The Witch's pumpkinheads were supposed to be working (as always) but there wasn't one in sight. There was honestly no telling where they were hiding at right now... perhaps within the atelier, drinking something warm... or maybe a few had fallen in the stream and were trapped beneath the frozen surface. The Witch can't be bothered to keep up with such details.

But while she wasn't outside in that cold, another being was. Clop clop clop... soft sounds came from the side of the odd pumpkin shaped structure, soon followed by a faint 'neigh'. Hearing Erin had piqued a certain pegasus' curiosity, and soon the rainbow clad creature (donned in a green pashmina) was peeking around the atelier. She even seemed to shuffle her front hooves a bit before taking a few daring steps out, putting herself well in open view.

Of course as this was happening, The Witch was making her grand entrance! Or.. well.. heading outside. The door to her atelier was opened and out she hop hop hopped down the steps, adorned in her bright purple parka, nothing but a ridiculously cute, smiling face and a few crimson locks visible within the hood which was pulled tight. When The Witch spotted Erin, she let out a shrieky gasp.

"Eriiiin~!" Bounce. "How are you~!" Bounce. "What brings you here~?"

Nothing but smiles and dimples.

The pegasus turned her attention towards The Witch a moment before turning back to Erin. Hooves clopped almost silently on the snow as she walked past Erin, nuzzling her briefly as she passed. Wings that were tucked into her sides unfurled a bit as she picked up her pace, retreating into the woods. Odd, how she seemed to want to get out of there in a hurry...

The Witch meanwhile, shrieked. "You need protection~!? Is someone trying to hurt you Erin~?" Violet eyes grew wide and even a little watery? "If you need me to beat them up for you I can~!" The Witch bounced forward a bit, grasping Erin's arm and started to drag her towards and into that pumpkin shaped building. "I can also make whatever you need Erin~!" Boastful. So very boastful. "I just developed a couple new things that might be handy~! But they're mostly offensive, and it sounds like you need something defensive~?" Tug tug tug.

"Let's go in first, I'll make you something warm to drink~!"

Speaking of pumpkins... those were indeed pumpkinheads inside the atelier as they stepped inside. Just a few, working, organizing, tidying up a bit. Inside it was warm, almost inviting, and appropriately, it smelled of pumpkin, spice, and.. everything nice?

The Witch reached behind her and Erin and pulled the door shut, sealing the cold away. "Let me go make you something to drink~!" A bright smile and dimples were flashed to Erin before The Witch skittered off into a back room. In her absence, the pumpkinheads continued about their business, they moved about, organizing all of The Witch's wares and products, pushed some boxes aside... though one pumpkinhead stopped everything to stare at Erin. Really stare.

It wasn't long before The Witch skittered out of the back room, a tray in her hands with two mugs on it, steam wafting from the top. Oh, and that purple parka was gone, replaced by the usual too small green outfit and witch's hat. The tray was set on a table that had two chairs and The Witch waved Erin over. "Come on, sit down and drink this~ It's good for you, one of my special blends~!" Beam. "It helps ward off diseases like colds in the winter~!"

Taking a seat, The Witch lifted her mug and waited for Erin to join. Inside those mugs was a very, very, bright, hot florescent orange liquid. Oh so appetizing, no? One leg crossed over the other as The Witch's violet eyes widened a little. "So tell me again what you need exactly~?"

After Erin took a sip of her drink, The Witch smiled and lifted her own mug up, taking a rather hearty gulp of the contents before setting it back down on the tray in front of her, violet eyes growing wider and wider as Erin spoke. "I probably have something like that somewhere around here~"

Oh, and that pumpkinhead that was staring at Erin? Still staring. Blatantly.

The Witch pursed those full lips of hers a moment before rising to her feet, no heels even, and moved across the atelier, plucking up a small cardboard box that had been set aside, then she turned and reclaimed her seat, little hands digging through the box as she spoke.

"I have some things you could use to defend yourself with~ Like pumpkin bombs, or mana wands even~!" Tongue peeked out, touched the corner of her mouth before she pulled a few things out of that box. A golden grail, some scrolls with an ancient text upon them, a little tiara. "Oh~!" Finally, she pulled out a small amulet, rusty and dusty. Cheeks puffed out as she inhaled some air and blew the dust off the brownish..greenish..dull gem.

"I don't know if it still works though, I might have to test it~!"

"Mana wands~!" The Witch practically squealed with excitement, toying with the old amulet in her hand, smile so big those dimples were quite prominent. "They let anyone use magic~! I have all different elemental types too~!" Violet eyes blinkity blink at Erin's inquiry as she glances down to the amulet in her hands, pondering. "Hm..oh~! I have an idea~!"

The Witch looked about, and.. my those pumpkinheads sure were quick to disappear at the mention of her idea. Well, except the one who was staring at Erin. So The Witch hop, skip, and clicked on over, and put the amulet around his.. ah... the place a neck should be. "Ickybod~!"

With that, The Pumpkin emerged from that back room, casting hollowed eyes to Erin first, evaluating, leeeeering, then he turned to The Witch. "Ba~?"

"I need you to test if this amulet's shield still works~!" Point.

"Ba~!! Baba~!"

The Pumpkin hurried over to a closet, opened it up, and of all the things... he pulled out a shotgun. Without hesitation he cocked it once, aimed it at the other pumpkinhead (still staring at Erin), and pulled the trigger.

Ka-BOOOOOM! ...splat.

"I guess that one isn't the one then~!" An exclaimation from The Witch as she brushed some pumpkin goo off her arm.

Pop!

Yet another head popped out of seemingly nowhere to replace the one the unfortunate pumpkinhead had lost. He seemed to be disoriented for a moment, and looked around before his gaze, once again, fell on Erin.

The Pumpkin laughed. Wickedly. "Ba~!" The shotgun was cocked and leveled at the other pumpkinhead once again, only to be pushed aside by The Witch's finger.

"Icky, no~"

The Witch frowned when she heard Erin's whine and turned that way. "I'm so sorry about that~!" She pulled off her witch's hat, reached in, and pulled out a fluffy, soft, almost blindingly pink towel and set it on the table in front of her. "I really thought that amulet was it~" Stomping her foot, she pouted at the pumpkinhead donning that amulet. Blink. A snap of fingers "Wait a- I just remembered~!"

Skipping and clicking her way on over, The Witch kneeled down in front of the pumpkinhead, who was now straining to cast his head to the side. (The Witch was obscuring his vision of Erin you see) She reached down, and grabbed a clothy hand, and wrapped it around the amulet. "Hold on tight~!" That done, The Witch stepped back and nodded to The Pumpkin.

Ka-BOOOOM! ...ping!

This time the bullet was deflected by, what else? An invisible force field around the pumpkinhead!

"A-ha~! It does work~!" The Witch reached forward and snatched up the amulet from the pumpkinhead and started towards Erin, holding it out. "I just forgot how it worked~! You gotta hold on to it real tight to activate it~!"

"How much for this~? Not a thing Erin, take it~!" The Witch extended the amulet once again, but retracted when Erin started to back away. "Oh, wait~! Could you do me a couple favors~?"

With a twirl, The Witch bounced to the back of the atelier and started rummaging through some things. Carelessly tossing eveyrthing aside and making a mess of the newly cleaned area, she pulled out two large, bright green envelopes with doodles and sketches all over them.

"You know Grem don't you~?" Skipping back over. "I need you to give him this envelope~" Showing Erin the envelope clearly marked 'Grem'. "Do you know Alain~? I'm gonna marry him some day~! I need him to get this too~" Showing Erin the envelope marked 'Alain'.

Amulet in one hand, envelopes in the other, they were offered over to Erin.

"Come back again soon though~ We can get makeovers together~!!!"

Smilesmilesmile.