The Guardian Herd (21 page)

STAR COASTED OVER THE EASTERN SWELLS. THE
pegasi were back in the valley, chased there by the storm. They were haggard, windblown, and tired. Sharp peals of mourning lifted into the sky over the pegasi who'd been killed by the stampede, the wolves, and the tornado. Silverlake had made it safely back after he'd left her in the grassland, and she was standing with Sweetroot, tending to distressed steeds. Other than the obvious, nothing unusual seemed amiss.

Star glided to the stone tribute and flew circles around it. From a distance it had looked intact, but up close he saw massive damage. The clay had cracked between the stones, and hundreds of rocks had fallen, leaving a huge
chunk open on one side. Dust billowed around him, making him cough. Star landed and whistled for Frostfire. When the stallion didn't immediately appear, Star whistled for him again. “Frostfire?”

There was no answer.

“I'm back!” Star called out. Then he heard hoofbeats behind him. Star whirled around and found Frostfire, side by side with his mother and her guard. Star leaped backward. “What's this?” he asked, looking from the white stallion to Petalcloud to Stormtail.

“It's over, Star,” said Frostfire, looking resigned. “All of it: the tunnel, the tribute, the plan.”

“What do you mean
over
?” Star's heart thudded hard, sending his pulse racing. And why had Frostfire mentioned the tunnel in front of Petalcloud! He scanned Frostfire for injuries, wondering if her guard had attacked him or tortured him, but he seemed unharmed. “Did they hurt you?” Star asked his uncle.

Petalcloud pranced forward, swishing her tail. “He doesn't get it,” she nickered to Frostfire.

“Get what?” Star forced himself to take deep breaths, but he felt his gut twisting like a snake.

Petalcloud gazed up at him, her black eyes shining. “Frostfire has made a deal . . . with me.”

Star reared as the ground seemed to swirl beneath him. “Frostfire!” he screamed. “What have you done?”

His uncle flattened his ears. “I made promises too,” he said, his voice ragged. “To Larksong. She can't eat or sleep; she's molting. They took our son, and I promised I'd get him back, but I was fair to you, Star. I helped you find your friends, I stayed by your side while you built this tribute, and then you
didn't
save my mare or my colt, did you? And now it's too late—the tunnel is ruined. I had to do something.”

“Ruined? How?”

“It collapsed, just a few moments ago.”

Star's heart lurched. Morningleaf and Brackentail had just flown there! This explained his feeling of dread—it was about the tunnel! “Was anyone inside?” he asked, afraid of the answer.

“Yes, someone was,” answered Petalcloud. “Someone we all thought was dead until Frostfire told us where to find her.”

Star grunted. He knew exactly who Petalcloud was talking about, but he lifted his eyes to Frostfire's, hoping he was wrong. “Tell me you didn't,” he pleaded, his voice strangled.

“I did,” said Frostfire. “I traded Morningleaf for
Starfrost. My colt is being returned to Larksong right now, and Nightwing is setting my family free.”

Star saw that Frostfire took no pleasure in what he'd done but that he'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Star faced Petalcloud. “Where's Morningleaf now?” he asked, fearing the worst, that she'd died in the tunnel.

Petalcloud curled her lip, then quickly softened her expression—but not before Star had seen the white flash of her teeth. “She's safe; she's with Nightwing.”

Star's veins turned to ice. “Safe?” he spat, and suddenly he understood what Frostfire had been feeling since Nightwing took his son: panicked. “A good lead mare would never allow this—any of this,” said Star, his lips trembling.

She snorted, tossing her glossy silver mane off her dark neck. “Do you think I wanted to trade Starfrost for Morningleaf? I didn't, but I can't stop Nightwing, and neither can you. I've chosen his protection.”

“You've chosen our
destruction
!”

Star turned on his uncle, his anger bubbling hotter. “And you! Maybe I didn't save your mare . . . yet . . . but I didn't harm her either. Nightwing will
kill
Morningleaf.”

Frostfire averted his eyes but remained stoic. “I saved my family, Star.”

I'm your family too
, Star thought, but Frostfire had made it clear during their travels that he didn't feel the same connection.

Petalcloud fluffed her feathers. “You can't trust a liar, Star.”

Star's wings fell to his sides. “You're right,” he said to Petalcloud. “But I did.”

“Twice,” she said. Petalcloud glowed with pleasure over giving Star the news that he'd been betrayed. “Your plan is ruined, the rebels are revealed, and your best friend is captured. What do you have to say about that?”

“Nothing to you.” Star lifted off and flapped his giant black wings, heading toward the valley, toward Nightwing.

STAR SOARED OVER THE VALLEY OF PEGASI,
hunting for the Destroyer. Below him he saw the collapsed tunnel. It appeared as a long, jagged rip in the green grass, leading from the pond toward the forest in the south. The Wind Herd steeds huddled in their separate groups, confused and with their necks craned, calling to herdmates across the valley, whinnying for news.

Star flew low, just as the clouds parted and the hot sun lit the valley, casting his shadow across Wind Herd. They looked up at him, and their rumblings ceased. Star saw Sweetroot and Silverlake and all the rest who had not left the valley. The sight of Star gliding overhead calmed their panic.
We've come a long way
, he thought, remembering
the days when a glimpse of him caused terror.

Star hovered over the heads of the Wind Herd guards. “Where's Nightwing,” he trumpeted. He saw no sign of Morningleaf.

The Ice Warriors cast their eyes toward Petalcloud, who had flown to the hill next to the tribute and stood alone.

She glanced at the sky, her eyes triumphant.

Then another shadow passed by the sun, shading the stone tribute and then angling toward Star. It was Nightwing. He circled the valley, his eyes focused on Wind Herd. He opened his mouth and scorched the grass with silver fire. The pegasi galloped toward the woods.

“Hold steady,” Star neighed to them, pitching his voice so low his words vibrated their ribs. Only over-stallions spoke this way, and the twelve thousand steeds halted, instantly responding to his authority and standing at attention, ready for his next command. Star sighed, realizing he couldn't change the inherent nature of pegasi. They responded to strength and power, and this kept order in their massive herds, but it was also their greatest weakness when that power was abused.

Star whirled, facing Nightwing. It was time to rid Anok, and the Beyond, of the Destroyer; and it was time
for Star to rise to what he believed was his true destiny. It wasn't to unite or conquer the herds, or to heal or destroy the pegasi; it was to
defend
them. Frostfire had been right about that much. “Set Wind Herd free,” Star commanded. “Let them go.”

Nightwing glided toward him and hovered, his wings creating wind that blew back Star's forelock. Nightwing nickered, and sparks popped between his teeth. “Here we are again,” he said. His eyes turned from brown to silver as he opened his mouth and blasted Star with his fire.

Star sprang his shield. The starfire split around it, unable to touch him. Star watched the clouds drift by, waiting until the black stallion shut his mouth. When he did, Star retracted his shield, unharmed. “Let them go.” he repeated, keeping his voice calm and steady.

Nightwing roared and dived toward the pegasi in the valley. Screaming erupted as they stampeded, and Nightwing unhinged his jaws to blast them.

Star tucked his wings and tore after Nightwing, flying under him and then darting upward and ramming him in the belly. Nightwing spun across the sky, then fell, slamming into the grass and skidding across it. He rolled to his hooves, his chest frothing. “Anok is mine!” he neighed.

“Anok is theirs,” Star answered. He landed and faced
the dark stallion. They circled each other, heads low, ears pinned. Star willed Nightwing to attack him. If Frostfire was correct, Star's defenses would multiply in strength.

As if sensing a trap, Nightwing closed his wings. “I don't have to fight you,” he said.

Star's hot blood turned cold.
What did that mean?

Triumph blazed in Nightwing's eyes. “I have
her
.”

He was talking about Morningleaf, and Star's feeling of dread returned.

Nightwing nodded toward the woods, his expression smug.

Star followed his gaze. Frostfire emerged from the woods followed by two Ice Warriors who had Morningleaf in their grasp. They dragged her by her newly healed wings as she thrashed, trying to get free.

Star bolted toward her.

At Frostfire's command, an Ice Warrior twisted her left wing. Morningleaf shrieked as the small end bones snapped.

Sweat erupted between Star's ears and he halted, choking on the air as though he were drowning. “Let her go,” he whinnied to Frostfire, his eyes pleading.

Guilt washed over his uncle's face, but he gave a small
shake of his head. He had chosen sides.

Star turned to Nightwing, begging him. “Please. This is between us.” His heart thudded so hard he thought it would break through his rib cage.

“You can challenge me and lose her, or submit to me and save her,” Nightwing neighed, his voice floating across the valley. “It's your choice.”

Star blinked rapidly, trying to think. The pegasi of Anok stared at him, waiting. He held their fate and Morningleaf's in his wings.

Morningleaf's eyes bored into his, willing him
not
to save her, to save the herd instead. How had it all come back to this, a choice between saving one or all? It was a repeat of the night he'd received his power: when Frostfire had Morningleaf gripped tight in his jaws, and Rockwing had offered to spare her life for Star's. He'd chosen to save her, and then she'd thrown herself into the path of the deathblow meant for him. And she'd died anyway.

Star's feelings twisted, making him dizzy. If Star let Nightwing execute him to save Morningleaf, none of her sacrifices, none of her bravery, and none of her faith would equal anything. He returned her gaze. Understanding flashed between them. Star would save the herd.
Morningleaf would have to save herself.

The pegasi in the valley, Petalcloud, Frostfire, and the Ice Warriors—they all quieted, waiting for his decision.

Star arched his proud neck, flexed the powerful muscles he'd developed building the tribute, and stood to his full height, shadowing Nightwing. “I challenge you,” he said, and then he brayed the battle cry of an over-stallion over the valley until it echoed from the land to the stars.

Surprise flickered across Nightwing's face.

Star drew his golden starfire and shot it throughout his body and into the sky like an erupting volcano. His power healed the damage he'd endured building the tribute. As the pegasi watched, Star's battered hooves turned smooth, his dull hide glowed black, and his tattered feathers lengthened into glossy plumage.

The pegasi in the valley cried out as one, in an ear-jarring cheer for Star. They rattled their feathers and grouped into the formation of an army—all of them—down to the elders and the walkers. They splayed their wings, and ferocious energy blazed through them.

Nightwing shook his head as though he didn't believe his ears. “Break her wings and drop her from the clouds,” he ordered.

The two Ice Warriors darted into the sky, with Morningleaf dangling between them.

“No!” whinnied Silverlake. She and Redfire and their friends rocketed after Morningleaf.

But Star kept his eyes trained on Nightwing, even as his heart broke into a thousand pieces for Morningleaf. “You will never win this,” Star said; then he lifted off and glided to the top of the tribute. All eyes followed him.

Star found the special feather he'd tucked into the rocks—a long and beautiful flight feather that was golden in color, with a dark-brown tip. It still smelled of his friend. Star lifted the feather over his head and trumpeted across the valley and the grassland, his voice carrying for miles and miles. “For Bumblewind!” he brayed.

Sweetroot trotted forward and raised her wing over her head. “For Bumblewind!” she whinnied.

Behind Sweetroot, the nearly twelve thousand pegasi all raised one wing over their heads and repeated her words. “For Bumblewind!” And Star's heart pounded at the sight of them spread across the green valley, their bright feathers fluttering in the wind, crying out the name of their fallen friend.

Nightwing choked on his silver fire and whirled, facing
Star. “What is this? Are you mocking me?” he neighed.

“This is freedom,” Star answered.

Then the nearly twelve thousand pegasi lifted off, in battle formation, and swarmed Nightwing's army of Ice Warriors.