At last, Titan turned to speak to his new mare and her son in safety. He knew of no other horses who came to these tunnels under the rocks, or who even knew that they existed. He would not have to worry about any other stallions taking his new catch here.
“You may speak now, Encanta.” He spoke quietly, “For these caves are my domain and no other horses venture here.” He eyed her for a reaction, looking for any signs that she was impressed. To his obvious irritation, she was not.

“I can see why… It’s horrible and claustrophobic in here!” the silver-white mare exclaimed, while Semental nodded vigorously from behind her. He too was unnerved to be under the ground, in a place where there were clammy limestone caves and no sunlight. He could barely make out the figure of his faintly luminescent mother in the sort of deep twilight they had been plunged into. He shivered slightly, sensing that Titan’s gaze was upon him, and knowing without even having to look that the large stallion was frowning.

“Mama? I want to go home…” he whimpered quietly, pressed to her side in the dark. Titan’s eyes seemed to take on an unnerving glint, as he spoke the words in a soft and dangerous voice, “Oh, you won’t be going ‘home’.”


By this time, the valiant black stallion who had been named by his mother as ‘Oscuro’, had noted the absence of his mate and young son. He came come down from the slopes above the valley without finding the stallion he had been looking for, only to find the putrid scent of the male in the exact place where Encanta and Semental had been hiding. In a haze of anguish and rage, he registered that the fool must have stolen away the two while he was searching in the wrong place. Angrily, he paced the area until he finally noticed that a little song thrush was sitting on a rocky outcrop nearby. It was the same bird who had told him of where Encanta had fallen on that fateful day weeks before. He leapt forwards towards the little flying animal, who fluttered his wings expectantly as Oscuro opened his mouth to speak.

“Greetings, little bird, who has already proven his worth by informing me of my loved one’s location before.” He said in manners that were slightly over the top, but only because he so needed the bird’s help now. “I wondered if you had seen my loved one again. I fear that she was stolen away by a-” the little bird interrupted him before he could finish.

“No need to impress me with your manners, my friend,” he said quickly, obviously wanting to cut out the short talk and move on to more serious matters, “I indeed saw your mate stolen away by a brute of a stallion. She was unwilling to go, but he was most forceful. He took her north… I will show you, if you wish?” he finished with a kind offer.

“Please!” cried Oscuro gratefully, his manners forgotten now. The thrush took off, flitting easily into the air. He began to fly, slowly at first, a little above the height of the stallion’s head. Oscuro trotted after him, but soon broke into a gallop as the thrush flew faster, leading him to where Titan had hidden away Encanta in the caves. Oscuro’s wind was whirling. Since Encanta would have been more than just reluctant to go with the stallion, they probably would have been moving pretty slowly. If he and the little bird kept up the speed that they were going at now, then they might make quite a lot of ground on the stallion who had taken Encanta.

Indeed, by the time that Oscuro and his little feathered companion had set off, Titan and Encanta were not even yet in the caves. Encanta had ensured that they moved rather slowly, just by being slow herself. Oscuro felt a little better, knowing that he was now thundering towards his loved one with the intent of stealing her back from the stallion who had taken her. He would charge on them like a valiant knight, vanquish the evil foe, and take his lady back… expect that those things only happened in fairy-tales.

“I will find her!” he muttered to himself, so that the bird looked down at him and gave a slight nod of his beak. He knew that this was a good stallion at heart, and so felt proud to be helping to reunite him with his mate and son. After all, it was likely that the other brute would either chase away or harm the little colt that he had watched over, unseen and unknown of, since the day he was born. He chuckled to himself, thinking that he was rather like a guardian angel, really. Pushing these thoughts out of his mind, he continued to concentrate on keeping up his speed, his small wings fluttering madly to keep his lightweight body soaring across the sky.


Meanwhile, the cavern in which Titan, Encanta and Semental hid was becoming colder by the minute as the day progressed. It was evening, and soon would be fully dark. Though it was spring, some remnant of the winter’s coldness remained at night. Encanta and her colt huddled together, though neither of them took any step closer to the stallion who had taken them prisoner.

An hour or so later, though neither of the two hostages could tell what time it was under the layers of rock, Semental had had enough of creepy caves and fleeing across the mountain ranges. He wanted the relative shelter of the valley he had been born in, his mother and father on either side of him as he slept, and he wanted the clear night sky above him as he lay. Not even Encanta’s worried nuzzling could calm him, and in the end he could bear it no longer. He simply turned tail and fled for the tunnel which would lead him up into the air once more. He skittered down the damp, limestone tunnel, feeling fresh air before him. With a shrill cry of relief he plunged forwards into space, to feel his hooves come down upon grass and mud instead of damp sand and cold, underground rock.

However, before he could even begin to flee, a dark figure was hurtling out after him. The large stallion staggered slightly as he came out into the air, before proceeding to advance menacingly upon the small grey foal. All Semental could do was look up in terror as the stallion approached, closing his eyes against the inevitable blow. He heard a stallion’s cry of anger and a squeal of… some emotion… from his mother. No blow came, and so a moment later he dared to open on eye, prepared to close it quickly if Titan was still looming above him. He wasn’t.

A small thrush was fluttering anxiously above Semental’s head, his small beady eyes fixed on something just a few paces from where the colt lay. The young grey colt turned his head, his eyes widening with surprise and relief at what he saw. There, only a few paces away from him, was his father, Oscuro and the stallion he now hated, Titan. They were eyeing each other with hate and it looked as if a fight were imminent. Encanta walked swiftly to Semental’s side, urging him to his feet with a mixture of nudges, nuzzles and light nips. This done, she quickly shepherded him away from danger.

Titan was the first to make an aggressive move. He pawed the ground with one sharp hoof, lowering his head and pinning back his ears. His teeth were bared as he suddenly made his charge, aiming to act as a battering ram and push Oscuro from his feet. Unfortunately for Titan, Oscuro was far quicker than he and so he sprang to the side and the iron-grey stallion went charging past. By the time he had stopped and turned around, Oscuro was on his other side an aiming a kick at his hind leg. The black stallion was the more skilled fighter and less clumsy, so his hit fell true and Titan was lamed.

However, the other stallion did not give up. He fought on and on, his blows getting even clumsier the angrier her got. Oscuro saw an opportunity in this and so for several minutes he simply danced out of the range of all Titan’s blows, enraging the already angry stallion even more. By the end, he was using nearly all of his energy on screaming and lashing out wildly. Oscuro chuckled to himself, and then out loud just to wind up Titan further. Semental and Encanta stood nearby, watching the goings on as if enchanted, unable to move from the spot where they stood. At first they had been fearful and almost to worried to watch, but gradually these feelings had faded into mere interest.

Titan turned, near exhaustion and battered, with a scream of blind fury. Without even thinking, he charged towards Oscuro, his fore hooves flying out behind him and hoping to strike the black’s back. However, Oscuro stepped elegantly out of the way and turned, his heels flying out to give Titan a hard blow to the head. The world span sickeningly for the iron-grey stallion, and he found himself losing his balance. After a moment of teetering, he fell to the ground with a resounding crash, dizzy, reeling and defeated. Oscuro stood watching before turning and walking proudly to his mare and their foal with all the pride of a war hero.

Encanta’s eyes blazed happily and she trotted forwards to greet and congratulate him, Semental by her side. She was filled with pride for her stallion who had not only fought bravely for her freedom, but tracked her down beforehand, too. Her ears were pricked happily and she reached out to nuzzle at his neck, her neat hooves tapping a celebratory dance on the ground. Semental picked up this feeling of excitement immediately and immediately began to prance around, rearing up, leaping and bucking all in a playful manner. Oscuro played with the colt for some time before the fluttering of tiny wings above his head caught their attention. It was the little thrush, hovering just above the black stallion.

“I will be heading back to my tree now, black stallion,” he chirruped, nodding his head politely to Encanta and Semental, who both gave a dip of their muzzle in return. All three were extremely grateful to the little bird, for if it had not been for him, Oscuro might have lost Encanta on two separate occasions.
“Alright, and thank you so much. We too will be heading back to our home valley soon, though I daresay we will travel slower than you,” replied Oscuro politely before the little bird flew away and disappeared above the tree line.

Some time later, when all three brumbies had grazed and drank a little from a nearby stream of melt water, they set off at a steady trot back for the valley. It would take them a few hours at least to get back. The two older horses trotted along quietly, with the occasional nudge or playful nip, while Semental pranced along happily in between the two. Now that he had his father for protection and his mother to care for him, he felt utterly safe and happy once more.

By the time they got back to their valley, it was actually the next day and all three were worn out. Semental flopped down on a lush patch of grass and became completely unresponsive to the outside world. Oscuro dozed on his feet next to the colt, only in a light sleep for he had the constant fear that someone or something might harm his family if he did not wake and check on them every now and again. At first Encanta had slept on her feet at his side, but during the day she had gradually moved from place to place in the valley. Whenever she had rested for a while in one spot she began to feel uncomfortable and had to walk around or shift slightly to the side. It was no surprise then, that when Oscuro opened his eyes later she was nowhere to be seen.

A surge of fear rose within him once more, the thought of a stallion coming in to steal her as before whirling through his mind. He was fully awake in an instant, standing completely still to listen out for any disturbances. However, all he could hear was the wind whistling overhead and the regular, deep breaths of Semental as he slept as Oscuro’s feet. There were no traces of a stallion anywhere in the valley, though there were several areas where the grass had been flattened out by a horse rolling or walking over them. He sniffed carefully at every one of these flat areas, and all of them bore the same scent: Encanta’s. A wholly different worry began to flower in his mind now, the worry that Encanta had not been stolen away, but that she was sick and had been rolling with colic. He lifted his head high and let a loud call for his mate echo around the valley. This done, he stood completely immobile while he listened out for a reply. A few seconds of silence went by before he though he heard something. He sent his own call out once more and waited for another reply. One came… clearer this time and undoubtedly Encanta’s. It was sent to reassure him that she was alright, also telling him to wait for she would show herself when the time was right.

He walked back to where the grey colt slept, a little confused but at least reassured that nothing unpleasant had happened to his mare. He began to graze, occasionally lifting his head to look out for signs of Encanta. There were none. He would then heave a sigh and go back to his grazing.

Semental awoke soon after, heaving himself to his feet and looking around for his mother. Oscuro explained quietly that he would have to wait until she came back, and just amuse himself in the meantime. The grey colt heaved a sigh (he’d seen his father do it many times) and began to lip at the blades of grass beneath his hooves. He was fully weaned now, of course, and no longer a foal, but he still liked the security of his mother’s side. However, he would soon have to learn to share.

Encanta did not reappear for the rest of that day, but the next morning when Oscuro awoke, she was standing nearby. He opened his eyes at a playful squeal which must have been from Semental, and she was the first sight that greeted him. His ears pricked in pleasure and he took a step forwards to nuzzle at her pale neck. As he did so, something collided with his side and he turned his head to pretend to scold Semental. His eyes widened and he stopped in his tracks, looking back to Encanta in surprise. The snowy mare only chuckled lightly at his expression. You see, it wasn’t Semental who had trotted into his father’s side, but a newborn dun colt. His coat was a sandy golden-brown, though black stockings crept up his legs, ending a few inches above his knees. His fluffy, short mane and tail were the same colour, as was his muzzle. The colt looked up at what seemed to him like a massive, black horse with awe. Semental trotted up next to him and nipped the colt’s stubby mane. The dun instantly gave a delighted squeal and turned to chase Semental.

“Is he… did you…?” stammered Oscuro, turning to face Encanta. The mare chuckled lightly once more at his stunned manner and gave a slight nod.
“Yes, he’s Semental’s brother,” she grinned.
“He looks just like my father…” commented Oscuro, still sounding rather surprised. He had known that Encanta would have a foal sometime this year, but he had not been expecting it. His mind had been father preoccupied with other things than to wonder when it would be born.
“Shall we name him Viajero?” asked Encanta after a brief pause, where both of them simply watched the two brothers cavorting happily. Oscuro nodded his agreement and they sidled towards each other to exchange nuzzles and affectionate nips.

The four horses stayed in their secluded valley until the end of that winter, and nothing much happened. They were content in their own company and there was plenty of grazing and water. Semental began to grow more like a young stallion and Viajero was forever following his older brother around and copying his actions. Far from being annoyed, Semental found this highly amusing and would often try and teach his younger brother. Oscuro and Encanta were both happy, though both of them had the vague idea that they would like to travel again sometime the following spring or summer. They did not want to leave the valley until Viajero had grown larger and strong, and so when the spring days began to lengthen and summer was truly on it’s way they set out from the valley together.

Semental was a two year old and Viajero nearly a yearling, and so deemed old enough to travel south through the mountains to a destination that Encanta had had in mind for some time now. She wanted to visit her mother and father again, just to show them that she was alright. She knew that Reina would be thrilled to see her two grandchildren. She had always thought of her father as the greatest stallion at fighting she knew, and had the vague thought that he would enjoy teaching the two young colts how to fight. Semental had already learnt most of the lessons in life from Oscuro, but Viajero would probably interested.

It took them several days, for they did not want to push the young Viajero too hard. In fact, it turned out that every time they decided to rest for a while he wanted to keep going, but nevertheless they travelled slowly. One particular morning, Encanta opened her eyes and above her saw a low mountain, it’s slopes covered in snowgum trees. Memories flashed through her mind and she felt a jolt of recognition. It was Senorial’s lands! From that point on she was filled with an excitement that Oscuro could not quell, and so they travelled faster whether they meant to or not. Later that day, they came to the edge of the forest and peered through the trees.

A bright bay mare and her little mouse-dun foal stood together in the shade of the trees, their tails whisking flies from their sides. The mare looked up in alarm as she saw the four travellers, and it looked as if she were about to send them away before an obvious flicker of recognition could be seen in her eyes.
“Why, it’s little Encanta all grown up!” she exclaimed in surprise. Encanta looked her over for a moment, vague memories being recalled. She had been standing with her mother, Reina, and she had looked around. Two more mares had stood close by, one heavily dappled grey and a bay mare who’s coat shone like copper in the sun. This was that bright bay mare!
“Cobra? Or is it Stormy?” queried Encanta, a surprised but pleased expression on her equine face.
“Got it right first time, I’m Cobra. Stormy’s up by the stream with your parents. They’ll be pleased to see you!” replied Cobra, sounding a little rueful. Encanta was about to ask her why she and her foal grazed down here, separate from the rest of the herd, but Cobra sent her off up the slope before she could get too curious. The little foal, a filly, Encanta realised, watched her go.

Encanta led the way up the forested slope until they came to a small clearing, where a stream bubbled and frothed on it’s way down to a river down below. She paused at the edge of the trees, simply staring ahead of her. In the middle of the clearing stood a grand grey stallion, every line of his body proclaiming power and status, though his gentle expression suggested that he was kind. To Encanta, he was daddy. Beside him was a beautiful white mare, her mother. Just as Cobra had said, a heavily dappled grey mare, known as Stormy, was grazing near the couple. After a moment’s pause, Encanta stepped from the trees and walked slowly forth to approach her family.

Senorial’s gaze was instantly fixed upon her, a guarded look in his eyes as he sought to see who was intruding on his herd. However, a moment later this look softened into something much like joy and he stepped forwards to greet her. Reina had been looking to Story, conversing about something or other. She turned her head at Senorial’s movements, her tail flicking idly. However, as soon as her gaze fixed upon Encanta her manner changed instantly. Her ears pricked forwards, her eyes widened and she sprang towards her daughter with a joyous whinny.

“Encanta! Encanta, my daughter!” she cried, halting just before the snowy mare. Oscuro came up to stand next to his mate, the two colts hovering a little nervously behind their parents.
“And who are these two fine young colts?” queried Senorial in his deep yet gentle voice, this time with a touch of amusement in it. He gave a polite nod to Oscuro, gaze flickering over all four of the horses.
“I’m Viajero!” answered the younger of the two brothers, stepping forwards eagerly. “This is my brother Semental, and my daddy Oscuro,”
“And you know who I am?” asked Reina, an absolutely thrilled expression taking her over as her grandson stepped forwards to introduce himself. Viajero looked at her for a moment as if he was pretty sure he knew, but still needed confirmation.
“You’re mama’s mama, aren’t you?” he replied.
“Yes!” exclaimed Reina, nodding and then looking to Senorial, “And this is your… er... mama’s father.” Senorial smiled and reached out to nudge both the young colts before turning his attention to Encanta and Oscuro.
“Come, let us meet Stormy and perhaps rest a little, or play if that is what you little ones would like,” smiled Senorial, walking back to the middle of the clearing.

Encanta and Reina stood close together, speaking and remembering happily. A few minutes later Stormy came and joined them, and they continued to chat quite contentedly. Oscuro and Semental played quite cheerfully nearby, while Viajero went to his grandfather. The silver stallion looked down at the dun yearling with a slight smile on his muzzle, his eyes gleaming.

“Who was the filly lower down the mountain?” asked Viajero curiously. It seemed like an innocent enough question to him, though it immediately evoked a rather guarded expression on his grandsire’s face.
“I think she’s called Eshana… She is not a member of this herd,” he answered after a moment’s thought. He looked a little uneasy, as if he didn’t like talking about this particular subject.
“But why?” asked Viajero, gripped with curiosity, “Mama knows that the filly’s mother was in this herd…”
“The filly’s mother is still welcome here, but she chose to isolate herself when she had her daughter. Anyway, do not let us linger on that matter. I shall tell you a story of my past lands, and an adventure I had with my old friends Flash and Arrow,” answered Senorial, quickly changing the subject to something lighter. For a moment Viajero looked as if he were going to object, but then he simply smiled and prepared to listen to the story.

The four stayed with Senorial and his herd for a week or so, and every day it seemed to grow hotter. They took to wading into the stream, letting the cool water swirl around their hocks. If the colts were in a playful mood, then they would romp and splash in the shallow waters, and the older horses would stand and watch with amusement. It truly was a perfect and peaceful life, and everyone was incredibly happy. The only one of the extended family who was not completely content was Viajero. The thought of that lovely mouse-dun filly kept pushing it’s way into his mind, and once in it would not allow itself to be ignored.

One morning, the hottest day he had experienced so far, he trotted from the clearing and into the forest of snow gum and mountain ash trees. Birds twittered and sang above his head, and he lifted his muzzle high as he trotted along. The dappled sunlight fell down from between the leaves of the trees and turned his coat from a dull sandy colour to flaming gold. He threw his head back with a wild, joyous call and sprang forwards into the forest. Down and down he went, until he neared the edge of the forest. He was sure that the grulla filly would be here, if anywhere. He halted, sending a strong whinny out through the trees. He was sure she’d hear.

Sure enough, a few minutes later the head of the filly appeared from between two mountain ash trees. Viajero sprang towards her with a pleased whinny, and she simply stood there, wondering what was going to happen and who this colt was.

“Hello?” she snorted, sounding rather nervous. Viajero stepped forwards eagerly, and it looked as if she were about to disappear once more. The dun colt stopped in his tracks, hoping that this would stop the filly from going completely.
“Don’t go!” were the first words out of Viajero’s mouth that she heard. A moment later he felt rather foolish, because the bay filly seemed contented to stand and watch this young stallion for a bit longer without fleeing. “I am Viajero. Who are you?” he spoke again, this time in a more refined tone. He hoped that the filly would stick around and talk to him.
“I am…” the beautiful young filly paused for a moment, as if she could not even remember who she was. A dark look clouded her vision, but, like a windswept cloud, it passed in a matter of seconds. “I am Indesejavel, but most just call me Indese.”
“That’s a pretty name,” smiled Viajero, though the filly did not smile in return. He paused for a moment, not knowing quite what he could say in return, but then the curiosity that had taken hold earlier and told him to come and find the filly gripped him once more. Many questions bubbled up into his mind, but he only voiced one of them. “Why do you and your mama stay down here apart from the rest of the herd?” he asked. Almost at once it was like a shutter had come down behind Indese’s eyes.
“We just do… We prefer it this way,” was all that she would give an answer. Viajero frowned slightly, and was about to ask her why she was so uptight about answering questions when a shrill neigh from up above rang out through the forest of mountain ash trees. His head was titled upwards as he listened, both the young horses standing utterly still. There had been fear in that call, fear that was instilled in them, too.
“What is it?” asked Viajero in a hurried whisper. As he looked around frantically for signs of his mother or father, or his grandsire’s herd, his sensitive nostrils picked up on a strange new scent in the air. It was warm and smoky, and made the air harder to breathe in. He’d never smelt it before, but something about it instinctively suggested danger. Indese stood next to him, sniffing the air and looking with apprehension to a large column of dense, grey smoke that was rising up from the trees.
“It’s a fire. We must go! Gallop to where there is water!” she cried aloud an instant later, turning on her haunches and bolting off in a gallop. Just moments later she had disappeared into the smoke, leaving Viajero both alone and terrified in the face of a fire.

He stood, shivering and sweating at the same time, and watched in horror as dancing, enchanting flames licked at the trunks of ancient trees, moving steadily through his grandsire’s land with crackling, flashing fury. As the flames crackled closer and closer he became hotter and hotter, and all the while more terrified. Slowly, he began to back away from the flames, but they were all around him, the smoke rising up to engulf him, wrapping around his body in thin tendrils as if it wanted envelop him, suffocate him. And everywhere the fire went; it left only destruction and charred remains behind it. A shrill whinny of fear reached his ears and he jumped, only to realise a second later that it was his own terrified cry. He was going to die here… The fire was going to burn him up completely…

A dark shape appeared through the smoke, fighting through the flames with wide eyes, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts. It was Oscuro, Viajero’s father. The young dun stallion rushed to his father’s side, relieved that help had come at last, though not knowing what the great black stallion could actually do against the overwhelming danger of the bush fire that raged all around them. He stuck close to his father’s flanks, soot and charcoal sticking to the sweat on their coats and giving them a dull grey tinge. He felt like a tiny foal once more, completely dependant on his parents. That was, if his parents could survive this inferno.

Quite suddenly he felt a tender touch on the side of his neck, and looked up into his father’s gentle brown eyes. He was nearly terrified out of all reason, but was just coherent enough to listen carefully to the stallion’s words.
“Gallop as fast as you can away from the flames. Go to water and when you find some wade in and do not come out until the fire is completely out. I will follow you, but do not look back. Do not hesitate, to not tarry. Go – now!”




On the other side of the forest of mountain ash trees, a pale mare galloped for her life. Her father’s herd had set off in the other direction to take refuge in a river when the fire first came, but she had been looking for her mate and sons. She had not found them and feared for their lives, though she had only just begun to realise that she would certainly die herself if she did not gallop to safety, and thus she galloped now. At first she had fled aimlessly from the bush fire, just seeking to put as much distance between her and the burning foliage as possible, but now she was galloping for a certain place in particular. In her mind’s eye she saw the safe little valley where she and Oscuro had lived happily, and where both her foals had been born. Perhaps her family would already be there, safe and sound, and waiting for her? She could only hope. Hope and gallop for her life.

An hour later, she was some way further across the mountains, though she was flagging. Her pelt was streaked with sweat, and where this had dampened her coat, soot had clung to it, turning her a dull grey colour. The rims of her eyes had been reddened by the smoke, and the fire was still raging several hundred metres behind her. Every time she turned her head slightly she could see it, crackling menacingly on the edges of her vision, constantly goading her on, not letting her stop or rest for fear of being caught and burned by the flames. Her limbs were leaden and her hooves were heavy. It was an effort even to keep her head up out of the way of the flying dirt that her hooves kicked up. Encanta knew that she could not go much further, knew that soon she would stumble, or fall into the path of the flames, or simply collapse from exhaustion. Even the adrenaline pumping through her veins was waning, no longer keeping her active. It would be much easier to give up… to fall, to collapse, to rest on the ground until the flames came… She should just give up…

A shrill, fearful cry cut through her pessimistic thoughts and instantly all thoughts of letting the fire claim her had left her mind. She would recognise that call anywhere – Semental! The heavy, leaden feeling in her limbs subsided, pushed back by her urgency and the want to see her son. The pale mare sprang forwards across the burning ground, until she was beside the young grey stallion. A moment later the two of them were both galloping for their lives, the flames almost licking at their heels. The valley couldn’t be far away now… could it?

Encanta threw her weight back onto her haunches quite suddenly, a despairing cry leaving her lips. They had been galloping madly for their lives, but now it was no use. There was no way to flee from the fire: before them was a sheer drop, and she did not know how far they would fall or what they would land on if they went over the edge. All was lost. They would be incinerated by the bush fire, and her son would never grow up to live out his life. Horses do not cry, but if they did then tears would be running thick and fast from Encanta’s eyes. She looked down despairingly to the young stallion beside her, and in that moment their eyes met and they both gave a slight nod. Better to fall to an instant, quick death than to suffer the burning pain of the flames.

Without a single spoken word, they both moved at exactly the same time, turning to face the drop and pushing their limbs out before them into a sudden canter. Encanta’s soot-stained body formed a graceful arch as she leapt, propelling herself out into space. Her eyes closed and she tensed, feeling wind rushing past her and preparing for the inevitable impact. It came quickly, so they must not have jumped from very high up. However, instead of hard, crushing rocks that would have broken their weary bodies, the two came instead crashing into a sheet of water.
As they hit, they went plunging under the surface, both winded and stunned by the impact. However, they were both very much alive and relatively unharmed by the fall. There was no time to be thankful for them to be alive, though, as they had both landed utterly out of their depth and unprepared.

Semental sunk under to his mother’s dismay, only to bob back up to the surface again, gasping for air. Smoke still billowed in the air above him, but down in the water the air was clear and he could breathe. The young stallion kicked out frantically through the water, leaving simply froth and churned up water in his wake. His mane and forelock were plastered against his skin, and the rims of his eyes were reddened, but gradually the water of the lake was removing the grime and soot from his coat. He was tired, so tired, and simply keeping his eyes open was a supreme effort. His hooves felt as if they were weighed down by lead, and every muscle felt as if it were screaming it’s protest as he forced himself to keep swimming. He couldn’t see his mother anywhere – all there was around him was dark, swirling water and a grey sky. He had never known fear like he felt now, and he was utterly terrified. It seemed so much easier to just give up, just let go and slip easily under the water… Semental’s eyes shot open at once as he began to sink, and blearily he became aware that he had almost dozed off in the water. This was getting more and more dangerous, more and more difficult, but wait… Were his hooves kicking against pebbles as he swam?

Experimentally, he stopped swimming for a moment and allowed himself to sink a little. Just as he had thought, he only went down a few inches when he felt an uneven surface under his hooves. He had to tilt his head right back to keep his muzzle out of the water, but he knew that if he went just a few yards more he would be able to stand comfortably in the water without fear of drowning. He half swam half walked further towards dry land, and within just a few minutes his hopes had come true. The sodden, gasping young stallion stood in water that swirled around his hocks, his muzzle hanging just a few millimetres above the water. It was such an effort just to keep his eyes open. Every part of him suddenly felt as if it was weighed down with lead, except for his knees, which just felt like jelly. He knew that he should be trying to see if the fire had stopped, knew that he should be checking whether it was safe to emerge from the waters. He felt a desperate need to find the rest of his family, but despite the urgency in his mind his body was reluctant to obey. It took all of Semental’s energy to just keep his muzzle above the water, to keep himself standing, and so he remained motionless for some time. Whether minutes or hours passed, he did not know.

There was no way to keep track of time, and so he did not know how long it had been before his eyes suddenly widened, his ears pricking to some distant sound beyond human hearting. Despite his weariness, his head shot up from the water and his gaze swept frantically across the mass of dark liquid that surrounded him. He had sworn that he heard a faint whinny on the breeze – a whinny that had been so familiar to him since the day he was born. His eyes narrowed slightly and he peered out into the distance in search of the one he was sure he had heard. Was it possible that Encanta had survived the fall, and that she too had swum through the deep and dangerous waters of the lake to get to the shore? He had lost her during that first impact when he went under the surface, and he had been so intent upon swimming, upon survival, that he had not looked to see what had become of his mother. He gazed thoughtfully at the waters, though not really concentrating on what he saw. If he had made it to the shallows, then there was a good chance that she too would be able to. That was, unless she had been injured or affected by something that had missed him? He began to worry once more, and let an anxious cry echo out over the waters. The young grey stallion realised all too well that it was not the proud cry of the stallion he was becoming, but more like the fearful squeal of a small colt calling for his mother. That was what he felt like… But would his mother come?

Several minutes passed where the stallion simply stood watching the horizon, which seemed to have been brought much closer than it should have been by all the smoke in the air. Semental was beginning to give up hope, to think that he would never see any of his family or friends ever again, when there came a call echoing clearly across the lake. His head, which had been drooping again, shot up skywards and his eyes widened. This time he could see something – something wading towards him through the lake. It was a pale shape that he made out a second later as a grey horse, the waters swirling around her chest as she walked. He whinnied excitedly, bounding through the waters towards the snowy mare that was undoubtedly Encanta. He did not know how he found the energy, and he had no memory of crossing the space to get to his mother, but then he was suddenly next to her, feeling a surge of happiness well up inside him.

The pale mare snorted happily at the sight of her eldest son, at one reaching out to place her neck over his own. The slightly darker colt did the same, until mother and son stood together in the shallows of the vast lake; faint wisps of spoke drifting in the air above them. At the same time as their happy reunion, the last of the fires burnt out around them and everywhere else in this area of the Australian mountains. It was a time of grief and sorrow, for both of them knew that nothing would be the same in their home again, but also of relief as each of the two equines realised that there was hope for the future. They had survived the ordeal and found each other once more amidst the destruction around them, and with this came the realisation that their lives were not over or lost. They had hope for their friends and family, and the notion that they would soon venture from the shores of the lake to find those who had gone missing. Life would go on.

THE END.

It was a clear spring morning, when the snow had all but melted in the Southern Alps of the vast land that was Australia. It looked as if it would be a good year, the sort where it is not so cold that good food does not grow, and yet not so hot that bush fires are started. This was the perfect sort of weather for one of the small herds of brumbies who made the mountains their home.

One such herd consisted of the great grey stallion Senorial, his silver mate Reina, their snowy filly Encanta, the dappled mare Stormy and a bay known as Cobra. At first these five horses had been the only ones to inhabit the mountain area, but soon after those first travellers arrived others started to follow. Often a stallion who had come from a bachelor herd in other lands would come to this particular mountain range, with hopes of claiming their first mares and forming a successful herd.

One such stallion was Oscuro, a stallion of deepest black who appeared to have no white on him, until his forelock was blown back and the tiniest white star became visible. He had been watching the herd of five for some time as they grazed by a bubbling stream. He would not dream of stealing the mate or mares of the stallion who’s herd it was, for he looked noble, brave and strong. No, he had his eye on the beautiful white filly that took dancing steps around the older horses. She looked as if she were just coming up to the age when she should go off with her own stallion, and he hoped to claim her.

The next day, there came the perfect chance. The three grown mares stood sleeping in a close group, with Senorial a dozing on his feet a few paces away and the beautiful young filly was slightly behind her mother. He crept forwards towards the five sleeping horses, careful not to leave any mark or make any sound, and quickly slid between the filly and her dam.

The beautiful filly woke with a start, her soft brown eyes widening with surprise and confusion as she simply stood and stared at the dark stallion that stood between her and her family. Silently, Oscuro reached out to nudge her away from the others. He could only hope that she would understand, and not be frightened. He did not want to be accused of wanting to harm her, and especially not when the large grey stallion, he must be her father, was so close by. He touched his muzzle to her flank and gave her a gentle push. She sidled nervously in the direction he was guiding her, until they had reached the cover of the gnarled old snowgums nearby. Then, and only then, he dared a soft call to her.

“Come,” he called to her, his tone proud yet gentle and enticing, so that she was filled with a sudden excitement, her nervousness and confusion ebbing away. She moved after him at a high stepping trot, her snowy pelt glistening under the sun in stark contrast to his own midnight black hue. She did not know him, but it was not unusual of a filly of her age to go off one day with a stallion when they called. Her own mother, Reina, must have been of about the same age or younger when she left the herd she was born into to go off with her father, Senorial. There was also the fact that it was thrilling to be trotting along through the forest of snowgums, with just the black stallion for company. Encanta was so engrossed in her own thoughts, that she did not even notice when he began to speak. He slowed to a walk, and instantly she slowed beside him.

“Do you have a name, white filly?” he asked, and she looked up, realising that he had addressed her. It was quite common for mares to have no name, so that the stallion who found and claimed them would have to think of one suiting. But, of course, Encanta already had been named.

“Yes, black stallion, I do have a name. I was called Escamas Encantadoras, though it has been shortened to simply Encanta. It means that I shall be charming, yet suspiciously so and fabled,” the white filly replied proudly, wanting to impress the stallion though of course she did not believe that she would ever be so charming and mystical that other brumbies would tell tales of her. It was a dream of Reina’s as she watched the white, silver-tinted filly play in the forests of Mountain Ash. It was unknown to her that Oscuro thought that it was most feasible that hers would be a name whispered on the breeze, followed by a legend of one of great beauty seen dancing across the snowy peaks of the Main Range, almost as if she were a dream.

“The name suits you,” the black answered with a slight nod of his great noble head, “My own is Oscuro, which simply means One of Darkness. I was named for the blackness of my coat,” he explained, before Encanta could jump to the conclusion that he was a horse of darkness, evil and unkind. He was not, of course. The snowy filly gave a small bob of her head, and the two walked together until they reached the outskirts of that small forest. Oscuro stopped, his head thrown back, his deep brown eyes scanning the lands before them. After a few minutes simply observing, he turned back to Encanta and spoke again. “It would be wise to wait here until dusk comes. There are others out there, and I do not wish for a fight so soon,”

Back on the other side of the Mountain Ash Forest, under the shade of a gnarled old snowgum tree, a grey stallion awoke. At once, the strong scent of a masculine not of his herd reached his flared nostrils, and he was wide awake in an instant. His gaze flickered over Stormy, then Cobra, then to Reina. His three mares were there, but where was the filly? He moved to Reina’s side, and woke her with a gentle nudge to her neck. Her eyes flashed open instantly, and she was looking around for a source of trouble. The scent of an unknown stallion was picked up by her, too, and she began to wonder. Stormy and Cobra still slept nearby, so no stallion could have bothered them, but then she noticed that Encanta no longer slept a few paces away.

“Encanta is gone,” muttered Senorial, his voice solemn. Quite obviously he was trying to work out what had to be done. Reina gave a slow nod of her head, thinking. Encanta, though still a filly, was older than she had been when she had left her dam and sire’s herd to go off with Senorial. She had been expecting this day to come for some weeks now, had been expecting Encanta to answer a stallion’s summoning call. She was saddened, knowing that her filly was now gone, but not in the way she had been when her first foal, a colt she had named Calenyar, had been captured and taken away by humans. She had never been back to see her mother, and she regretted that a little, but perhaps Encanta would stay close by and allow Reina to see her one last time. Her gaze turned to Senorial, who was pacing agitatedly around the area where they rested, obviously searching out the tracks of the stallion and their filly.

“Senorial,” she nickered softly, moving across the snow grass to stand with her shoulder against his flank, “Let her go; she has joined a herd of her own.”


Oscuro and Encanta waited until the sun had set and the light had faded before they set off down the mountainside. The two began to head north, though not purposely or consciously. Oscuro felt no urging need to claim a territory of his own, and so he and his beautiful filly became travellers, here and there, moving with the wind and always utterly free. By the end of summer, they had travelled on a slow and winding journey, often doubling back or cutting off to the side, they had come to the Main Range of the Australian Alps. Before them was the great Mount Kosciusko, and, further on from that, the Murray and Snowy Rivers.

One old dun stallion, as he stood one autumn night watching over his herd, stared intently through the thick bush, trying to piece together a picture of who passed along nearby, started with fright, thinking that he had seen a ghost, perhaps even two. First there came the figure of a large stallion creeping soundlessly through the trees, his pelt darker than even the shadows of the night, and behind him there came a thing of beauty. A filly, perhaps only a few years of age, came dancing along behind him, lithe and full of life. Her pelt, which would gleam snowy in the sun, shone silver in the pale light of the moon, and her beauty was unrivalled. She seemed to dance as she moved, dancing for the excitement of the night, for the feel of starlight on one’s coat, and for the very joy of life.

From the shadow stallion, it seemed there came a whisper, cutting through the still night air, which was now charged and electric with excitement. By the time it had reached the pricked ears of the old dun, the actual words had been lost into the breeze, but the sound of the voice was vaguely familiar. A slight shiver ran down his spine, and he did not sleep again that night.

The words were: “You see that herd in the clearing? Their leader, the dun, is my sire.” They came from the mouth of Oscuro as he led Encanta on her dance through the dense, night bush.


Winter came early to the mountains that year. In fact, it came so early that Oscuro and Encanta were still wanderers of the bush when the first snows came. They were still in the Main Range, at a place called Charlotte Pass when Encanta gave an almighty jump, which sent Oscuro skittering across the icy ground in surprise.

“What is it?” he questioned, turning to face her and looking a little annoyed that he had spooked, but curious as to why she had shied. His eyes swept across the terrain, but he could see nothing through the now lightly falling snow. Encanta simply gave a slight shake of her head, meaning that nothing was wrong. It was only a thrush flitting through the trees above who had seen the bough of an old snow gum tree bend under the weight of the snow settling upon it, dumping it’s burden a few seconds later onto the hindquarters of the mare who passed along below.

As that day wore on, all patches of blue were gone from the sky, replaced by heavy, snow-laden grey clouds for as far as they eye could see. A chill wind picked up, blowing the softly falling snowflakes into the eyes of the bush animals. Soon, however, this shroud of falling crystals turned into an almighty blizzard. The flakes fell down quickly, and thick, to collect on the eyelashes of the brumbies and mat their flowing manes and tails. It collected on the backs of those who stood still, and slowed the paces of those who still tried to travel on. It became impossible for Oscuro to go without leaving tracks, for at times they had to plough through deep drifts, and often found themselves floundering, belly-deep in the snow.

A whisper went around the brumbies who stood beneath the gnarled old boughs of trees who had seen many a winter such as this, trying to shelter from the worst of the wind and weather. They spoke of a half-seen beauty, dancing through the snow; a filly like no other they had seen before. Her dancing steps seemed light, even though they themselves had floundered in the white powder, and her coat glistened silver and white, blending in with the flakes that danced and whirled around her finely chiselled form. She seemed filled with a love for life, so that some of them began to dream of what it must be like to go along as she did, but in truth this was not how Encanta was feeling at all.

She was miserable and cold, and the snow had begun to cling to her body to clump up her coat and send shivers down her spine. When she could, she would walk next to Oscuro, her shoulder touching his flank to that they might share their heat, but it was getting hard to see even his bright black shape through the ever-falling curtain of snow. The clouds had turned darker, and it seemed that they would block out the sun so that the night could visit them early. Indeed, within only minutes they travelled along in a strange twilight. Often Oscuro looked behind him, and nearly panicked, thinking that he had been separated from Encanta, for in this light and with the shroud of falling snow, all the senses of the horses were muffled. However, a few seconds later a soft grunt or snort might leave her flared nostrils as she battled through the wind and snow, and he would know that she was there.

They travelled on in this fashion for what could have been days, weeks, months, years, for all they knew, but really only one night had gone by as they battled through the growing blizzard. Encanta was filled with an irrational fear, started by nothing and mounting with every minute they were still exposed to the cold snow and now raging winds. It was often thus for mares who were due to foal the next season, and Encanta was now one of them. Every minute or so, Oscuro would look behind and give her a comforting little whicker, but often it was lost in the gale and it did nothing to ease her growing state of panic.

They came to a cliff, and Encanta stopped abruptly, obviously unwilling to go on. However, Oscuro had seen a stable looking ledge going right along the face of rock, which would take them to a less steep slope where they might be able to get down to a valley or a canyon below. That would mean shelter from the winds, and they might feel warmer down below. He began to move along the ledge, moving one hoof at a time and searching out a foothold before he placed each hoof. It was when he turned his head slightly to the side to give an encouraging whinny to Encanta when he realised that she was not following him. Instantly he had turned, his hooves slipping slightly on the icy surface, and was scanning the area for her white form. He had not heard her fall, for certainly she would have let out a neigh of terror, so where was she? He moved back the way he had come along the ledge, and only then did he see her.

Her head was thrown up, snowflakes matting her mane, and every movement proclaimed fear. She was back at the very place where he had climbed onto the ledge, obviously scared to follow the narrow way across the cliffs. On this part of the cliff, the slope was steep and tall, a daunting sight, and it obviously filled her with terror at the prospect of walking along it.

“Come, Encanta. I have gone along the ledge, and nothing has befallen me. You must follow, so that we can cross to the other side and get down lower out of this gale. Come, follow,” he implored, his eyes begging her to do as he said. She hesitated for a few seconds, heard the sense in his words, and ever so slowly gave a nod of her head. Oscuro walked forwards to nibble affectionately at her crest, before turning and setting off along the ledge again.

Already the snow had covered the prints he had made when he came along this way only minutes earlier, so he had to feel for where it was safe to place his hooves all over again. It was slow going, but Encanta would not have gone any faster, anyway. Oscuro’s mind filled with hope as they went on and on across the ledge. He was sure that in an hour or so they would be safely lower down and out of this gale and snow. They would find shelter in valleys and canyons until warmer weather came, and they would have to climb higher again to avoid the floodwaters. By then there would be a third member to his small herd, a strong young colt or a beautiful filly. Not that any filly could be more beautiful than his Encanta of course, for she was the sun and the moon to him. While he had her, he would not need anyone else, nor find any mare to rival her beauty. He was going on quite calmly, and without fear when a hair-raising call echoed out behind him. It was a call of terror, accompanied by the rattling of loose stones. For one dreadful second Oscuro was filled with panic, thinking that Encanta had fallen down the cliff. What he saw momentarily calmed him, but then brought that panic rising up again.

A piece of the ledge on which Encanta had been crossing had begun to crumble, and seconds later had broken away to hurtle down to whatever lay below. Fortunately, the snowy mare had leapt away as soon as she felt the strange motion beneath her hooves; her eyes wide with terror as she watched that part of the ledge break away and fall. A panic had seized her, overcoming common sense that told her to copy the movements of Osuco exactly, as he seemed to be able to traverse this cliff without much trouble. Oscuro could only call out in a distressed fashion as she thundered past him, galloping precariously along the ledge, only wanting to be at the other side as quickly as possible to leave this dangerous crossing behind. For a few seconds, Oscuro careered on after her, somehow wanting to get in front and stop her dangerous, headlong gallop. In the valley directly below them, a wise old owl watched from his perch in one of the many ancient trees that grew there. He shook his head, thinking that both the horses would now fall to their deaths. However, Oscuro was not stupid. A moment later he had realised the stupidity of his actions in following Encanta, and had slowed to as fast a trot as he dared.

By now Encanta was just a white wisp ahead, still careering along in a panic, and barely visible now. The darker shadow that was Oscuro was quite a way behind her now, with no way of catching up unless he risked his own neck by galloping even faster than she did. She had reached the other side, where the ledge widened out! Hope grew in him; hope that Encanta would be all right. He could only watch as she sprang from the ledge that he was still on, only to land on a pile of snow that hid more unstable rocks. Once again, she did not fall, but leapt away from the crumbling mass. The terror in her eyes rose again. Was nowhere safe from this strange, unstable ground? Her pace, which had been slowing as she left the dangerous ledge, grew faster once more. Concern and worry grew in Oscuro’s eyes as her panic rose again. He saw how her sides heaved with every breath, and knew that she was close to exhaustion. Sweat streaked her pelt, which would cool and make her shiver when she finally stopped and calmed. He dared to go a little faster, but he was still too far behind to catch up without going dangerously over the uneven ground. His gaze turned to the carpet of snow as he tried to work out how fast it would let him travel without him being in danger.

When he looked up, Encanta was nowhere to be seen, but a shrill neigh of terror echoed through the air. Not even the wind could carry that sound away from his pricked ears. It echoed on and on, and made him forget his own safety; it was undoubtedly a call of Encanta’s. She sounded so scared… He broke into a canter, only slowing when he came to the patch of loose rocks that had made her panic rise again. His picked his way carefully, choosing to pass above where she had gone, and somehow got across without scathe. There was no sign of her. Her hoof prints could be seen below, but they were scuffed and confusing, not leading in any particular way. Oscuro simply stood, staring down below, and could only wonder what had befallen his beautiful mare. He called out to her, a desperate and lonely call that echoed across the valley below and along the cliffs for several minutes before it finally faded. It was when the last echo had gone into the wind that someone answered that call. Not Encanta, not a horse, but a bird. It was a little thrush, perched upon the branch of a stunted little tree a little way above where Oscuro stood.

“Looking for your mare, are you?” he piped up suddenly, making the black stallion start and almost lose his footing on the rock. He had thought that he and Encanta were all alone up here, but obviously they had not been. Perhaps the little bird had seen what had become of Encanta!

“Yes, yes I am. Please, have you seen her?” he replied instantly with a question. He knew that his voice sounded like the desperate vocals of a colt who had lost his mother, but he didn’t much care. All he wanted to know was what had become of his beloved Encanta.

The little bird’s expression seemed to grow troubled as he heard Oscuro’s desperate reply. Indeed, he had seen what had befallen the beautiful white mare, and it was something that he would not like to have had to say to the stallion who obviously cared about her so.
“I did indeed see what happened to your mare. I do not wish to be the bringer of bad news, but I must tell you what I know,” he chirruped sadly, “She fell, and slid down the slope to the valley that lies below.”

Oscuro just stared blankly at the little bird for several seconds. All of his manners went out of the window at the thought of what had happened to Encanta, and so he turned without even thanking the bird for speaking with him. Immediately he was picking his way down the slope. As the bird had said, there was indeed a strange track, which could have been made by something – or someone – sliding down. He walked down where the snow had been disturbed, placing his hooves carefully for he had no intention of sliding as Encanta had done. He called, a sad, mournful call, and halted with his ears pricked to listen for an answer, but none came. Where, oh where was Encanta?

The white mare had lost her footing on the slippery rocks. Her feet had slipped out from under her, and she had fallen onto her side. If nothing more had happened, then she would then have been able to get to her feet, but the snow was freezing on the ground and was slippery as ice – for that was what some of it was. She had not stopped, but slid down the slope on her side. Her slender legs flailed, trying to stop her heavy body, but she only managed to roll herself over. A shrill scream left her, but she knew that Oscuro could not help her. Why had she not been sensible and stayed behind him, instead of panicking and galloping off when the rocks began to move? They would both be safe, just starting to pick their way carefully down the slope that she was now hurtling down on her side. She flinched as a stunted bush seemed to come rushing up to her, afraid that it would cut into her, or that she would hurt herself on it. She slid into the plant, but all she got was a scratch on her leg, and it actually stopped her descent for a few seconds. Within a few moments, its branches had bent back under her weight, but those few moments were long enough for her to get her hooves under her once more. She stood shakily, managing to keep her balance, and looked around. Down below her there was a valley, some parts of which were only lightly dusted with snow, so that the grass underneath could still be eaten. Above her, she thought she heard a mournful call, but she could not be sure, and so stood feeling rather stunned and more than lucky to be alive.

There was no answer from Encanta, but that did not mean that all hope was lost. This was what Oscuro kept telling himself as he picked his way down to the valley. Perhaps he would find her already down there, grazing peacefully with only a few scratches to tell of the ordeal. He was lapsing into his own, hopeful thoughts when suddenly there came a scent from close by. He picked up some speed, because that scent was undoubtedly Encanta’s. He broke into a trot, which was as fast as he dared to go, and within a few minutes a pale shape became visible against the snow. A glad whinny left him, and he pranced the last few steps down towards her.

She looked up from where she had been standing, stunned and shaky, and her eyes filled with gladness as she saw Oscuro coming down to her, unharmed. The two met with nuzzles, and joyous prancing on Oscuro’s part. Encanta was in no mood for prancing. Though nothing life threatening troubled her, she had cuts and scrapes on her left side and on her legs, from where she had been sliding across uneven ground. Just then, as Oscuro looked up, he noticed a little thrush flying overhead. As it saw him looking, it gave a little dip of it’s wing and Oscuro sent a grateful neigh after it. After all, if the little bird had not told him where Encanta had slipped, he might have gone off searching the completely wrong slope.

After Encanta had rested a little, and when her legs were not so shaky, the two set off down to the valley where they would be safe from wind and snow throughout the long winter.


The two stayed in that nice little valley all winter, and they were still there and still content when the last snows melted. The sun shone warmer and golden, rather than the pale, cold light it gave off in the winter months, and there was a third member to the herd. Encanta had given birth to a little colt. He was a silver-dun, and if she had know what her brother who had been captured by men before she were born had looked like, she would have said that he looked just like him. Oscuro suggested that they name the colt Semental, for it was a word meaning great stallion in the language that is whistled through the wind, the language that bubbles down the streams of melt water, the language of freedom. They could only dream that this name would turn out to be true.

Their life was peaceful and content in the secluded valley; they were never bothered by any outsiders until one day in the height of summer. It did not start any different to the other peaceful days that they enjoyed together, but it would end oh so strangely.

“Teach me to fight! Teach me to fight!” chanted Semental, dancing a circle around his dam as she stood grazing in the first lights of dawn. Encanta lifted her pale head from the ground to watch her son, a slight smile lighting up her muzzle at his antics.

“Ask your sire, he will show you how to fight like a great stallion should,” she answered evasively, glancing over to Oscuro. The black stallion smiled and nodded, beckoning his son towards him. Encanta, being a mare, had never had to fight for things before, though she knew how, and thus was not the one to be teaching Semental the way to battle it out with a rival stallion. Semental skipped over to the black stallion, who had fought many times while he was in his bachelor herd.

The silver dun colt was just rising up on his hind legs to bring his fore hooves down onto an imaginary opponent’s shoulder, as Oscuro had instructed, when a high, imperious call rang out through the valley. Both Encanta and Oscuro froze, their heads turned skywards in alarm. Both of them knew that the call had been issued from the mouth of a stallion, and any strange stallion was a threat to their herd. Oscuro send a low whinny over his shoulder to Encanta, telling her to keep Semental close and go further into the valley, while he climbed up the less steep cliff face. He would find the stallion and force him to leave this area, for he would not have another endangering his mare and foal.

Unknown to him, the dark grey stallion who had called out was actually creeping around to the other side of the cliffs, where he would descend into the valley and come up behind Oscuro. Those who had encountered him before had called him Titan, and that had only boosted his already over-inflated ego. He was tall and strong, but was not cunning as Oscuro was, and that might be his downfall. Though today the sight of the pretty white mare had made him cleverer than he usually was, and that was not good for Oscuro. Almost silently he made his way down into the valley, coming at last to the floor in a place where he was between Oscuro still searching the cliff and the mare with her foal. Encanta stood pressed against a slab of rock, the little colt cowering behind her hindquarters. Titan walked proudly towards her, and knew that he looked magnificent. He must look more wonderful than that black she ran with, and so she should belong to him. Her foal troubled him a little, but he could always chase it off once the mare was safely his.

“Come!” he whispered to her, and took a step towards the place where they could leave the valley. He looked back, but neither she nor her little silver foal followed. He walked back to her side, a little annoyed now, and repeated the word in her ear, but still she did not move. Titan was never a horse to be able to keep his temper, and so he lost it with Encanta when she would not come with him when he called. It did not occur to him that she still preferred Oscuro to him. He repeated the command angrily, and gave her a sharp nip on the wither, a warning telling her that she ought to do as she was told. She took a hesitant step forwards, Semental at her heels, and he urged her on again. Eventually he got her moving with a mixture of enticing, nips and threats.

Encanta looked mournfully up at the cliff face where Oscuro must still search for the stallion that was already down here, forcing her to follow him out of their valley and to who-knows-where. She would have called out to her stallion of the dark grey had not been beside her, his teeth bared and warning her to co-operate. She began to worry for her little colt as Titan drove her on at a trot, thinking that this stallion did not seem like the understanding type at all. Surely he would try and kill her defenceless little colt, and she would not be able to bear it. In fact, she was so wrapped up in these awful thoughts that she did not immediately notice when Titan spoke. When finally she did take note of her words, they were so tinged with annoyance that she got the picture that he had repeated them several times.

“What are you called, white mare?” he said for the second or third time. Encanta looked up suddenly, taking a moment to work out what he had asked her. When she had gathered the question, she simply gave a snort and waited a few seconds before answering. If she didn’t tell him her name, then he would probably name her himself, and she wouldn’t answer to anything he called her. She supposed that she had best introduce herself.

“Encanta,” she muttered, not even bothering to look at Titan. Semental trotted nervously at her side, his head thrown up and his eyes and nostrils wide. Everything about him announced that he was wary, scared even. His mother glanced down at him in the moment of silence before Titan spoke again, trying to put some warmth into her look.

“Encanta, eh? It is a nice enough name. I am known as Titan, for,” he seemed to puff his chest out proudly, “Obvious reasons.” If Encanta were a human, and able to show her emotions in the same way that humans do, she would have rolled her eyes or pulled a face. Being a horse, all she could do was give an exasperated snort, which Titan seemed not to notice. She stayed silent for a few minutes more, and Titan realised that she was not going to speak to him further. He gave a rather annoyed sounding sigh and quickened his pace, so that poor little Semental was trotting to keep up. The pale mare only gave a sigh, pushing herself to walk a little faster, not wanting any punishments.

Some minutes later, Titan spoke again in a tone that did not invite questioning or dispute. “We have gone some way north now. We are coming up to a place where the earth is hollow underfoot and there are caves. You will go into them and be silent.” Encanta did not speak, but just followed him despondently, her muzzle almost touching the ground as she walked. Semental still trotted along nervously at her side, pressing himself against his mother for safety.

At last, the three came to a crevice in a wall of rock, part of the wall of a large and shallow valley in which they travelled. Titan stopped just in front of it, looking over his shoulder to Encanta and Semental. He motioned with his muzzle that they should enter the crevice, which was just wide enough for a fully-grown horse to fit through. He walked in himself a moment later, and Encanta had no choice but to follow. She shivered as the entered what seemed to be a tunnel going under the mass of rock. The air was still and cold, and as she went further in the sides and ceiling of the tunnel seemed to close in on her, though really this was just in the mind. Semental stayed close behind her, his muzzle touching her tail as they followed the stallion in front. Titan led them on until, to Encanta’s surprise, there was suddenly air and space around them. They had come into a large, sandy-floored cavern.

The sun was just rising up to cast it’s warm glow over the great, snowy mountains of the Australian outback when a snowy hued yearling filly came dancing nervously through the vegetation, hoping that her mother would not wake to find her gone. You see her father was a great buckskin stallion going by the name of Darkness and was rather overprotective of both his large harem of mares and their fillies or colts, and if her mother fretted then she knew that she’d get into trouble. It was strange really, that they would worry so much and yet when she came back unharmed they would not be pleased to see her again… they would punish her for going off. It only seemed to make returning to them a rather dismal prospect, and one day she knew that she would never return and that would pay them back for their punishments.

Presently she trotted towards the Cliffs from which she had been forbidden to go. Alto Cliffs were both dangerous and the home to a herd of bachelor stallions… the latter was the prospect that caused her heart to beat quicker than usual with excitement. She did not go out to leave her family forever and seek a mate, but to look and watch, perhaps play with the colts that lived there. It was not long before her daydreams became reality as she stood upon the edge of a cliff, looking down upon three colts. Two of them would be almost stallions but one… he looked little older than herself.

The two older ones were both chestnuts… perhaps brothers? She did not know, but the younger one was a rather pale grey that shone almost like silver in the sun, and his dark mane and tail flew behind him like a black flame. The filly moved closer to the edge, looking down at him with wide eyes, her nose trembling. There was something special about him… about the way he teased the older colts with nips and bucks although he was still smaller than they. Her gaze fixed completely on the colt below her; she took another step forward, quite forgetting where she was until suddenly her fore hoof was treading air instead of cliff.

The colt who’s pelt shone like silver in the sun looked up curiously as suddenly a shrill whinny rang out above him along with the scrabbling of neat hooves upon hard stone. His nostrils flared, taking in the scent of what he now identified as a young and probably very pretty filly, just a few months younger than he. He smiled and an enticing call was sent up to her, half jokily because he was only nearly a two year old and most his age were just living happily in bachelor bands and not thinking about getting their own mares. However, his enticing call soon became a whinny of anxiety as he saw the reason why she called so shrilly: she was about to fall… fall right off of the Cliff! The two others looked up as he called, but they simply stood dumbfounded, gazing up with horror and did not think of doing anything to help.

It was lucky that the youngest colt who would become one day become known as the Great Stallion Senorial did have the sense to do something, otherwise he would never have met his first and last love, the filly who would become his faithful companion for years to come, Reina. He sprang up the Cliffside fearlessly and within seconds he had come to the same ledge as the filly and just a few seconds later than that he had her mane in his teeth, leaning back on his haunches in an attempt to hold her from falling. The filly’s fore hooves scrabbled on the edge of the cliff, trying to get a grip until the colt cleverly place his hoof behind her own, giving her something to pull herself up against. She craned her neck, reaching out to grab at his mane with his teeth and slowly began to drag herself further and further off of the edge, the colt backing up slightly but still with his leg through her own, giving faint whickers of encouragement.

Perhaps just a few minutes later the two were walking slowly down to the larger ledge below where the two other colts still stood and watched, the filly still panting and both slightly shaky from the shock of what might have happened. As soon as they came onto flat ground once more the larger of the chestnuts came galloping towards the silvery colt, neighing excitedly.

“Senorial! Senorial – you got her!” he cried, trotting a circle around them both. The filly looked at him with confusion before she realised that the colt that had saved her must be called Senorial. Senorial smiled and rose into a triumphant half-rear as the chestnut spoke.
“Yes I did, Arrow. Erm, what is your name by the way?” he answered and then turned to look at the filly, realising that in all the excitement they had not actually introduced themselves. Arrow, the chestnut colt looked to her with interest, hardly noticing as his half-brother Flash the other chestnut came to a halt beside them.
“Oh, my name is Reina. I’m the daughter of Darkness… you may have heard of him?” the filly stuttered, suddenly finding all eyes fixed on her. She hadn’t meant to actually speak to all of these colts, two of which seemed almost to be stallions and who might be looking for mares themselves. At the mention of her father Flash gave an almost fearful snort: he had been chased away from the best grazing lands many times by the proud old stallion, and had reason to fear him.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Reina,” Senorial broke the silence which had settled ever since the filly spoke the name of her father. He looked quickly to Arrow and Flash, and then back to Reina before he introduced the others. “Oh, and this is Arrow and Flash, they’re half brothers…”
Flash nodded politely and stayed silent, but Arrow, being the older of the two, stepped forward with an elaborate bow and when he raised his head once more he flashed a smile at the filly.
“Yes, I am Arrow milady Reina,” he smiled, “So tell me, why do you come to these lands where the stallions who as of yet have no mares live?” he asked innocently, although every one of them knew that there was likely to be an ulterior motive to his question. Senorial pinned back his ears for a moment but Arrow appeared not to notice.
“Oh… no reason really. I was wandering. My herd never has any fun,” answered Reina cautiously, picking up the way Senorial pinned back his ears. She was thankful to Senorial, didn’t mind the colt Flash but she completely did not trust Arrow at all. Arrow smiled again, a bit of a strange smile that wasn’t completely out of happiness, and looked as if he were about to speak again when Senorial cut the conversation short.
“Um, shouldn’t you be getting back to your own herd, Reina? I have seen Darkness before and I don’t think he’d be very understanding if you told him that you came here out of boredom,” he warned, and Reina immediately agreed.

The two similar coloured young brumbies slowly made their way back to the grazing spot where Darkness and the rest of Reina’s herd lived, a large flat area of grass fringed with trees and wild bush land at the foot of the mountains. Just as they were about to step into the open, into the sight of the large herd of many coloured horses, Reina suddenly propped and halted abruptly. Senorial quickly followed suit, almost walking right into her snowy hindquarters.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, almost whispering lest Darkness somehow hear them from where they were. He knew that the stallion wouldn’t be pleased to see his daughter with what he would see as a rival stallion although Senorial was just a colt, really. Reina paused before she chose to answer, trying to explain what she was feeling.
“Well… perhaps I shouldn’t go back to my father’s herd. My sisters were taken away by stallions when they were younger than I am now…” she said haltingly, wondering what the colt’s reaction would be. His eyes seemed to brighten with a sudden excitement at her words, as if he had just had the most exciting idea of his life and when he spoke his voice was tentative.
“You’d like to go off with a stallion? I’ve been thinking of leaving the bachelors to make my own life… If you wanted we could leave for a new place together?” he suggested.
Reina paused for a moment, both nerves and excitement coursing through her and her dark, expressive eyes blazing as she realised that her dreams of adventures with her very own stallion could come true if she agreed. Slowly, ever so hesitantly, she gave a single nod of her head. And so the two young horses began to walk away from the grazing spot, Reina now following Senorial as he sought a place in which they could stay safely and secretly. Senorial had fought only once before against Flash, and had beaten them but it was only really a play fight and they were both young and inexperienced. He knew that he could not fight to keep Reina if a mature stallion wanted her, so instead they must stay hidden until he had grown a little stronger. Finally they reached a canyon high up between the mountains, and Senorial entered gratefully: there was neither scent nor tracks of any other horse here, so they would be hidden. The two stood there, huddled together that night, gazing up towards the sky. The place had been named Estrella Canyon, the canyon of stars, and on a clear night the name was easily explained by the hundreds of thousands of tiny, glittering lights that could be seen overhead.

When winter touched the canyon with a light dusting of snow, Senorial was almost a three year old and Reina over two. The colt was not yet a stallion, but he was near the size of one and perhaps just as strong as some. They had become bored in their canyon and now longed to tread near other horses once more. Now that Senorial was no longer little more than a nervous foal, they made their way back down the mountainsides to the lower lands where many a brumby grazed.

They came back to where they had lived the year before, before they had met each other and watched Reina’s past herd awhile from the safety of the bush and were not be seen by Darkness, who seemed to be aging slightly. Then Senorial felt the need to see, if not to meet, his old friends from the Bachelor herd, and so the two travelled to Alto Cliffs. When they arrived, Flash and a few of the others were still there and Senorial greeted him warmly while Reina stayed hidden nearby. The silver colt trotted proudly towards the rather less great liver chestnut colt who had now actually become a stallion.

“Greetings, Flash. How has the year treated you?” he asked lightly, head held high as he approached the rather submissive stallion. Flash looked up, startled, as he approach but then his wariness subsided into a warm welcome as he realised that what at first had seemed like an unknown stallion approaching him was just his old friend Senorial, a colt.
“Well, I suppose, although nothing much has come to my favour. No mares have I met, and no invitations to join a herd have come to me, although I survived the worst of the winter without harm. Now tell me, Senorial, how have you fared?” replied the stallion dully, thinking of his half-brother Arrow who had been much more successful.
“I have fared well, my friend. The year has indeed treated me well. Do you have news of Arrow for me?” answered Senorial, eager to hear news of his other old friend.
“Aye, I do. He has moved away to the dark Valley nearby and now has two mares although I do not know much of them. He has become far less like the friendly colt we used to know, and far more like a ruthless stallion.” Flash snorted sadly, meeting Senorial’s gaze for the first time, and his eyes seemed rather sad at having lost his childhood friend. Senorial nodded his thanks and turned to canter back to where Reina was hiding nearby. She immediately walked over to him and touched her pale muzzle to his slightly darker one. Senorial nodded and nuzzled her neck briefly but soon began trotting away once more, nickering over his shoulder for her to stay hidden. Reina sighed but knew that Senorial was no fool, and that he’d come back for her as soon as he could. She waited, unseen.

The sun was slightly higher in the sky when Senorial came to the valley that Arrow had made his new home. He halted on the cliff edge above it and called out proudly, rising into a rear as he did so. From below in the darkness of the narrow valley, three faint answers came. Senorial smiled as his sensitive ears picked up the excited snorts and whinnies of two young mares, but then there came the icy warning tones of a stallion warning a rival not to molest his herd. Senorial sent another call down, putting a hint of exasperation into it at the fact that Arrow did not recognise him as a friend.

“It is I, Senorial!” he neighed, letting his call echo around the Valley. Immediately the shape of a young bay mare appeared at the valley entrance, her head held high and her stance excited. Senorial smirked. It seemed like she would be rather eager to leave Arrow for another stallion. He took a step towards her, muzzle extended just as Arrow surged past her, ears pinned back in anger. Senorial gave him a dirty look and bared his ivories for a minute, squealing:
“Arrow, you fool, can’t you recognise an old friend when you meet one?” Arrow stopped his charge and halted, blinking in surprise as he saw that it was, indeed, Senorial.

“Oh, hello. I don’t have visitors,” he snorted airily, still annoyed that his mare Cobra seemed to have a liking for this colt instead of himself, the glorious stallion that he was. Senorial gave yet another exasperated snort and nipped Arrow’s shoulder rather sharply.
“Well you do now. You really should learn to get some manners, it’s not nice to be like that,” Senorial took great satisfaction in scolding the older horse. Cobra nodded vigorously at his words although backed away when Arrow turned and gave her a warning look.
“Well how was I to know that you weren’t a rival stallion coming in to steal Cobra or Stormy, eh?” questioned Arrow sulkily. Senorial smiled and looked over Arrow’s shoulder to call out to the two mares, one bay and one blue roan, knowing how much it would annoy the stallion.
“Hmm, and I still might be,” joked Senorial as Cobra took a step towards him again, but quickly spoke again at Arrow’s less than amused look. “No, really, I only wished to know how you had fared…”
“Fine, thank you very much,” snorted Arrow haughtily, looking over Senorial’s head. The silver colt just grunted and turned to leave.

He walked through the bush leaving no tracks and following none although somehow he was walking in the right direction to find his filly. Reina stood in silence, not even daring to breath as she heard another horse coming towards her hiding place in the vegetation. Suddenly a scent wafted to her and she immediately relaxed and stepped out: it was Senorial. He greeted her with a loving nip on the ear and they slowly made their way away from the other brumby bimbles.

The two were walking quite peacefully when suddenly Senorial stopped completely, his auds pricking as the hair down his spine stood right up. There was something in the bush to one side of them… something trying to tail them but making a bit too much noise to go unnoticed. Just as he had feared, suddenly a dun stallion, easily a five year old, sprang out in front of him.

The dun’s teeth were bared and his ears pinned back in an aggressive gesture and he immediately galloped at Senorial as if to attack. With a swift snort to Reina to get out of the way, the silver colt stepped lightly aside and the heavier dun went careering past, his teeth snapping on air instead of flesh. Like a dancing, swirling whirlwind, Senorial dodged in, nipped, struck, danced away and left the dun standing in bewilderment. The dun shook his head, gave an angry cry, and went charging for Senorial again. Senorial dodged, but not fast enough and still got a heavy blow to the shoulder which should have been a fatal strike to the head. The dun almost smiled as his blow hit hard but then it turned into a disappointed look as the silver colt reared up as if he had not been touched and brought his fore hooves down hard onto the dun’s back. The two fought in this fashion, with Senorial getting in light blows here and there but mostly keeping out of the way, and the dun getting even stupider in his anger.

Reina, hiding nearby, knew that it would be a close run thing with the dun being a good year or two older, but Senorial did not fight like a colt. He fought like a stallion and somehow she knew that somehow he would get out of this all right. Suddenly a shrill scream of pain rang through the air and she jumped, afraid that Senorial had been badly injured but instead she saw the silver colt walking majestically towards her, the dun laying alive but bloody and exhausted on the ground. She let out a little nicker of happiness, prancing around him proudly.

High up above them two mares and a stallion stood, watching the two silver horses with surprise. Arrow had tried to fight that dun for his gorgeous chestnut mare once and lost, but now Senorial the colt had beaten him? That could not be… should not be! Arrow should be the strongest stallion here. He should be able to easily beat the younger colt and steal that beautiful filly… he had been wanting to, but now he wasn’t so sure. Was it actually possible that Senorial was just as good fighter as he? Cobra nickered something in Stormy’s ear that even Arrow did not hear, but immediately the grey mare rose into a half rear and announced that Senorial had won a battle. Arrow turned around to give both her and Cobra a silencing nip.

Down below the stallion and his two mares, Senorial and Reina were trotting off back to their canyon, occasionally looking back to see if they were watched or followed. They were not.

Winter turned into Spring, that into Summer, Summer to Autumn and then Autumn to winter as Senorial grew. He had learned to fight like the greatest of stallions, defeating those who thought they were better than he and leaving those who accepted him as greater than they in peace. When the heavy snows of midwinter came around once more he was a proud four year old, a stallion, and the only one who still defied him was Arrow and the black stallion Darkness.

Reina was reluctant to see her stallion and her father fight, knowing that she would have to see one of the two stallions that had been most important to her either beaten or killed. If it came down to it she knew that she’d stick by Senorial, who had saved her life on several occasions, but she did not want to see Darkness killed.

Reina was thinking those exact thoughts as she and Senorial walked nearby the river Azul which upstream would cut through Arrow’s dark valley. Senorial was in an almost daydreaming state as he thought of an almost pure black mare he had seen nearby. She was stunning, beautiful even, but not as much as Reina. As he walked he was suddenly aware of eight hooves following his own, not just four… It wasn’t just Reina behind him – there was someone else! Immediately he spun around just in time to see a dapple-grey mare following him. It was Stormy, Arrow’s mare. He looked incredulously to Reina but she only grinned.

“Stormy… why do you follow me and not your stallion Arrow?” he asked, wondering if something had happened to his old friend. Stormy drew herself up to her full height, putting on a haughty expression before she answered.

“I shall be his wench no longer!” she snorted indignantly, “He does not love his mares, but treats them as trophies and his property. He forbade Cobra to leave but I snuck away. Do not send me back to him!” she finished off pleading.

Senorial looked around quickly before he answered the grey mare, slightly surprised. If he was lucky then he could get himself another mare here without actually having to steal her. “You are welcome to stay with Reina and I,” he answered, nodding his head as if in a bow. Stormy smiled widely, nodding, and took a step towards him just as a chestnut blur careered towards them. Senorial stepped back just in time as Arrow went flying past them, right into Reina! She squealed, more in surprise than pain but almost lost her footing and fell down onto one knee. Senorial sprang at the chestnut stallion, vaguely recognising it as Arrow, screaming with anger.

“Fool! No stallion hurts Reina!” he cried, and Arrow did not even get a chance to regain his balance before the silver stallion was upon him, striking down hard with fore hooves that gleamed like steel. After just one blow, Senorial backed off slightly, glaring at Arrow as if demanding that he explain himself.

“You stole Stormy from me!” hissed Arrow, getting to his feet quickly. He had fallen under Senorial’s blow, being already off balance. He glared at the mare and gave a jerk of his muzzle, summoning her to his side. Stormy threw up her head and stayed where she was.

“Firstly,” corrected Senorial angrily, “She ran away from you because she hates you. And secondly you just hurt my mare!” He drew himself up to his full height, which was now much the same size as Arrow who was a full year older. Arrow’s ears pinned back angrily as he bared his teeth to his old friend.

“She is still mine! You cannot have her and you never will! She is mine!” he snorted angrily and rose into a rear, bringing his forelegs down to strike Senorial’s shoulder hard. However, he came down on thin air. Senorial was no longer there, and now spinning around to strike him hard on the side of the head. The world span nauseatingly, and he backed away dizzily. There was no way he could win a fight against an opponent that he couldn’t even touch!
“I… You… Stormy, come here!” he stuttered, then regained his composure and turned to glare at the dappled grey mare, who only gave a haughty toss of her head and took a step away.

Senorial turned his head briefly to Reina, “You and Stormy should get back… I think this is going to turn into a real fight,” he muttered, and Reina immediately complied, giving Stormy a nudge to the shoulder before the two off them disappeared into the nearby greenery. Arrow instantly turned to make after them, but before he had the chance Senorial’s fore hooves were already coming down hard on his shoulder. He winced, unprepared for the blow, and turned to face his opponent. Already his shoulder was stiffening, and that would perhaps make it difficult to manoeuvre in battle. Before he had even though of a move to retaliate with, Senorial had darted in again, teeth bared as he aimed for a bite. Not to the neck, to try and crush the windpipe or rupture the jugular – Senorial was still very reluctant to badly injure or kill the stallion who had once been his friend – but a taunting, annoying and infuriating bite to the crest. Arrow turned, furious as Senorial had expected him to be, and swiftly turned to kick out at Senorial’s rump.

For the first time since the fight began, Senorial felt hard hooves come into contact with his pelt, and felt the warm trickle of blood running down his skin. He was not badly injured, but reminded that he should be careful or else he could lose not only Stormy, but Reina too. He could not imagine life without her. Perhaps it was these thoughts that evoked a flurry of motion in the young grey stallion, the thought of losing the filly who he cared about so much that made him fight with a fury such as Arrow had never seen before. The grey rose onto his hind legs and then, before his opponent could as much as think of landing a kick to his exposed stomach, launched himself forwards, bringing his hooves down hard on the angry chestnut’s back. Before Arrow could regain his balance, Senorial had sprang back, only to land a powerful kick to his shoulder. Arrow tottered for a few seconds, finally lost his balance and then fell. At once Senorial stood above him, one foreleg held poised in the air, ready to come crashing down upon the fallen stallion’s head, but it did not come down.

“I do not wish to kill you, Arrow. Will you accept defeat graciously or will I have to punish you further?” he questioned coldly, gazing down at the stallion. Arrow moved as if to roll aside and get to his feet, but Senorial placed the tip of his hoof to the side of his chestnut neck, exactly where the jugular vein would be. “Answer me,” he commanded simply.

“Alright, alright,” agreed Arrow quickly, eyeing the sharp tip of the grey stallion’s hoof in line with his neck. He wondered briefly why Senorial had not killed him, as it would have been so easy to do. But then, the colt who he had so often tried to intimidate in play had never given up, but never gotten angry either. He didn’t like to admit it, but couldn’t help but wonder if Senorial would one day be far greater than himself. He looked up to the young stallion once more, and saw Senorial gazing down calmly at him.

“Then you will let your mares choose whom they are to go with?” he questioned, head tilted slightly to one side. Anger rose up inside Arrow once more, but he was hardly in the position to do anything, and so when he replied his voice was forcefully calm.

“I believe this fight was over Stormy, and no other mare?” he spat, thinking back to Cobra who would be waiting gloomily in his valley. He had forbidden her to leave, forbidden her to go with any other stallion, and so she was safe from rivals who might want to steal her.

“Ah, of course. I was just thinking that Cobra might want a chance at freedom, too?” he smiled serenely, and the looked up at someone who was obviously behind Arrow. “What do you think, Cobra?” Arrow turned his head slightly, and saw his bay mare standing several feet behind him. An angry cry left his throat, but he was quickly subdued by the ever-looming prescience of that sharp hoof lingering just millimetres from his throat.

Cobra grinned cheerfully, “Sounds good to me. I’d be delighted to leave this possessive, obsessive stallion behind,” she snorted, with a pleased toss of her well-built head. Arrow moved as if to get up, but was once again quelled by a glare from Senorial.
“Remember, Arrow. I could easily have killed you today, but I have shown you mercy. You should remember that if we meet in the future. You will now allow your mares to either come with me if they wish,” Cobra gave a nod of her head, and Senorial smiled much to Arrow’s disgust, “Or to stay here with you,” Stormy stuck her head from the nearby wooded area and gave a derisive laugh. Grudgingly, Arrow gave a nod of his head and Senorial backed off, a call sent out to Reina and, he realised with a pleased little jolt of surprise, his two new mares.

“Come,” he smiled as Reina pranced out from between the trees, and Stormy and Cobra came up behind, “We shall go tonight to my canyon, and see about new lands tomorrow,” he set off through the rugged mountain terrain at a high stepping trot, the three mares following behind him. Reina glowed with pride for Senorial, remembering him as a colt as he saved her from falling off a cliff, and now seeing him and realising that he must be one of the greatest stallions in the land.

The sun had fully set when at last the four brumbies came to what had been named Estrella Canyon, still lead by Senorial. The young stallion gazed contentedly at his herd as they grazed, but there was a niggling trouble there, too. He knew that his canyon had been fine when it was just Reina and himself, but now there were two more horses that would need to graze and run here, and he honestly didn’t think there would be room if he invited just one more mare to come with him. He would need to find new lands… and though he was not afraid now to fight for somewhere to graze his herd, he would rather not. As he stood there, resting a hind hoof and watching the peaceful antics of the three mares, an idea came to him. What if he could find new lands? He did not just mean find an unclaimed patch of forest near the cliffs, but a whole new area that had not felt the imprint of a brumby hoof before? This idea grew on him during the night, and so by morning he was rather eager to run it through Reina, to see what she thought.

“You mean, find somewhere completely new?” she asked, voice a mixture of excitement and curiosity the next morning when Senorial had explained his ideas to her.

He nodded quickly, eyes searching her own in an attempt to decipher her real thoughts, “Yes, it will be ours and ours alone. What do you think?” he asked, his gaze hopeful as it swept across her snowy form. Reina seemed to consider for a moment before she replied.

“It sounds wonderful,” she smile in an encouraging way, but then the smile faded as she thought of the technicalities, “But of course, things don’t just sort themselves out, do they?” Senorial put his head to one side, a questioning look in his eyes, “Well, I mean we’ll have to look around for a land, won’t we?”

“Ah, yes, that is of course true. We might have to travel for some time before we found somewhere suitable, but what of it? Travelling is always far more interesting than staying in the same place every day of the year,” The young grey stallion replied, tone obviously hopeful that Reina would take to the idea. While he spoke, Cobra had steadily crept closer and closer without really being noticed at all, until Senorial suddenly looked around to find that the bay brumby had suddenly seemed to appear right at his side. A look of interest was on her face, and so it was clear that she had been listening to what he was discussing with Reina.

“Well personally I think that it is a wonderful idea,” she piped up without being asked for her opinion. Reina looked round at her in surprise. Obviously she too had not noticed the mare creeping closer. A smile spread on Senorial’s maw, and he turned to Reina once more. He wanted to know if she wanted to go ahead with it before he said that it was definite.

“Like I said, having a completely new land sounds wonderful, and though we may have to travel for quite a while to find suitable lands, the travelling would certainly be interesting, too. If you want to do this, then I am with you,” she said when his attention was turned back to her. Senorial’s faint smile turned into a grin, and Cobra trotted away cheerfully, probably to tell Stormy what had been decided.

So, when spring came around once more Senorial and his three mares set out eagerly from the secluded canyon to find somewhere new to call their home. As Reina had warned, it was indeed a long journey. For the first two days they travelled with light hearts and with much cavorting and playfulness, but with every land they passed through without any success their good mood lessened slightly.

They had been travelling for only a week or so when something happened that changed the herd life completely: Reina foaled a little colt, a silver dun who looked very much like a male version of his grandmother. For the first time, Reina thought back to the herd and life she had left. Her mother might think she had been killed, or that she had been stolen away by some terrible stallion. Of course, not once did she rue coming away with Senorial, but she could not help wondering. Would her sweet mother, Huyana, ever get to see her grandson? Would they ever find lands, or would they be forever wanderers, to never settle down with somewhere to call home? She began to fret and worry, and was often seen speaking pleadingly to her mate by Stormy and Cobra as they tried not to eavesdrop.

“Our son cannot grow up travelling like this. Please, we must find somewhere to make our home even if it is not as we have dreamed. Just until he is grown,” she was heard to say one evening. Senorial looked anguished for a few seconds; gazing down at the little colt they had named Calenyar. It was true that this eternal wandering was wearing out the youngster, and perhaps somehow they would soon find the perfect place… He could only hope, and agree with Reina.

Unfortunately, Senorial’s hopes did not come true. He did not find the lands he had dreamed of claiming, but he did find a patch of territory down near the great Murray River. It was nothing special, but had some decent grazing and of course the river, so he compromised and agreed that they would stay in the lands until Calenyar had grown. However, it turned out that Calenyar would not get the chance to grow into a stallion in those lands.

The dark silver colt sprang lightly atop a boulder and stood there for a moment, his ebony mane cascading down onto his shoulder in a princely fashion. Senorial looked up just in time to see the light catch his son’s body and show him off majestically. If he could work his face in the same way as humans do, an amused grin would have spread across his nearly black muzzle. It seemed as if the colt would be a great stallion in the years to come, and he was already showing that quality. He was just beginning to lapse into his own thoughts when a sudden whinny from Cobra caught his attention.

Calenyar sprang down from the rock only to rise into a half rear, batting his forelegs only millimetres from his sire’s chest. Senorial’s gaze swept quickly across the area. He could not see any sign of Cobra, who had called, and so his attention turned back to his son. With a playful snort, he rose onto his hind legs in a mock battle position.
“Now, Calenyar, I shall teach you how to fight…” he began, but he was cut off by yet another shrill whinny, this time accompanied by the frantic thundering of hooves. Four hooves came back to the ground as he observed a bay mare, Cobra, galloping towards him as if her life depended on it. Perhaps it did…

“Senorial! We must flee!” she called to him, and did not slow or stop. Instead she turned quickly on her haunches to bolt to where Reina and Stormy had been grazing peacefully, but now stood watching the goings on with curiosity. Senorial did not have to ask the question ‘flee from what?’ because just at that moment a most peculiar scent reaches his flared nostrils. The scent of horses reached him, but it was also overlaid, or entwined with the scent of… humans! In a split second Senorial had spun around and leapt into an instant gallop, his small herd quickly following suit.

Just a little way behind them, there rode two men on horseback. One was seated on a large bay, and the other on a lithe chestnut. Behind these two there was one more, with a trailer attached to the back of his car. For a minute they simply followed behind the fleeing herd, watching how the horses moved and then picking out the one for whom their lassos would fly. They picked the elegant, almost pure white mare, Reina. At a signal from the rider, the swift chestnut horse sprang forwards, lengthening it’s stride into a gallop, it’s fore hooves reaching before it to tear up the ground. The distance between the white mare and he was slowly growing smaller, and within a minute or two she would be in range of the lasso.

Senorial surged forwards at the front of the group, the long-legged Stormy close behind, Cobra a little way after her and Reina with the colt at her side bringing up the rear. The white mare looked fearfully over her shoulder as she galloped, just in time to see the ropes flying out, right towards her. One hit her hindquarters and slid off to the side, and the other missed completely, landing on the floor beside her. She was about to breathe out a sigh of relief when Calenyar’s small hoof landed right in the middle of the lasso. As he moved his leg forwards to take the next stride, it tightened suddenly around his pastern and he stumbled.

Reina could only watch with horror as her colt lost his balance, tried to catch himself, but then ploughed headfirst into the ground. A pleased cry from one of the humans could be heard behind her, and she hesitated. What could she do to save her son? How could she free him? Stormy looked back behind, only to see the foal on the ground and Reina hated beside him. What’s more, the men would be upon them in seconds. A shrill scream left her throat, directed at Reina.

“Don’t be a fool! Gallop for your life, the foal is down, you cannot help him now!” she screamed. It sounded harsh to Reina, who stood hesitating while her eyes would have filled with tears, but the words were true. There was no point in getting herself caught, no point in loosing her own freedom. But still, could she not do anything to save young Calenyar? A sharp nip to her neck brought her back to the present; Stormy had doubled back in an attempt to get her moving. She gave a toss of her head and broke into a half-hearted gallop beside the darker grey mare.

“Faster!” screamed Stormy in her ear, and suddenly she understood the danger of the situation; the men were perhaps only a hundred metres behind and looked as if they still wanted Reina, or perhaps the whole herd. She pushed herself faster into a headlong gallop, and could only hope that the ground ahead would be clear. She would not… could not… look behind her, and so focused on the hindquarters of Senorial as he galloped a few metres ahead.

After perhaps ten minutes, she could no longer hear the thudding of shod hooves behind her and so dared a look. Although she could barely see through the trees and vegetation, she imagined that she saw a trailer pulling away, a horse loaded in the back. A shrill cry of mixed terror and anger reached her pricked ears, and she knew that it was Calenyar as he was driven away by the men. He would not go free… he would not know the joys of running freely across snowy slopes, trotting along on a summer evening with the scent of eucalyptus all around you. He would never learn to be a terrific fighter as his sire, never feel the excitement of claiming his first mare.

Reina had to forget these thoughts, could not let them run her life. Run – that’s what she would do. As long as she kept running, galloping as fast as she could, then perhaps she could escape the guilt and the grief. She did not notice when Senorial, Stormy and Cobra slowed to a trot, did not notice their curious calls after her as she kept up the headlong gallop, did not even take heed when Senorial came dashing after her as fast as he could go.

Soon she began to tire, for they had been galloping for some time away from the wranglers, and her stallion, her mate, her love came up alongside her.

“Reina…” he began in soft tones, obviously meant to comfort, “There was nothing you could do… Nothing any of us could have done. He is gone, and we must accept that,” his gaze was diverted to the ground; he was obviously upset about the loss of Calenyar, too. Reina slowed to a trot, and then halted completely. Senorial quickly copied to stay by her side.

“But my foal… our foal… he is gone,” she choked out. Horses do not cry as we humans do, but if they did, she would have been sobbing uncontrollably. As a filly, she had always found pleasure in looking after the younger foals, playing with them and teaching them to some extent. When their mothers wanted to graze, she had been there to ‘baby-sit’. Now, just when she had thought that she had the perfect foal of her own to teach, to look after and to play with, he had been snatched away from her. “I loved playing with and teaching the foals before I met you. I thought I had my own, but then he was taken away from me,”

Senorial thought quickly, wondering what he could say to comfort Reina, but nothing came to mind. The only thing he could think of would be to promise her a perfect foal, but of course that was both disrespectful to her, and something that he could not promise that she would get. Besides, they had all seen what happened when a foal was in the herd while they were travelling, and he did not wish for a repeat of that experience.

And so, when summer turned to Autumn the brumbies had steadily been moving south, and were now almost at the Alps. Around them the vegetation grew sparser, and some turned a queer golden colour. The season was slowly wearing on, and the first snows of winter had arrived by the time they came to the Southern end of the Alps; they had not felt the need to rush their journey.

It was during a flurry of snow, when the white flakes were clinging to the lashes of the four equines, when a land was finally found. Not one of them had thoughts of the ‘dream land’ that Senorial had often spoken about on their minds, and they were all far more concerned about pushing through the ever-deepening snow. Senorial was ploughing on ahead of the mares, cutting a track through deep drifts. Cobra and Stormy matched his hoof beats precisely, trusting his judgement. Reina followed behind, more nervous than the others for her second foal would be born in a few weeks, and mares in foal or with foals at foot are often more cautious.

Stormy and Cobra were both keen to find shelter from the snow, and Reina was just about ready to fall down and sleep, when Senorial suddenly stopped, his mouth slightly opened. The mares behind him could not see the view that he marvelled in, but to him the country that stretched before him was oh so like the dreams he had had. High in the mountains, there was a spring. The water from that spring bubbled down to eventually form a river which ran right down parallel to The Murray River, but closer to the spring, the lands would be perfect. There was good grazing, the bubbling spring, and no other horses in that area to disturb them. The lands below and around probably homed others of his species, but this… this was perfect.

Reina moved forwards to stand at her mate’s side, and a low whistle escaped her lips as her eyes swept over the area. She had not had dreams of the perfect lands that they hoped to get to, but Senorial had described his to her, and this looked an awful lot like what he had said. Without so much as a word to each other, each horse knew that these lands would be perfect, and that they would make them their home.

Spring came very late to the Southern Alps that year, so, some weeks later when Reina’s foal was born, flurries of snow still covered the grass in a glistening carpet of white. Stormy stood close to Reina as she lay on the snow; Cobra and Senorial had been standing a little way behind, not wanting to take away Reina’s privacy. At last, when the silver mare got to her feet, they walked forwards to see her.

A small, but not tiny, snow-white filly lay at her side. As Senorial nickered soft congratulations to Reina, the filly struggled up onto her knees, pushing her little body upwards on legs that seemed far too long for her body. Several times she lurched forwards, or fell to the side, but it did not take long and she was standing on long, pale legs. Taking an unsteady step forwards to her dam’s side, she began to nurse. The whole herd was filled with a feeling of contentment, watching the first foal born in their new lands, and knowing that she, like all of them, would be safe here.

THE END.

So I'm going to post my Estrella Brumbies Stories!