A Light in the Dark: The moon

Chapter 7: Christmas

The next few days went by fast. Etta got her history test back and had gotten 67%. She winced, Hansengrove had always seemed to mark her harder than everyone else, or she was really that bad at history... Stella was steadily putting on healthy weight, and her scars were already fading. She and Hansengrove lunged her in lieu of riding lessons, and Etta didn't complain. A week before the Christmas holidays started, Snowflake was ready to be ridden, and the lunging sessions turned into riding lessons. Etta loved them.
On the first day of the holidays, Tim came with November, Hansengrove's dear and beloved dog, to spend the holidays with them. Tim was, to Etta, Hansengrove's one true love, her knight in shining armor. All the other students had left, and most of the teachers had as well. Mme Rose had stayed, and so had the chef and his wife, but they left every morning, after making the food, while Mme Rose stayed throughout the break, except on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The 24th came, and Etta, Tim and Hansengrove sat at a table, having their Christmas dinner.

-"How did you find her, your soul-horse?" Asked Tim.

-"My what?" She asked, puzzled.

-"That's what you call that special bond between horse and rider," answered Hansengrove, neatly breaking a baked potato in half with her fork.

-"Oh," and Etta, aided only a little by Hansengrove, told him the story of how it had all happened, from the field trip, to the dangerous ride, to the first sign of a bond.

-"Well, that is quite a story," chuckled Tim, after listening to the whole story.

-"And what do you wish for, for Christmas, Etta?" He asked after a while.

-"Well, I didn't have anything in mind really, but I wouldn't mind a new saddle pad, or new riding gloves," said Etta.

She was wearing a poofy, green dress, tied in the back with a thick golden bow for the occasion, as was custom. Tim was wearing a black suit, and Hansengrove, a long white dress. Etta thought she looked stunning in it, and she wasn't wearing any makeup that night! Even November wore a big red bow on her collar and a golden jingle-bell which she seemed to glare at every time it jingled. Etta slipped her bits of the fat from her roast beef when nobody was looking.

-"Oh, I dont really want anything," Said Hansengrove, when Tim asked her the same question.

He smiled.

-"Well, Santa wouldn't pass an opportunity to give gifts. I am sure he left you something anyway." He said.

-"All I want for Christmas is you!" Hansengrove said to him, in a mock-cheesy voice.

Etta chuckled. She found it cute, even if it was just jokes. After dinner, the three went on the traditional night ride, but this time, instead of sitting on Éclair, in front of Hansengrove in the saddle, Etta rode her Stella. Tim rode his horse, Glacier, a fearsome buckskin stallion.

-"Hey, that mare looks just like Éclair." He remarked as he watched Etta tack up.

Stella looked positively adorable, her head tipped slightly to the side as she caught sounds on the wind outside, making the little deer antlers Etta had clipped to her bridle flop comically.

-"That's what I thought!" Said Hansengrove, carrying a black saddle to a Santa-hatted Éclair.

After tacking up, they led their horses outside and mounted.

-"Are you sure you two will be ok?" Asked Hansengrove, "Stella only just learned to do trail rides."

-"Yea, I have a feeling she's ready," answered Etta, patting the mare.

She sat herself comfortably in the borrowed saddle, and picked up her reins. Hansengrove was in the front of the line, as always. Etta was second, and Tim brought up the rear. It was a calm night, and the stars shone brightly in the indigo sky, something you wouldn't see in the city. Admiring the beautiful snow-topped trees, Etta realized how lucky she was. She had a good education, a warm bed to sleep in, her very own horse, and people who loved her.