The Guardian Herd (7 page)

A STRIPE OF ORANGE SPLIT THE DARKNESS, AND
Star watched Frostfire awaken and gaze at Valley Field, the charred meadow of his homeland. “I may never come back to this place.”

Star paced, feeling anxious. “All that matters now is finding our friends and defeating Nightwing.”

“Of course,” said Frostfire.

The two stallions galloped across the field and then leaped into the air, flapping their wings in perfect rhythm. They flew straight up and through the clouds, and then past them, climbing higher. “Come closer,” neighed Star.

Frostfire flew beside him, and Star projected his golden shield around them both. They ducked into the
southwestern jet stream and hurtled away from the mountains. Frostfire controlled the sphere's rotation with his wings, keeping them upright, and Star watched the land pass by in a blur under their hooves, scanning it for signs of pegasi. Hours later they crossed the Vein and entered Jungle Herd's territory.

They coasted over the volcano Firemouth, and the silence between Star and Frostfire sparkled with energy as they each remembered Frostfire's treachery. After he'd kidnapped Morningleaf, he'd hidden her in the lava tubes beneath that steaming volcano.

“I didn't hurt her.” Frostfire said, addressing the tension.

Star exploded. “Do you think that because you didn't kick or bite Morningleaf, what you did wasn't
horrible
?” Star's voice cracked. “You killed her protectors in front of her eyes. You forced her into a bat-infested cave. You chased her into a jet stream.” Star swallowed, marveling at the fact that Morningleaf had ridden in one of these screaming currents without the protection of a shield. Star turned his head to Frostfire. “Every single bone in her wings snapped on exit.” Tears poured from his eyes. “Do you know how badly that hurt her? She would have died if I hadn't been there to heal her.”

Frostfire shook his head, looking numb. “I was following orders from Rockwing.” The words dribbled from his mouth like the last drops of a rainstorm, weak and changing nothing.

Star clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to retract his shield and watch Frostfire plummet to his death. “I don't see any pegasi in this territory,” he said, ending the conversation.

They glided, heading east for many more hours, not speaking. And then the Sea of Rain appeared, green and flat, ahead of them.

“We should check the Jungle Herd nests for pegasi,” suggested Frostfire, his voice soft.

Star lowered his nose and directed the golden sphere down and out of the jet stream. They spread their wings, slowing the bubble, but again they were falling too fast.

A crosscurrent knocked them sideways. Seconds later they crashed into the Sea of Rain and sank toward the bottom near the shore. Star paddled his legs, instinctively swimming, but the water didn't pierce the shield. He and Frostfire floated back up and bobbed on the surface. The two gaped at each other.

“This is incredible.” Frostfire knocked on the shell
with his wing. Dolphins zipped past them, seeming curious but keeping their distance.

Star directed them to shore and then retracted the shield when they reached land. Hot, moist air assaulted them, and Star felt like he was choking. Sweat erupted on both stallions.

“I know where the nests are,” said Frostfire. He lifted off and flew into the rain forest. Star spread his wings and followed.

Below, he saw tall trees and dense foliage. Monkeys leaped from the branches, brightly colored birds flew from tree to tree, and the animal chatter drowned out all other sounds. “How could a pegasus hear a predator coming?” Star wondered aloud.

“They don't,” said Frostfire. “Jungle predators ambush their prey. That's why everything here is camouflaged, so the predators and prey can't see each other. It's why the Jungle Herd pegasi have feathers that look like leaves, so they can hide.”

Star narrowed his eyes.

“I'm telling the truth,” said Frostfire, gliding low over the trees. “And that gives me an idea. Let's land a moment.”

The two touched down, and Frostfire continued. “Your starfire forms a shield, like a tortoise shell, right? It protects you. Maybe your starfire can mimic other animal abilities, like maybe you can camouflage yourself.”

“Maybe, but I don't know how I discovered the shield. It just appeared when Stormtail was about to kill me.”

“That's what I've been saying, Star. When you're threatened, your starfire helps defend you. Here, I'll attack you, and let's see what happens.”

Star didn't like the sound of that.

Frostfire trotted away and then returned with a wingful of fallen pineapples. “I'm going to throw them at you.”

“Wha—”

Frostfire swooped up the hard fruit and threw them at Star, one after the other.

Star blocked with his wings, growing angry. “Stop! This isn't working.”

“Don't use your voice. Use your power.”

Star sprang his shield, and the pineapples bounced off it.

“Not
that
power,” neighed Frostfire.

Star clenched his jaw and retracted the shield. Frostfire tossed the spiny pineapples at him tirelessly, and the
sharper ones cut Star's hide. “I don't feel threatened,” grumbled Star. “I feel stupid.”

“Because you're letting me attack you,” Frostfire neighed, also growing frustrated. “Defend yourself. Try to disappear, like those lizards that change color.”

Star's mind drifted into his body, searching through his powers—not the healing fire, not the hard shield—surely there were more. He closed his eyes, remembering how he'd allowed his shield to project. The power had always been there, just awaiting his permission to spring around him.

A pineapple smashed into his jaw, making it throb. This had to stop.

Star opened his eyes, fanned his golden embers of starfire, and then imagined blending into the forest so well that he couldn't be seen. His starfire crackled and then shut around him, like a thousand flower petals closing.

Frostfire paused in midthrow. “You did it!”

Star glanced at himself, but he looked the same; his hide was still black, not camouflaged green like the plants behind him. “No. Nothing's changed,” he said.

Frostfire dropped his wingful of pineapples and
swallowed hard. “Not true.” Frostfire stared in Star's direction, his eyes bulging. “You didn't change color, but you . . . vanished.”

“What?” Star spread his wings, examining his black feathers. “I didn't vanish; I can see myself.”

“But
I
can't see you,” said Frostfire. “Try to retract the power.”

Star did.

“You're back,” nickered Frostfire. “Now I can see you again.”

“My starfire is getting easier to control,” said Star, astonished. “You were right. These powers have been there all along. I just have to let them work.”

The sun turned from bright yellow to soft orange, and Star grew anxious for Morningleaf. “This is good, helpful, but we need to catch up to Nightwing. Let's go.”

“All right, but we should at least check the Jungle Herd nesting ground first,” said Frostfire. “Survivors may be hiding there.”

Star followed Frostfire back to the nesting grounds, where the white stallion banked and swooped over the uppermost leaves, cruising above hundreds of pegasi nests. “They're empty,” said Star, feeling anxious.

“Look,” whinnied Frostfire as he circled lower. “It's Spiderwing's old nest. I've heard of it, but I've never seen it.”

Star looked and saw a nest that was burned black. Everything else around it was green. “How do you know it's his?”

“See there?” said Frostfire, nodding toward a thick rim of charred flowers, feathers, shells, and shiny stones. “For hundreds of years the Jungle Herd pegasi have left gifts here, as a memorial to Spiderwing. It's why the nest is so big—they keep adding on to it.”

“So it's like a shrine, a tribute?”

“Exactly.” Frostfire glanced around in disbelief. “But it's the only thing that's burned. Nightwing must have done this.”

Star tried to remember the legends. “But why? I thought Nightwing liked Spiderwing.”

Frostfire snorted. “He did, but he was also jealous. When Nightwing conquered the herds four hundred years ago, he killed all the rival over-stallions except one: Spiderwing, the brother of his best friend, Hollyblaze. The two stallions split Anok in half, and Spiderwing's herd thrived but Nightwing's did not. Spiderwing's steeds worshipped him, and still do, as you can see by his nest. He
lived a long life and had thirty-two healthy foals. Nightwing had none. No mare would have him, and his herd despised him.”

Star pricked his ears. He hadn't known this about the Destroyer. He tried to imagine an over-stallion who was unable to attract a mate, who lacked respect from his herdmates, and he couldn't. He'd never heard of such a thing. Nightwing must have been humiliated. “But none of that is a reason to come back and hurt
us
,” said Star.

“Don't you get it,” said Frostfire, snorting. “
We're
Spiderwing's descendants—all of us. Nightwing's herd reproduced no foals. The mares turned barren. All of us come from Spiderwing's line, and Nightwing didn't promise
not
to kill us. Or you.” He peered at Star. “You're his new rival, and I doubt he'll make the same mistake twice. He won't let you live.”

Star shuddered. All he'd ever wanted was to be a regular colt. He hadn't asked for any of this.

Frostfire and Star hovered closer to the ancient nest. Frostfire spoke. “For Nightwing to see this . . . this monument to his oldest rival—still being tended after four hundred years—I imagine that angered the Destroyer pretty badly.”

Star lifted his head, feeling overwhelmed by the depth
of Nightwing's hatred. “We're on his trail, but we keep missing him. Let's go now,
right
now, to Desert Herd's territory. It's the last place to search. If they aren't there, then they've left Western Anok, and they're on their way to their new home.”

Frostfire nodded, and the two stallions surged toward Desert Herd's lands, flying all night.

FOUR DAYS PASSED FOR MORNINGLEAF AND HER
friends in the underground cavern. They'd survived by drinking from the aquifer and grazing on patches of wet moss, but now it was time to go.

“Nightwing may have left warriors behind to patrol the river,” said Dewberry.

“And in the sky,” said Hazelwind. “We'll have to travel at night.” He glanced at the yellowish rock walls that leaked water like tears. “If we're spotted . . . ,” he began, but didn't finish his thought. They all knew that if an Ice Warrior spotted them, Hazelwind would have to kill the steed before he or she could inform Nightwing about them.

“We won't let that happen,” assured Brackentail.

Morningleaf had felt triumphant the last four days, but not anymore. Exiting the river, tracking Nightwing, and spying on him would be as dangerous and stressful as traveling with him. Besides that, her confrontation with the Ice Warrior in the cavern had reminded her how young and small she was against her enemies. Even fleeing from them would be tough. Morningleaf stared at her ruined feathers, feeling useless.

Brackentail edged closer. As if reading her mind, he said, “We'll protect you. That's what a herd is for.”

Morningleaf's crumbling resolve thumped to life at his words. She gazed at him and nudged him gently with her muzzle. “Thank you.” He'd said the exact words she needed to hear. Louder, she spoke to the group. “Instead of heading to the main channel, why don't we follow this outlet a little farther. It should eventually lead to the surface, but far from the river.”

Dewberry and Hazelwind looked skeptical.

“We have time to try it,” said Brackentail. “We know Nightwing is taking the herd to the interior of Anok, and it'll be safer to follow this branch than to return to the main channel, where Ice Warriors might still be looking for us.”

“That's true,” said Hazelwind, glancing at Morningleaf,
“but I'm worried about getting lost. What if this tunnel takes us deeper underground and we become trapped?”

Her brother's gaze was unwavering, and Morningleaf saw their sire reflected in him—Thundersky's bravery and his commitment to his family. Hazelwind had abandoned Morningleaf and their mother once to form his own herd because he didn't trust Star. She'd been furious with him, but since then Hazelwind had decided to accept Star. Now their broken bond was healing, and like a broken bone, it was healing stronger than before. “Trust me,” she said to her older brother. “I was trapped in the lava tubes, and I found my way out.”

“All right,” Hazelwind said. “Lead the way.”

Morningleaf turned and walked deeper into the aqueduct, with her friends following.

Many hours later, the rocky ledge ended abruptly, but the river channel continued, flowing ahead. A smidgeon of light in the distance indicated that the surface might be near. “We'll have to swim the rest of the way,” said Morningleaf.

Bumblewind lowered his nose to the dark water. “Are
you sure this leads to the surface?”

Morningleaf had counted on a breeze to indicate open land above their heads, like she had in the lava tubes, but underground the air was still. “Wait here; I'll check it out.”

Before they could stop her, Morningleaf slid into the water. Without the sun to warm it, the cool liquid chilled her bones. She paddled forward and relaxed, feeling for a current. Small, luminescent creatures glowed along the sides of the rock tunnel. She had the eerie feeling of being watched. She swam on, kicking gently. Then she felt it, rising water, but the tunnel narrowed ahead, cutting off her air. She'd have to duck under the surface and swim the rest of the way underwater. But would this aqueduct take her to the surface, or trap her under land and drown her? She returned to her friends.

“What did you find?” asked Brackentail.

“A way out, I think. Just a few winglengths that way I can feel the water sifting upward.”

“That's good,” said Brackentail.

“Not if it's leading to a dead end,” said Dewberry.

“Well, if I don't come back, then it's a dead end.” Morningleaf nickered as if she were joking, but her friends just blinked at her in silence.

“I'm coming with you,” said Brackentail.

Morningleaf peered into his soft golden eyes, opening her mouth to speak.

“You can't change my mind,” he said.

She exhaled, nodding. “All right, follow me.” He jumped into the water, and she led him back the way she'd come. When they reached the spot where the river filled the entire tunnel, they each took a huge breath and dived under the surface. They paddled on and then upward, toward the dim light above.

Soon, Morningleaf's heart was thudding. She thought they'd hit the surface by now, but they were still swimming, and she'd passed the point where she had enough air to turn back. With her chest burning, she glanced behind her, but it was too dark to see Brackentail. She swiveled her ears, hearing only the quiet swish of her paddling hooves.

Morningleaf swam on. Her lungs swelled. Sharp cramps seized her gut. Desperate now, she bolted, kicking as hard as she could and wondering if Brackentail was doing the same. Was there no end to this tunnel?

Her muscles clenched in a spasm.

Her brain shut down.

Her mouth opened.

Then she burst through to the surface. A second later, Brackentail emerged beside her. They pulled hard on the fresh air, sucking at it like starving newborns. “We made it,” she gasped.

They were floating in a small watering hole nestled deep within a rock basin in the Wastelands. Far away a lone coyote slunk into the shadows, disturbed by their sudden presence. Morningleaf stared up at the sky. The moon was a sliver, casting a pale glow, but she didn't see any winged patrols flying in the sky.

Brackentail dragged himself out of the watering hole, sniffed the wind, and flicked his ears. “It's quiet,” he said.

Morningleaf also pulled herself out, and she stood, shivering on the shore, dreading the moment of going back into the water. “We'd better return for the others,” she said. “Before they decide we've drowned.”

Brackentail tossed his mane. “Why don't you keep watch? I'll get them.”

“But—”

He lowered his head. “I'd feel safer if you stayed and protected the area. I don't want to come back and find a pack of coyotes here.”

Morningleaf peered at him, knowing he wasn't afraid of coyotes, but she understood the reasoning behind his
plea: he didn't think she'd survive that swim a second time. She'd barely had enough air the first time, and now her legs were trembling. Brackentail was larger, and he could hold his breath longer, but he also knew that she wouldn't stay behind without a reason, and lame as it was, he had given her one: to keep watch for coyotes. Morningleaf studied him, feeling grateful and curious. For the second time he'd said the exact words she needed to hear. “Okay, I'll keep watch.”

He nodded and lifted off. “I'm going to get a flying start.” He flew several winglengths in the air, and then he dived like an eagle into the water, splashing down and disappearing into the depths.

It seemed forever that she waited, but then each of her friends surfaced in the watering hole and swam to shore, breathless but safe.

“So far the way is clear,” said Morningleaf. “No Nightwing. No Ice Warriors.” She nudged Brackentail fondly with her muzzle. “And no coyotes.”

Bumblewind climbed out of the water and swept his eyes across the dusty canyon. “The first thing we need to do is find food.” Then quickly, before anyone could harass him for saying it, Bumblewind added, “Tell me you aren't starving?”

Morningleaf's belly had shriveled like an old blackberry, but she hadn't noticed that until Bumblewind mentioned it. “He's right,” she said. “We need to rebuild our strength.”

“We'll eat soon, but not yet,” said Hazelwind, glancing behind them. “We need to find better cover. I'll fly a quick patrol, see what I can find.” He lifted off, sweeping a radius around them, watching for Ice Warriors, and then he landed. “There's nothing here but desert. We'll have to stick close to the canyon walls and travel until morning. Farther inland there will be trees and plants to eat—the faster we move, the faster we'll find them.” He cantered off and soon settled into an efficient lope. They traveled by hoof since Morningleaf couldn't fly and they were all too tired to carry her.

“And what about Nightwing?” asked Morningleaf, following her brother.

“We know he's heading east to the Flatlands. We'll follow, keeping our distance. Once he settles the herd, we'll hide as close as we dare to keep watch on him, and we'll wait for Star to find us. As long as it takes.”

Morningleaf nodded, shuddering as a desert breeze blew across her water-soaked hide. Beside her, Brackentail loped and listened for danger. She felt safe between
her brother and her friend, and she took the rare opportunity to relax, to let them worry about what happened next. Her thoughts drifted to Star. She'd done everything she could to protect him, and so had his guardian herd, but now the pegasi were captured, and she couldn't fly, and Star was alone. She knew he was looking for them—and the hope of seeing him again kept her moving forward, in spite of the thin voice in her head that told her all was lost.