Granny makes her final stop on her way to accomplishing Death's task. Will she persuade Granny to come? I am very sorry for the prolongued break from posting, but this summer there was no lucrative time to do so.

Enjoy and please review:D

Granny was walking through the village. She was being watched. She could feel it in the back of her head. And it wasn't the villagers who were staring intensely at her, because they always did that. There was someone else, some other presence, hard to identify, let alone, pinpoint, unlike the villagers. They averted their gaze every time she looked at them, they were afraid. She had never taken the time to see this. Of course she knew about this, but she had always taken it for granted, she had thought it came with the witching; what people don't understand, they fear. And it was fine, but now… After having spoken to Death himself, she was suddenly aware of things she had hitherto shunned. Yes, witching meant understanding people, it meant headology, heck, all the time, but even a witch is human, and humans have always had the bad habit of overlooking the obvious. Granny was ashamed; she had shut away the thought of being genuinely feared by the people because of her power, because of who she was. Then again, maybe she had always been aware of it, but in the light of recent events a new understanding had dawned. Or maybe she had accepted, or even secretly enjoyed the feeling of power that being feared for what she could do offered. Her face let the faintest shadow of disgust darken her features for the briefest moment. It was a terrible thought indeed. But she couldn't, she surely wouldn't! She felt weak for even considering it. She was old.

Nanny's house was…Granny's mood would have liked it to be looming, but it was just there. A couple of storeys high, with more different curtains than windows – due to the large number of nameless daughters-in-law – the house was the most well known in the village. Everyone knew where Nanny lived. Well, everyone knew where Granny lived, too, but out of a completely different reason, namely, out of need and fear, rather than for the parties or family bonds. Granny was famous for her witchcraft, and everyone needed her skills some time in their life. Also, children were always warned never to go near her cottage, lest something terrible happens to them, hence the ground around her cottage always presented small, human footprints. It was not fair, Granny thought, but then again, what was? She knew that, and never deemed any different.

She breathed in and went around the back of the house. She raised her hand to open the door when it opened to reveal the beaming face of Nanny. Her cheeks were red and a slight whiff of brandy floated smugly around her.

"Hiya, Esme! Our Jason tole' me you're coming. His cousin Marc told 'im, and he was tole' by…"

"Yes, yes, Gytha," Granny wasn't exactly in the mood for it. However, neither was Nanny.

"C'mon, chher up! 'Ere, come in!" Nanny led Granny a little unsurely to a chair in the kitchen.

"Gytha, you're drunk." Granny sounded concerned, which wasn't like her. Nanny took notice. She tried sobering up. Damn that alcohol! Actually, don't damn it, it's too good to be damned, but right now she didn't need it in her system. The situation was serious. Granny only sounded like that when something was troubling her. And very little did trouble Granny. Greebo was watching them lazily from the comfort of his not-so-fluffy-anymore pillow in the corner.

"Where're you going?"

"I'm not sure, yet. Uberwald was one suggestion." Granny said it on a matter-of-fact tone, but her look was holding a big sign saying "I want to say more, but you will have to rip that information from me first."

"So I take the Reaper paid you a visit?" Nanny was sly. To any normal person, the question would have seemed improbable. However, Granny was nonplussed.

"Who died?"

"Bershka, while giving birth to her fifth. I couldn't do much; you know how weak she'd always been. It's a surprise she lived up to have five in the first place.

"Yes…" Granny waited for the next question, but it seemed as if it wasn't going to come. When, after a rather embarrassing silence, she decided to lead the discussion, they spoke at once.

"I'd like to…"

"You cannot…"

"Very well, me first", said Nanny jovially. "I'd like to wish you a safe trip." Granny was, if not shocked, at least mildly surprised. "Now you." A grin was barely concealed in Nanny's wrinkles.

"So you don't want to come? Not that I'd let you, but… " was all Granny could come up with at that moment.

"Well, since I knew you'd start telling me not to come, I thought, you know, why bother asking?" Nanny was very sly, indeed.

"Oh, well, no reason why I should be staying any more, then, is there?" However, so was Granny. "I've got a long trip ahead, so I'd better be goin' " Nanny had been caught off-guard.

"Couldn't you tell me anything about it?"

"What for, you're not coming anyway. And besides, someone needs to stay here to watch over the folk when I'm gone."

"I see…" So it's when, not while… well, if that's the game Granny wanted to play, Nanny could join, too.

"Very well, then, safe trip once more! May you be watched over!"

"I hope I won't be, thank you all the same." Granny was proud of her friend. "Well, I'd better be going, then. See you at Hogswatch!"

"Don't forget to bring some pudding, if you're coming!" Even now, Nanny had to be practical.

"I will!" And Granny left, Greebo eyeing her from the window, now, watching her trot away on the cobbles, an old woman with the soul of a phoenix. Actually this comparison never crossed the tom cat's mind, but, then, again, who cares?

Now that Granny has finally set off, what will await for her on her way? Well, hopefully, I'll be able to satisfy your, and most importantly my curiosity in short time:D