//------------------------------//
// The White Tail Witch 
// Story: Cutie Mark Crusaders: Legend Hunters 
// by Unicorncob 
//------------------------------//

Sweetie Belle’s breathing quickened as the cloaked mare slowly approached. She was caught between her and the cauldron, and there were no open windows or doors to escape to.
She swallowed and stepped forward, her horn glowing a soft green. “S-stay back, I know more magic than you think!”
“I should hope so, little witch,” giggled the hooded mare. “Why don’t you show me~?”

Sweetie Belle took the bait, and fired a blast of magic toward the mare in self-defence. The hooded mare easily deflected it with a shield spell, making the filly gasp in terror.
“Hm, rather powerful already,” the mare commented. “Almost as much as I was at your age.”
“I-I’m not here to talk,” Sweetie Belle whimpered, feeling tears well up again as she felt more and more hopeless, “just let me charge up and… and…”
“Well being so spooked isn’t going to help you concentrate, is it?” the mare giggled, then put a hoof to her hood. “Maybe this will help you relax.”

The hood came off, and Sweetie’s eyes widened at the sight before her. The Unicorn had a purple coat, and a black mane, her amber eyes capable of piercing through darkness.
Sweetie Belle recognised her right away. “W-wait… y-you’re the mare from this morning!”
“Indeed I am,” she giggled, her accent suddenly changing into the same Trottingham accent from earlier in the day. “The mare on the train, the mare from this morning, the White Tail Witch… but you can call me Nimue Metz. Or Nimue for short~”
“T-the what?!” the filly gasped. “Y-you’re the…?!”
“The one from the stories,” Nimue smiled. “Or rather, the lack thereof. I’ve seen that book of yours before, it’s truly disappointing how nopony just comes up to ask me about who I am. Just because I know a bit of dark magic doesn’t make me that scary, does it~?”

The mare trotted past the bewildered filly, to the other side of the cauldron. The filly heard the dipping of water, and saw a little mug of green liquid float down before her.
“Have a drink to steady your nerves,” the said. “Don’t worry, it’s lime juice~”
Sweetie sniffed at, then took a sip at the liquid. It did indeed have a lime tang to it. She took a bigger drink of the stuff, then backed up to look at Nimue.
“If you’re from the White Tail Woods, why are you in Hollow Shades?” she asked.
“Oh, that’s simple,” answered Nimue with a smile, “the Hollow Shades Vampony and I are friends~”
“Friends?” repeated Sweetie Belle, then blinked as she realised, “The Vampony is real?!”
“As real as you and I,” the Witch said with a proud smirk. “I always visit on the Nightmare Night season, mostly to keep her company.”

The Witch’s horn glowed a dark purple, and a purple and black swirl appeared before Sweetie Belle. In the centre was the image of some kind of room, with a mare with bat wings laying across a couch, a stoic-looking Unicorn stallion beside her, and in front of her was…

“Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle!” the filly squeaked in relief. “Thank Celestia they’re okay!”
“Of course they’re okay,” Nimue giggled, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Kandyl would never harm a foal~”
Sweetie Belle looked up at the Witch, eyebrows furrowed. “Kandyl? That’s her name?”
“You didn’t think her real name was ‘Hollow Shades Vampony’ did you?” snickered Nimue.
Sweetie Belle felt a warmth in her cheeks as she looked away. “Um, thank you for the drink… but I wanna go meet my friends so--”
“Ah, say no more,” the Witch smiled and the swirl-framed image faded away into nothingness in the air. “We should all get together before we explain the full story anyway~”

The mare got next to Sweetie Belle, and in a magical flash, the filly quickly found herself standing in front of her two best friends. The trio squealed in relief and delight before embracing each other, squeaking how happy they were that they were all okay.

“Ahem,” Nimue spoke up, getting the three’s attention. They turned to see Kandyl still laying on the couch, Nimue sitting at her hind hooves on the floor, and Night Chill at the other side, standing dutifully. “Perhaps now is time to explain everything, Kandyl~”
“Perhaps so,” the Vampony agreed, then looked up at Night Chill. “But first, Night Chill, please fetch our guests a drink. I’m sure we have some apple juice in the kitchen.”