Recently, he met up with our heroes and was helpful in locating and returning a missing Police Officer, Sam Davis. Davis had been attacked by an Insect Creature and had went a bit crazy. Heading out into the woods, he ran across Jim while he was communing with his Totem Spirit - the bear. Davis attacked Jim, believing him to be a werebear. Even though Davis attacked from ambush, the fight was a bit one-sided and Jim was victorious.
A few weeks later, Jim showed up at an ancient Indian site to stop an MTSU sponsored archaeological dig. Warning the Professor of a Great Toad Demon called an Illiogor that was buried under a stone mound. A mound that Astrid and Leroy had already discovered housed some powerful energies.
After getting the Professor in charge to at least postpone the dig, Jim showed certain magical abilities by "recharging" a barrier spell around the mound. Astrid felt better at once, having had been sickly ever since her first exposure to the barrier.
Several weeks later, when Astrid, Josh, and Leroy discovered a strange device at the dig, Jim was brought in to consult and he seem to recognize the device and refered to it as a Gateway. He didn't explain where it may lead.
On Hallowe'en night the gang discovered Jim and Sam tracking a creature he called an Ewah - although the locals called the thing a Bayraven Gorilla - through the woods outside Murfreesboro. Working together, they were able to subdue the creature and Jim had Steph help him in casting a spell that teleported the Ewah and her cubs back to it's reserve in the Appalachians.
Jim finally told Steph that she was a Totem Warrior and it was her destiny to help fight the Evil creatures that are attracted to The Dark and Bloody Ground. He went on to explain that he was the last of a group of heroes from the early decades of the twentieth century and was also a Totem Warrior. He started her combat training and teaching her the ways of the creatures she would face.
It is becoming plan that Jim's age is showing. While still quite strong, he is beginning to tire quickly. He hopes to finish Stephanie's training before his time here is over.
During the Spring of 2006, Jim became mystically aware of the breaking of the Hellmouth seal at the Old Stone Fort. He, along with Sam, rushed there to stop it, but the place was guarded by too many vampires and wendigo for the two of them. Jim felt his only chance was to sacrifice himself by trying to capture the life essence of the Illigoir into himself - he was gambling that his Totem Warrior Body was non-human enough to trap and destroy the creature's last chance for freedom, for the illigoir needed a human vessal to transform into his demonic form.
Unfortunately, although Sam was able to hold of many wendigo, Jim was shot down by a human mage moments before he could test his theory.
Before he died, Astrid reached him and he knew that she would do what he could not. Astrid took his medicine bundle and stepped into his Magic Circle. The Illigoir's spirit was forced into her half demon body and she was able to kill it, although it cost her her life also.
The next morning, Stephanie and the other survivors gave Jim Panahoc a proper Cherokee burial.
He died as he had lived his very long life - a Hero!