Woman In The Hollow

Nine

Ichabod's Pov

We all mounted our horses again and quickly left the area wanting to put as much distance between us and what was very obviously a witch.

"Ichabod which way should we be going?" Y/N asked.

"We must take the Indian Trail to the Tree of the Dead." I said.

"How will we recognize it?" Masbath asked. As I was about to answer his question I noticed something moving in the forest. It was white and almost blended in with the fog that had settled on the forest.

"Everyone stop." I commanded in a hushed voice. I dismounted Gunpowder and took out my pistol. "Stay right here." I told Y/N and Masbath as I continued to walk farther away from them. I hid around a tree and slowly came around with my pistol out and in front of me ready to fire. "Halt and turn I have a pistol aimed." I said to the stranger. When suddenly the stranger turned around letting their hood down for me to meet face to face with Katrina.

"Katrina! I might have killed you why have you come?" I asked walking down to her.

"Because no one else would go with you." She said.

"Well we both know that I have been accompanied by
Y/N and Young Masbath. Well I am now twice the man now. It must be your white magic." I said looking up to her I noticed that she was slowly bringing herself closer to me when suddenly.

"Pardon my intrusion I think you better come have a look at this." Masbath said bring me back to our original task. We both followed behind Masbath towards what he said I should look at. As we got to an opening I saw that Y/N was standing there holding all three horses in front of what looked like an old almost black tree and it was twisted in an unsettling manner. I walked up to the tree to better examine it when I noticed a glossy substance on it. I brushed my finger across the tree and when I pulled it back it was covered in a red liquid that looked like blood. 

"What is it Ichabod?" Y/N said.

"Blood, pass me the hatchet please." I asked holding my hand out. Y/N walked back to Masbath's horse and pulled out the hatchet which was packed among with other things. She walked forward and handed me the hatchet. "You should stand back." I said to her which she quickly did.

"Stay back all of you." I instructed as I walked up to the tree and began to swing the hatchet down onto a section of the tree that had a slight lift to it. I noticed that fresh blood was coming out of the tree I swung the hatchet blade farther into the tree making it spurt blood out all onto by clothes and face. I chopped away more pieces of the tree until I could pull the bark off like flesh as I kept pulling away at the tree a large piece came off which I pick up and tossed off to the side.

"What is it?" Masbath said taking a step forward.

"Just stay where you are." I instructed and I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Y/N had stepped out front and held her arm out in a protective manner to keep Masbath and Katrina back. I pulled away another large pice of the tree and from behind it came out a large amount of bloody and severed heads that had been cut by the horseman. I quickly backed away in disgust and I walked back towards the group. Masbath had covered his eyes and turned away hugging Katrina and she hugged him back to keep him calm and protected. Y/N grabbed and pulled on my wrist to bring me back to her side she looked as if she was going to be sick. "Here." Y/N said meekly holding out a handkerchief for me to wipe the blood away with. "This tree is gateway... a gateway between two worlds." I said walking forward noticing an odd shaped stick which was in the ground on the hill right above the tree. I climbed up the tree and made my way over to the stick and noticed that it was the handle to a sword. And right below it was a mound of dirt. "This ground has been disturbed. Y/N my shovel." I said holding my arm out to receive the tool I requested.