A Toast
dawn breaks upon the clouded hills his eyes crack in the mornings still the grass is dewed where he made his bed the glade greens in the fastening light as the trills of the birds chase off the night flowers open revealing mist-jeweled blooms slowly he clenches into a crouch seeing this motion the transfixed doe booms and swoons before her flight twigs ricochet as the silence is rent asunder by the gentle doe’s graceful blunder she is distant now and silence on ballet slippered feet slinks back in he yawns his lips sticky and coated smack closed last nights dinner still tastes crimson, warm, mouth slowly lurches to his full height his four weaponed feet can feel the coarseness of every blade of cold wet grass he pads over to a fern and nibbles gently on it’s fronds a beating of wings distracts him as a flock of geese take flight honking their derision as they speed into the cold slick sky yawning again he pads slowly through the thin veil of willows to the creamy purple waters edge he watches the yellow, crimsons, grays, and whites play upon the lochs surface he opens his maw, slides his front legs apart and quenches his undeniable thirst swallowing greedily he drinks of the icy pure crystalline water he fails to notice the approach of delicate hoof beasts slowly he raises manned head, droplets of water fall glistening like diamonds from his lips the droplets tinkle happily as they rejoin their mother lake as the resulting spirals and ever expanding circles jell back into a natural mirror he sees a billowing whiteness reflected in the placid surface of the lake he turns toward the reflection and spies a rare equine form he looks upon the flowing fetlocks, strong legs, rippling shoulders, flaring steaming nostrils, violently reddening eyes, and glaringly enchantingly deadly spiral horn of the final unicorn they stand for an endless series of moments regarding one another both tensing for the kill slowly with great difficulty he stills his screaming blood lust turns his golden back, and slowly nervously pads away he pads through the cool moist comforting sun dappled glade he pads out on to the ever heartening dusty parched plain he never turns to look back he never slows until even the dust clouds from his huge paws disappear into the shimmering haze back in the glade the final unicorn drinks deeply from the oasis as her final act she speaks the few words magic permits as she sinks down into her final rest, she falls into the eternal’s hands peacefully knowing that her crown has been bestowed upon the worthy and regal lion the final thing she ever senses is his raging powerful voice singing her to heaven with his gratitude.
By Robert C Maudlin
© 2008 Robert C Maudlin
(All rights reserved)
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