Faith ran as fast as her feet would take her. She jumped over logs, ducked under trees, and of course occasionally tripped over herself in the process. The screams stopped, but she soon spotted the small shack in which they came from. 'What the hell are you doing?' She asked herself while ducked behind a nearby tree. She realized that running off deeper into the woods towards the sounds of screaming wasn't the brightest idea, but what was she supposed to do? Ignore the sounds? Deathly silence was all she heard as she peaked her head out from behind the tree. There she saw a small old shack. She took a deep breath as she slowly crept her way towards it. She gasped at what she saw as she looked through the shack window. She could only described the scene to be like something out of Hansel and Gretel.
A old woman with wicked gray hair stood beside the window. Her face however was a lot more concerning. She not only had wrinkles but her entire face was deformed in some way. Dark witch she concluded. Is this what her mother, and Clare were worried that she would become? Faith looked past her and another small gasp escaped her lips. There were wooden cages in the back of the shack. Two small children in one, and what looked like to be there parents in another. Just then the woman noticed Faith in the window. Faith quickly put her fingers to her lips, motioning the mother to be silent as she figured out a plan. Her magic was out of the question since she had absolutely no clue how to use, let alone control it. The woman then pointed to the table where her husbands weapon laid.. his sword.

Faith smiled. That's it
Faith was suddenly so thankful for her father, and the years he spent teaching her the art of fencing. If he only knew how much it would come in handy now. She took one last deep breath before she quietly made her way inside the shack. She tip toad her way in, and held her breath as she did. The place reeked, the stench no doubt coming from the creppy old Witch.

Faith hid beside the door as the Witch suddenly turned around. "Shh." She yelled across the room at the whimpering children. She then ransacked her closets, pulling out multiple items which Faith knew were used for spells, though she didn't know what kind. "I'll get to you soon enough." She finished evilly.

Faith decided it was now or never, so while the Witches back was turned she gripped her sword tightly, then began to walk towards the confined family. The witch started to laugh, but it sounded more like a horrible screeching noise. It reminded Faith of nails on a chalkboard. "Did you really think it would be that easy?" The witch spoke with her back still turned. "I could smell your delicious fear from outside, Deary." She pointed out. She turned around to face Faith.

Faith lifted her sword ready to strike at any given opportunity. "Well, well, haven't we got a brave little dove," the Witch spoke to the rest of her victims. "You will make a excellent sacrifice," She spoke as she stepped closer to Faith who were frozen with fear. She tried to move, but found herself paralyzed in place.
"Don't worry dove, this will only hurt.. alot." She finished with the most horrendous giggle. The Witch then lifted her hand to Faiths head and held it there.

Faith shut her eyes in fear, awaiting the Pain. She felt she deserved it over how pathetic she was handling the whole situation. She came to save these people, but now she would be just another victim.

After a few moments the Witch grew confused. "What? How?" She yelled angered.

Faith then realized that the Witch was powerless against her. Her own power of deflection must have been contradicting whatever the witch was trying to do. Faith smiled as she felt her body able to move again.

she snatched the confused hags hand away from her, then shoved the Witch to the floor. The Witch then began to claw her way towards Faith.
In one swift motion Faith plunged the sword into her chest, then pulled it out. The Witch looked at Her own chest, then placed her hand on the black blood that was now pouring down from it. She glanced up one last time as she struggled for Air. "How?" She whispered before her eyes closed for the last time and collapsed to the floor.

Moments, or even minutes went by as Faith stood above the Witch. The family still silent in amazement out of what just happened. "Thank you." The small girl exclamed through a smile. This made Faith snap out of her trance. She turned towards them, then motioned for them to back away from the doors. Once they did she lifted her sword and swing it full force against the wooden cages causing both of them to fall apart instantly. The mother, and father rushed to there children to embraced them.

Just then the doors flung open. Faith spun around sword in hand waiting for the next attacker. Much to her surprise however there only stood Nicholas. His sword was also raised, obviously ready for a fight. His expression was dumbfounded as he took in the scene in front of him.

Faith lowered her sword first still in shock. 'Had Nicholas come to save them?' She pondered 'oops'

"I, ahh are you alright?" He asked as he glanced down at the body on the floor. He had no idea what he had just walked into.

"She saved us!" The mother said happily as she threw her arms around Faith. Her small children also hugged at Faiths legs. Faith smiled. For the first time in days she felt that maybe everything she has been through would be worth it, and it was. "We couldn't thank you enough!" The father said truly grateful.

After a few moments a still confused to Hell Nicholas cleared his throat. "Do you need assistance getting home?" He asked from the sidelines. For the first time in his life feeling absolutely useless.

"We live just up the way, we can manage." The father answered smiling down at his family, lucky to be alive.

The mother turned to Faith. "Please stop by sometime so we can properly thank you, even though no thanks would ever be enough."

Faith smiled. "I would love that." She spoke as the little girl cheered happily. "Goodnight." She said as the family made there way out of the shack.

After a few awkward silent moments between the two Faith also went to leave before Nicholas stepped out in front of her. She somehow hoped he wouldn't press the matter, but she knew he would. "What in the world are you doing here?" He said, voice rasied. "And just how did you kill that, thing?" He pointed to The Body On The floor.

Faith lifted her sword and waved it in front of him in a stabbing motion. "Like this." She Added not knowing where this knew found sarcasm came from.

He rolled his eyes at her, all amazement gone. "I can obviously tell she was stabbed.." he said in a 'duh' tone. "How did you get close enough?" He interrogated, but to Faith it sounded a bit like jealousy.

"I was quite." She said. "I just snuck up on her." She continued in the hopes that she would just sound like a stupid, dumb girl that got into something way over her head. (which was not far from truth) "She was old, I guess her hearing was bad."

Nicholas looked at her skeptically. "Witches can smell Fear." He said.

'I could smell your delicious fear from outside, dearie' Faith remembered the Witch saying. She decided that playing stupid was her best option, although she knew sometimes it came naturally. "I wasn't scared," she lied.

He remembered the look at her face as he barged into the Shack ready to take on anything. She was definitely frightened, but he decided not to press it feather. "From now on you leave the hunting to the hunters, understand?" He said harshly, angered that she put herself in that position in the first place.

She nodded. "Well, I better be getting home." She said as she thought of her mom, and Clare. She knew that they were wondering the woods looking for her. She marched out of the shack, then began to walk on a random trail in hopes that she would run into her mother, and Clare.

Nicholas mounted his black horse that had been tied to a nearby tree. He then began his way back to his estate. His already confused state only grew when he saw Faith walking out on the Path in front of him. Was she lost? He thought.

"Where is your horse?" He asked as he pulled up his horse up next to her and slowed it down to walk at her pace.

Just leave me be she pleated up towards the heavens. "At home," she answered truthfully.

"You walked all the way out here?" He asked doubtfully, but once she didn't answer he knew she were telling the truth.

"Where is it you are headed to now?" He asked as he held back a knowing chuckle.

She looked at him as if he were stupid. "Home, but I told you that already." She answered, quickening her Pace in hopes he would catch a hint at her annoyance. "Don't you have somewhere else to be? Or go!" She said rudely, growing tired of him following her.

"I don't really.. I am also headed home." He said as he smiled.

She immediately stopped in her tracks, feeling embarrassed that he knew she was absolutely lost. She glanced around for other paths to follow but the complete darkness didn't make that task easy.

He pulled the horse's reins to stop and watched her look around in confusion. He pondered on whether or not finding it amusing made him a bad person. "Oh, stop." He spoke. "It's just sad." He admitted as he held one hand down to her. "Come on, I will take you home." He offered.

She looked up at his extended arm as if it were poisonous. "I'm alright."

"Nonsense. It's nightfall and you are completely lost. What kind of man would I be if I simply went home?" He asked in all seriousness.

She nodded in understanding, realizing that he really wasnt going to leave until he knew that she made it home safely. Men of this time were much more courteous than the ones back home, she though. Even if they had tried to kill you before.

"Alright." She said as she grabbed his extended arm with her own. He then helped pulled her up in front of him so that way she could sit sideways. 'Damn this dress!' she thought as she adjusted herself to be comfortable although being so close to him would make that near impossible.

He smiled as he reached his arms around her waist to grab the reins.

~~~

New chapter! Hope you liked it. Please vote and comment.
Mariska98 <3