Title: Through the eyes of an Equine
Author:  Renee M. coolhorse@zdnetonebox.com

Disclaimer:  Catherine Marshall's beautiful story of Christy is owned
by the LeSourd Family.  I am in no way seeking profit or credit for her
story.  I am continuing the story of Christy for my own amusement only.

Originality Disclaimer:  Any text, dialogue, or other context that is
similar to others’ fanfic is entirely coincidental and unintentional.


_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_


        The beast stood at the top of God’s Fist.  His mane and tail
flowed as one with the wind.  His iridescent black coat was stretched
tightly over his sinewy muscles.  There was fire in his eyes, smoke coming
out of his nose.  He gave a loud call.  His band of mares and yearlings
answered from the valley far, far below.  With a giant leap, the magnificent
creature cavorted down the mountain to rejoin his herd.
        “Charlie!”
        Charlie jolted out of his dream.  His master was calling.  The
horse sighed, what a wonderful dream that had been.  He struggled to
stand up in his stall.
        His master, a great doctor, entered the warm box.  “Come on old
man, we have ta get to the mission.”
        Charlie nickered.  The word “mission” woke him up.  At the mission
lived his best friends:  Prince and Goldie.  Well, Goldie was his friend.
 He still wasn’t quite sure about Prince, the newcomer.
        Charlie shuddered as his master ran the brush over his back.
 Charlie could just stand there all day, letting his master groom out
every ounce of stiffness.  But, soon, there was a saddle and blanket
on his back.  Charlie knew what was coming next:  the bit.  He opened
his mouth wide in a comical smile.
        “Silly man,” his master said.
        Soon, they were out in the cool fall air.  Charlie pranced and
reared.  He wanted to run.  He felt good.  His master put a calming hand
on his neck.
        “Not yet, boy, not yet.”  Charlie understood, and calmed his
desire.  They moved as one through the fall foliage.  Charlie walked
assertively through the forest, nose flaring, ears pricked.  Nothing
escaped him.  The sweet smell of all the delicious plants tempted him
to snatch a bite, and the quiet language of the deer peeking through
the trees begged him to stop and chat.
        Then, the glorious clearing entered into view.  Charlie danced
as the Lippizzaner horses in Vienna did, and hopped and reared like the
English racehorses.
        “All right, boy.  Let’s go!”
        Charlie needed no encouragement.  He took off with blinding acceleration
and charged into the Cove.  Belly to the ground, Charlie was sure his
master’s legs brushed the dirt.
        In moments, they raced into schoolyard.  Charlie slid to a stop.
 He could hear the giggles of the children as they raced to greet him.
 His master dismounted and tied Charlie to a tree.
        As his master walked towards the young woman on the steps of
the school, Charlie nuzzled and played with the children.  He also kept
a close eye on his master.
        Charlie, though fifty feet from where his master and the woman
were talking, could feel the electricity between the two of them.  Charlie
gave a horsey laugh and tossed his head.  Both humans looked his way.
  From the look on his master’s face, Charlie wouldn’t have doubted that
he understood the horse’s teasing.  Charlie gave another chuckle and
bobbed his head before turning back to the children.
        After sometime, the children all headed back into the schoolhouse,
as did Charlie’s master.  Charlie gave a contented sigh and cocked a
hind foot, ready to doze.  He reveled in the cool mountain air and shuddered
when the breeze tickled his skin.  Ah, life was good, he decided.
        Just before he was fully asleep, Charlie heard the sound of an
approaching horse.  He jumped to attention and was met by the sight of
Goldie galloping up the hill.
        Charlie gave a loud call to his friend, who answered with a neigh
of her own.  Goldie had been gone for quite sometime.  Charlie had missed
his friend.  Soon, Goldie and her master, rather, mistress, were also
in the schoolyard.
        “Good to see you, Charlie,” Goldie neighed joyfully.
        Charlie nodded his head in acknowledgement.  Goldie’s mistress
dismounted and tied her next to Charlie.  Charlie nickered to the woman
as she passed by, and she stopped to rub Charlie’s forehead for a moment
before continuing her walk.  Charlie nickered his thanks.  He liked Goldie’s
mistress very much, but could sense some sort of turmoil within her.
        Charlie and Goldie did not speak; they just rested under the
tree and listened to the rustling leaves.  After sometime, Goldie’s mistress
came back out of the schoolhouse.  The woman walked down the steps, absently
gazing out at the mountains.
        She fumbled to untie the animals, and Charlie gave a snort. 
Where was this woman’s mind?  His snort jerked Goldie’s mistress out
of her daze.  She quickly finished untying the horses and led the pair
down towards the barn.
        In the barn, the woman proceeded to unsaddle the horses, slowly.
 Goldie stood patiently, but Charlie was impatient.
        With a snort and a mighty shake, Charlie loosed the saddle and
sent it spinning beneath his belly.
        This action was accompanied by loud, angry words from Goldie’s
mistress.  But, within seconds, the saddle was off and a brush was roughly
running along his back.
        Soon, both horses were turned free in the pasture.  Both took
a good role.
        “Goldie, where’s Prince?” Charlie asked with a grunt as he stood
up.
        “Right here,” answered the young horse from behind.
        Charlie stiffened.  How he hated it when horses snuck up on him.
        Though seven years old, Prince seemed young to Charlie and Goldie.
 Charlie whirled around to face the young pup.
        “Good morning, Prince.”
        “Morning, Charlie, Goldie.”
        *At least he’s polite,* Charlie thought.
        Though tense, the horses somewhat settled down and started to
graze.
        Charlie began to tell Goldie of the moment that had occurred
between him, his master, and the young woman on the schoolhouse steps.
        “I know what you mean.  ‘Tis quite entertaining, the two of them,”
Goldie was saying
        Suddenly, Prince interrupted them.
        “You don’t know what you’re taking about.  My master loves the
schoolteacher, and he’s going to marry her.”
        Charlie chuckled, not really caring what the bigheaded horse
was saying.  “Oh?  Is that so.”
        This comment seemed to have angered Prince, for with a rear and
a snort, he charged towards Charlie.
        Charlie, surprised but invigorated by this challenge, gave a
little hop and took off to meet Prince.  Both horses galloped towards
each other.  Charlie never wavered, but a bit of fear shone in Prince’s
eyes as he realized that Charlie had accepted his call.
        Goldie watched in surprise and horror as the two males raced
headed for each other.  What could she do?
        The two horses slid to a stop and raised up on their hind legs.
 Charlie didn’t really want to hurt Prince, he just wanted to put him
in his place.  So, with agile steps, Charlie scooted around Prince.
        Just as Charlie knew he would, Prince whirled around to follow
him.  What met Prince was a hard blow to the chest, followed by a bite
to flank.
        Prince stumbled from the shock and backed away from Charlie.
 Charlie, neither haughty nor arrogant, walked over the injured horse
and stuck out his muzzle in peace.
        Prince accepted and mumbled an apology.  Charlie laughed.
        “Ha!  While you were quite rude to me, it was a good challenge.
 All in good sport, my friend.”
        Goldie smiled.  She should have known Charlie would make things
right.
        Many peaceful hours later, both Prince and Charlie’s master came
to retrieve their horses.  Prince and Charlie bid farewell to Goldie
as they were led up to the mission house.
At the large house, the young woman was waiting to send the men off.
 Once again, Charlie could see the sparks.  With a disgusted sigh, Prince
looked to Charlie, who winked.
The four men, two legs and four, rode away from the mission and into
the setting sun. 


THE END!!  :)