Prompt 16 - Snow Angel

“Raspberry Snow, get back here!” Gwen called the as varnish, roan appaloosa whose name currently resembled both the color of her coat and the surrounding environment took off along the fence line. “I’ve got your…” Whatever she was about to say was cut off as the sixteen hands tall mare spattered her with snow on the way by. 

“I’ve got your blanket.” She finished as she brushed off the snow. If anything, she preferred the snow to just about anything else. She’d fought her fae nature for some time, but the cold and the ice were her home and she’d finally surrendered to that fact. Though that didn’t mean it was meant for everyone, or everything, and however much the raspberry colored Loshenka currently racing around the field might disagree, some creatures needed blankets for warmth. 

She hitched it up and climbed the fence. It probably wasn’t her brightest idea given the way the mare was tearing it up in the snow, but she figured it’d be fine. 

Raspberry came running over as if anticipating the treats in Gwen’s pocket, but stopped short and turned quickly, racing back off into the field with a small kick and the most adorable hop. 

“Oh, for goodness sake, Raspberry.” Gwen laughed as she walked after the mare. She had no chance of catching her, but she needed to move. The snow had made her as restless as the horse, it would seem. 

Raspberry once again raced towards Gwen, the mare’s purple eyes flashing with mischief as she splashed snow across Gwen and forced the fae to drop the blanket before taking off with a pleased sounding snort. 

Gwen eyed the blanket and then the horse for a moment before surrendering. Raspberry was having too much fun and she’d come around eventually. She wasn’t even sure why she’d been in such a hurry in the first place. 

“Fine,” Gwen called to the horse. “You want to see someone play in the snow.” The fae flopped down on her back and began fanning her arms and legs in the snow to make the shape of an angel in the thick snow. 

That seemed to get Raspberry’s attention, the mare’s tobiano marked legs contrasting with her raspberry colored ones as she raced over to see what her rider was doing. After a second of watching, the mare fell over next to her and rolled over. She stood up and looked between the two before giving an annoyed snort and moving over to try again. 

Gwen sat up and watched as the long, curly tailed horse dropped into the snow on their side and rather than roll over seemed to try and run in the snow. Almost a fanning motion like Gwen had made earlier when making the snow angel. She almost got up to help, but the mare was on their feet and looking at the not-really-a-snow-angel in annoyance. 

Raspberry looked at Gwen and then the snow angel Gwen had made before moving to examine it more closely, allowing Gwen only a moment or two to stroke her raspberry nose before moving off to try again. 

This time she sat down like she’d come to an abrupt stop and swished her long curly tail in the fluffy snow. It kind of made a wing. Perhaps a messy one, but kind of. The effect was, unfortunately, ruined when she stood up and stepped on it in her excitement to see it. 

“Would you like me to…” Gwen started to offer to help, but was cut off when Raspberry gave her an annoyed huff and stomped off into the snow. “...Oh… Guess not…” The fae murmured as she picked up the blanket and moved off a little bit to give the mare more room. “If you change your mind, I’ll be over here.” 

Raspberry Snow shot Gwen a look reminiscent of a petulant toddler determined to pour the too heavy milk by themselves, and once again attempted to sit down and make the wings with her long, purple hued tail.  

This time the attempt went smoothly as Raspberry knew not to step on the shape she just made, and with a pleased huff the mare backed up and regarded what looked like wings in the snow. They were bigger than what the fae who rode her had made, but that was okay. Raspberry had at least some understanding that she was bigger than the fae with curly brown hair. 

Raspberry carefully trotted over to the snow angel Gwen had made, aware of her rider’s blue eyes watching her but too determined to make something similar to care at the moment. 

Gwen watched as Raspberry walked back over to the wings and flopped down in the snow to try and make the body of the snow angel, wincing as the horse had to roll to get up. Which promptly destroyed the wings on one side. 

Raspberry gave an annoyed squeal as they stood and momentarily flung themselves bucking and kicking around the area in a horse’s temper tantrum. When they stopped, they turned back to Gwen and then looked at the snow angel and then back to Gwen. 

“Can I help now?” Gwen asked, setting the blanket on the fence and brushing off the snow that had accumulated on it. 

The mare’s purple eyes narrowed and then with a resigned sigh she trotted over and snagged Gwen’s sleeve, leading her over to an undisturbed patch of snow. 

“Okay, yours is going to have to be a lot bigger, I think.” Gwen stroked Raspberry’s soft nose and considered the dilemma of a snow angel for a horse. “Your tail is definitely a good idea though. How about if maybe you roll first and make the body?” 

Raspberry seemed to consider it for a moment and then dropped into the snow and rolled, the white of the snow blending into her appaloosa markings as the mare carefully stood up and shook off the snow, regarding the shape.

“How to make the wings…” Gwen murmured, finally nodding as an idea struck her. “Look, we can’t avoid some hoofprints, but I can smooth them out. Can you maybe step here and here?” Gwen directed Raspberry to step places where the snow was still thick enough to smooth out. It wouldn’t be perfect, but making a snow angel with a horse was already an odd enough activity that perfect could perhaps be overlooked. 

Raspberry followed Gwen’s instructions and sat back enough her curly tail swished in the snow, making oversized wings to go with the oversized body in the snow. Then, as delicately as possible, the mare stepped away and waited to turn around until Gwen patted her side. 

“Go ahead and look now.” Gwen moved out of the way so the mare could see the large, vaguely horse shaped snow angel they’d made. 

Raspberry walked around it, studying it closely before tossing their head in delight and practically hopping around the field before stopping at where Gwen had left the blanket. The mare snagged it and drug it through the snow, shoving it at Gwen imperiously. 

“Oh, NOW we’re cold.” Gwen laughed as she brushed the snow off the blanket and secured it on Raspberry before offering Loshenka a piece of carrot. 

Raspberry Snow crunched the carrot happily before turning to show off their new blanket and then nudging Gwen before turning to trot proudly around the snow angel, admiring it. It’d taken some cooperation, but who knew a horse could make one afterall.