Waldo closed the door softly behind her, sighing as she let her back slide against the wood. Her flank dropped to the ground. She let herself hunch over, back arched high.

Across the hall, she could hear a soft sobbing.

Is that Pumpkin? She thought to herself. I wonder what's wrong with her...

She yawned, though, taking her mind away from that topic and to one of sleep. Waldo pushed herself back to her hooves, practically dragging herself to the bed as she let the busy day catch up with her. She was exhausted!

As soon as she let her head hit the pillow, she was out.

. . . . .

Waldo blinked as she looked around. It was an ethereal plane, a whiteness surrounding her as far as she could see. She circled where she stood, only to see that the expanse was everywhere. She looked down, and her stomach almost lurched.

There was no ground. There was no shadow beneath her hooves, she was just... floating. But it didn't feel like she was floating.

She looked around again, begging for an answer as to what was going on.

“Hello?” she called out. It echoed around her, loudly.

A soft breeze suddenly swept her up, tossing her back. The white suddenly shifted to a deep, sickly purple, streaked with a coal black aura.

“Warden Eldorado... We've been expecting you.”

Waldo narrowed her eyes, still glancing around desperately. That voice, it was familiar...

“Who said that!” she yelled back. The voice chortled darkly.

“In due time, you will find that out on your own. But as for now, I have a message for you.”

Waldo chewed nervously on the inside of her cheek. This was by far one of the trippiest dreams she'd ever had.

“Yeah?”

“Your life is important to the balance. There may come a time when another life must be lost for us to maintain your own.”

Waldo blinked. “What? What does that mean, why are you telling me this? What do you mean by us, who are you!”

The voice laughed again, but this time it was softer, more friendly. A nostalgic laugh.

“That will be answered... eventually. But I had to warn you. Prepare yourself.”

With that, Waldo felt herself shooting up, even as everything around her stayed still. She looked up to see a small speck of light shining brightly above her.

“Wait! What does that all mean! Who are you!” she called back in desperation.

The voice gave a short chuckle.

“You could call me a... Hex.”

“WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!” Waldo screamed as she jolted upright from her sleep, eye wide and breathing heavy.

She heard a grunt from outside of the guest room, followed abruptly by the distinct sound of something heavy hitting the floor, coming from the loft. Immediately following it was a swift curse.

Waldo tried to catch her breath, slowing her heartbeat.

What was that dream about? She thought to herself as she rolled to the side, sliding out of the bed. She could heard quite clear that the profanities from outside of the bedroom were continuing. Waldo trotted over to the door, pulling it open and poking her head out into the hallway, looking around.

Pound was still laying halfway on the couch, the back of his hips hanging to the top of the cushion while his torso was propped up on his elbows. He was rubbing his forehead with a hoof, still muttering loudly.

“Dude, y'alright?” Waldo asked. Pound shooed her off with a hoof.

Although, this did leave Waldo with a question-

“Uh, did you sleep on the couch last night?”

Pound groaned as he stopped rubbing his forehead, letting his hooves rest on the floor beside him.

“I... don't want to talk about it, okay?”

Waldo rolled her eyes.

“I'm going to avoid excessive levels of angst and let it go. Ciao.”

With that said, Waldo retreated back into the bedroom, closing the door. She mulled over what she'd seen, though.

Why did Pound sleep on the couch? I know he and Pumpkin are going through, y'know, a rough patch, but damn. If they make it any more obvious, I'm going to have to call them on it.

Shrugging, Waldo trotted into the bathroom to take a morning shower. The warm water felt good on her coat.

Meanwhile, Pound was left looking off blankly against the wall. He couldn't believe he'd actually fallen asleep on the couch, instead of joining Pumpkin that night. What was going on with him?

He returned his hoof to his forehead, rubbing it not in pain but in annoyance.

For the first time since he'd been with Pumpkin, he wasn't worrying about her. And it frightened him.

He was fully aware of his lac of concern, and it scared him even more.

Why am I- is this about that stupid dream, still?! He spat to himself, frowning.

Suddenly, the door to his room opened up, and Pumpkin waddled out. She glanced his way, giving him a surprised look, before looking away.

Did she just look... ashamed? Pound asked himself as his twin turned from him and made her way down the hall, heading down the stairs.

Still in his uncomfortable position, Pound groaned as he let his head fall backwards against the floor.

THUD!

“DAMNIT!”