The Takahe Stud

Press, 22 July 1976, Page 13

The Takahe Stud

I

RAPHAEL J. MACLOUGHLIN

Episode 3

“No sign of blood. My bullet missed him last night,” said Garth. They knelt in the frosthardened snow, looking at the tracks of Blacknose. “Look at the length and spread of the toes, we might as well have trailed a wolf. What’s worse, some huntaways have joined up with him.” Penny, knowing what a marauding pack could do, asked: “What about the appaloosa, Dad?”

“Too dangerous to search the mountain now, with all this snow, and we can’t follow Blacknose. The cunning brute has broken'his trail by taking to where the snow has melted.” In the weeks that followed, Garth took advantage of the clearing snow but his men, despite repeated searching of the mountains. reported only failure.

However, if there was no word of the appaloosa, the name Blacknose fell from the lips of many angry sheepfarmers. The dog and his followers were unpredictable ; they attacked stations miles apart, both in the day and at night. Mute evidence of their passing were the lifeless forms and bloody trails.

Trevor Parker brought his helicopter round and circled the mountain terrain below him once more. “Still no sign of Blacknose and his pack.” he radiod in. “I’ll keep searching.”

Meanwhile, Thunder had grown stronger: long legs could support the fattening body, when he got to his feet, that is. As the snow was clearing off the plains, the stallion decided they should rejoin the other horses at the Stud.

It was an exciting journey for Thunder. The feel of snow under hoof, the warmth of the sun, even the rustling of breezeblown trees, were all new to him. But he had yet to experience fear, the sensation that causes some animals to freeze with terror, thereby becoming for the hunter, an easy victim.

Trevor Parker turned his machine full circle ince more. "Definitely no sign of dogs,” he radioed, “but there are two horses and a colt heading down towards the plains.” The whirl of the blades faded, and from the shelter of some trees, cruel eyes watched until the helicopter was no more than a speck in the distance.

By now, the mare followed by the colt had reached some level ground. Sensing something wrong, she stopped, nervously threshing the snow. The colt just stood transfixed by it knew not what. Thunder was experiencing fear, as Blacknose and his followers burst forth, loping across the clearing, blood lust rising as each step brought them nearer their prey.

To be continued)