. Two, you're in no position to give anybody orders!"

"Relax," Dean snaps.

"We never should have let you come out here in the first place," the teenager chimes in, glancing around at the three clueless civilians. "We're trying to protect you."

"You protect me?" Roy scoffs, advancing towards Katherine. "I was hunting in these woods when your mommy was still kissing you goodnight!" Dean steps out from behind the girl, his shoulder blocking most of Katherine from the smaller man's line of vision. If anything, this only fuels Roy's belligerence.

"Yeah?" Katherine goads, stepping out from behind Dean. "It's a damn near perfect hunter. It's smarter than you." The Winchesters notice the light smirk on her lips. Not quite taunting, but it has a spiteful element. Very know-it-all. "And it's gonna hunt you down and eat you alive unless we get you out of here. Now would you like to walk or should we hogtie and drag you?" Roy laughs, moving to shove the girl, but she slaps his hand away.