Forest Monsters

I saw them first. They were creeping along the pasture fence at the edge of the woods, silently sneaking through the tall weeds. They blended into the thicket, but my eagle eye caught the movement.

They had long skinny legs, big ears and little white tails. There were two of them, one was smaller and spotted. Oreo saw them too, just about the same time I did. We froze and stood, heads up, ears pricked, muscles tense.

They moved a few more feet up the fence line, toward us. I had seen those little devils jump before. They were like no horse I had ever known. They could clear the pasture fence from a standstill!

I was closer to them than Oreo and I had no intention of becoming their dinner. I pivoted on my hind legs and in three jumps I sprinted past Oreo. Mane flying, tail up, as I went by, I blasted out a huge snort. “Forest monsters! RUN!”

With the grace of a gazelle (well, an old gazelle) I flew up the hill. I cleared the bank into the dry lot and slid to a stop in front of the barn. Oreo brought up the rear. (I have to say, I left the young’n in the dust… I still got it.)

We snorted the alarm with our heads up and tails waving. Ginger and Mocha were on high alert in their pens. Oreo was standing stock still, watching.

I kept moving, prancing and tossing my head. The Short One came out of the house to see what was happening. I snorted again to warn her.

The forest monsters were still making their way up the fence line coming toward us. This was getting serious.

It was at that moment the Short One saw them, and the forest monsters saw her. Everyone stopped.

“Oreo, Taco, it is just a couple of deer. They won’t hurt you,” she called out.

The sound of her voice must have scared the forest monsters, because they bounded off across the road and disappeared into the woods.

It took a while for my heart to stop pounding. Oreo wandered right back out to eat. I decided to hang out with Ginger. I had enough excitement for one night.