The rasp of the turning doorknob alerted Michelle to someone’s presence and she locked the rest of the doors. Then she ran up to the loft and glanced out the window. She wasn’t expecting Alex to be there, staring right into the building and she jerked back, hoping that he hadn’t noticed.

Michelle had gotten up extra early that morning to see if her parents would do something for her. She asked if they would go on a picnic, inviting Alex to go along so she could work Fancy, uninterrupted. They had agreed, albeit somewhat puzzled by her request. Then she had taken Fancy out and led her to the long unused riding arena. The girl had been pretty sure that Alex wouldn’t bother to check it.

Only after she saw her family and Alex leave for the picnic did she shimmy down the narrow ladder and begin working with Fancy again.

So far the mare had been doing great. Fancy was eager to work after being boxed up for a day and a half and Michelle had to really watch her. At the first sign that Fancy was going to move into a fast canter Michelle would bring her down to a slow trot.

Now Michelle turned the black horse around and worked her on her right side. Michelle walked her and then had her trot. Michelle eased her into the lope and watched Fancy effortlessly move over the dirt floor. The cone shaped ears were cocked toward Michelle but at the same time up and excited. The flowing tail was flagged and the curve of fancy’s neck told Michelle that her friend was happy.

After Michelle had properly warmed the mare up, she stepped in front of Fancy’s shoulder and the mare stopped, standing quietly as Michelle looped the lounge line over her arm. The girl led Fancy over to the one rail in the building, which separated the tack stands and spectator seats from the riding arena.

Michelle hitched Fancy to the rail and brushed her off, removing the dust that had accumulated during the warm up. She picked out the small amount of dirt in the large hooves and began to tack the mare up. Fancy danced while Michelle heaved the light saddle onto the black withers. The girl found herself growing impatient and spoke sharply to admonish the mare. The black ears twitched and the black hoofs became still, the hind right cocked in a relaxed position. Fancy behaved herself while Michelle slipped the bridle on over the halter and quietly accepted the carrot offered to her as reward for obeying.

The lounging began again so as to let Michelle see how Fancy moved beneath the gear. She only had the mare on the lounge for eight minutes total this time, satisfied with the mare's fluid movements, with and without tack.

Soon Michelle was mounted up, the lounge line looped on the saddle. Michelle walked Fancy around the arena, relishing in the smooth movements of the muscles beneath her. Fancy pulled at the reins at first but quit after Michelle rounded her up and told her that that kind of behavior was not acceptable. The pair moved into the trot and Michelle was again pleased at her mare's balance. The girl put Fancy into an extended trot and then eased her back into the working trot, doing this a couple times before attempting the canter.

As Michelle slid her right leg back, Fancy second guessed her and rocked into a canter. Michelle quickly pulled her down and made her trot around the arena again, pursing her lips in displeasure. Again she slid her leg back but this time when she felt Fancy shift back onto her haunches in order to gain the power to canter, she tightened the reins and signaled for Fancy to go before the mare did it on her own. Fancy flowed into the new gait and Michelle simply smiled, letting her body surge with that of the horse's, instinctively using her legs and hands to slow Fancy's pace when the horse sped up.

The next fifteen minutes Michelle spent on Fancy's right side. She turned the mare around and went through the same pattern, working up to the pattern. When Michelle was satisfied that Fancy was smooth and responsive again, the girl worked on simple moves such as leg yielding and quarter turns and pivots, moving the black horse through figure eights and "S's."

Once the workout was finished Michelle walked Fancy around to cool her off. When they came abreast of the door, Michelle leaned over and opened it, moving out into the beautiful day.

The sky was a light blue, suffused with the light of a young sun, which was still short of its zenith. Off on the horizon were the only clouds, the sky above clear and endless. A breeze danced through the day, playing with the grass and Michelle's hair indifferently. The distant mountains could be seen clearly and appeared to be within walking distance, the snow-capped peaks jutting into the sky.

Michelle held the reins loosely and left them long, giving Fancy freedom of movement. The pair wandered around the ranch, walking much longer than needed to cool the mare down. The girl breathed deeply of the pine scented air and closed her eyes with contentment. The wind seemed to cleanse her of mental and physical strain, leaving her with a newfound sense of purity and self-awareness.

As girl and horse aimlessly rode around the spread, Michelle kept glancing at the silver ring on her right hand, her mind turning over the events of the past few days. Without hesitation she dropped the reins and transferred the ring onto her left ring finger, smiling at the way her skin set off the sparkling stone.

While Michelle was working with Fancy, Alex and the rest of the Valentine family continued toward Spirit Lake. Alex noted that it was in the opposite direction of the Glen. He also noted that it was in the direction of the Kyneese ranch, or where he assumed it was anyway.

This was as far as his observations went though. The rest of his inspections were internal, trying to find the flaw in himself that made Michelle turn from him. He made his mind sift through the previous week, not allowing it to flinch away from and skim over any unpleasantness. He even considered the fact that maybe Michelle, no matter what she said, loved Johnny, and not him.

Alex looked up just in time to hurriedly haul Tharo into a walk to keep him from running over Danny's Shaman. Danny looked over his shoulder and his jaw dropped into a smile at Alex's stunned expression.

The light breeze that had ruffled Michelle's hair now danced over the lake's waters, creating the wavering white images beneath the blue surface. Alex stopped his horse and sat staring at the beautiful sight. He had never seen anything like it. The illusion of shifting spirits along the lake's bottom put him into a trance and it was only broken when Tharo stamped his foot in frustration at being held back and away from the other horses.

Even as Tharo walked to the rest of the group, Alex's eyes never left the lake. The burning of his eyes reminded him to blink and he dismounted when his training told him to. He finally looked from the ethereal images to see what the other humans were doing to hobble their horses. Both Danny and Tallia put front hobbles on their mounts, which allowed restricted movement, enough that the horse could shift to new grass. Dylan, though simply let the horse stand. Alex stood and his uncertainty caught Dylan's eye.

"Just take the saddle and bridle off, leave the halter on. He'll stay with the rest of the horses." At Alex's dubious look the older man grinned. "Trust me, he's a well-trained gelding. He's not going to run away." Dylan watched as Alex began to loosen the girth and then turned to do the same to his horse. The four sets of gear were turned into backrests, the bridles hung over a branch.

The saddlebags were emptied and the food passed around. Cold chicken sandwiches and chips, along with cold water from the canteens, constituted a rather refreshing lunch. Alex ate his with relish and feasted his eyes with more of Spirit Lake.

"Well, I can see that you're taken with it," chuckled Tallia. "Has Michelle never brought you hear?"

Alex shook his head, not speaking due to the chicken sandwich in his mouth.

"I bet it's because she and Johnny always came here," informed Danny.

Three heads turned in his direction and Danny swallowed uneasily. The three sets of eyes told him that his humor was not appreciated.

"Sorry?" the boy suggested.

Alex looked away first, not wanting Michelle's family to see the heated anger in his eyes. It wasn't for Danny's tactlessness - although that was part of it - but for the thought of Michelle and Johnny alone together.

"Danny, what am I going to do with you?" pleaded his mother.

"Daniel, you would do better to keep your mouth shut if you are planning on helping me with the Kyneese's foal," warned his father.

Danny bowed his head and sighed with resignation.

Alex tried to lighten the mood. "So how'd you guys find this place? It seems sorta out of the way."

Tallia turned to look at her guest. "Actually, it was shown to us by the Kyneeses. They've been here almost as long as we have and Spirit lake is closer to their home than to ours so. . ." Tallia shrugged and gestured vaguely. "It's really quite enchanting, especially on a day like today, with the wind stirring the water up."

An easy silence fell upon the four and the last of the food was eaten. Danny broke the silence and both parents turned to look at him with thinly veiled threats in their eyes. The boy bit his lip and hesitated. When his parents didn't say anything, he spoke.

"Do you want to know how the white images appear on the lake?" Danny asked, directing his question to Alex.

Alex looked to the lake and didn't answer immediately. He liked the mystery of not knowing, the ethereal quality of the beauty appealed to him. Yet when he looked back at Danny, he had to let the boy tell him as he was nearly bursting with the information. Alex nodded and Danny proceeded to explain.

"The bottom is sandy - which is strange as we're in the mountains, but, anyway - and there are large white boulders on the bottom. The water is so clear that you can see the shapes and when the wind disturbs the water, it distorts the rocks' images and makes them look like spirits dancing." Danny was very pleased with himself and Alex praised himself for allowing the boy to share this fact.

"Dad, can I take Alex up to the rock?"

Dylan glanced at his wife sitting quietly at his side and then nodded, adding, "You can explore for an hour. Does one of you have a watch?" He waited for Alex to extend his arm with the timepiece. "Okay. We'll leave when you return."

Danny started walking around the edge of the lake and Alex followed. Soon a huge boulder came into view, the mica glittering in the sun. Danny scrambled up the side and gestured for Alex to do the same. The young man found subtle steps worn into the solid granite and used them gratefully. Once at the top, Alex caught his breath. He could see all of Spirit Lake, its shifting surface extending for the length of a football field. He tanked Danny for bringing him there and they sat down on the rock.

Bored squirminess next to him drew Alex's eyes and Danny looked sheepish. "Do you want to walk around for the next-" Alex checked his watch. "For the next twenty minutes?"

Danny eagerly accepted and he slid off the rock first. Alex followed suit and they hiked around the surrounding forest.

When the picnic quartet arrived back at the ranch Michelle had already put Fancy back in her stall. As Alex was wiping Tharo down he surreptitiously felt Fancy's chest. It was normal, meaning that Michelle had been there and gone for quite a while. Tharo stomped his hoof and Alex finished the large grey before thanking the family for the lovely ride and going out to search for Michelle.

The first place he looked was the old barn that had been closed to him before. Now the handle turned easily in his hand and he walked in as the door soundlessly opened. The room was long and wide, making a perfect riding arena. The dirt of the riding floor was churned up and tossed in faint but still visible patterns. Near one end Alex could still see one half of a figure eight and in the middle two perfect circles.

Alex just stood in the doorway, trying to figure out where to look next. He knew that Michelle was going to make finding her as impossible as she could just to keep him waiting for the answer. Alex let out an explosive sigh and trudged to the house to see if maybe, just maybe, Michelle was there.

When Alex stepped through the kitchen door he heard Dylan and Tallia at the kitchen sink, but that was all.

"Alex, Michelle is in the den," Tallia informed him. Alex looked at the woman sideways.

With narrowed eyes and slow steps Alex entered the living room and saw Michelle curled up in the corner of the couch with a book and headphones. Her back was to him.

He softened his steps and crept up behind her, careful not to cast a shadow over her book. With one hand he reached around the back of the couch and then poked her the side. The book fell to the floor and headphones were ripped off in Michelle's haste to turn around. Her blue eyes were overly wide and her breathing, rapid.

When she saw who it was her jaw clenched and her eyes hardened. "Sheesh, see if I ever trust you again," she said, but it was only half hearted.

Alex sat down and Michelle picked her book up from the floor and pointedly put her earphones back on. She cast one sliding glance at the boy beside her before resuming her book.

For a moment Alex sat, unmoving, not sure what to do. Then he looked at Michelle and shifted just slightly. His movement brought no reaction from the girl so he let his hand drift towards Michelle's leg. As lightly as he could he spread his fingernails on Michelle's knee, the jeans magnifying the vibration. It drew a startled gasp from her but after glaring at Alex, she went right back to her book.