Pumpkinhead

Green leaf leaped a few good feet off the ground at the sound of the new voice. His heart rate skyrocketing in seconds.

  "Why are in my woods?" The witch spoke with no pity to the colt before her. Her clouded eyes piercing his soul without even gazing directly at him.

  "Uh... we.. my friend and I were curious about you, so we came out here to see if you were alright ma'am." Green leaf quickly lied, hoping she would buy it.

  "Yes, we thought you could use some company." Helping Hooves added to help her friend's story.

  "I wasn't talking to you." The witch snapped at the younger mare. "I'm talking to the colt."

  The way the witch snapped surprised Helping Hooves greatly, not much was known about her.

  "Like I said before we came to see if you were alright-"

  "That's a lie and you know it."

  Green leaf was stunned by how perceptive she was, not only was she quick to answer also she cut through lies just as fast. Green leaf struggled to come up with an answer for the witch as she circled him, Helping Hooves standing a few feet away like a lost puppy. "Well we... uh... wanted to... see you?"

  "See me? Why? What's to gain seeing me, what was your goal to get?" The witch replied, glaring down upon the smaller stallion. "Has your legends of me become so famous that now ponies from all around to peek into my life?"

  "No ma'am-"

  "Tell your friend to get, I have no reason to be speaking with her. You on the other hoof intrigue me." From the tone of voice Green leaf could tell she wouldn't allow him to leave.

  With nothing more than a meek nod to acknowledge the request, Green leaf looked towards Helping Hooves with a sad smile.

  "No I'm not going anywhere while he's here!"

  "Then I will not warn your friend of his danger. It’s your choice." The witch spoke with cryptic words that chilled the air around the two. "He will be back before morning, his fate will dictate him back home."

  "How can I be sure he will be safe?" The question was asked without any hesitation.

  "In the many years I've lived here, how many ponies disappeared from your comfy little village? How many does your myth about me say I've taken? Do they come back? I've never harmed anypony, I've only kept to myself." The witch started to smile, this smile wasn't one of malicious intent or devious in anyway. It lacked the sneer many would associate with her. Of course not many ever coming to see the witch would know that.

  "Alright, if he doesn't come back then I'll be back for you." Helping Hooves glared daggers to the taller mare before turning back to the dirt path, leaving a ever shrinking stallion from the grim determination of the witch.

  "Sit I ain't gonna boil you in a stew, you have a very special fate."

  "What do you mean by that? I'm destined to become famous or something?" Green leaf chuckled nervously.

  "No, I mean one day your blood will make its way back to me. I know the feeling all to well, a deep rage will form for a heinous act.  One that will go punished by powers that be." The witch replied in her calm demeanor.

  "Rage? I never felt angry about much, except for that time in school when the bullies used to throw me in the muddy fields." Green leaf started before the witch silenced him.

  "Oh you won't understand for a long time, eleven years time your blood will be back here. During that wait you'll meet the sun goddess herself, the legends of this significant moment will be wiped away."

  "Wiped away? What do you mean?"

  "I mean what I say." The witch snapped at the colt with deathly serious eyes glaring down at him. "I say what I mean."

  Green leaf frowned at the mysterious answer he received from the mare, finally he work up his courage to ask one last question.

  "What's your name?"

  "Most ponies don't have the courage to ask that, but my name is Plagued Ink." She answered the less nervous stallion. "But it's now time for you to go home, so go."

  Green leaf stood up and turned to the path, casting one last glance back to Plagued Ink. How different she was to everypony he ever met, yet still was just a pony. His hooves carrying away his body as he left.

  "Boy you're not going to be enjoying your life, but your blood will come back." Plagued spoke once Green leaf was far from the deep woods.

  (Washoe valley, two hours after midnight)

  Helping Hooves stood out from the foliage, waiting for her friend's safe return. She waited hours for him.

  "Come on, where are you?" Helping Hooves said to try and ease the tension. "Tartarus with this, I'm going in there to drag you out."

  Just as she was marching in Green leaf rushed out resulting in a head on collision. The pair groaned as they began to stand.

  "Ow ow ow, Green leaf anypony tell you that you've got a hard head?" Helping Hooves stated as she prepared for the headache that was soon to come. "I'm glad you made it back alright but ow man easy though with the head."

  The pair began to laugh as they trotted back to town's border.

  (Canterlot, present day)

  Twilight soaked in every detail of the story she was listening to, her mind sorting out the witch and her significance to what would happen.

  "Princess, I know that something about this topic has left an extreme mark on you... but why not send it to Tartarus? I mean you can do nearly anything, so why is this thing so terrifying?"

  "Twilight... I don't expect you to understand why it scares me, but I will say I have never before or after that time will anything else can hold so much sadistic joy in it's actions. It very well could have been the end of my life." The elder Alicorn spoke solemnly, her eyes closed to block the visions from sight. Slowly she stood up, her body language speaking clearly. The story for now was over.

  Twilight quickly joined her, their steps echoing through the empty halls. They walked in silence, not one word needed to be said as they made their way towards the bedroom. Both dwelling in thoughts of their own as the arrived.

  The heavy doors open ominously to a darkened room, but with a dash of magic the room came to life with color. The depressing mood lifted from the pair as they took off their golden shoes and crowns. The sheets bent to the flow of the magical arua of Celestia as she gave Twilight the all clear to the bed.

  "Princess, I mean Celestia, if you could save the lives lost would you?" The innocent question hit Celestia like a ton of bricks.

  "Sometimes, you can't save them all."

  (Washoe valley, two hundred years ago)

  "So what the witch have to say?" Helping Hooves questioned as her and Green leaf trekked back into town, Green leaf already could see his wife's face in anger at his tardiness.

  "She told me her name, it's Plagued Ink by the way, and she told me that my blood would make it's way back to her... I have no clue what that means though. It won't matter, Heart's desire is gonna kill me when I get home..." He trailed off as he saw his wife glaring down at him from the steps of his home.

  "You'd be lucky if even I let you off that easy." Heart's desire leaned on the railing of the front porch, her eyes narrow and aimed right through Green leaf's soul. "Where have you been?! Do you even know what time it is!? Or how long I've been up worrying over your safety!"

  "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to worry you-"

  "Don't even play the working late card... wait. You're sorry?" Heart's desire slowed her "don't ever do that again" speech. "Alright, so where were you all that time?"

  "Helping Hooves and I went down to the deep woods to see the witch who lives put there." Green leaf started off. "And as I told Helping Hooves, her name is Plagued Ink."

  "Really? You went to see the witch?! That doesn't give me a great deal of confidence! Why would you even do that?!" Heart's desire began to shout again, her eyes wide with fear and anger. "Just don't scare me like that."

  "I'm sorry my love I didn't know that you would be so worried, I'm sorry." Green leaf quickly added so his punishment wouldn't be as severe. "Had I know how long it would kept me I wouldn't have gone at all."

  "Alright, get inside. Helping Hooves have a good night." Heart's desire coldly regarded the other mare. Helping Hooves left without a word. Heart's desire one the other hoof shot Green leaf a very skeptical look. "Went to visit the witch? Or was it something more?"

  "Sweetie the witch told Helping Hooves to leave, that's the only way she would even speak to me. Plagued Ink said in my blood would come back to her, eleven years to be precise." Green leaf recalled. "She told me that a rage will lead the blood back... weird right?"

  "Very weird, just don't do that again."