Warreeah and Angel, meanwhile, escaped the herd of the Night Runners and the ivory stallion Kambigo Wunda, but had to remain in hiding on the Pilot for the remainder of the year, unwilling to bring the wrath of Kambigo back onto Whirlwind and Barega and Burra, as they assumed Burra would be back. And while they waited, Warreeah thought she saw a stallion of the breed of the Moon, looking down into their hanging valley. But he was not there when she blinked.
A brumby run started in the south, planned to capture Yaraan, followed the white grey Snowgum Stallion northwards as he drew them away from his home. They lost him somewhere a little north of the Pilot, but followed an iron grey for a while that led them onto Stockwhip Hill, where Nillam-Jerryl the descendant of Whiteface (who along with the chunky bay of the Brindle Bull killed Stormus' dam, Corowa of Stockwhip Gap's favourite mare) ran. The big white-faced blue dun rabicano roan was captured, as were quite a few other brumbies, but the Silver Herd managed to escape the drive altogether. The iron grey took over Stockwhip Hill and Jerryl's herd.
Stormus, having come from the head of the Cascades around the start of winter to meet Yaraan in the south and tell him of the new way of the Silver Herd, brought Barega's mares back to him and told the Tin Mine herd about the Sky Stallions' plans for the Silver Herd, and the allies they were amassing, and collected Eerin, his blue mare. He met up with his sire in Stockwhip and learnt of the drive, and returned to his bimble to find the dun Made horse Woorak coming with a filly he had apparently got from a truck that slid on the icy road that cut across Dead Horse Gap.
Woorak had almost been hit by the truck, which careened off the road into the tourist information sign that stood in the snow by the Gap, and in the back had been several horses. The dun kept three out, one for himself and each of his fellow Made horses, and sent the others flying.
While Stormus had been sent south, Ku-Taroo went north, with Woorak's perlino yearling son, Goolara Goonama, where they were meant to find the grandson of Stars, son of Barega's old American ally, Cheval the dark classic champagne stud. Though they did not find Brael Brael at first, they did stumble across the banished blue dun, Kaurun. He reluctantly allowed them to stay with him awhile, remembering his old friend Ku-Taroo a little more fondly than he did some others. And the blue-cream dun outlaw offered to watch Goolara while Ku-Taroo found Brael. He told Goolara of his exploits, impressing the young colt as he knew it would, and in a way drawing the perlino under his influence. Ku-Taroo became worried, but when he told the perlino it was time to go home, Goolara wanted to go back instead with Kaurun, who said he was going that way anyway. Not realising the meaning or impact behind this statement, Ku-Taroo reluctantly agreed, and hurried home to tell the Silver Herd about Goolara's disturbing behaviour. Meanwhile, Kaurun explained the reason for his journey back south to Goolara. He told the young perlino about all the horrors he had seen, and the trauma inflicted on him right from birth by his dam. He was going to put right another thing, he said. And he listened to Goolara complain about his own sire, and asked why he did not kill him and take his place. Goolara discovered Kaurun's ruthlessness and commitment to his bloody cause was more than he could summon in himself, and reacted in fear, fleeing. Kaurun was scathing and didnt really care that the colt had proved weak in his eyes, and killed his own dam Najanburr where she slept in the valley of the Sky Stallions in the dead of night. Just before she died she heard the very night whisper in her ear 'You knew I was coming. You knew from the day I was born.'. The joint herds of the Sky Stallions woke in terror to find the blood-stained body of Najanburr, and no trace of who it could have been. Tensions rose, and the waters rose around them as spring began to think about coming back. Najanburr had been carrying a foal.
Kargaruk and his herd had moved lower down the Murray for the winter as grazing became a little scarce for his mares in foal, but when they headed back for their spring bimble they found the Murray flooded, and were trapped on the western bank, waiting for the waters to calm.
Nangy, in the Leatherbarrel, watched over the mares, and Yangoora and Yarawuri prepared as spring came back round to go home to their Sky Stallions, as Cooloma was becoming a healthy yearling who ran often with Buck's daughter Wirrijung and Woorak's daughter Sunkiss. But there were two little fillies in the deep green valley whose hearts were making things difficult for them. One, Nangy's Littlest, was deeply in love with the Wind Whisperer, who had vowed not to run with another mare since his beloved black-and-white herd had perished trying to live his wild life. But the little black tovero was too sweet, and he could not help but allow her to accompany him on some of his last runs across the mountains before spring came. He called her Chicha, little one, and adored her with all his great ancient heart. But he knew they could not remain together. So when spring came, and the snow started to melt, he knew he had to give her to the one he most trusted to look after her, and leave the area for good, if she was ever to live a long and happy life. He was old, anyway, he thought, and he could live out his last days running wild and free through the bald windy mountains he loved so much.
The other filly who was led wrong by her heart, to some degree (though her choice was excellent she was too late!) was Woorak's little daughter Barn. For she was besotted with the old gent Nangy, whose last foal was the black tovero, Barn's only close friend. Barn would never bear the silver paint's foal, but she loved him more than she could clearly articulate. So she and Nangy's Littlest had a dilemma, and neither even knew yet that their legendary loves were doomed from the start.
And Buck was still missing...
