𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 > 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 {𝟏}

𝐈𝐈

"What's wrong with that?" asked Karina.

"There's nothing there. It's just woods." Sam put down the map, looking at the road. Thinking about it. "Why would he send us to the middle of nowhere?" Sam and Dean shared the look while Karina left curious about John's message to her.

Take care of my sons. The best you can.

***

Huntress and the Winchesters stopped at Lost Creek Ranger Station in Colorado. Looking for answers due to Sam's last question. They all examine the pictures of rangers. Animals they hunted. Sam looked at the map on the table, while Dean and Karina examined the pictures hanging up on the walls.

"So Black Water Ridge is pretty remote. It's cut off these canyons here-rough terrain, dense forest, abandoned silver and gold mines all over the place... "

"Dude, check out the size of this friggin' bear."

"God, I hope they didn't use it as a rug. I hate when they do that."

Sam finished his sentence, standing beside Karina. "...and a dozen or more grizzlies in the area. It's no nature hike, that's for sure."

They all looked at the same picture until the voice interrupted them. "You guys aren't planning to go out near Black Water Ridge, by any chance?"

They turned to the person who was speaking, and it was the manager who owned the place. Ranger manager. Sam answered his question first, "Oh no, sir. We're environmental-study majors from U.C. Boulder--just working on the paper."

"Recycle, man." Dean laughed a little, and Karina looked at him, thinking that was his big comment to that?

"Bull." Trio swallows their throats. Thinking they have been caught. Ranger proceeds, "You're friends with that Hailey girl, right?"

Karina begins to speak to avoid awkwardness. "Yes. Yes, we are, Ranger...Wilkinson." She got his name off by reading his tag, softly smiling at him.

Winchesters looked at each other, suddenly by her greeting so easily to make Ranger continue on without suspension.

Ranger looked down at his tag, smiling at the woman as he continued on. "Well, I will tell you exactly what I told her. Her brother filled out a backcountry permit saying he wouldn't be back from Black Water until the 24th. So it's not exactly a missing person now, is it?'

Karina nodded from his statement, understanding the situation, "Tell that girl to quit worrying. I'm sure her brother's just fine."

Ranger begins to leave until Dean stops him. "We will. That Hailey girl's quite a pistol, huh?"

"That would be putting it mildly."

Dean walks to Ranger a little, suggesting one more thing. "Actually, you know what would help is if I could show her a copy of that backcountry permit. You know, so she could see her brother's return date."

Ranger looked at the trio, and he did.

Meanwhile, after that, they went outside, walking to Impala. Dean laughed, holding on to the permit. Karina shakes her head, and Sam infers, "What, are you cruising for a hookup or something?"

Dean looked at Sam, "What do you mean?"

"The coordinates point to Black Water Ridge. So what are we waiting for? Let's just go find Dad. I mean, why even talk to this girl?"

They all stopped at the Impala as Dean answered his brother's questions. "I don't know. Maybe we should know what we're walking into before we actually walk into it."