Nature (1982–…): Season 28, Episode 1 - Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions - full transcript

Woman: I ENTERED

THE MONTANA WILDERNESS

TO MAKE A FILM
ABOUT WILD HORSES.

BUT I CAME TO REALIZE
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY

THAT NO ONE FILM COULD
TELL A STORY SO BIG,

AND IN MANY WAYS,

SO UNEXPECTED.

WHAT BEGAN AS AN ASSIGNMENT

BECAME AN OBSESSION...

TO FOLLOW THE LIFE OF A
STALLION I NAMED "CLOUD."

ABOUT THE TIME I THINK
I HAVE A HANDLE ON



WHAT MAKES WILD
HORSE SOCIETY TICK,

I'M THROWN A CURVE.

IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING
FOLLOWING THE TWISTS AND TURNS

OF THIS COMPLEX FAMILY DRAMA.

THIS IS A TALE OF TWO FATHERS,

CLOUD AND THE MIGHTY SHAMAN,

WHO BRING UP EACH OTHER'S SONS.

BOTH SONS WILL BEGIN A QUEST
TO START THEIR OWN FAMILIES,

CHALLENGING THE VERY STALLIONS

WHO RAISED THEM,

IN THIS, THE THIRD AND
MOST REMARKABLE CHAPTER,

IN CLOUD'S STORY.

Kathrens: FOR NINE YEARS,

I'VE BEEN COMING TO A REMOTE
AND MYSTERIOUS MOUNTAINTOP



IN THE ROCKIES— AN
ISOLATED WILDERNESS

WHERE WILD HORSES ROAM.

AT FIRST, I ONLY KNEW WHAT WE
COMMONLY BELIEVE ABOUT HORSES.

VERY QUICKLY I REALIZED
I HAD MUCH TO LEARN.

RAVEN BECAME MY TEACHER...

THE ELEGANT BLACK
STALLION AND HIS MARES

OPENED THEIR WORLD TO ME.

THEY ALLOWED ME TO
JOURNEY WITH THEM,

AND RECORD THE INTIMATE
DETAILS OF THEIR LIVES.

I GREW TO ADMIRE THEIR FIERCE
LOVE OF FREEDOM AND FAMILY.

A YEAR INTO MY JOURNEY
WITH RAVEN'S FAMILY,

THEY BROUGHT THEIR NEWBORN COLT

OUT OF THE FOREST IN
FRONT OF MY CAMERA.

HE WASN'T LIKE THE OTHER
FOALS ON THE MOUNTAIN...

HE WAS NEARLY WHITE.

I NAMED HIM "CLOUD."

FOLLOWING CLOUD

THROUGH THE SEASONS OF
HIS LIFE BECAME MY PASSION.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANT
TO GROW UP TRULY WILD AND FREE,

MY MISSION.

ONCE CLOUD WAS
KICKED OUT OF HIS FAMILY

AS A TWO-YEAR-OLD,

HE BECAME A BACHELOR STALLION,

DISAPPEARING REGULARLY

INTO THE MOST REMOTE PARTS

OF HIS VAST WILDERNESS HOME.

EVERY WINTER, I
SEARCHED FOR HIM IN VAIN.

DEEP SNOWS ALWAYS CLAIMED LIVES,

AND I FEARED HE HAD DIED.

EACH SPRING IT WAS A
TREMENDOUS RELIEF TO SEE HIM ALIVE.

DEFYING THE ODDS,
CLOUD WON A MARE

AT THE TENDER AGE OF FIVE.

NOW, I BELIEVED,

I UNDERSTOOD THE COMPLEXITIES
OF WILD HORSE SOCIETY...

HOW WRONG I WAS.

IN THE SPRING OF 2001,

I FOUND A NEWBORN PALOMINO
FOAL WITH HIS COAL-BLACK MOTHER.

SHE AND THE FOAL
WERE IN THE BAND

LED BY THE STALLION "SHAMAN,"

A WISE AND POWERFUL
LEADER WHO, ONCE CHALLENGED,

WAS A DEVASTATING FIGHTER.

BUT THIS COLT COULDN'T
BE SHAMAN'S SON.

I KNEW THAT CLOUD
WAS HIS FATHER,

AND REGRETTED THAT
HE WOULD NEVER KNOW IT.

I NAMED HIM "BOLDER."

WITHIN DAYS, I FOUND CLOUD,

AND HE HAD WON
SHAMAN'S LEAD MARE, SITKA.

A MONTH LATER, SITKA GAVE
BIRTH TO A COLT I NAMED "FLINT."

THIS WAS SHAMAN'S SON,

BUT HE WOULD GROW
UP UNDER CLOUD'S CARE.

THE PLOT HAD
DEFINITELY THICKENED.

AT THE HEART OF OUR STORY

ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT FATHERS,

RAISING EACH OTHER'S SONS...

AND THE ASTONISHING
CONFLICT TO COME.

EACH SPRING, THE WILD
HORSES OF THE ARROWHEADS

MIGRATE TO THE MOUNTAINTOP...
FOALS ARE BEING BORN,

AND THEIR MOTHERS
ARE COMING INTO HEAT.

COMPETITION FOR MARES IS FIERCE,

AND BAND STALLIONS
NEED TO BE ON THEIR TOES.

JUST OVER THE HILL,

A MAJOR DRAMA IS UNDERWAY.

A PACK OF DETERMINED
YOUNG BACHELORS

ARE GATHERING
TOGETHER TO CHALLENGE

THE DUN STALLION,
PRINCE, FOR HIS MARES.

CLOUD WATCHES THE
BELEAGUERED BAND STALLION

ALONG WITH HIS STEADY

OLD LEAD MARE, SITKA.

AS A TWO-YEAR-OLD,

FLINT IS SURPRISINGLY
STILL WITH HIS STEPFATHER.

THEY WATCH THE YOUNG
MALES CIRCLE PRINCE'S FAMILY.

CLOUD SENSES AN OPPORTUNITY.

HE KNOWS PRINCE IS TIRED,

AND RUSHES IN TO
STEAL ONE OF HIS MARES.

PRINCE ATTACKS,

LEAVING AN OPENING FOR CLOUD
TO TAKE THE REST OF HIS BAND.

BUT HE'S INTERCEPTED
BY A BACHELOR,

AND FORCED TO FOCUS ON
PROTECTING HIS OWN FAMILY.

PRINCE FIGHTS OFF ONE BACHELOR

AND RUSHES AFTER ANOTHER
WHO IS DRIVING HIS FAMILY AWAY.

WHEN CLOUD TRIES TO STEAL
PRINCE'S BLUE ROAN MARE,

HE GIVES THE BACHELORS A
CHANCE TO CAPTURE HIS BAND.

FLINT CONFRONTS THE
RED ROAN BACHELOR,

BUT HE'S NO MATCH FOR
THE MATURE STALLIONS.

CLOUD SNAKES THE
BLUE ROAN MARE AWAY,

KEEPING HER AWAY FROM
PRINCE AND THE BACHELORS.

HE'S KNOWN THIS
MARE ALL HIS LIFE.

WHEN HE WAS JUST A COLT
SHE CAME CALLING AND,

AND IMITATING THE
ADULT STALLIONS,

HE TRIED TO CAPTURE
HER— BUT SHE GOT AWAY.

I NAMED THE FILLY
"BLACK VELVET."

IN TIME, HER COAT ROANED OUT,
AND SHE BECAME JUST "VELVET."

CLOUD MUST CHOOSE HIS BAND,

OR VELVET AND HER
TWO-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.

HE CHOOSES VELVET.

SITKA LEADS THE FAMILY UPHILL

WITH THE BACHELORS
HARASSING HER.

CLOUD SEEMS CONFIDENT THAT
SITKA CAN BRING THE BAND BACK.

IN FACT, SHE TURNS, BARRELING
DOWNHILL TOWARD CLOUD.

HE KNOCKS OFF ONE BACHELOR...

THEN ANOTHER.

WHEN THE BACHELORS
TURN ON EACH OTHER,

CLOUD HAS TIME TO CONSOLIDATE

HIS OLD AND NEW FAMILIES...

THANKS TO HIS LOYAL
LEAD MARE, SITKA.

THE BACHELORS AREN'T
THE BIG WINNERS...

CLOUD IS.

AFTER 8 YEARS,

HE HAS FINALLY CAPTURED VELVET.

AS THE YEARS PASS,
I SEE THE RULES

OF WILD HORSE SOCIETY CHANGING.

HOW UNUSUAL THAT SHAMAN
HANGS ON TO A MATURING BOLDER...

AND HOW DOUBLY REMARKABLY

THAT CLOUD HAS DONE
THE SAME WITH FLINT.

BOTH STALLIONS
PROTECT THEIR SONS

AS IF THERE'S AN
ADVANTAGE TO KEEPING THEM.

BUT JUST WHAT ADVANTAGE?

PERHAPS THE ANSWER LIES
IN THE INCREASING NUMBER

OF MOUNTAIN LION KILLS.

PREDATION ON THE FOALS

IS SKYROCKETING.

IN ONE YEAR ALONE,

ALL THE FOALS ON THE
MOUNTAINTOP DISAPPEAR,

MAINLY DUE TO THE LIONS.

IN RESPONSE TO
THESE HEAVY LOSSES,

I SEE THE BANDS
ADAPTING THEIR BEHAVIOR.

SHAMAN AND CLOUD'S FAMILIES
ARE OFTEN CLOSE TOGETHER.

MORE HORSES MEANS
MORE EYES AND EARS

TO DETECT A PROWLING CAT.

SHAMAN AND CLOUD MIGHT
CONSIDER THE YOUNG STALLIONS

AS AN EARLY WARNING
DEFENSE SYSTEM.

WHEN SITKA GIVES
BIRTH TO A DARK FILLY,

AND VELVET TO A
BRIGHT ORANGE ONE,

I FEAR THAT THEY TOO WILL
FALL PREY TO THE BIG CATS.

A MONTH LATER I
FIND CLOUD'S FAMILY.

BOTH LITTLE FILLIES
HAVE SURVIVED SO FAR.

THE FAMILY IS CLOSE
TO SHAMAN'S BAND...

A LITTLE TOO CLOSE
FOR CLOUD'S COMFORT.

AS FLINT AND BOLDER SPAR,

I NOTE THEIR GROWING STRENGTH,

BUT ALSO THEIR LACK OF INTEREST
IN STRIKING OUT ON THEIR OWN.

CLOUD TRIED TO WIN
A MARE AT THEIR AGE,

YET THESE TWO FOUR-YEAR-OLDS

SEEM HAPPY TO PLAY
AT BEING BAND STALLIONS.

LATE IN THE SUMMER

I SEE CLOUD'S BAND,

AND BOTH LITTLE FILLIES.

I'M NOT SURE IF FLINT HAS

ANYTHING TO DO
WITH THEIR SURVIVAL.

BUT I AM SURE THAT
MOUNTAIN LIONS

ARE STILL KILLING FOALS.

AND I THINK CLOUD WELCOMES

FLINT'S PROTECTIVE
ROLE IN THE FAMILY.

THE TWO ROBUST COLTS
THEY WATCH THAT EVENING

BOTH FALL PREY TO THE BIG CATS.

IS CLOUD ALLOWING FLINT TO STAY

BECAUSE HE'S GROOMING HIM

TO BECOME HIS
LIEUTENANT STALLION?

FLINT GUARDS THE
FOALS FROM THE REAR.

DESPITE HIS ATTENTION,

THE BLUE ROAN FILLY IS TAKEN
BY A MOUNTAIN LION IN THE FALL.

COMPARED TO FLINT, BOLDER
SEEMS LIKE A SHIFTLESS PLAYBOY.

HE SPARS WITH OLDER BACHELORS,
EASILY HOLDING HIS OWN.

DESPITE HIS ATHLETIC SKILLS,

HE RETURNS TO
SHAMAN AND HIS MOTHER,

AND I WONDER WHY
SHAMAN KEEPS HIM AROUND.

FALL PASSES INTO WINTER,

AND I GET ONLY DISTANT
GLIMPSES OF THE BANDS.

IT'S MID-MAY BEFORE I CAN
GET UP ON THE MOUNTAIN.

LATE IN THE DAY, I FIND SHAMAN

DRIVING THE OLD
STALLION "BIGFOOT" AWAY.

I CAN SEE BOTH SHAMAN
AND CLOUD'S BANDS.

BUT BOLDER IS MISSING...

AND SO IS FLINT!

THEY COULD BE OFF
PLAYING SOMEWHERE.

THEN IT HITS ME...

FLINT'S MOTHER, SITKA,

IS MISSING.

CLOUD MAY HAVE LOST BOTH

HIS LEAD MARE AND HIS
LIEUTENANT AT THE SAME TIME.

SHAMAN HAS A LITTLE FOAL,

BUT CLOUD'S MARES
DON'T LOOK PREGNANT.

I'M CERTAIN SITKA IS DEAD,

AND THERE WILL BE NO
CLOUD FOALS THIS YEAR.

I KEEP GLASSING, LOOKING
FOR FLINT AND BOLDER.

AT SUNSET, I REALIZE
THAT THE YOUNG STALLIONS

ARE FINALLY ON THEIR OWN.

FOR SOME REASON,
I DON'T KNOW WHY,

I GET UP BEFORE DAWN,

AND WITHOUT EATING OR
EVEN BRUSHING MY TEETH,

I BEGIN TO LOOK
FOR CLOUD'S FAMILY.

IT'S VELVET... AND
SHE HAS A NEW BABY.

I DIDN'T EVEN THINK
SHE WAS PREGNANT.

AS QUICKLY AND QUIETLY AS I CAN,

I SET UP MY CAMERA.

VELVET DIDN'T GO OFF ALONE
TO SOME SECLUDED SPOT...

SHE HAD THE FOAL
WITH HER FAMILY.

SHE LICKS UP THE BIRTH SAC

TO DESTROY THE
EVIDENCE OF A BIRTH.

MOUNTAIN LIONS
ARE STILL PROWLING,

TAKING FOALS, AND
EVEN YEARLINGS.

VELVET EATS THE
PROTEIN-RICH AFTERBIRTH

WHILE SITKA'S DAUGHTER WATCHES,

AND I WONDER IF THE
LOSS OF HER MOTHER

DRAWS HER TO A NEW LIFE.

WHEN VELVET LAYS DOWN,

THE BABY USES HER BODY
TO SUPPORT ITS WOBBLY LEGS.

HIS EXPERIENCED MOTHER
KNOWS JUST WHAT TO DO.

I CAN SEE HE'S A BOY.

VELVET STANDS PERFECTLY STILL

SO THE FOAL CAN HAVE

HIS FIRST MILK,
CALLED "COLOSTRUM."

IT'S A POWER DRINK,

HIGH IN ANTIBODIES THAT WILL
PROTECT THE FOAL FROM DISEASE.

VELVET GUARDS HER NEWBORN SON.

STILL, SHE ALLOWS
CLOUD TO SNIFF HIM.

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BUCKSKIN.

A DUSTY-COLORED COLT.

I'LL CALL YOU "DUSTY."

AS THE HOURS PASS,

DUSTY GROWS STRONGER
AND STRONGER...

AND MORE PLAYFUL.

LATE IN THE DAY THE
FAMILY MOVES OUT,

AND DUSTY MAKES
HIS FIRST JOURNEY

TO THE VERY TOP OF
HIS MOUNTAIN HOME.

MAY PASSES INTO JUNE.

I RETURN TO SEE CLOUD

STREAKING ACROSS THE
RIDGELINE ABOVE THE BAND.

AND LITTLE DUSTY.

THE COLT HAS TRADED IN HIS
WOBBLY LEGS FOR STURDY ONES.

HE WATCHES HIS FATHER
APPROACHING BOLDER.

AS A NEW BACHELOR,

HE ISN'T INTIMIDATED BY CLOUD...

MAYBE HE ISN'T QUITE THE
LOSER I ONCE IMAGINED.

THEN I SEE FLINT COMING.

WHEN FLINT MAKES A
PLAYFUL RUSH AT BOLDER,

THE PALOMINO
RESPONDS AGGRESSIVELY.

AS A NEW BACHELOR
HIMSELF, FLINT LOOKS FIT.

CLOUD'S LITTLE SON, DUSTY,
IS CONFIDENT AND STRONG.

WITHOUT ANOTHER
FOAL TO PLAY WITH,

THE CURIOUS COLT
EXPLORES ON HIS OWN.

THE CLOSEST THING DUSTY
HAS TO ANOTHER FOAL

IS HIS YEARLING
SISTER, FIRESTORM.

AND FIRESTORM ENDURES
THE MOST ATTENTION.

HE AND HIS BLACK SISTER

HAVE AN UNUSUALLY
CLOSE RELATIONSHIP.

NEVER BEFORE OR SINCE

HAVE I SEEN A SISTER
ALLOW A FOAL TO NURSE HER.

EVEN AS A FIVE-YEAR-OLD,
SHE HAS NEVER HAD A FOAL.

MAYBE DUSTY IS SOME
KIND OF SUBSTITUTE.

LIKE THE BLACK FILLY,

THE GRULLA MARE
HASN'T FOALED EITHER.

AS YEARLINGS AND TWO-YEAR-OLDS,

BOTH MARES WERE DARTED
WITH INFERTILITY DRUGS

BY THE BUREAU OF
LAND MANAGEMENT.

BLM MANAGES WILD
HORSES ON PUBLIC LANDS,

AND WANTS TO KEEP
THE POPULATIONS LOW.

THE DRUGS HAVE WORKED
FAR LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED,

AND ALTHOUGH THE MARES
COME IN HEAT MONTHLY

AND ARE CLOSELY GUARDED
AND BRED BY CLOUD,

THEY NEVER PRODUCE FOALS.

EVEN LITTLE DUSTY CAN SMELL

THE PUNGENT ODORS
OF MARES IN HEAT.

THE NEAR-CONSTANT
HEAT CYCLES OF THE MARES

MAY EXPLAIN CLOUD'S BELLIGERENCE
TOWARD OTHER STALLIONS.

AND WITH SITKA
DEAD, CLOUD IS ADRIFT.

IN AUGUST, BOLDER DISCOVERS
A STRANGE NEW ADDITION

TO THE MOUNTAINTOP,

JUST ABOVE THE
SPRING-FED WATER HOLE.

THE BLM HOPES TO
TRAP HORSES IN A CORRAL

AND THEN REMOVE THEM
FROM THE MOUNTAIN.

A BAIT TRAPPER HAS
LACED THE ENCLOSURE

WITH PROTEIN BLOCKS.

CLOUD AND DUSTY AND THE
BAND ARE NEARING THE TRAP SITE.

CLOUD EYES THE TRAILER WARILY,

BUT CAN SMELL SOMETHING NEW
AND WONDERFUL INSIDE THE CORRAL.

THE TRAPPER CAN
TRIGGER THE GATE TO CLOSE

FROM INSIDE HIS TRAILER.

A NOISE FROM THE
TRAILER SPOOKS CLOUD,

AND THE FAMILY BOLTS TO FREEDOM.

THEY MOVE TO THE
COOL OF NEARBY TREES,

WHERE THEY SPEND THE NIGHT.

THIS WILL BECOME THEIR PATTERN

OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...

STAYING NEAR THE WATER HOLE

AND THE TRAP, WITH
ITS ADDICTIVE TREATS.

OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS,

100 HORSES ARE
LURED TO THE TRAP SITE.

BUT HORSES AREN'T THE
ONLY ONES TO COME HERE.

TWO WEEKS LATER, WHEN I RETURN,

I LEARN WHAT HAPPENED
FROM THE TRAPPER.

HE TOLD ME THAT MOUNTAIN LIONS
HAD COME AROUND THE WATER HOLE,

DRAWN TO THE ABUNDANCE OF
PREY IN ONE CENTRAL LOCATION.

I FIND THE TRACKS OF
A MOUNTAIN LION KITTEN

HE SAID WAS WITH ITS MOTHER.

HE SAID THAT THE BUCKSKIN
COLT WITH CLOUD HAD BEEN KILLED

JUST BEYOND THE WATER
HOLE, AND I BEGIN TO SEARCH.

THE TRAPPER TOLD ME THAT
THERE WAS A TERRIBLE STORM

THE NIGHT OF DUSTY'S DEATH.

HE SAID HE COULD HEAR

THE SCREAMS OF
THE MOUNTAIN LIONS,

AND WAS TOO AFRAID
TO LEAVE HIS TRAILER.

I HOPE TO FIND
SOMETHING THAT REMAINS

OF CLOUD AND
VELVET'S BEAUTIFUL SON

WHO CAPTURED MY HEART.

I FIND ONE SMALL BONE

WITH THE MARROW
STILL FRESH INSIDE.

THE LONG WINTER PASSES.

I CAN GET NEARLY TO THE
MOUNTAINTOP IN MID-MAY.

TO MY SURPRISE, I FIND SHAMAN
ALONE ON THE RIDGES OF SYKES.

HE'S APPEARS TO BE
SEARCHING FOR HIS FAMILY.

I JOIN IN HIS SEARCH.

WHILE HIKING HIGHER
ON SYKES RIDGE,

I HEAR A STALLION SCREAM
FROM AN ISOLATED ISLAND,

SURROUNDED BY CLIFFS.

I START GLASSING.

HOURS PASS, BUT SOMETHING
TELLS ME TO KEEP LOOKING.

THEN I SEE A HORSE.

BOLDER!

THERE ARE OTHERS WITH HIM,

AND I ASSUME THEY'RE BACHELORS.

BUT, NO, THEY'RE
SHAMAN'S MARES...

MINUS BOLDER'S MOTHER.

AMAZING!

THE YOUNG STALLION WAITED
UNTIL HIS MOTHER LEFT THE BAND.

THEN HE SOMEHOW

PULLED OFF THE THEFT OF HIS
STEPFATHER'S ENTIRE FAMILY.

BUT THE BAND CAN'T HIDE OUT
ON AN ISOLATED ISLAND FOREVER.

WHEN THE SNOW MELTS HERE,

THERE WILL BE ONLY
ONE PLACE TO FIND WATER.

I FIGHT THROUGH DEEP SNOWS
TO REACH THE MOUNTAINTOP,

AND WHAT I SEE STARTLES ME.

CLOUD IS RACING
BACK TO HIS BAND,

AND I FEAR SOMETHING
HAS HAPPENED.

FOLLOWING HIM IS FLINT.

AS A COMING SIX-YEAR OLD,

HE LOOKS DETERMINED
TO WIN A MARE.

THE BAY BAND STALLION, SANTA FE,

IS CLEARLY INTERESTED
IN A CLOUD MARE.

I SENSE CLOUD'S ANXIETY.

HE'S FLANKED BY TWO
STALLION CHALLENGERS...

SANTA FE AND FLINT.

A HUNTING COYOTE HOLDS
NO INTEREST FOR CLOUD.

HE'S FOCUSED ON
DEFENDING HIS FAMILY,

AND SEEMS CONVINCED THAT FLINT

IS A LEGITIMATE THREAT.

AS CLOUD CHASES SANTA FE,

HE RUNS THE RISK OF FLINT
SLIPPING IN TO STEAL THE MARES.

IS CLOUD AS SHOCKED BY
FLINT'S BEHAVIOR AS I AM?

THEY'D ALWAYS BEEN SO CLOSE.

CLOUD IS FRUSTRATED THAT
FLINT WON'T STAND AND FIGHT.

FLINT CAN SEE DOWN THE VALLEY,

WHERE OTHER BAND STALLIONS
ARE BEING CHALLENGED.

BUT HE'S ONLY
INTERESTED IN ONE BAND.

THE STRUGGLE GOES ON FOR DAYS,

AND I LEAVE THE MOUNTAIN
UNSURE OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.

WHEN I RETURN AT THE END OF
MAY, IT FEELS NOTHING LIKE SPRING.

IN MANY WAYS IT SEEMS
COLDER THAN WINTER.

A MALE BLUE GROUSE
BOOMS FOR A MATE.

AFTER DAYS OF SEARCHING,

I FIND CLOUD'S BAND IN THE SLEET

IN THE COMPANY
OF MULE DEER DOES.

FLINT IS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN,

AND CLOUD SEEMS CALM.

THEN I SEE VELVET
AND A NEWBORN FOAL.

BOTH MOTHER AND BABY

ARE SOAKED.

I NAME THE LITTLE FILLY "RAIN."

FOR DAYS IT SLEETS.

I SEARCH FOR FLINT...

AND FIND BEARS, INSTEAD.

THE MOTHER BEAR
GORGES ON LUSH GRASS.

SUDDENLY, I HEAR HOOF BEATS.

IT'S BOLDER AND HIS FAMILY
COMING UP THE MOUNTAIN.

HE'S IMMEDIATELY CHALLENGED
BY OLDER BACHELORS,

AND I EXPECT THE WORST.

BUT IN A POISED DASH,
HE BACKS THEM OFF.

OVER A HUNDRED HORSES
CONVERGE ON THE MOUNTAINTOP,

AND BOLDER WILL
NEED TO BE ON HIS TOES

TO HANG ON TO HIS NEW FAMILY.

BOLDER CONFRONTS THE
BATTLE-TESTED DUN STALLION,

IMMEDIATELY ASSERTING HIMSELF.

HIS DARKENING COAT SEEMS
TO REFLECT A GROWING POWER.

A FEW HOURS LATER,

I SEE VELVET AND RAIN

CRESTING A FAR RIDGE.

FLINT TOO HAS RETURNED
TO THE MOUNTAINTOP.

AS BOLDER LOOKS ON,

CLOUD CHALLENGES FLINT.

IS FLINT STILL SERIOUS ABOUT
STEALING CLOUD'S BAND...

OR DOES HE JUST WANT TO
COME BACK HOME TO HIS FAMILY?

TAKING NO CHANCES, CLOUD
PUSHES THE BAND FAR AWAY.

I WONDER IF CLOUD
SENSES THE STRENGTH

OF THE COLT HE RAISED.

DID HE TEACH HIM TOO WELL?

THEN I SEE SHAMAN COMING,

TRACKING HIS FAMILY

AND THE STEPSON WHO STOLE THEM.

BOLDER DRIVES THE
FAMILY AWAY FROM SHAMAN.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
I'VE SEEN SHAMAN RETREAT.

BOLDER MARKS HIS TERRITORY,

AS IF SETTING A BOUNDARY
LINE AROUND THE BAND...

A WARNING SIGN FOR
SHAMAN TO STAY AWAY.

BUT HE COMES BACK.

IS SHAMAN'S PASSIVE BEHAVIOR
PART OF HIS STRATEGY?

HE SEEMS DETERMINED
TO GET HIS FAMILY BACK,

AND BEGINS TO FOLLOW
THE BAND, DAY AFTER DAY.

THE NEXT MORNING I FIND CLOUD
BATTLING A FORMER BAND STALLION.

HIS DAUGHTER, FIRESTORM,

WATCHES AS CLOUD
WARNS THE STALLION

TO GET LOST.

THE TWO-YEAR-OLD
MUST BE IN HEAT,

BECAUSE SHE'S DRAWING

BACHELORS AND BAND
STALLIONS INTO THE LIMBER PINES.

CLOUD WARNS ANOTHER
STALLION TO GO AWAY.

HE ESCORTS FIRESTORM
AWAY FROM THE STALLIONS.

THEN HANDSOME SANTA FE ENTERS,

JOINING THE HOPEFUL SUITORS.

CLOUD WATCHES HIS DAUGHTER,

BUT THIS TIME MAKES
NO MOVE TO DEFEND HER.

PERHAPS HE APPROVES
OF THE MATCH?

SANTA FE GENTLY
COURTS THE FILLY.

SANTA FE INVITES
FIRESTORM TO JOIN HIM,

AND SHE FOLLOWS.

THEN CLOUD DASHES AFTER THEM.

SANTA FE RETREATS...

AND FIRESTORM APOLOGETICALLY
RETURNS TO HER FAMILY.

THE BAND IS MOVING
TOWARD BOLDER AND SHAMAN.

BOLDER DRIVES SHAMAN AWAY,

ONLY TO HAVE HIM COME RIGHT BACK

AS BIGFOOT REFEREES
FROM THE SIDELINES.

NOT WANTING TO PASS
UP A GOOD SCUFFLE,

CLOUD BRIEFLY JOINS THE FRAY...

AND THEN THE SITUATION EXPLODES.

THERE IS NO DOUBT
WHO THE WINNER IS.

I'M AWED BY BOLDER'S
SPEED AND AGILITY,

BUT SAD FOR SHAMAN.

WHY HADN'T HE DRIVEN HIM OFF?

IT SEEMS A TERRIBLE
MISTAKE MADE BY ONE SO WISE.

FALL COMES ONCE AGAIN

TO THE TOP OF THE
ARROWHEAD MOUNTAINS.

I CAN SEE CLOUD IN THE DISTANCE,

AND IN THE LIMBER PINES,

CLARK'S NUTCRACKERS COLLECTING
THEIR CACHE OF PINE NUTS

FOR WINTER.

PINE SQUIRRELS, TOO, ARE
PREPARING FOR WINTER.

AS THE BAND HEADS
TO THE WATER HOLE,

I NOTICE THE GRULLA MARE.

SHE'S HEAVY WITH FOAL AT
THE WRONG TIME OF THE YEAR.

AS A RESULT OF EXPERIMENTAL
BIRTH CONTROL DRUGS,

MANY YOUNG MARES ARE
FOALING OUT OF SEASON.

I HOPE THIS FIRST-TIME
MOTHER WILL FOAL SOON,

BEFORE THE TEMPERATURE PLUMMETS.

IN OCTOBER, I RETURN
TO FIND THE CLIFF EDGES

OF THE TEACUP BOWL ALREADY
DECORATED WITH SNOW.

CLOUD'S FILLIES HAVE ROANED OUT,

AND ARE GROWING
HEAVY WINTER COATS.

THEN I SEE THE GRULLA
MARE'S NEW FOAL,

A STURDY LITTLE FILLY.

WHILE MOST ANIMALS

ARE PUTTING ON FAT FOR WINTER,

THE SPIRITED FILLY CELEBRATES

AS IF SPRING WERE JUST
AROUND THE CORNER.

I NAME HER "SHADOW,"

AND HOPE SHE AND HER MOTHER
CAN SURVIVE THE WINTER TO COME.

I HAD NO IDEA IT WOULD
BE THE WORST IN A DECADE.

BY NOVEMBER, SNOW BLANKETS
THE MID-RIDGES OF SYKES.

I GET A GLIMPSE OF CLOUD,
AND WHAT MAY BE SHADOW,

PLAYING IN THE BLIZZARD.

THEN THE SNOW DRIVES
ME OFF THE MOUNTAIN.

MONTHS PASS, AND ONE
STORM AFTER ANOTHER

BATTERS THE ARROWHEADS.

I CAN'T DRIVE INTO THE RANGE,

SO, IN FEBRUARY, I
TRY ANOTHER TACTIC.

MY WILD HORSE, TRACE,

SEEMS HAPPY TO
BE BACK HOME AGAIN.

WE FIND A BAND
NEAR THE SMALL LAKE

THAT FEEDS INTO
THE BIGHORN RIVER,

AND COYOTES HUNTING NEARBY.

WITH WEATHER THIS BAD,

I EXPECT THAT MANY HORSES
WILL BE DOWN HERE IN THE DESERT.

NEAR THE EDGE OF
THE BIGHORN CANYON

WE SPOT A GROUP
OF BIGHORN SHEEP.

THEY SEEM UNPERTURBED
BY A PERSON ON HORSEBACK.

MIGHT CLOUD BE DOWN HERE?

OR BOLDER? OR FLINT?

FOR FIVE DAYS WE SEARCH.

I STOP AT OVERLOOKS AND GLASS,

HOPING TO SEE
CLOUD'S LARGE FAMILY.

TRACE AND I DROP INTO BIG COULEE

AND SEE TRACKS, BUT NEVER
THE HORSES THAT MADE THEM.

STRANGE, I THINK.

I WONDER IF CLOUD IS
SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN SYKES,

BUT WHERE?

IN MARCH, BASED ON A TIP,

I BEGIN GLASSING A
TOTALLY NEW AREA

FAR TO THE WEST OF SYKES RIDGE.

CLOUD.

BUT I CAN'T SEE THE FOALS.

I BEGIN HIKING THE RUGGED
AREA WE CALL THE "HELL'N GONE."

I'M LUCKY TO SPOT
FIRESTORM AND CLOUD

ON A DISTANT, ROCKY SLOPE.

THEN I SEE THE GRULLA
MARE AND LITTLE SHADOW.

WHEN THE MARE GETS UP, I
SEE HOW TERRIBLY THIN SHE IS.

SHADOW TRIES TO NURSE,

BUT HER MOTHER HAS NO MILK.

I SIT WITH THEM
IN THE BITTER COLD

AND PRAY THEY CAN SURVIVE.

THE WINTRY WEATHER
CONTINUES INTO APRIL.

I FIND CLOUD AGAIN
IN THE HELL'N GONE.

SNOW CLINGS TO HIS
GRANDDAUGHTER'S SHAGGY COAT.

WHERE'S SHADOW?

RAIN IS NURSING VELVET,

AND AS I PAN MY CAMERA,

SHADOW WALKS IN.

I WONDER IF SHE KNOWS
HOW GOOD IT IS TO SEE HER.

HER MOTHER GRAZES
BETWEEN VELVET AND CLOUD.

I BELIEVE THEY'LL ALL
SURVIVE TO SPRING...

ASSUMING SPRING COMES THIS YEAR.

MAY IS WET AND COLD,

BUT I CAN AGAIN GET
UP HIGH ON SYKES.

IT'S BOLDER...

AND HIS MARES.

AND A NEW FOAL.

THE NEWBORN
GRULLA IS HIS FIRST...

A LITTLE FILLY.

I SAW BOLDER BREED

THE LITTLE FILLY'S MOTHER

WHEN THEY WERE HIDING
OUT ON THEIR ISOLATED ISLAND,

ALMOST A YEAR AGO.

THE FOAL HAS SHOULDER BARS,

A DORSAL STRIPE,

BOLD LEG STRIPES,

AND TWO PERFECT BACK BOOTIES.

QUITE A CLASSIC ARROWHEAD FOAL.

AT THE END OF MAY, IT FINALLY
FEELS AS IF SPRING HAS ARRIVED.

I SPOT CLOUD ON TILLET
RIDGE ABOVE BIG COULEE...

AND WHAT I SEE NEXT
TAKES MY BREATH AWAY.

LIKE CLOUD AS A BABY,

THE NEW FOAL LYING IN
THE GRASS IS NEARLY WHITE.

I HAVE MISSED THE BIRTH
BY ONLY A FEW HOURS.

THE FOAL SEEMS DISORIENTED,

AS HE TOTTERS TO RAIN
INSTEAD OF HIS MOTHER.

HIS MOTHER COMES TO
GENTLY CLAIM HER BABY.

THIS IS CLOUD AND
SITKA'S GRANDSON.

THE COLT'S MOTHER HAD BEEN WITH
ANOTHER STALLION THE YEAR BEFORE

AT THE EDGE OF THE
FOREST ATOP THE MOUNTAIN.

AS CLOUD CAREFULLY
EXAMINES THE SPOT

WHERE THE COLT HAD BEEN BORN,

I WONDER WHAT HE'S THINKING.

HE'S NOT THE SPITTING
IMAGE OF CLOUD,

BUT CLOSE TO IT.

THAT'S WHAT I'LL
CALL HIM — "IMAGE."

ANOTHER JUNE COMES TO
THE TOP OF THE ARROWHEADS.

AS CLOUD AND HIS FAMILY ARRIVE,

I CAN'T HELP BUT SEE THE
CYCLE OF GENERATIONS

STARTING AGAIN.

FROM FLINT AND BOLDER...

TO SHADOW AND IMAGE.

WHAT BEGINS AS PLAY

WILL SET THE STAGE
FOR WHAT'S TO COME.

BUT YOUTH AND STRENGTH
DON'T LAST FOREVER.

EVEN SHAMAN'S GREATNESS
HAS RUN ITS COURSE.

THE SON HE RAISED
HAS TAKEN HIS PLACE...

AND MAY SOMEDAY CHALLENGE CLOUD.

UNTIL THEN, THIS IS
CLOUD'S TIME TO REIGN.

AND NO MATTER HIS DESTINY,

I HOPE TO BE THERE

TO SHARE IN THE
FREEDOM AND WILDNESS

OF HIS MOUNTAIN HOME.