So, for a long time I have LOVED Snowy River, and now here is my Snowy River Fanfic

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Chapter 1

The black stallion reared and roared with a viciousness that echoed around the entire valley, bouncing off the trees and cliffs, to make another roar back at him. He came back down and stood still, silhouetted against the black, night sky, illuminated by the moon behind him. He sniffed the air, and it told him all he needed to know, that this was his night, the night as black as him, that made him almost invisible, the night of the Australian high country. He shook his head and pawed the ground, rejoicing in his strength, a beautiful huge stallion in the prime of his life, a treasure to be hunted at all costs, but his heart had already been spoken for. He reared again, neighing a challenge in the crisp night, then listening for the reply.

The stallion stayed at his post over the valley the entire night, noting the new fences below. He snorted as he looked at them in the valley he and his mares thought theirs. He stamped his hoof as he realized what it meant, and tossed his mane in contempt. There was no way that another human was going to catch him for themself. He already had a master, and he loved her dearly. There was nothing that could keep him from her, nothing on earth at all.

As the morning light began to chase away the darkness of the night, the stallion stood on his rock, his face towards the rising sun. This was his day too, a day to run as fast as the wind with his mares, a day to enjoy life, a day to do as he pleased. Blinking as he watched the sunrise that warmed the fur that rippled over his muscles, he couldn't help but feel that life was perfect. He stood, silhouetted against the sun for a minute, drinking in its beauty, then reared again and whinnied. He snorted as he came back down, then raced off the ridge towards the camp where his master was, oblivious to the man who had been watching his every move all night.

The rising sonlight teased Josie out of her sleep as it poured through into the makeshift shelter she had made. She rolled over on the leaf bed she had slept on and yawned deeply before she sat up. 'How did you sleep, Lass?' she asked the collie dog beside her. Lass whined and licked Josie's cheek, earning a laugh from the girl. 'I take it you slept well then.' she gave the dog a friendly pat, then proceed to roll up her bedroll, even though she was planning to stay there at least a week, but it was just a habit she had, and she never broke habits. She made a contented smile as she finished her work, then got up and walked over to where her mare was tied. 'Morning Trigger.' she said as she patted the dapple grey. Trigger nudged her gently, asking to have her oats. 'No oats today girl, unless we steal some. You'll have to eat grass today.' she chuckled as she let the mare loose to graze. 'Don't wander off too far.' she warned the mare, then proceeded to take care of the dying fire, so she could cook her breakfast of rabbit she had shot the day before.

As the rabbit cooked, Josie sat in the solitude of the mountains, enjoying the sound of the birds singing mingled with the sound of her mare eating, the fire crackling, and her dog beside her, panting softly. It gave her time to think, time to plan what to do next, where to go. She knew she could never return home, or what was her home now that her horrible uncle had taken it over. She had lived with her grandmother till her passing, her parents dying in an bank robbery when she was six, and saw them killed. She loved her grandma, but when she passed and her uncle had moved in, she knew she wasn't welcome there, not welcomed by his rich wife or children. It had been the last straw for her when she had overheard what they were planning on doing with her after she had tried to take off the first time but had been caught and whipped, constantly being beaten and starved had taken its toll on her patience. The scars had since long healed, but she still nursed the resentment towards him. How was she to know that his son would follow her and break his leg, and perhaps never walk again. She was determined to never be sent to an poorhouse and separated from her pets, and so in the dead of night, still injured from her last whipping, she had taken off, fleeing into the high country she now thought of as her home. It was a harsh, unforgiving part of the country, but the mountains had called to her, and she had answered. She loved the high country, loved the solitude and the beauty of the towering mountains in the morning sonlight.

She was thinking of all these things when she heard a horse approaching and quickly snapped out of it. Grabbing her gun, she stood up, only to lower it when the leaves parted and the brumby stallion walked through.

Josie waited for him to approach, in his normal, cautious way, then gently patted his muzzle. 'You scared me Thunder, you cheeky boy.' she began to carefully move around to his side, patting and talking to him the entire time. 'No funny business today.' she cautioned, remembering his little escapade yesterday that ended with her on her bottom. Trigger might have been a good mare, but the brumby stallion was always keeping her on her toes, surprising her all the time with new little tricks. 'Ready?' she asked as she grabbed a lock of his mane to help her spring on. The stallion stood still as she vaulted on, then pawed the ground as he waited for instruction.

Josie glanced over at her cooking breakfast, and decided she had time to give Thunder a quick lesson. She had been working with the stallion since the station hands had brought him in three years ago, and they had connected. She gave him his freedom, but the stallion still came to her daily, always willing for the next step in his training. He'd already learnt about a saddle and bridle from her, but Josie prefered to ride without tack, and she knew Thunder liked it better too.

'Ready?' she asked as she nudged him gently with her heels. 'Git up.'

Thunder jumped straight into a smooth canter as he felt her cue to go, and the hands pressing on his neck, guiding him in the way to go. He cantered around at her instruction in various patterns, not leaving the little cleaning so that she could keep an eye her breakfast.

When she saw that it was finally cooked, she pulled Thunder up next to the campfire and slid off. 'Good work boy.' she encouraged as she gave him a pat. 'Good job.' Thunder nudged her with his nose, asking for the apple he always got at the finish of riding and waited while she got it from the saddlebag. 'Here you go, enjoy.' she gave him his treat, then stroked his nose when he had finished. 'Off you go now boy.' she gave him one last pat. 'Go on, and I'll see you tomorrow.' Thunder shook his head and cantered off, melting into the scrub like a ghost.

Josie watched him leave, then went and sat down with Lass at the fire to eat her breakfast. She enjoyed working with the stallion, and she could feel he liked it too, but she couldn't shake the feeling that trouble was on the horizon, and just what kind of trouble it was.

Rob rode back to Langara with a smile on his face. The yards for the brumby hunt were ready, and early too. He was pleased with the work, and was glad that the night he had spend in the cold wasn't in vain. The stallion was there, right where he knew he would be.

As Rob rode up to the house and pulled the horse to a stop, he couldn't help but sniff the air with the tantalizing smell of breakfast on it. He dismounted, and tied his horse up, then went inside. 'What's for breakfast?' he asked as he hung up his coat.

'A good hearty meal.' Mrs Tan, the chinese housekeeper replied. 'And your just in time.'

'Ah.' Matt exclaimed as Rob walked into the room. 'How's the yards going?'

'All done.' Rob replied as he sat down. 'And the stallion's back.'

Colin, who was dressed in working clothes, rather than the Reverend's suit he normally wore raised his eyebrows. 'And what makes you think you can get him this time? That things as wild as a tornado, even if you catch him you'll never break him.'

'Why do you want him so much anyway?' Kathleen, Matt's wife asked as she handed Rob the bacon. 'Colin's right, he's wild.'

'I know why he wants to get him.' Danni, Matt's sixteen year old daughter spoke up. 'Just to impress Montana that you've broken the wildest horse in the high country.'

Rob went slightly red at the mention of their American friend. 'No, its not.'

'Oh yes, it is.' Danni continued teasing. 'Your sweet on her, and we all know it. But getting yourself killed wont win her heart.'

'I'm not sweet on her.' Rob protested. 'We're just friends.'

'Really good friends I'd say.' Emily, Colin's wife teased. 'Come on Rob, we can all see it, and we like Montana. She's a wonderful woman.'

Rob rolled his eyes. 'Is it that obvious?' he was met with a lot of nods from the people at the table. 'Alright, I admit it. Yes, I like Montana.'

'Good.' Michael, Kathleen's fourteen year old son from her previous marriage joined in. 'The quicker you marry her, the sooner I won't have to listen to your snoring.'

'Haha.' Rob teased back as he finished his breakfast. 'Just for that, you can muck out the stables while we're gone.'

'Why can't I come with you guys?'

'Michael, we've been over this before.' Kathleen said with exasperation. 'Its too dangerous, and your to young.'

'Awe but-'

'Michael, Kathleen's right.'Colin said as he wiped his face with a napkin. 'A brumby run is no child's play. You can come soon, when your old enough, but for now leave it to us. Alright?'

Michael nodded in defeat. 'Alright.'

'Well' Matt exclaimed as he placed his fork down. 'Let's get this brumby hunt started.'

Thunder was grazing with his mares miles away from Josie a few hours later into the day in another valley boxed in by treacherous mountain sides. He liked this spot, it truly was beautiful, with the waterfall that cascaded into the creek flowing off to one side.

He raised his head and looked around at the large band of horses that was his herd. Something told him to be on careful watch, but as he looked around he couldn't see the men gathering in the trees.

Suddenly he heard a twig snap and turned around to look in the direction it had come. He pawed the ground and snorted as he looked, then all of a sudden a flash of light startled him and he jumped back in surprise, not realizing it was the signal to begin.

Thunder looked on in horror as men mounted on horseback fairly flew down the mountain sides. With an angry roar, he took off into a full gallop, his mares close behind.

'What are we bringing in today, Matt?' Mark, the foreman of the station hands asked. 'Anything in particular?'

Matt looked at Rob. 'How about you answer that, since your the one who started the notion of catching brumbies and selling them to the army.'

Rob nodded. 'Old Wirely and his mob graze on the north ridge at about this time of day. I've added on to the fences that border the ridge, so all we have to do is drive them in, then bring them up here to the yards to sort and separate them.'

'Sounds like a good idea.' Mark agreed. 'But ol Wirely has never been caught now, and I don't think he ever will be.'

'Ah' Rob chuckled with a grin.'Trouble is no one has ever gone to as much trouble as I have to learn his routine. He spends the night with the herd on Spiders Flat, then from daybreak till about noon, they graze in a sort of box canyon on the ridge. When we get around them, they have no choice but to go right into the yards.'

'Sounds like your son's pretty adamant on getting that stallion.' mark nudged Matt with his elbow. 'Good work though Rob, you've thought everything through. I'm impressed.'

'So am i' Colin agreed. 'I actually do think we have a chance of catching him.'

Their conversation was interrupted as Montana Hale rode in, pulling her horse up where the men were gathered. 'Sorry I'm late.' she apologized as she dismounted. 'Had to help a neighbour with a cow. So, what did I miss?'

'Rob here thanks he's going to catch ol Wirely today.' Colin chuckled. 'And I think he just might.'

Montana chuckled. 'Good luck on that Rob. I've seen that stallion, he's a force to be reckoned with.'

'Yeh, I know.' Rob admitted, then looked at the rising son. 'We better be on our way, it's a fair ride to where they graze.'

'Alright.' Matt yelled. 'You heard him, mount up.' He got on his grey gelding, then rode over to Rob. 'Lead the way.'

When the men and Montana had gotten on their horses, Rob led the way out of the station yard towards the mountains. They rode through the stringy-bark trees in relative silence, the only sound being the pounding of the cantering horses, climbing higher and higher into the rangers.

By the time they had arrived at the grazing grounds, the sun had risen higher in the sky, illuminating the countryside in its was glow. Rob pulled his horse to a stop downwind of the horses and motioned for the group to stop.

'There they are.' He whispered as he looked at the horses grazing below them, figuring out the best way to round them up. 'Dad, Montana, you take the Western side. Take a couple men with you. Mark, you take Jeremy and James and take the Southern side. Colin, you're with me.' he looked around the group. 'Everyone ready?' A series of nods answered that they were. 'Alright, when your in position, flash with your pocket knifes. When we're ready to begin, i'll flash mine and that's the signal to run them. Alright, take your positions.'

Rob and Colin watched as the group dispersed around the mountain side, waiting for their signals as they watched the horses graze. Colin finally broke the silence. 'That stallion is truly beautiful.' he remarked as the stallion pranced around, playing with a couple of the foals. 'He's going to be a hard one to break.'

'I can handle it.' Rob replied to his older brother, teasing him

'You just worry about being a minister, and leave the horse breaking to your more handsome brother.'

'Just because I'm a minister, doesn't mean I can't break in a horse still. I'll be happy to help if you need it, little brother.' He teased back as he gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. 'I can see you'll need some help.'

'Very funny Colin.' Rob replied as a saw the first of the signals flash.'Looks like Mark and the men are in position.' Then the second lot came. 'And so is Dad and Montana. Right, we can begin.' He said as he grabbed out his knife to signal.

Colin placed a hand on his shoulder. 'Look.' He whispered. 'I think the stallion knows we're up here.'

Rob looked down from the trees they were hiding behind at the stallion who was looking in their direction, then trotted forward, his neck arched. 'Doesn't matter.' He replied as he flashed his knife. 'We're ready to begin anyway.' He kicked his horse forward into a gallop down the mountainside, cracking his when, Colin beside him doing the same.

In only a matter of seconds, the herd was surrounded by men cracking their stockwhips, driving them towards the yards, the air filled with the sound of horses galloping and the stockwhips. Colin and Rob rode point on the front of the herd, where the stallion was, the other riders at the back and other side.

It didn't take long for the frantic horses to gallop into the paddock leading all the way back to Langara, one of the men shutting the gate after they run through.

'Keep them going to the yards!' Rob yelled over the sound of the horses. 'We've got them now!' He raced his horse up next to the stallion, turning him towards the station. Suddenly over the next rise, the station loomed beneath them and the women came out of the house to watch the horses come in.

Rob pulled his horse up beside the gate to the holding yard, the brumbies racing in. After the last brumby had ran in, he leapt off and pulled the slip rails across behind them. They were caught.

Colin rode up beside Rob as the others pulled their horses to a stop. 'Well, you did it. You caught ol Wirely.'

'He doesn't seem too happy about it either.' Rob added as the stallion raced around the yard, bucking and roaring, trying to find a way out. 'We'd better start sorting them out.' he said as he fingered his rope. 'Then we'll take care of the stallion.'

Thunder raced around the pen, looking for a way out. He couldn't believe he had been caught, but his main thought was that he needed to get back to Josie. He saw one of the men jump the fence into the yard, and with a roar, he leapt forward and charged him. He knocked the man over and reared up, about to crush him under his hooves when he felt a rock got him, and a rope was thrown around his neck. He turned to the source of where the rope had come and charged, trying to reach the man, but he never got there. A rope was thrown around his hoof, and another around his neck, then he was thrown to the ground. He thrashed around as the men came closer, and he began to try to get up. He just wanted to get away, but he couldn't. A man sat on his neck, holding his head down as someone took the rope off his leg, and replaced around his neck. The man jumped up and got out of the way as the stallion leapt up, snapping his teeth, then he was dragged, fighting all the way into the crush.

Thunder freaked out as he felt poles slide in behind him, he was trapped. He tried to move, but the crush held. He reared as a man came over to him to get the rope off his neck, and he went to bite him, but a whip came down hard on his nope. He stopped in surprise and stood still while the ropes were removed, then the slip rails in front of him were opened and he bolted out, only to find that he was in an even smaller pen that had taller fences. He slid to a stop as he threw himself against the fence, then reared, striking the air and screaming to the earth and sky.

Rob looked over the horses as the station hands got back to their work, Matt, Colin and Montana staying to help him cut out the brumbies. Rob ignored the stallion that had taken to pacing the fence furthest to them and turned his attention to the mares. 'Colin, if you'll get in there, bring that bay and her foal over to the left pen, we'll keep the foals with their mothers for the time being. The yearlings can go in that pen there, and after they're all moved out, we'll take the stallion into the corral. I wouldn't be surprised if he would try and jump out. Dad, you and I will handle the gates.'

'Where do you want me Rob?' Montana asked as she grabbed her lariat off her saddle. 'I'm not entirely useless you know. I have handled wild horses before.'

'You can help Colin if you like.' Rob said as he and Matt walked over to the gates. 'Just drive the horses in nice and gentle.'

Colin nodded as he climbed over the fence and started towards the mares, signaling out the one Rob had wanted to start with when the stallion charged.

'Colin!' Emily screamed as the stallion knocked him over, then she saw a rock and picked it up as the stallion reared to pound him. She threw it as hard as she could, it momentary distracting the stallion so Montana could rope it.

Colin crawled out of the pen as the others kept the stallion away. 'I'm alright Emily.' He said as she hugged him. 'I'm fine.'

'Thank God.' she said as she let go. 'That stallion was going to kill you.'

'I know.' Colin replied as he watched Montana, Rob and Matt struggle with him. 'I better help them.' he didn't look at Emily as he walked away from her and back to the pen, this time with a rope. The stallion went to charge Montana, and Colin quickly caught the stallion's leg, throwing him off balance and to the ground.

'Rob, get on his neck and hold him down.' Matt yelled as the stallion struggled. 'Be careful.'

Rob tied his rope to the fence and ran in, sitting on the stallion's head and holding it in such a way that the horse couldn't breath. After the stallion stopped struggling, he heard Colin run in and grab the rope off the stallion's ankle, then re-tied it around the stallion's neck. He waited for a moment, then when Colin had gotten out of the way, he leapt up and ran from the stallion. 'Lets get him into the crush.' He yelled as he wiped blood from his nose from the stallion hitting him with his head.

'Right.' Matt replied as he began to pull the stallion towards the crush, the other horses having bolted into the other pen long ago.

The stallion reared and struggled as they dragged him over to the side of the pen, hitting him on the rump with the stock whip to get him moving. When the stallion was inside, Rob quickly ran in and closed the slip rails, then they all stood panting as the stallion struggled.

'I've seen mean and I've seen crazy, but that horse beats all.' Montana exclaimed as she rested against the fence. 'He's madder than any horse I've ever seen.'

Rob nodded as he pinched his nose. 'Hopefully he calms down in a couple days.'

'I don't think so Rob.' Colin said as he watched the stallion. 'He's gone mad.'

'Mad or not, we've caught him, and no animal of ours is going to stand around in that crush all day.' Matt said as the horse stood still for a moment. 'The ropes need to be taken off him, so he can go in the corral Rob.' He grabbed his stock whip off the ground where he had dropped it. 'Any time your ready.'

Rob approached the crush cautiously, then climbed up on the rails to untie the ropes. He had just started on the first one when the horse went to bite him, but Matt flung the lash down on the stallion's nose and stopped him. When the ropes were off, Rob climbed down and went to the front of the crush. 'Montana, grab the other rail and pull it out as fast as you can when I say go.'

'Got it.' Montana said as she took her position. 'Ready.'

'Go.' Rob and Montana pulled the rails out at the same time, the horse in the crush exploding forward like a bomb as he ran out. They watched in horror as he crashed into the fence, then reared, before galloping like his tail was on fire around the corral, the fences taller than he was.

Matt shook his head as the stallion bolted around and around. 'He's gone plum crazy.'

'Why don't you just let him go, Rob?' Emily asked as she, Kathleen and Danni walked over to them from the verandah where they had seen it all unfold. 'He's earned his freedom I'd say.'

Rob shook his head. 'I'd have to shoot him before I'd let him go. He's turned into a rouge, he'd try to kill anyone he'd see.'

'What are you going to do with him then?' Danni asked as she looked at the stallion. 'He can't stay in there forever.'

'I don't know Danni.' Rob replied. 'I guess we'll just leave him for a few days and see what happens, but you and Michael are not to go anywhere near him. Understand?'

'Yes.' Danni nodded as the horse called again to the mountains. 'I'll tell Michael to stay away from him too.'

'Good.' Rob looked at the other horses nervously milling around the pen. 'We better get them sorted out, then 'I'll think of what to do about the stallion.'