The trees rushed past her as she ran along the dirt path, her boots kicking up dust. Tree branches whipped out, scratching at her face and shoulders. She wasn't completely sure what she was running from or running towards. All she knew, within her head was the singular phrase of: Keep going.
Finally, the woods opened up into a wide clearing of the view of a lake. Panting, she scrambled forth, dropping to her knees before the water's edge. Cupping her hands together, she dipped them into the water and splashed her face gently.
Her head turned sharply at the sound of splashing water and obvious movement. Moving towards her was a pearly colored swan, head tilted downwards a tad as it glided towards her. The bird let out a loud and quite clearly angry squawk as it flapped its wings, spraying her with water.
She heaved herself up and backed away from the water's edge, a frown creasing her features.
The swan drew closer and closer before it finally arrived upon the shore. She had moved further back, attempting to keep as much distance between herself and the bird, who seemed quite intent on following after her.
A branch snapped behind her and she felt something rush passed her. She turned her head one way and then the other as another animal joined the fray, going to block the swan's path.
The creature was a graying wolf, clear age around its muzzle in the form of whitish gray fur. It's posture was rigid and angry, its lips moving back to reveal rows of sharp teeth that flashed at the swan.
The swan squawked in anger and frustration as it and the wolf began to circle each other.
It was the wolf that made the first move, lurching forth and attacking head on. It's teeth sunk into one of the bird's wings and the two animals began to tear into each other.
She attempted to look away but something, an invisible force or something within her kept her eyes upon the scene.
It was a short lived fight as the swan escaped with clear wounds into the underbrush. The wolf, despite being the victor, was just as wounded as the attacking swan.
The wild dog's fur was torn in places and the swan had slashed its talons against the old wolf's face giving it a gruesome sort of wound. It slunked down onto the shore before the lake, beginning to lick gently at its own wounds.
Slowly, she approached, lowering herself to the ground beside the creature. Watching carefully, she tore a strip off of the hem of her dress, going to dip it into the lake water and then moving to gently touch the wolf's wounded face.
The creature growled slightly, clearly in pain as she did so. Then it fell silent as it allowed her to clean the wound. Both were silent, not a word from her and not a noise from the wild dog.
She awoke in the middle of the night, the dream fresh in her mind's eye as she gazed up into the canopy that hung over her bed. A frown creased over her features as she rolled over to peer at the sleeping form beside her. Listening intently for any sound of wakefulness, she eased out of bed and slipped out of the bedroom.
Tugging her sleeping robe closer to herself, she entered her study and moved over to the window. Opening it, she allowed moonlight to spill into the room.
Collecting a canvas from a closet and setting it upon the easel, she began to paint. Paint the scene that was so prevalent in her mind still.
Finally, the woods opened up into a wide clearing of the view of a lake. Panting, she scrambled forth, dropping to her knees before the water's edge. Cupping her hands together, she dipped them into the water and splashed her face gently.
Her head turned sharply at the sound of splashing water and obvious movement. Moving towards her was a pearly colored swan, head tilted downwards a tad as it glided towards her. The bird let out a loud and quite clearly angry squawk as it flapped its wings, spraying her with water.
She heaved herself up and backed away from the water's edge, a frown creasing her features.
The swan drew closer and closer before it finally arrived upon the shore. She had moved further back, attempting to keep as much distance between herself and the bird, who seemed quite intent on following after her.
A branch snapped behind her and she felt something rush passed her. She turned her head one way and then the other as another animal joined the fray, going to block the swan's path.
The creature was a graying wolf, clear age around its muzzle in the form of whitish gray fur. It's posture was rigid and angry, its lips moving back to reveal rows of sharp teeth that flashed at the swan.
The swan squawked in anger and frustration as it and the wolf began to circle each other.
It was the wolf that made the first move, lurching forth and attacking head on. It's teeth sunk into one of the bird's wings and the two animals began to tear into each other.
She attempted to look away but something, an invisible force or something within her kept her eyes upon the scene.
It was a short lived fight as the swan escaped with clear wounds into the underbrush. The wolf, despite being the victor, was just as wounded as the attacking swan.
The wild dog's fur was torn in places and the swan had slashed its talons against the old wolf's face giving it a gruesome sort of wound. It slunked down onto the shore before the lake, beginning to lick gently at its own wounds.
Slowly, she approached, lowering herself to the ground beside the creature. Watching carefully, she tore a strip off of the hem of her dress, going to dip it into the lake water and then moving to gently touch the wolf's wounded face.
The creature growled slightly, clearly in pain as she did so. Then it fell silent as it allowed her to clean the wound. Both were silent, not a word from her and not a noise from the wild dog.
She awoke in the middle of the night, the dream fresh in her mind's eye as she gazed up into the canopy that hung over her bed. A frown creased over her features as she rolled over to peer at the sleeping form beside her. Listening intently for any sound of wakefulness, she eased out of bed and slipped out of the bedroom.
Tugging her sleeping robe closer to herself, she entered her study and moved over to the window. Opening it, she allowed moonlight to spill into the room.
Collecting a canvas from a closet and setting it upon the easel, she began to paint. Paint the scene that was so prevalent in her mind still.
