Encounter

This day of perpetual shadow-grey dusk
had a strange quality about it as though
night had forgotten to depart and dawn
made no appearance at all. House interiors
were dark and the appearance of a day
anxious to close into the velvety dark
comfort of sleep added a touch of mystery
to the biting wind whipping winter air
through the forest, wispy traces of snow
here and there on the forest floor. She
walking briskly with her Golden by her
side, felt the uncanny sensation there 
was someone else, a presence that stood
still and vigilant and for all she knew
watching her. She hesitated, glanced about
seeing nothing to arrest her attention.
And then arrest her attention it did. A
grey apparition barely to be distinguished
from the mist-like conditions enveloping
the trees. Until it moved and she assessed
its height, its gaunt appearance, the long
shaggy grey hair; above all its piercing
eyes glaring. The animal remained where
it stood, dauntless, unafraid. The fear
had been appropriated, nestling within
her abdomen, her chest, her head. And
then she stirred, uttered a sharp denial
and the coyote turned, slipping swiftly
into the ravine, soon hidden by trees
into its recently adopted habitat, that
familiar, long known forest with its varied
trails suddenly altered, newly unfamiliar.