Snippets Fifty-Four: Bobby's Way of Training

Dean returned to the house when Castiel nudged him to do so.  Bobby was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking whiskey.  Dean recognized the bottle and the smell and backed away.

“It’s okay, Son.  I’m not your Daddy.  I can hold it.  I wanna talk to you.”

Dean sat at the table.

“I think it would be fun tomorrow to go bow hunting.  I will teach you how to use a bow and arrow and help you become good at it.  Would you like to learn how to do that?”

Dean nodded and spoke softly, “Yes, Unca Bobby.  What about Sammy?”

“I have a neighbor who will come over and watch him.  I promised her some  of meat if we get any.”

“Kay, Unca Bobby.”

“Would you like to learn how to use it today, so we can spend tomorrow looking for game?”

Dean nodded.  Bobby disappeared into the back of the house.  The boy went upstairs to check on his brother.  Cas followed him and they both saw Sam sprawled out on the new bed, arms and legs wide apart and head turned as he breathed deeply.  Nodding in satisfaction, Dean went back downstairs and outside.

Bobby was already there.  He had two bales of hay set up away from the house with a large target attached to them.  The man spent about 30 minutes going over and over the way to attach and unattach the string from the bow.  Dean finally learned how to step into the bow and bend it.

Dean seemed to be a natural at aiming and shooting with a bow and arrow.  Bobby stared at him in surprise, knowing he’d done the same with a gun. 

Castiel watched the arrows hit  in or near the bull’s eye.  He was concerned about Dean.

‘Father?’

‘Yes, my Son?’

‘Dean is hitting every bull’s eye.  He aced shooting with a gun’

‘Sam Winchester will have incredible powers, my Son.  Dean needs to be better than good at hunting.  I have gifted him.  He will never know this.  It will be a natural talent for him and he will be proud of it.  He should be.  Sam will be an incredible hunter, but he will never surpass Dean.  Remember that when Dean falls.’

‘Falls?’

‘You are not ready for this knowledge, my Son.  Be proud of him and encourage his pride in these talents.  He has a right to them.  It is the one thing his father will rely on.  Dean is the good son.  Whatever helps him survive in his family is a good thing.’

Castiel turned when he heard Dean shout for the first time in a long time.  It was a shout of triumph.  The angel smiled, sadly.  He was relieved that Father knew Dean was the good son and was providing him with a means of survival.

Both bowmen ran towards the house when Sam called out for Dean.  Bobby looked at his watch.  Supper time.  Dean had done incredibly well.  He was proud of him.