BABIES... and battle.

[tingara]

Dilali sighed and began to nuzzle Baramay who greatfully nuzzled back, happy to have the company of a friend. Both of them dropped their heads to graze through the half-melted snow. Everytime Garrong made a noise or shifted his weight Baramay would jump and her head would fly up in alarm. Each time this happened Dilali gave a low comforting whinny that would calm the on edge liver chestnut down.

Dilali rolled her eyes.
"You're acting childish Kinta," she snorted, "and for your information Yeranda is the son of the brute over there." She motioned towards Garrong before returning to her grazing.

Poor Yeran just wanted to play with his half-sister. He peered up at Kinta, confused and then whinnied for Pirilah to come back. Giving up for now, he wandered back to his mother and began suckling greedily.

[Tiggs]

A light snow flurry began chasing through the nooks and crannies of the High Country, diving into valleys only to find no escape and having to divert into upward spirals and willywillys. The flakes of snow danced on the wind, helpless to their destination though barely finding a purchase on the land with their turbulent journey whisking them back and forth. The air was cold, a frigid blast that ruffled the fur and drove most into the shelter of the trees. Except one.

Nevada was almost jubilant as he returned to the Brolga's country after a winter avoiding the place of his massive defeat. High stepping along the empty valley in which he had last seen the Black - unknown to him that his opponent had migrated to a valley higher up - Nevada lifted his head and trumpeted a challenge to the stallion who had stolen his mares. The wind whipped around him, lifting his long mane and twisting it into tendrils that flapped about his neck and face. The white stallion was happy in this element, knowing the snow could break up his outline and give him the greatest advantage against the black.

Having felt the last snowstorm of the season coming on, Nevada had picked his moment well to challenge the Black for the mares he had stolen from him. The Black had attacked in full darkness, using his own element against Nevada. The grey thought it only fair he return the favour, but he would hardly stage an ambush. He would conduct this properly, and he would win back Dilali and Baramay. Screaming again his challenge to the wind, he hoped the call would carry to the ears of his rival and that he would answer.

Nevada had recovered well over the winter. His lame leg was sound again, and he owed it to one of the few words of wisdom that his mother had passed on before they parted ways. In winter, the snow underfoot will numb pain. If you find yourself with an injury, do not be fooled when it seems healed when you are no longer pain. The snow will lie to you, and you would only lame yourself further by putting undue weight on the limb. Keep limping, even though it feels fine, you won't regret it later. Nevada had done just that, and he was rewarded with a perfectly healed joint.

The white stallion had thought he would be a nervous wreck by now, but the snow gave him confidence, and his bravado was supplemented by the adrenaline slowly seeping into his bloodstream. He knew he would win this. He would be the victor today.

[Illu]

And there it was. Speak of the devil and he shall come.

Garrong neighed for Dilali and Baramay to come. He could already see their excited faces in his head and because of that couldn’t bring himself to look at them. He felt disgusted, though if this sensation was directed at himself or Nevada he wasn’t certain. He just slapped on a cool, businesslike exterior and started trotting hurriedly in the direction of Nevada’s challenge with no thought as to energy expenditure. He’d won last time, right? There was no point replying, he was sticking to the stealth game.

The call seemed to come from the lower valleys, and as Garrong got closer he found himself slowing up, looking at the sky with a look of concern. Snow. Winter was over. Why was it snowing? Thowra was said to control the weather, but surely Nevada was no blood-relative, and if he had the power to control the elements, he surely would have done so during their last battle. Garrong shook his head in annoyance to get the snow out of his mane before continuing, trying to shake the thought out of his head along with it. But still, the turn of events made him uneasy.

As the white horse came into view Garrong wasn’t pleased. He’d hoped to jump out at the silver wisp again, but Nevada had gone and planted himself in a very good vantage point where he couldn’t be surprised. For a moment, he considered saying something, then decided against it. It was better to remain a mysterious entity in the eyes of the grey. If Nevada wanted to talk, then perhaps.

Sliding back into the aggressive posture he was well used to, Garrong slowly wandered forwards to where he could be seen like a slinking wraith, making no challenge call first to announce himself. Immediately he noticed a few things. One, Nevada was definitely older, certainly almost in his prime if he wasn’t already, and two, the snow was already making him harder to spot. Today would not be a good fight, and the trickle of worry returned again as he prepared for the greys first move.

[tingara]

Snow began to fall and Dilali, Baramay and especially Yeran looked up in wonder. Spring normally ment the melt was starting, not more snow.
Dilali's coat twitched and every fibre of her being stood on end. There was something coming, she could feel it. As the wind blew into the mares' faces it bore a call they'd longed to hear for many months, the call of Nevada.
Instantly they were off hurrying through the snow after Garrong leaving poor Yeran looking mightily confused. The two mares' hearts were in their mouths, this could spell the end for Nevada.

Poor Yeran called desperately after Dilali and then lumbered pathetically after them wondering what the hell was going on.

[Tiggs]

Nevada watched attentively as the light snow continued to rush across the open valley. No call returned his challenge, but Nevada was sure the Black would hear him. If he had indeed found another grazing spot, Nevada would have to start searching for him and he didn't want to do that. He would wait here, hoping the black had heard him. Would he be cowardly without his night to shroud him and refuse to answer? Nevada pawed the icy ground with a fore-hoof, tossing his head with a snort. He was impatient to begin.

Eventually, the Black emerged from the trees up ahead, and Nevada got his first good look at him. He was stocky, with thick legs and feathered feet. No part of his pelt was paled with brown or white markings; it was no wonder he had been invisible in the dark. On his vantage point, Nevada called another shrill challenge, impatiently shifting his weight and displaying his lack of injuries to intimidate his opponent. He could see shapes moving behind the other stallion, and Nevada reared up in excitement as she made out Dilali and Baramay's familiar shapes in the whirling snow. Keeping his vantage point, Nevada goaded the other stallion to attack first.

[yaruka]

Another silver stallion moved through the storm that night. He too, used the snow too his advantage, slipping silently along the edge of the trees towards the soon-to-be battlefield. He emerged on a hill overlooking the scene, there was Nevada at the bottom, screaming his challenge. And then came the giant black the birds had spoke of. Thambaroo watched with wise eyes, it wasn't often he left the seclusion of his own territory, but he had felt he shouldn't miss a flight like this. Looking up at the grey sky, which promised still more snow, Thambaroo melted back into the trees, a silent ghost. Neither stallion had noticed him, they were both too focused on the fight ahead. Thambaroo reflected as he stood waiting, on the possible outcome of the fight. Garrong was strong, and he had won last time, but Nevada had something more to lose, and had already suffered defeat at the hooves of the giant black. Thambaroo was certain he would be eager to prove himself this time round. And this time, the fight was to Nevada's advantage. Thambaroo was certain that this would be Nevada's fight to win.

[Illu]

Garrong had been certain Nevada’s intention would be to barge down at him, but the white stallion was obviously trying to play it clever. That was annoying; it was always easier to be allowed to be attacked first so you could work out how to avoid it and strike back. Last time was an exception, Nevada hadn’t been ready for him, and this time Garrong wasn’t going to give the horse a chance to dodge or sidestep him.

Nevada was showing off, trying to get him to make the first move, and although Garrong promised himself he wouldn’t rise to the bait Nevada was definitely starting to agitate him. At that moment, the white stallion represented every ill ever done to him and to others at the mercy of a silver hoof. The restraint he was showing was obvious and barely concealed, his veins were dilated, eye-whites were showing and the look he was giving Nevada was nothing short of pure malice. In an attempt to get the creamy to either strike or at least become momentarily distracted enough to give himself a shot, he carefully moved off to the right in order not to hide the two mares, and making Dilali’s foal and Baramay’s new bulk plainly obvious.

[Tiggs]

The Black seemed hesitant to advance, and Nevada teased him with a mocking whinny. Lifting his tail high and arching his neck proudly, the grey stallion danced another circle, far out of range of the Black. Nevada was having quite a lot of fun taunting the Black, but is amusement faded when he saw Dilali and Baramay clearly. The Black had covered them both. Dilali already had a miniature black foal at her side and Baramay was clearly gestating another. He hardly blamed his mares for that, but he couldn't contain a scream of rage directed at the other stallion.

The white stallion was suddenly all business. He lowered his head, plastered his ears back and started to advance slowly. He still wanted to draw his enemy out, but so that Dilali and Baramay would be at a safe distance. Blowing hard though his nostrils, Nevada waited for the Black to meet him half way. The was no more teasing or prancing, this was it. The real show was beginning.

[tingara]

Dilali shrank back horrified. She was so sick of the fighting. Inside her a call she been longing to give to Nevada was beginnig to build up. With much effort she repressed it.

Yeron on the other hand began to imitate his father and issued a challeng of his own at Nevada. This was going to be complicated if Nevada won.

Baramay watched on too. She was the happiest she'd been in months at the sight of Nevada. She barely registered the extra weight she'd put on, practically dismissing the fact she was pregnant.

[Illu]

Well, that worked. The grey was no longer dancing and teasing, Nevada was angry, which was exactly what Garrong wanted. Rising to the challenge, he approached Nevada, not even hearing his little sons challenge. The colt had only just arrived to the herd and his awaking to the reality of life had already begun. By now the black horse had realised Nevada wasn’t going to strike first, so he waited until they were both in striking distance to rear up and lunge forwards, trying to strike a blow at Nevada’s forehead.

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