3 - On the run again

They had been staying in the mountain close to two weeks, now. It felt like some well-needed rest, and yet, a small tension was growing around the hunters. Sure, they were never targeted. But sometimes, the walls would resonate with an odd knocking sound, and everyone would go still, until it went away.
"Demons are tying to get in," Valdyr finally told his friend Pica while he was helping her tend to her weapons. "It's only a matter of time until they find the door. From the sound of it, it's one of the big heads using a staff of God to try to find the entrance and force it open." He didn't say it out loud, but it was more likely the Sobek.

Pica frozen as she was testing her bow's string, her jaw tensing a bit. "We shouldn't be staying here any longer", she murmured in the end. "I decided I will tell the other guys that we need to flee. Tomorrow, in the early morning. If we keep on stalling-" She shook her head, brows drawn together with worry as she manhandled her bow a bit more roughly. "We can't keep putting you guys at risk. We have to guide those fucking assholes as far away from here as possible, before they find the right place where to probe. If I remember well, there is a secondary exit in the southern halls, right?", she asked, bluntly.

"There is, but-" Valdyr's frown got deeper. "Pica. How could the Sobek know where to look? Why would he be looking for someone here? I know you to cover your tracks before you come here." Valdyr had no idea that there was a faint hint of grace hidden in their village, that had been released a few times after their arrival to heal someone. And that this faint hint of grace had acted like a gps-pointer.

"..." Pica bit down on her lower lip. Hard. "... maybe I haven't been careful enough. Maybe I- maybe I am not invisible enough", she hissed through gritted teeth, hating herself even more than usual for even having to consider that possibility. The chance that maybe she had brought suspicions over that place, and maybe she had basically pointed the way to their enemy. Her grip on her weapon was so strong her knuckles turned white.

"Pica. I'm not blaming you." Valdyr extended a hand to lay it on her arm. "But maybe these hunters left a trail, and there is nothing you can do about it." He sighed. "Did Corvus leave you any indications to follow?"

"If they had left a trail, the Sobek wouldn't have found it so late", Pica almost snapped. She rubbed her temple with her free hand, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes. Early today, they sent me the coordinates to a hiding spot that we can reach easily, if we march quick. We should get there in four days tops - and meanwhile, me and Corvus will detach from the main group by night, to leave false tracks left and right. That way, we'll gain some time."

Valdyr frowned. "I don't like you acting as bait, Pica. What if something happened to you? It's still the Sobek we're talking about, after all."

Pica shook her head. "It's alright. I'll be with Corvus - they look after me. They're more expert than me, and they know how to keep me out of troubles. It will be ok, believe me." She ws always pretty sure of that, anyway. Maybe that was why she was so reckless!

Valdyr didn't seem all too convinced. In fact, he even seemed frustrated about it. "So you're going to act as bait?" He grumbled. And suddenly, went, "I'd like to go with you."

Pica turned quickly to look at Valdyr, her eyes wide open. "... what?", she blurted out, then scoffing, and frowning deeply. "No. You can't come", she said pointedly, looking away again. "You've barely ever been out - I can't have you throw your life to the wind just 'cause." She didn't say it out loud, but she really didn't think she was worth the sacrifice.

"Don't forget I've been a soldier, once," Valdyr protested, crossing his arms. "Granted, I haven't hunted any monsters myself, but I can handle myself just fine, and watch your back. I'm not going to lose someone else dear to me just because I stayed home and did nothing, Pica."

"And what about Leitna and Veana?", Pica argued, crossing her arms stubbornly on her chest. "Since you are mentioning people dear to you. How do you think they'd feel if you just, went away like that?"

"I could return you the same question. If anything happens to you, it'll break Veana's heart. And you know it." Valdyr arched a brow. "Let me come. We'll watch each other's back, and that way we'll have more chances to both come back alive."

Pica gritted her teeth. She didn't answer, she didn't look at him. "How will I be able to ever face them again", she said, when she finally talked again, " if anything happens to you out there?" She turned towards Valdyr, visibly upset. "If- how could I ever even look at myself in the mirror?"

Valdyr allowed himself a smile. "Come on, I thought you were one of the best hunters out there. You'll have my back. Don't doubt yourself" He stretched a bit, and stood up. "Like I said, I've been a soldier for years, Pica. I'll handle myself."

Judging from Pica's face, she was all but agreeing with Valdyr's decision. She bit on her nails, and then hastily got up from her sitting spot. "Well, it's clear you already decided anyway, so do whatever you want", she said, irritated to no end. She turned to walk away, angry for not being able to make him see how stupid that decision was.

Valdyr sighed, when he saw his friend storming out like that. He did ask himself whether or not he should run after her, but after all, he had made his decision clear enough. He stood up and went to gather his belongings.

Meanwhile, in Corvus's home, Castiel was resting against Dean, sighing softly while tracing meaningless patterns on his muscles, through the fabric of his shirt. Whenever they were not in public, he liked to cuddle a lot. And, after all- Corvus had told them that when it would be time to leave, they'd have no less than 4 days before reaching their next hideout. "I'm going to miss this."

Dean sighed, leaning into Castiel as he rubbed soothing patterns on his skin, through his shirt. "Yeah. Yeah, me too", he murmured, turning to kiss his cheek. Yeah, he didn't dislike cuddling. Actually, he... enjoyed it. A lot. Especially with him. "You have all your stuff ready?" After all, they would have to leave the following morning.

Castiel sighed. "My bag is ready, yes. I don't have anything aside from my clothes and my spellbook." He didn't own anything else, actually. Just like someone who ran away. Even his weapons were borrowed to him by either Bobby, Sam or Dean.

"Yeah, true." Dean sighed, honestly not feeling like doing anything but slumping in that moment. "Do you think we should go and. Have dinner, or what?"

Castiel remained silent at first, but straightened up a bit to look at Dean. "I highly doubt you would risk skipping dinner, even over some... cuddling" Well. He knew Dean enough already. But he did smile softly, and kiss him before he stood up.
And that's when they heard the tapping all around the mountain again, causing him to freeze on the spot.

Dean froze as well, tensing, listening closely to that terrifying noise. It gave him the chills, and he shuddered. "... maybe we should actually think about fleeing tonight", he observed in a low voice.

Outside, in the meantime, Selena observed with a frown the piss poor job the demons were doing with that research. If only they listened to her - but apparently, being a hunter at the service of an Archangel didn't matter shit, with the Sobek around. So she just sat there, arms tightly crossed on her chest, chin high and a distasteful expression on her face. Waiting for them to fail again.

Castiel pressed his lips together. "Do you think the others would agree?" He himself was growing nervous. He had stopped to use his grace as soon as he had found out the demons found him, but he had been hesitating for a while to get out, and create a diversion for his friends to flee. Especially since he had found himself falling for Dean. He wouldn't bear to put him into more danger.

"I know I've beat you there, but is that a reason for you to look so grim, Milady?" asked a quiet, flat, German-sounding voice. The Sobek turned to look at her, a smirk on his lips. Next to all of those stupid demons, his attired looked both simplistic, and yet... royal. Safe for that crocodile skull he wore on one shoulder, which just looked creepy.

"I don't know", Dean answered, honestly. "The situation is not good, though. Everyone has noticed it - we are rushing to get ready to flee and all. Do we really wish to endanger all these people who hosted us for a longer time?" And if those damned pigs were looking for Castiel, he wanted to be gone as soon as possible.

Selena felt so offended and disgusted at the mere notion of the Sobek actually talking to her she could barely keep herself from snapping at him. Or pin him on the nearest tree with her knife. Instead she just grimaced, and answered without looking at him. "Your lackeys are irritating, mouthy, vulgar and incredibly stupid. That seems like enough of a good reason to me."

Castiel frowned slightly, his heart tightening a bit. Maybe- Maybe was he about to make a stupid mistake. "You should join the others, I- I'll need to use the bathroom before we go," he lied a bit awkwardly. But he rushed to the bathroom so fast it could pass as something else. Stress, maybe.

Alastair held back a mocking laugh. "And you think you're worth more than any of these cockroaches because an archangel marked you?" He clicked his tongue in an annoying, insolent manner. "Are you implying that you have more experience at finding the entrance to a dwarves' cave?"