It was the year 1670, and I had spent the entire day tending to my chores. I was outside, scrubbing clothes in a basin, when a low, menacing growl echoed from the woods nearby. I froze, my hands still in the soapy water, my heart beginning to pound. There was something off about that sound

Suddenly, a hunting dog burst from the treeline, charging straight toward me. Its mouth was foaming, white foam dripping from its jaws, and its eyes were wild. This was no ordinary dog. Fear gripped me. I jumped up, ready to sprint toward the safety of my house, but in my panic, I tripped over the basin and fell hard to the ground.

I could hear the dog behind me, its snarls growing louder as it closed in. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the sharp sting of its teeth sinking into my skin. But the pain never came.

Instead, I heard a sharp yelp and the frantic scrabble of paws retreating back into the woods. Confused, I slowly opened my eyes and looked up. Standing a few feet away was a woman unlike anyone I'd ever seen. She was beautiful, almost otherworldly, with long, flowing white hair that shimmered in the fading light. Her clothes were strange—richly adorned with bright golden accessories—and on her head sat a pointed hat.

She stood there, silent, her gaze unreadable as she looked down at me. Without a word, she turned and began walking back toward the forest, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as she had appeared.

“W-wait!” I scrambled to my feet, my heart still racing, and against all reason, I dashed after her. Every instinct told me to stay away—every tale I'd ever heard warned that this woman could only be a witch. But I had to thank her. She had saved my life.