It wasn't long before they were racing through the trees, the shadows
and beams of sunlight alternated quickly enough to cause a flashing effect
to Annae's eyes. She laughed with the pure excitement of the ride, the mane
of her horse whipped at her arms tickling them. Her own raven locks whipped
out behind her. After a quarter of an hour Tash slowed the headlong rush to a
smooth run, but Tash's hooves still ate up the ground at a dizzying rate.
Another ten minutes saw the forest give way to a small glen at the edge of a
small lake. Annae slowed Tash to a trot and headed to the far side of the
glen where the trees met the water's edge. When they got there Annae slipped
off of Tash's back and let the mare graze in the grass. Annae wandered a few
minutes gathering some of the longer stemmed wildflowers. After she had what
she thought was enough Annae sat down and leaned against a tree where she
could hear the water lapping at the shore. Annae took a selection of flowers
from the ones she picked and laid them on her lap, the others she put on
the ground next to her. Annae hummed a melody from one of the songs her
mother used to sing to her when she was a baby as she took the flowers from her
lap and started to weave them in to a wreath. She had finished the first and had started
on the second when she saw a flicker of movement in the trees out of the corner of her
eye. It took all of Annae's will to just keep humming and not bolt for Tash. As she
thought of Tash Annae glanced at the mare whom was still grazing in the grass a few yards
away. Confusion entered Annae's mind, Tash was always the first of the horses to get
nervous and skittish around strangers, didn't Tash hear sounds in the woods that Annae
was sure would accompany the movement she swore she saw. Annae tried to slow the
pounding of her heart in her chest and appear calm, she found that she had a hard
time getting her fingers to cooperate and the wreath she was working on fell apart
in her hands. Annae leaned her head back against the tree and forced herself to
take deep breaths and calm the anxiety that was racing through her veins, keeping a
watch to the trees out of the corner of her eye. There it was again, a flash of
white through the trees. There was no mistaking it this time. Annae again looked
to Tash and the mare hadn't changed, she was still idly grazing. Curiosity began
to get the better of Annae as the mare didn't react to whatever it was that Annae
knew was not far off in the woods. Calm returned to Annae as she picked up the
flowers and again began to weave the stems into a wreath again. A feeling of warm
peace overcame Annae and she started to hum again.
Annae looked up as she finished the second wreath and was
momentarily startled to see a creature standing a short ways off. Any anxiety
she might have felt quickly disappeared as the beauty and magnificence of the
creature impacted her soul. So struck by awe, it was all Annae could do to
keep breathing. Cautiously the horse-like creature advanced towards Annae as
if it was ready to bolt at the drop of a leaf, the girl did her best to
remain still. As it stepped forward Annae noticed that it's hooves were
cloven. Annae sensed more than saw that the creature had a strength that
transcended its beauty. The creature approached until it was within Annae's
reach, as gently as she could raised her hand with an unquenchable desire
to touch the creature. Annae froze as the creature snorted and shied
away. Evidently satisfied that the girl meant it no harm, it turned back and
sniffed the upraised hand. When the creature could sense no malice within the
girl it gently nuzzled her hand. An electric thrill shot through Annae as the
creature touched her. Annae was filled with wonder and awe as she caressed the
head of the horse-like creature. When she looked into its eyes she saw a strange
intelligence looking back at her. As gently as she could Annae reached down and
pick up the wreath in her lap, the creature whuffed and started to turn away,
Annae whispered words of reassurance. With eternal care, Annae raised the wreath
and slipped it around the single spiral horn protruding from its forehead.
