Hiking Casualty

They both watched with dismay
as the ball rolled steadily down 
the snow-thickened bank of the
forest creek. Had the snow
not been glazed by a layer
of ice caused by yesterday's
epic day-long rain, then frozen
by night winds and a steep 
temperature plunge it would
never have gone beyond
installing itself in the plump
depth of the snow. They
watched incredulously as the
spring-flooded creek carried
the orange treasure in a
triumph of captured possession
among the fallen twigs and 
leafy branches down its swollen
causeway, then raced to a
bend in its passage certain 
the flow would subside allowing
them to seize the moment the
large black dog's prized toy
would appear. Nature had other
plans, as they surveyed anxiously
then plodded deep into the 
crusted snow to sight possibilities
closer to the muddy maelstrom.
A woman and her dog, the ball 
not hers, but the dog certainly so.