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"Are you sure about this?" Asked a now older Hansel, while he walked with Ben and his sister outside to the entrance of the village they were currently staying at."This one could be tricky."

"I'm 25." Ben defended." I'v done my training and research."

"Just be safe." Gretel smiled." I believe congratulations are in order since this is your first time hunting alone."

"No." Hansel countered." It doesn't count until he actually kills her."He turned back to Ben." Make sure you bring her head."

Nodding, Ben began his walking. It wasn't long before he was deep in the woods. It would take at least a day and a half to make it to a cottage deep within the tress. A witch's cottage.

He was nervous, but determined. For years he coveted the two older hunter's approval. As a test for finally convincing Hansel he was ready, the man decided to send him to take care of this village's problem.

The accused was apparently being convicted of kidnapping livestock in the area to sacrifice to her "satanic lord" as the men in charge like to say. They hired Hansel and Gretel to take care of her because they feared she would move onto human sacrifices soon.

Stopping to pull out the map, he realized that he was supposed to go left instead of crossing the bridge on the right and turned to go back and go the right direction.

Soon he stopped in a small clearing and started a fire. It was close to getting dark and he was tired from all the walking, so he made a small pallet by the flames to keep warm and safe while he slept.

The adrenaline he had coursing through him earlier was now down to a simmer. He felt a bit scared now that he was on his own. Before, all he had to worry about was backing up the siblings or Edward if he was needed, but most of the time he was just the one who stood on the sidelines.

So he kept asking hisself; was he cut out to be a hunter on his own?

:/:/:

He awoke to the blinding glare of the sun and quickly packed his things. Onwards he went, and surprisingly, without worry, made it to the small, deceiving cottage.

Swallowing hard, he pulled out his crossbow and inched towards the entrance. He tried his hardest to stay quiet, cursing the creaky boards that made faint noises as he crept in.

It was the usual interior look for a dark witch. Dark, foul smelling. There was a large cauldron on the fire in the far corner, candles burning everywhere and various small, dead animals hung from the ceiling. Turning, Ben spotted a set of stairs and made his way up.

He wrinkled his nose at the growing strength of the smell. It must be the rot that covers all dark witches. He reached the top stair and slowly started down the hall.

"Help me!" He heard.

He turned to the first room to see a small child, trapped in a cage. surprised, he rushed to the little girl and tried to cut an opening in the vines.

"What do we have here?" Came a cackle.

Ben suddenly turned around to see the grotesque being. Immediately, he started shooting his her out into the hall, he managed to get her once in the side. But she ran forward as quick as a bullet and somehow kicked Ben in the stomach.

He fell to the ground and a second later he was struggling to get the witch off of him. She was trying to stab him with an arrow he had shot at her. He brought his leg up and flipped her forward onto her back and quickly got up. He went to pull out his dagger but it was missing from it's sheath. He frantically looked around for it until he saw it in the wrinkly hand of the witch who was also now on her feet.

"Im gonna carve that pretty face off." She growled, sardonically.

She lunged forward, slashing at him as he jumped backwards and dodged it till she cornered him. She swung the blade down, trying to sheath it in his heart, but he tried pushing it back by grabbing both her wrist with one hand each.

He thought back to what Hansel had taught him and got an idea. He put his foot around he ankle and tripped her. However, she took him with he as she toppled down the stairs.

After struggling, Ben managed to push on the arrow in her side and she shrieked. She grabbed his head by his hair and smacked it against the ground.

He grabbed the arrow again and this time pulled it out. Since she was now distracted for a second, he pushed her off and rushed to his knife.

Grabbing it, he turned to see she was gone. He heard a scream upstairs and ran up to see the witch had grabbed the child and was now about to run for it on her broom. Ben ran towards as she blasted the boarded window open with her wand and went to send a blue light his way but he dodged it and managed to grab onto the back of the broom as it tried to carry the witch and child through the opening.

"Grab my arm!" He instructed and landed the child in a tug-o-war. He pulled on her arm with all his strength, while keeping his feet on both sides of the opening. Fortunately for him, the witch's grip on the girl loosened and he managed to get his arm around her torso and yanked her from the witches grasp, sending the hag into the air outside now that he wasn't holding her back.

"Are you ok?" He asked the little girl, as he watched the witch fly away.

The little girl nodded. He sighed and helped her up.

"Whats your name?" He asked.

"Mina." She answered.

"Well Mina, I'm Ben. Lets get you out of here."

He felt relieved that he had saved the girl, but how was he going to tell Hansel and Gretel he let her get away?

Well thats end of chapter one I know its short but bear with me:) Thanks again for reading. Please grace me with your opinion and please alert if you liked it and want to read more. Again, i really appreciate it.:)

ThespazChik