She raced her horse down the beach, sand flying up in their faces as the hooves thundered against the ground. His dark mane whipped against her face, scalding her nose, and she laughed. She pulled him to a stop and foam flew as he skidded into a tidal pool, upsetting crabs and minnows. He picked up his feet and trotted in place just for the fun of it, water exploding under his powerful, sinewed legs and cascading over his back, drenching them both. They stood still as one for a moment then, his sides heaving, the sun coming up to halo over their heads. She patted his arched neck, and then the two began to waltz across the morning-gilded ground again.