Horses of Valor, my part

Horses of Valor
(parts up til now!)




I saw one of them stand up sudden and look our way. Quick as a flash, I bolted up a cloud canyon, driving hard for the top. A quick look behind and I saw we all moved as one, winged lightning shooting sparks from our heels. We needed to regroup and plan our next move.

The expanse of sky at the top was so sudden and so immense it took my breath away.  I stretched my wings to slowly parachute to settle into a delicate poise on --- wait! Wings? Cool! Huge, white, iridescent wings, that sparkled like the snow I saw at Christmas last year at gramma and grampa's! They cupped and hung on the air and slid around just like my hand hanging out the car window, only better, not so hard.

As I wondered at these new features I almost didn't notice that the cloud canyon had closed behind us and there we were, suspended just a few feet over an endless ocean that shimmered slow-motion to the horizon, splashing with tiny rainbows that sparkled hard, like diamonds. The immensity hit me hard, like a smack on the back of my head when I was sneaking something and thought no one was looking. I never knew anything so big, except one night on the prairie with grampa, he showed me the stars and I thought I would fall forever - I was so scared!

But Grampa caught me by telling me the names of the constellations and it wasn't so easy to fall anymore. Even though sometimes I wanted to. But I can't unlearn what I know. I hate that! I try and try to remember before I knew how to talk and I can't, and it makes me mad! Like something got lost that I need but I can't remember what it was -- like forgetting my dreams, gone so quick, like smoke or fog or magic.

I could see two beautiful horses with wings beside me. I knew it was my sister and Celeste, our friend up the street, really our sister, too - but a blood sister, because we took a sacred oath and knicked our palms and smeared the blood together to bond us forever, no matter what. And we mean it, too! I hate it when grown-ups smile like they mean it while they look at each other all secret like and roll their eyes. Grrr!

Anyway, I could see they were as freaked as me, and totally captive to the magical place we somehow popped into. Peering toward the west, I saw something that didn't move with the clouds. Somehow, part of me telescoped real close for a second, then I collapsed back to my body. Whoa! I didn't know I could do that! But I saw the island, like a big round boulder, not too far away. I thought it might be a good place to get ready for camp, as the sun was edging lower a lot faster than I expected. Something about the rarified altitude, like Grampa says every time he takes us back to the airport in Denver. My Grampa knows everything, just like he says.

I snorted and pawed in that direction, nodding up and down. The others were in agreement and off we went, racing the wind and each other, laughing and tumbling off the spongy clouds, like foam blocks under the trampoline at the Y. We all clambered onto the smooth granite rock, half climbing, half hopping up to the top, where we saw the sun exploding in orange and pink and purple and the sky turned to turqouise. We could see forever!

Looking down, all we could see was ocean, way below through some wispy clouds you could see tiny whitecaps on shiny steel, dark and scary, like the barrel of mom's Ruger. It was already dark down there, and not pretty at all! Flashes we thought might be lightning and the faint roll of thunder came from below. It was eery, and I began to feel a little dizzy, somehow remorseful, like my mom was missing me real bad. Maybe it was that odd shade of deep blue, the kind that slices right through you in that space between the sunset and the stars. It's weird how colors turn into feelings, somehow.

A light wind picked up my mane and brought me back to our predicament. My confidence was a little shook, but I wasn't going to show it. I puckered my face like real serious to make it look like I knew what to do. I was hoping something would come up before they caught on how scared I was. I turned away, like enjoying the sunset, and thought hard.

The boys were down there somewhere, close to the ocean. I wondered if they were caught in the storm, and if they were as scared as me. I hoped so! I am told I am a mean little snot, but another part of me always wants to be good. Go figure. I don't know which part gets madder! I just know, boys and grownups drive me nuts.

Well, one thing I know: if we're stuck out here, I want a fire! Even if I am a horse. Suddenly, I noticed I was sitting, cross-legged, and the horses were whickering softly in the darkness behind me. They sounded content, but Celeste and Beth, back in their people-bodies, look as startled as me! What in the world? I notice a the sillhouette of a tent behind them, and inside a lantern and sleeping bags, all laid out. And was that a bowl of popcorn?

to be continued...