Realms of the Raven

Today I’m inspired by the Appaloosa.

(Archives are on the website, if you want to read the offerings of past weeks)

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Heart of the Appaloosa
(c) 2008 by Maura Anderson

Sharon forced herself to stillness, barely breathing as she adjusting camera settings and captured the image in her viewscreen. The mirror-like stillness of the lake reflected the almost full moon and stars so perfectly it seemed magical.

She snapped a few more shots of the lake, hoping to capture the awe and serenity of the scene, then rested the camera on her lap and just enjoyed the pristine Idaho night. The deep-voice frogs serenaded her from the shores of the lake. The distant noises of the ranch’s horses in their corral. The small slash of a fish breaching the lake water to catch an insect or two.

What a difference from the city. A pang of fear made her breath catch. She loved it here and loved taking photos but quitting her job to become a freelance photographer was a big risk. The fact she’d been forced into making that switch before she was really ready made her nervous. But she’d make it work. She had to make it work.

A deep breath of the cool, clean air. Then another. She could worry about it later. Right now she just had to enjoy her visit to Coeur d’Alene.

She stared out across the lake again. This land seemed to welcome her the moment she set foot on it. A belonging like she’d never felt in the city or even on her adoptive parent’s ranch. Before now she’d not really thought of herself as superstitious or prone to the fantastic but this was the land of her ancestors and it made a difference.

Motion caught her eye suddenly. Elk? Moose? Something large was in the light woods and moving toward the shore of the large lake. It was close enough she should be able to hear the rustling as it brushed up against the trees and bushes, but she didn’t hear anything.

Finally, washed in the bright moonlight and appearing like a mirage, a horse emerged from the woods. The horse’s head and neck were a dark color but then the coat changed to a light colored blanket with a heavy dusting of dark spots.

“Appaloosa.” Sharon barely breathed the word. Oh so slowly she lifted the camera up and focused in on the horse. Through the camera’s zoom, Sharon could see that the horse was clearly a male. She started snapping pictures as she followed his movements, so excited her hands shook and it was a struggle to hold the camera still.

“Please let these turn out.” There might be a hope with digital manipulation and the moon’s in play.

The stallion—he had to be a stallion with that proud attitude and air to him—looked around and she froze. If he saw her, he might run off. Was he a wild Appaloosa? There were rumors that some still ran wild but not in this area, it was too populated.

The Appaloosa were the pride of her ancestors and considered part of their heritage and strength. A tangible tie to the Sharon she still struggled to come to terms with and know.

He stepped into the shallow water near the shore and lowered his head to take a drink. After a few gulps, he bent his legs and rolled in the water like a child.

The pleasure the beautiful animal seemed to take in the playful action made her chest ache at the same time she chuckled softly. Oh to be that free and have such simple pleasures again.

She continued to snap pictures as he rose to his feet again and shook his entire body, water droplets flying off in all directions. A reflexive duck and she had to laugh at herself, he was too far away to get water on her.

Suddenly the camera’s display seemed to blur and mist and she looked up to see the gorgeous horse was shimmering in the moonlight. A second later and the horse was gone. It its place stood a long-haired, naked man.