The Urban Forest

How utterly perfect a setting, the very
idealization of nature in harmony with
itself, sedate and still, not a whisper of
sound anywhere well cushioned by a 
deeply layered snowpack, dense on the
forest floor, surrounding trees gripped in 
winter sleep and a well tracked series of 
forest trails beckoning beside a frozen
stream, to satisfy the subconscious urge 
of city dwellers to renew their ancient 
compact with nature leading an elderly 
couple to invest time and energy leashing 
their tiny terrier to accompany them on 
a treat of a foray into the winter woods. 
The other side of this tale is the sudden 
ominous emergence of a brace of canids 
huge and muscled rampaging toward them 
and in one fell swoop before the panicked 
pair could react, surrounding them, briskly 
nuzzling the terrified terrier whom the man 
barely managed to swoop into his arms at
risk of losing his footing when the weight
of the mastiff leaned in curiosity against
him the better to inspect the cowering
little dog. The couple in desperation viewed
the white, undulating landscape of treed
hills for a human form, a voice calling off
the monsters, to no avail. Yet the black
menacing Dane with its red eyes and the
Mastiff turned with disinterest and swiftly
departed, leaving the pair and their charge
unable to move, transfixed with terror.