The Hunted

Chapter 8

"Hand me the bridle." Clare said as Faith looked around the tack room. She bite her lip in cunfusion. "That one." Clare spoke again, pointing out exactly which one she wanted. "You ride the horse with the other one," she said pointing back to the wall at a different bridle. Once faith handed her the bridle Clare lifted it closer to Faith so she could take a better look. "This one has blinders on it so the horse can focus pruly on pulling the cart. The one on the wall is just for riding. You don't want to get these two cunfused because then you'll have a run away cart on your hands." She finished, lightly laughing as if recalling a memory. They brought all of the tack they had just picked out to the horse stall on the other side of the barn. "Hey Charly!" Clare said as the horse picked his head up, mouth full of hay. "Charly?" Faith laughed. "You couldn't be more original than that?" Clare rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to her." She told Charly as she rubbed his neck. "She's a bit Loco." She wispered in his ear.

Faith sat in between her mother, and Clare on the cart that Charly was currently pulling. Her mother held the reins in her hands, and occasionally would turn him In the direction that they were headed. Faith had the feeling that Charly knew where they were going because before her mother even began to tug on the reins he would already Start to turn. "So this Witch?" Faith asked. "Hazel" Ann corrected. "Yeah, so she's a real sixteen hundreds Witch?" She asked, facnatied. "I don't want to make your head hurt or anything, but tactically we are all 'real sixteen hundreds witches'. " Clare responded. "Ok" faith said, annoyance laced her voice. "But we are from the future. She was born here. she's authentic!" She finished.

Clare and Ann shared a look, then both smiled. For them it was nothing new, but for Faith it was still so sareal. Three days ago she would have laughed at the lunatic that even mentioned the possibility of Witches, but now? She was one of them. "What do I have to do to become apart of the coven?" Faith asked. She cold feel herself start to grow nervous. "Don't worry, you'll be fine." Ann said, sensing her daughters discomfort. "You don't have to do a thing." She reassured.

"First we have to determine what powers you have." Clare said after a few silent moments. "Powers?" Faith asked. "I thought witches had magic, spells?, stuff like that?" She asked.

"We do dear, but we also each hold our own special abilitys without having to create a spell." Ann replied.

Faith smiled bright light a child in a candy store. "What are yours? She said in amazement. Clare smiled, tossing her bright red hair over her sholders. Unlike faith, Clare loved being the center of attention, and took ever opportunity to show off. She brought her hands together and extended them forward cracking her knuckles in a dramatic manner. Ann rolled her eyes and pulled back on the horse's reins stopping the cart. "Your little show will have to wait," she said as she hopped out, and tied Charly to the horse post. "We are here."

They approach the small Cottage, and all faith was reminded of was the story of Hansel and Gretel. The evil witch that lured children into her home using delicious sweets. She half expected Hazel to look like the Wicked witch in the story. A old, messy gray haired woman with a large unsightly mole on her chin. When they got to the porch hazel opened the door, and greeted them with a smile. To Faiths suprise she was just the opposite of what she imagined. Hazel had light brown hair that was cut short just before her sholders. She was slim, but beautifully tall. Her face was Pleasant and walcoming, as were her hazel eyes.

"Hello." She greeted Ann, and clare with a hug. "And you must be Faith." She said as she turned towards her. "Yes," faith responded. "Wait, how did you know that?" She asked growing suspicious. Clare leaned in to Faiths ear. "It's a witch thing." She said.
"A contacting spell." Hazel corrected. Half the time hazel didn't understand what her witch friends from the future were talking about, but she tried her best. "Your mother contacted me last night, and told me about your arrival, and your planned Visit to my home. I'm delighted to meet you." She said kindly, her voice, and speech obviously different from there's due to the time gap. "Please do come inside."