Zouga never saw the command, probably the toe of her boot on the far side of Shooting Stars heaving chest; he had certainly not expected a show horse to have learned the low tricks of a polo pony. Shooting Stars huge sweat-streaked shoulder crashed into Tom, taking him in the short ribs with a force that drove the air out of him in a belching grunt, and as he was spun a Zouga never saw the command, probably the toe of her boot on the far side of Shooting Stars heaving chest; he had certainly not expected a show horse to have learned the low tricks of a polo pony. Shooting Stars huge sweat-streaked shoulder crashed into Tom, taking him in the short ribs with a force that drove the air out of him in a belching grunt, and as he was spun aside Tom chopped desperately to keep from falling, twisting and dropping to his knees, his nose on the ground, too tired and taken too unawares to meet the power of the ferocious barge. It is the age of empire, of blood and conquest, of boundless excitement and possibility. Striding in the footsteps of the pioneers is Zouga Ballantyne. His dreams begins in the danger and drudgery of the diamond pits and ends on the rich grasslands of Matabeleland - but not before a king and a proud warrior nation have paid the price of history...