The Guardian Herd

by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

  She chewed her lip, considering what would happen if he did find them. Nightwing would use her to control Star—he’d promised as much, and it was something Star had always feared would happen. It was why he’d once sent her away with Frostfire, so that the white stallion would hide her from Nightwing. She glanced at her brother, Hazelwind, noticing how much his eyes and muzzle resembled their proud sire, Thundersky. Next she peered at her mother, who flew with such steadfast precision that no one would guess the devastating emotions that tumbled within her heart.

  When Star comes, I can’t be here. The thought assailed her like the wind, tousling her mixed-up feelings and sending them all in one direction—toward escape. But her mother was right; it was too dangerous. Her brother and her friends, they would be killed. No, she couldn’t let them help her. She’d have to do it on her own. But how?

  Morningleaf closed her eyes and saw nothing but flames and death. Her eyelids flew back open. Now was not a time to feel afraid. Now was the time to think. She sealed off her fears and plotted, letting her imagination fly.

  4

  TEAMWORK

  SEVERAL DAYS HAD PASSED SINCE STAR HAD DISCOVERED his herd missing. He and Frostfire had searched Snow Herd’s territory without stopping, cruising just below the cloud layer so they could scan the terrain for signs of pegasi. But the north was empty, abandoned.

  The sun was setting when Frostfire begged for a rest. “I need water,” he rasped. There was a river shimmering in the distance. Star banked and headed toward it.

  Star was larger than Frostfire and should have been taking the headwind to speed their flight, but the white stallion refused to draft on Star’s wake. And it was silly for Star to draft off Frostfire’s, so they flew in each other’s competing currents, slowing each other down, and Star became frustrated. They landed at the water’s edge, and Frostfire plunged his nose into the current. Star spoke. “We’re not working as a team.”

  “So,” said Frostfire, water dripping down his chin.

  “So we should,” said Star. “If you let me lead, we’ll travel faster.”

  “I won’t draft off you,” said Frostfire, ruffling his violet-edged feathers. “You can draft off me.”

  Yearlings like Star didn’t normally lead a formation, and he understood that Frostfire was once a captain, a leader, and the idea of riding the wake of a younger steed was repulsive to him, but Star had no patience for Frostfire’s feelings. “I’m bigger and faster,” he said, pointing out the obvious.

  “Do you want to split up?” asked Frostfire. “Is that what you’re getting at?”

  It was tempting. Frostfire struggled to breathe in the heights, and his burly muscles tired easily; he was built to sprint, not to fly for hours on end. He was also moody, and the long silences between them were thick with static that set Star’s nerves on edge.

  But joy had bloomed in Frostfire’s heart at the news of his unborn colt, and it was transforming him. He daydreamed and fretted, and Star sometimes caught him sighing with pleasure or pacing with worry. In those moments Frostfire’s eyes were soft, and when he looked at Star, it wasn’t with hatred. In those moments Star found the white stallion tolerable. But none of that changed the fact that Frostfire slowed him down.

  “I’m not saying I want to split up,” said Star. “I need you to take me to my friends.” Star lowered his head and drank from the river, enjoying the cool liquid on his tongue, and he studied the white steed who had streaks of silver in his tail.

  He wasn’t just using Frostfire to find River Herd; the stallion was also Star’s only living family. He didn’t believe Frostfire was aware of it or, if he was, that he cared about their blood relation, but Star cared. He’d lost his chance to know his grandsire, Iceriver, and while befriending Frostfire was probably out of the question, the stallion’s unborn colt was also Star’s relation, and he wanted to know him. “I’m thinking of ways to speed up this search,” said Star, hoping to soothe the stallion’s suspicious mind.

  Frostfire was thinking too, and his eyes brightened with an idea. “You’re right that we need to travel faster. Why don’t we ride the jet streams? If I fail the exit, you can heal me, right?”

  Star pricked his ears, shocked at his proposal. “Heal you? I’d probably have to bring you back from the dead, but yes, I could do it.”

  The jet streams were currents of air that whipped across the planet at hurricane speeds. Riding them was difficult, but exiting them safely was near impossible. The skinny, small-boned Desert Herd steeds trained all their lives to ride the jet streams, and they drifted in and out of them with ease, but Frostfire’s body was dense and heavy. He would plummet toward land at the mercy of his own momentum. “Do you trust me enough to bring you back from death?” asked Star.

  Frostfire paused. “Well, not when you put it like that.”

  “I don’t mean I wouldn’t do it. I’m just surprised you’d . . . I don’t know . . . trust me with your life.”

  Frostfire huffed. “Forget it. You’re talking me out of it.”

  But Star didn’t forget it. “It would be better if I could prevent your injury in the first place.”

  “I’ll agree with that.”

  Star pranced, becoming excited. “Maybe I can project my shield around us both.”

  “Your what?”

  “My shield, it’s like a . . . like a bubble, but it protects me.”

  Frostfire flattened his ears and studied Star’s body. “So you’re immortal and indestructible now?”

  Star shrugged his wings. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

  Frostfire grunted. “Nightwing has a similar ability, doesn’t he? I’d heard from one of my captains that you shot starfire directly at him, but he blocked it. It bounced off without touching him.”

  “Yes, he has a shield too,” said Star, who didn’t remember much from that day in Sky Meadow when Nightwing had nearly killed him.

  Frostfire paced, thinking. “Have you considered you might have other powers?”

  “Of course.”

  “Have you tried to use them?”

  “I don’t know what they are, so no.”

  Frostfire peered up at the sky. “All right, let’s try riding a jet stream in the morning.”

  The pair kicked off and flew to the forestlands to sleep.

  Star felt hopeful. By riding the jet streams, they’d be traveling much faster, and they’d catch up to Morningleaf and his friends quicker. How Star would free them from Nightwing, he wasn’t sure, but at least he had the shield. Nightwing couldn’t hurt him this time. Star wondered what the Destroyer wanted with the pegasi of Anok. Was it just to rule a herd, or something worse? He stretched his long black wings. He guessed that sooner rather than later he would find out.

  Frostfire discussed their plan for the next day. “A southwestern jet stream will carry us across Mountain Herd’s and Jungle Herd’s territories. From the heights, we can scan the lands all the way to the ocean. If we don’t find the pegasi there, then we can head east, over Desert Herd’s land.” Frostfire exhaled. “We’re looking for a herd of—I don’t know—twelve thousand steeds. We’re sure to see signs of them if they’re still in Western Anok.”

  Star glanced at the moon, which was rising. “I’ll keep watch tonight.”

  Frostfire grimaced. “I’ll watch out for myself.” But soon the captain was fast asleep.

  Star stayed awake all night, keeping a wary eye out for predators. Next to him, Frostfire dozed, curled up like a young foal, and Star stared at him, feeling curious.

  He knew Frostfire had been abandoned by his mother, Petalcloud, and treated cruelly by his grandsire, Rockwing. Was that why Frostfire thought Star would use his power for evil, because Rockwing had ruled Mountain Herd with such viciousness, forcing steeds to submit to him or die? Or was it because his mother had joined forces with Nightwing and had not included him, her son? Star couldn’t blame Frostfire for being suspicious of him when his own family had betrayed him, and he doubted he could
ever really trust Frostfire, but maybe during their travels Frostfire would see that he could trust Star?

  Turning his gaze from the sleeping stallion, Star scented the wind for predators and wondered where Nightwing could be hiding twelve thousand pegasi. His heart beat faster, thinking about it. His fierce and independent friends—who’d once threatened to execute him in utter fear that he was a destroyer—were now under the control of the Destroyer himself. Star found the weight of it all difficult to bear. He didn’t know who was alive or dead. Star stared up through the leaves at the pale moon that glowed as it always had, and he wondered if Morningleaf was looking at the same beautiful sight.

  5

  EXHAUSTION

  NIGHTWING LANDED HIS CAPTURED HERD IN THE scrubby foothills located northeast of Mountain Herd’s territory. They were inland now, far from the coast, flying over a long, winding river. They’d been traveling for twenty-two days. Nightwing settled the herd once a day to drink and eat, and once a night to sleep. The pegasi were weary and hungry, and Morningleaf was no exception. Her wings ached from holding her weight.

  As soon as the herd touched down on the rocky landscape, she stumbled to a halt and let her blackened limbs hang to the ground. A glimpse of her shadow showed her how much she resembled Star when he was born: a dud with black feathers and drooping wings. The thought wrenched her heart with memories of him and concern for where he was now.

  Brackentail landed gently next to her, keeping one eye on Petalcloud’s Ice Warriors, who guarded the herd. “They’re flying us too hard for such a long journey,” he said, gritting his teeth.

  Morningleaf exhaled, taking in the brown colt’s concern. He’d tried to kill Star when they were all weanlings, but so much had changed since then. It had taken a long time, but he’d earned back Star’s trust; then slowly, he’d earned Morningleaf’s trust, and also her respect. She no longer saw the past when she looked at Brackentail, but the future. He was growing taller and stronger each day, as were all the yearlings.

  Morningleaf stepped closer to Brackentail and nuzzled him, soaking up his warm scent. Her other yearling friends, Shadepebble, Bumblewind, and Echofrost, joined them along with Morningleaf’s older brother, Hazelwind.

  “I heard we lost another foal,” said Shadepebble.

  Echofrost nodded. “The filly’s wing muscles cramped a few miles back, and she fell. It happened too fast for anyone to save her.”

  “How is the filly’s mother?” asked Shadepebble.

  Echofrost winced. “She’s . . . gone. She attacked Nightwing, and, well, you know.”

  Morningleaf lashed her tail. Nightwing used Petalcloud’s army of devoted Ice Warriors to patrol the herd. The big-boned, furry steeds pranced among the captured steeds, biting and kicking anyone who complained or who lay down to rest. Nightwing also patrolled the herd, and he killed pegasi quickly and randomly, sometimes with no warning. It wore on all their jangled nerves. Morningleaf barely recognized the pegasi of Anok—they were shedding feathers, hollow eyed, and skinny, and some had drifted into hopelessness. But Morningleaf’s anger, and her concern for Star, kept her sharp.

  Brackentail nodded toward the mares and foals who were drinking at a flat blue watering hole. “I overheard Sweetroot advising the mothers to wean the foals early, maybe tonight. Nursing and migrating don’t mix.”

  “Poor things,” said Bumblewind.

  Morningleaf gazed west, back the way they had come, and imagined Star searching for them. “He’ll find us,” she said.

  Bumblewind flicked his ears, knowing exactly who she meant. “Of course he will.”

  “I agree,” said Brackentail, “but we can’t keep waiting for him. Morningleaf won’t make it much farther.” He looked straight at her. “I’m sorry, but it’s true. We have a lot of flying ahead of us, and your shoulder muscles are giving out. You almost lost your grasp on Hazelwind and fell today, like that filly.”

  Morningleaf tried to deny it. “I—”

  Brackentail interrupted. “I saw it, Morningleaf.”

  “I did too,” said Echofrost.

  Morningleaf closed her mouth, because they were right. Her shoulders were exhausted from holding her weight as Redfire and now Hazelwind flew her through the sky. If the tops of her wings weren’t burned, her friends could use their teeth to carry her; but they’d tried that, and Morningleaf had almost passed out from the pain. But she couldn’t travel this way much farther either. And the winds were increasing as they journeyed inland, buffeting her dangling body and making it more difficult to keep hold.

  Brackentail lowered his voice. “Echofrost and Shadepebble are planning a huge fight that will distract the guards. And Hazelwind is working on the rest, getting you out of here while everyone’s confused.”

  “It won’t work,” said Morningleaf flatly.

  “It will,” said Brackentail as he wrapped his wing across her back. “Trust us.”

  Morningleaf leaned against him. “I trust you, but not Nightwing’s starfire. Failing means more than just death.”

  Brackentail’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

  Morningleaf lowered her voice, and the hot wind flipped her mane over her eyes as she spoke the secret that burdened her. “Promise not to tell anyone what I’m about to say.”

  “I promise,” breathed Brackentail.

  “Steeds killed by starfire don’t fly to the golden meadow where the Ancestors live. Instead their souls are trapped in a place called the Beyond.” Her throat tightened as she heard Brackentail’s startled gasp.

  “How do you know this?” he asked.

  “The Ancestors spoke to Star in the north. They told him and then he told me, but we don’t want my mother to know. Her mate, my sire, is there, stuck in the Beyond.” Tears stung her eyes. “And that’s where you’ll go if you help me escape and fail. You see, Nightwing hasn’t just captured the living but also the dead. And there’s nothing we can do; only Star is capable of killing the Destroyer and freeing them. Don’t risk your soul for me.”

  Brackentail’s muscles tensed at her words, and his wings flared. “But Nightwing will use you against Star like a hostage, or worse. Star won’t be able to think straight if that happens.”

  Morningleaf softened toward him, and the two stood in the sun, each lost in thought. She understood his feelings, but she knew there was no way to escape Nightwing and the Ice Warriors. She was sure her friends would die trying to free her. She also knew she couldn’t stop them. They’d proven their bravery and loyalty over and over again, but saving her—it was too much to ask this time, which was why she had a plan of her own.

  An Ice Warrior trotted past Morningleaf and her friends. They dropped their heads and grazed. The warrior was Stormtail, the gigantic dapple-gray stallion with the huge hooves who used to guard Petalcloud but who now spent his time patrolling the herd. His black eyes shifted to Morningleaf and her group.

  They pretended not to notice him.

  He paused, watching them, and his eyes were like shark eyes, empty but searching, his nostrils quivering. Stormtail took a few steps toward them, then turned and trotted away, attracted by a group of sobbing mares.

  “The sooner you’re out of here, the better,” Brackentail whispered to Morningleaf.

  She nodded, and her thoughts turned to escape as she studied the surrounding terrain. Dusty rocks and shriveled plants covered flat-topped stone mesas that stretched for miles, scorched by the sun. Without the ocean breezes and fog, the air was hot, stale. A wide blue river snaked across the bland landscape, the only spot of color.

  And beyond this land lay their destination, the lush grasslands of the interior, which were known for their dangerous high winds. But as Morningleaf considered the vastness of Anok, her captivity made even the huge sky feel small. The Ice Warriors never stopped patrolling, never stopped watching. Her world had shrunk to the space between herself and the guards. The sparkling river caught her eye, and she noticed where it disappeared underground and then returned
to the surface. An idea formed in her mind. She inhaled, about to speak.

  “What is it?” whispered Echofrost.

  Morningleaf glanced at her friends, her plan on the tip of her tongue. Then it vanished from her lips. I can’t tell them, she thought. “It’s nothing. I’m just worrying.”

  Echofrost lifted her fine-shaped head, dazzling Morningleaf with the proud arch of her neck and the glittering determination in her eyes. All traces of the rage and bitterness she’d carried after her kidnapping by Rockwing had vanished long ago. “Don’t worry about getting free,” she said. “Let us take care of it.”

  Morningleaf sighed, knowing that Echofrost and Hazelwind had made up their minds too. “When do you plan to get me out?” she asked, playing along.

  “In the morning,” answered Echofrost.

  Then I must escape tonight, Morningleaf decided. She felt her blood rush to her head, and her heart beat like a scared rabbit’s. Her plan would probably fail, but so would theirs, and at least hers only involved herself.

  6

  JET STREAM

  STAR BLINKED INTO THE RISING SUN, LETTING THE pale rays warm his black feathers. Northern butterflies fluttered around his hooves as he shuffled through the moss, and he briefly envied the simplicity of their lives. He turned his gaze toward the blue sky. He and Frostfire would travel south by jet stream today. They were on Nightwing’s trail, he was sure of it, but they kept missing him. “Are you ready to go?” he asked Frostfire, who was grazing on lichen.

  “Yes, I’m ready,” said Frostfire, but Star saw his pulse quicken as he took a deep, steadying breath.

  Neither stallion had ridden a jet stream before, but Star had seen Morningleaf fall out of one. She’d plunged toward land faster than he’d thought possible. The force of the fall had snapped her wing bones and shredded her feathers. Star had caught her in a beam of golden starfire and healed her ruined wings, otherwise she would have died. Even the fearless ancient stallion Spiderwing, the founder of the five herds, was known to be afraid of jet streams, so Star understood Frostfire’s thrumming heart—it matched his own.