23 Grace Period (6)

"You want us to go into a Mission? Why won't you be joining us?" Avery asked Sam. The inner tips of her thin eyebrows raised up, her mouth slightly open. She couldn't figure out why he wouldn't join them.

Sam was leaned back in his chair, "I have my own things to do. I can't babysit you."

Avery had been moping since Sam said he wanted to take charge. They agreed he would lead as he had more experience, but the man was brash. He wanted them to split up, him on his own and the rest of them to enter a mission to practice their 'teamwork'.

"I thought we were going to practice our teamwork with 'you'" She said, putting extra emphasis on you.

Sam ignored her. The brat had been annoying him since he took the cat from her.

Avery doubted he would be fine on his own. No matter how strong someone was, to go alone would be an early death sentence for anyone. The memory of when her, Arthur, Dean and Tabby were back in the restaurant was still fresh. Arthur's face had gone red as it strained. The large muscular Hunter slammed his fist on the table. He had been talking about how reckless Sam was in his youth.

Her pupils twitched; she had started to become anxious. She doubted the plan would work with Sam in charge. Avery's nervous eyes passed to Dean, he nodded towards her, "He'll be fine."

She exhaled, loosening the worries that weighed in her mind. If the person who disliked him the most here said it would be alright, then it would all work out… right?

Sam continued "You'll need the Points if we're going against Fox and his gang 'Shaker'. Mary, you'll need to go too."

"Me?" Mary's hand stopped halfway through stroking Tabby on her lap. A woman of her age fighting would be mad, but realisation soon came to her. She understood that even though she was elderly, she couldn't just watch from the side-lines in this world anymore.

White kept quiet and listened to their back and forth disputes. Though their teamwork seemed rocky at first, he felt it would be fine. His Sage's Eyes couldn't read Sam and Dean, that must have meant something. He knew they would be fine if the two of them went against Fox. A vibration rung from the kid's pocket, the gang stopped talking and looked to White. He pulled out his phone and held it up. He had been gone for an hour by now, he'll have to head back soon otherwise Shaker would get suspicious. He stopped his phone's alarm, "When the countdown ends, we'll have to meet in the centre of Waterloo for the Backer Selection. We attack then." He slid the phone back into his pocket. He took a moment before leaving, the others could see the burden in his eyes. "I'm counting on you guys." Everyone except Sam and the cat looked at the young teen with a slight sadness in their gazes. Some more than others.

White didn't need to say anything to the group, they could tell he had to return to Shaker. Otherwise they'd get suspicious. Dean had a look in his eyes, as if he were telling the kid they'd get his mother back no matter what. White turned to the door and walked out; he didn't look back.

'See you in a couple of days.' Thought Dean. He might have been the only one in the group that could relate the closest to White, he had lost his family at a young age and he didn't want the kid to meet the same fate. "The boy is a strong one, just like my Tabby." Mary said, she stroked the ginger cat that laid on her lap. She cherished Tabby, overjoyed that her baby had returned. She was catching up on all the pampering she had missed in the past two days that she was gone. The cat was in her own world, unconnected from their conversation, or the danger that the group were in. Fox was already dangerous but if he were to get away with this, it would become catastrophic.

Avery took a closer look at Dean, her eyes inspecting his appearance. The sight of him had only just registered for her. She hadn't noticed how much mud he was covered in. "What happened to you?"

Dean gave her a defeated look; he was haggard. His appearance wasn't the only sign. It was obvious with how he slumped back, give him ten more minutes and he might fall asleep on the hard wood chair.

"Skeletons." He spat, the way he said it was as if he was bringing up a harrowing memory. The nightmarish days he spent with Arthur and the skeletons tormented his mind. His exhausted body shivered from a chill that stroked across his spine.

"Oh." She replied.

"Yeah."

At times like this, Dean wished he picked up smoking or drinking. Anything to take the edge from his sore body would do, but he knew it would be foolish to drink now. Also, who would even have cigarettes? It wasn't the time to laze around.

As soon as she heard skeletons, Mary stood up and handed Tabby to Avery. Avery's eyes lit up, she held in a squeal as soon as she received the ginger cat in her arms. After her hands were free, she quickly moved over to Dean. She only thought Dean was covered in dirt, she didn't know he could have been hurt. Her hands shook as she held them out above Dean. "Do you have any cuts or bruises?"

[Mary has activated Heal Minor Wounds Lv1]

A green glow radiated from her hands and shone over Dean's body; Dean felt a little lighter. "Thank you, Mary." Dean held her palm, "I'm glad you're around." Dean had many cuts and bruises that was hidden under his clothes and the dirt that covered him. However, he wasn't in a critical condition; Arthur made sure of that. Mary closed most of the wounds and helped fade the bruising. His body wasn't entirely free from pain, but it helped him stand without wobbling as much.

"Well, I've got a mission to do." Sam pulled himself out from his chair, grabbed his sword and left without saying goodbye to the others. Dean let out a breath, he closed his eyes tightly for a couple of seconds and then opened them; "I think we should go too."

Mary and Avery looked at each other, then turned and gave him the funny look that the two shared, he should be resting instead of challenging a Mission.

"Look at you Dean, you need to rest." Avery said. Dean's bags under his eyes were heavy and dark. Dean waved his hand, dismissing her remark. Mary rested her hand on his weak shoulder.

There was no time to rest if he wanted to catch up with the others that had a head start with their Awakenings. He'd need to do twice the work and plenty more.

"Come on then." He said.

He got out of the chair in a sluggish manner. Mary's healing had only made it a little easier for him to move. Mary and Avery met eyes and stared for a moment as if sharing the same thought: 'Boys.'

They both rolled their eyes as Dean made his way to the door. Mary went and gathered Tabby in her arms from Avery and placed her in the back room with a bowl of cat food. "Be a good girl, I'll be back soon."

"Bring her, she'll be helpful." Dean said.

"Awesome" Avery piped up as he said helpful. Dean gave Avery a funny look. "Awesome?���

Mary crossed her arms. The eyebrows on her face came down and looked at the two with a disapproving glare.

"Mary- "

"I'm not putting my baby in danger." Mary wasn't going to take no for an answer. She spoke as if she was an animal protecting her cub. Dean and Avery gave up after they saw the motherly fire in her eyes. The cat was more than capable on her own, but Mary wouldn't accept bringing her child out to danger if she could choose. They left, leaving the cat behind. What mother would put their child in danger?

Dean and Avery were disappointed, one for how strong Tabby was and the other was just curious with what she looked like when she was blue, huge and dangerous. However, they weren't that desperate. They wouldn't fight her for it.

They both had a strong connection to Mary, though Avery might have just met her, they had quickly built a bond over their passion for cats.

Dean lead them to the mission board. He lifted his weary head and inspected the many papers that were posted with his tired eyes. "We should go easy, let's dip our toes before jumping in. Shall we?" He said, still covered in dirt and wearing his spent appearance.

He pulled one of the papers from the board as the two put their hands on each of his shoulders. Mary gulped, nervous at what awaited them. But Avery had a determined look in her eyes, her shoulders relaxed. This may be Mary's first time, but it wasn't Avery's. She had been a Hunter for more than a year. The petite girl was experienced and could handle herself despite her small build. She would be ready for anything they'd face.

Dean smiled and tore the paper through the centre, the rip was clean and pleasant to listen to. Then, as soon as it was completely torn, a bright light wrapped around them. It scooped them up and sent them to the mission.

Two hours after they entered the mission.

In a dense forest, the trees towered into the clouds. The trunks fat and solid. The dirt was red and littered with blue shrubbery. It was as if the land had been pulled from a fantasy story.

The forest was quiet, only the wind could be heard until loud footsteps slammed against the wet soil. The three of them were being chased by a vicious mob of monsters. Rabid grey wolves kicked up the dirt as they followed suit, their exposed fangs and gums dripped saliva. Green goblins, around the same size as small children, rode on their backs. They spoke in an unintelligible tribal language. Crude weapons swung in their unkept hands as their other grabbed the wolf's mangled fur to hang on. Above the wolves, black giant spiders climbed amongst the trees, one would create bridges out of its webs for the others to keep up with the wolves. On the back of spiders sat more goblins, each of them armed with bows. The arrows in them notched and covered in some sort of vile substance.

"You said we were going to dip our toes!" Avery yelled. She pulled back the string of her large wooden bow, notching three green glowing arrows and then firing them towards the spiders above. The arrows hit three goblins on the back of the spiders and pierced the spot between their eyes. The glowing arrows pushed through their flesh; a burst of blood gushed out. Their eyes rolled back; their heads fell behind. Their now limp bodies dropped off the spiders and fell to the ground. Hitting branches as they fell. The wolves at the bottom trampled over their corpses and continued to chase the three. The number of defeated goblins was only tiny in comparison to the horde that were still hot on their heels.

[DarkLie24 requests heavier gore on your Channel]

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"HOW IS THIS DIPPING OUR TOES!" Avery shouted; her voice wavered. Sweat dripped down her forehead. As they continued to run, she kept her bow gripped in her left hand while arrows had appeared from thin air in the other. Each time she would have an arrow summoned in her hand, she would notch it and fire it at one of the goblins. Slowly but surely, she was whittling down the large number of monsters after them.

Mary was carried on Dean's back. Her legs tucked into his arms. Her hands glowed green as she placed them over Dean's back. She had been using her healing skill on a cut in Dean's back, that was slowly closing.

The Goblins on the spiders from above had been shooting stray arrows, their aim poor, hoping to hit from a lucky shot. One landed near Avery's foot as they continued to run. A couple of the Goblins on the wolves cackled.

The Mission was only to take out one Goblin General, this wasn't written on the Clear Conditions…