Read Online Silver Brumby Kingdom by Elyne Mitchell - Free Book Online Page B

churned-up grassy flat was empty, and her heart gave a jolt inside her. Had she lost Baringa again, when, in a way, she had barely found him? But no! The two stallions had backed to the trees, one on each side of the grassy flat, and were regaining breath and strength. They were each bloodstained in places, but neither of them were much hurt. Perhaps they might go on fighting so long that Bolder, the killer, might find himself exhausted before he could kill. However, when the fight started again. Bolder was making a much more determined attack — and much nastier. He had apparently got tired of trying to wear Baringa down.
    Baringa did not seem worried.
    They fought on and on. Twice Bolder got a strong grip with his teeth: twice Baringa flung him off. Several times Baringa got a grip of Bolder, and each time he was thrown off. They were too evenly matched, but it had become quite clear that if Baringa made a single mistake, Bolder would kill him.
    By the time the sun had passed its zenith, it was also becoming clear that it might be necessary for Baringa to kill Bolder.
    Yarolala was becoming desperate. Here, on this little tree-encircled flat, there was no place for Baringa to force Bolder off a cliff, as she knew Thowra had done to a horse called Arrow, years ago. Here, on the snowgrass, he was going to have to kill him with his own hooves, his own teeth, and if he did not do it, now, she was sure he would be killed by Bolder himself, and the crows would eat the flesh from his bones.
    The stallions fought and fought. The sun dropped lower into a band of cloud. Several times they drew back and watched each other, their breath seeming to batter throats and chests, their blood running more freely now from bites and kicks. Sometimes they drank from the small creek. Yarolala could tell that Baringa had become angry. After all, he had done nothing to earn the savageness of Bolder’s attack.
    At last both horses were nearing exhaustion. Once Baringa slipped, and Bolder’s fierce onslaught made it even clearer that he would kill if he was not killed or severely damaged himself.
    The snowgrass was torn up and the loose soil flew in dust all around. The horses were fighting desperately, each trying to finish off the fight before complete exhaustion claimed him. In the fading light, the rose-red of the sky coloured the dusty air. Blood coloured the horses. Suddenly Bolder made a gigantic spring. He had Baringa: he was pressing him to the ground.
    Panic seized Yarolala. It seemed certain that Baringa would be killed. Just as she had found him, a horse who had no reason to fight him was going to kill him . . . but Baringa rose with all his strength and shook Bolder off.
    For quite a while Baringa made no attack, but rested, just keeping himself from being damaged. Bolder must have thought he was becoming really exhausted because he redoubled his efforts to kill. Yarolala could see that Baringa had recovered a little.
    At last Bolder made a rather wild rush at him. Baringa moved very slightly to one side and then swung round and fastened on to Bolder’s wither. This time he had him too firmly to be shaken off, but the two horses still struggled on in the rosy dust. Evening came and they were still locked together, though not moving as much. It was impossible far the terrified Yarolala to see which horse had a grip of the other. It was dark when she saw the two shadow horses sink to the ground and then fall apart, their limbs setting in strange attitudes.
    Hidden amongst the trees, Yarolala gave an anguished call. She stood there, shaking, for some minutes, bat the two shapes of horses never moved, and already seemed to be taking on the rigidity of death.
    Suddenly, possessed by horror, Yarolala turned and started to gallon away from the smell of dust and blood, and from the two bodies.

Seven
    Yarolala needed all the courage of the Yarraman breed — all the brains too. Horror and fear must be kept under control. She stopped her mad