A Moon That Shines Brightly
By Falling Leaves

Hooves pounded through the night by Madison’s window. She shifted in bed. What is going on out there? Madison thought, pushing herself up. She had never heard the horses so restless.
Madison climbed down from her bunk bed and heard her older sister, Brenda, snoring on the bottom bunk.
She rolled her eyes and walked across the cold stone floor to reach the door. She quietly opened it.
Madison darted through the door as quietly as she could, and shut it silently. She let out a deep breath that she had been holding.
Madison tiptoed down the hall to the big front door. She held her breath again since her parents’ bedroom was right beside her. They would not like her being outside in the middle of the night.
She opened the big wooden door and tiptoed out into the cold winter night air.
Madison accidentally let the door go and jumped from the chill that ran up her spine from the cold porch against her feet.
The door slammed loudly. Madison winced and walked to the pasture where the horses, King, Shaman, and Rio stayed.
They weren’t there.
Madison worriedly looked around for them, and when she turned around, she felt a hot breath on her shoulder.
Trying to keep from screaming, Madison slowly turned around.
Before her stood a magnificent dapple grey stallion. His muscles rippled and his body shone as the full moon reflected off his smooth back.
“Amazing,” Madison breathed. She had never seen any Mustang like this one in the whole state of Nevada.
The stallion wheeled around and left her standing in awe under the moonlight.
Once the stallion was out of sight, Madison turned back around to the pasture, and there stood the three bay geldings, King, Shaman, and Rio.
Madison smiled. This must be a dream, she thought, and so she turned back to the house where she would sleep for the rest of the night.