The Guardian Herd (2 page)

HEAVY CLOUDS MASKED THE NIGHT SKY, AND
cold drizzle collected on Star's feathers as he flapped through the mist, soaring straight up toward the moon. He was searching for the end of the massive cloud layer that blocked his view of northern Anok. Where was his herd? They had just been celebrating the defeat of Frostfire's Black Army at their camp in the Trap. Star was content. He'd used his starfire to heal his friends and his enemies, and the herds that had been hiding from Nightwing the Destroyer were finally united and working together. Star's ultimate goal of bringing peace to Anok had seemed imminent.

But then the cries of an injured pegasus had lured
Star deep into the woods. He'd found Frostfire's mate, Larksong, lying alone beneath a tree, groaning and bleeding. This mare was Nightwing's ally, but Star took pity on her, using his starfire to heal her and her unborn foal. And then guilt had driven Larksong to confess an awful trick: “Run back to your herd before it's too late,” she'd whinnied. “Petalcloud did this to me. She beat me and left me here, to lure you away from your friends.”

Petalcloud was the leader of the Ice Warriors, an army she'd formed to kill Star and win the favor of Nightwing. Petalcloud had abused Larksong in the hopes that Star would do exactly what he had done: abandon his friends.

Right after Larksong's confession, a flash of silver light appeared from the way Star had come. Then he heard a loud explosion, like lightning striking a thousand trees at once. He'd galloped back to the scene of the celebration only to find ashes covering the ground, a giant hole blasted through the ceiling of branches that sheltered the Trap, and emptiness where his herd had been reveling. Star knew instantly that Nightwing had been there. Perhaps since Frostfire's Black Army and Petalcloud's Ice Warriors had failed to capture Star, Nightwing had changed tactics and decided to capture Star's friends instead.

But where had the ancient stallion taken all of them?

Star burst into the clear sky above the clouds. Bitter cold slowed his blood, and screaming winds pierced his sensitive ears. He flew in a circle beneath the glittering stars, sucking at the sharp air and driving it into his burning lungs, but there were no pegasi here.

Frustrated, he pinned his wings and nose-dived toward land, hurtling through the wet clouds, which felt warm after the heights, and rocketing toward the Trap. He pulled up just before hitting the trees and then roared across them, his hooves skimming the branches, his eyes hunting for any sign of Nightwing or his friends.

Star landed back in the forest, and the pine needles swirled around his hooves. He held perfectly still and listened, his ears swiveling madly, trying to capture any sounds of wingbeats or hoofbeats, or the bleating of the newborns. But there was nothing, just forlorn silence and the wet smell of fog. If his herd was not in the sky and not in the Trap, then where could they be? Star galloped back to the place where Nightwing had blasted the huge hole through the thick canopy of branches.

The area was burned black. The shock of it had not left Star. He felt sick and dizzy, baffled and scared. Many steeds had died; the ashes told the story, but not all—Star held on to that hope:
not all
!

And where was Petalcloud's army? Where were the Ice Warriors? He cantered toward the battleground where he'd last seen them. Petalcloud's huge stallion, Stormtail, had almost killed Star there, but Star had sprang a shimmering golden shield around himself at the last moment. That memory was the only one that was good. Star had learned how to use a new power: a shield. It wouldn't help him defeat the Destroyer, but it would help him defend himself. Star kicked at the bloody soil. Petalcloud's army wasn't here. Even his enemies had abandoned him.

“No,” he neighed. “I will find them, all of them.” He arched his neck and galloped forward. The hoofprints of Petalcloud's army led straight to the River Herd camp, where his friends had been attacked. Star slid to a halt, certain now that Petalcloud and Nightwing were working together.

Nearby, Star spotted a single black flower. It looked exactly like the magical flowers that grew out of the soil when he cried, except for the color. Star gasped, realizing what it meant.
The Destroyer had shed a tear.
Someone had upset Nightwing, and Star took another sharp breath because he knew that pegasus had to be Morningleaf. Only she was fearless enough, or careless enough, to do it. Star closed his eyes. Nightwing would have blasted her
for that—for making him cry.

Star staggered upright and bleated into the darkness, trotting in circles with his head down, sniffing for his friends Morningleaf, Silverlake, or Hazelwind, but all scents had been burned away.

He reared and leaped off the ground, through the gaping hole in the leaves. Nightwing could have taken his friends anywhere, in any direction. Star flapped hard, sending himself straight up, toward the jet streams in the heights. He would have to ride them if he was going to search the entire continent. Star's heart raced as the horizon bowed and the land shrank. The air thinned, and he took deep, slow breaths. He flew in a spiral, unsure which way to go first—perhaps south, to Jungle Herd's territory, which was Nightwing's birthland, or west to the Snow Herd lands, where Petalcloud had trained her Ice Warriors.

Star suddenly halted, shocked. Below him a pegasi rocketed out of the mist, heading straight toward him with his ears flat and his legs tucked. It was a white stallion with pale-blue feathers edged in violet.

A survivor!

Star hovered, watching the stranger.

The stallion glared at him, and as he came closer,
Star saw that one eye was brown and the other blue. He recoiled, stunned.

It was Frostfire—the malicious captain who'd formed the Black Army. He was Star's worst enemy, next to Nightwing, and he was flying straight at him!

“BACK OFF!” STAR NEIGHED AS FROSTFIRE HURTLED
toward him.

“Where is she?” Frostfire tore past Star, wheezing for air. He'd flown too high, and his muscles seized, starved for oxygen. His momentum carried him past Star, but then his body twirled and he fell toward land, passing Star on the way down.

Star tucked his wings and dived after Frostfire. “Where is who?”

With teeth bared, the white stallion dropped upside down toward the forest. “My mate, Larksong!” he whinnied.

Frostfire was going to smash into the trees. The
impact would break his bones, or kill him.

“Fly!” neighed Star.

Frostfire spread his wings and tumbled sideways over the tops of the branches. His feathers shook loose and coasted behind him like butterflies. Star clenched his jaw and caught up to him.

Frostfire's expression was savage. “Larksong is gone. I left her in the woods, and when I returned she'd vanished, but not her scent—or yours.” Frostfire flared his nostrils in disgust. “What did you do to her? Did you kill her? Is this your revenge because I kidnapped Morningleaf and hid her in the lava tubes moons ago?” Frostfire shook his head and then rammed Star in his ribs. “If you hurt Larksong, I'll yank out your feathers, tear off your head, and feed your body to the wolves.”

Star's laughter ripped through his body, unexpected and bitter. He flew a circle around Frostfire. Besides the fact that Star had sharpened his hooves and battle-trained with four different herds, he also had his starfire shield. Frostfire couldn't hurt him.

Frostfire's pupils contracted as he roared at Star. “Just tell me what you did!” He'd regained control of his wings, and he glided smoothly next to his enemy.

Star absorbed Frostfire's wrath, understanding that
the stallion loved Larksong and that it was concern for her that was driving his anger. “I healed her,” Star said simply. “I don't know where she went after that.”

“Healed her?” Frostfire swished his tail. “She was fine when I left her.”

“Well, I found her bleeding, dying, in the forest—but her injury was a trick to lure me away. When I returned, my herd was gone. Every steed.” Star peered into Frostfire's one blue eye, and their history flamed between them like a raging fire; their words popped like sparks. “What do you know about that?”

“Nothing,” he said.

“Are you sure? It was your dam, Petalcloud, who attacked her. Larksong admitted it.”

“My mother?” Frostfire's shock was convincing.

“Yes. Larksong would have died if I hadn't healed her.”

Frostfire reeled, and Star noticed that their wingbeats had synchronized, creating one steady hum. “Larksong and I are against my mother,” said the white stallion. “Petalcloud must have ambushed her and used her as bait, but she did it under Nightwing's orders, not mine. Where is she now?”

“Petalcloud?”

Frostfire's voice rose in pitch. “No. Larksong?”

“I don't know. I healed her, and then she told me to run back to my herd before it was too late.” Star coasted on the breeze, feeling heavy with regret. “So we're both looking for our friends?”

“I guess we are.” Frostfire slowed and hovered several winglengths above the trees, his flapping feathers created wind that rustled the branches.

Star didn't trust Frostfire, but he doubted a seasoned warrior like him could fake grief or confusion so well. Perhaps together they could unravel the clues and find the missing pegasi.

Frostfire narrowed his watering eyes and sank toward land, looking suddenly exhausted. “And what about my warriors, the Black Army? They never returned to me after your army defeated them. Did Nightwing . . . get them too?” Frostfire touched down on the open tundra and stood with his wings sagging.

Star settled next to him. “Your Black Army follows me now, so yes, they were taken when my herd was taken.”

“You stole my army?” Frostfire asked, his jaw agape.

“I didn't
steal
them. They wanted to join me. Most of them.”

Frostfire lowered his neck like an angry wolf. “You poisoned their minds.”

“I didn't.”

The stallion backed away. “You're as dangerous as Nightwing. Did Larksong join you too?” He spat the words.

Star folded his wings. “No, she didn't.”

Frostfire peered into Star's eyes, his defiance smoldering but his expression hopeless. “If you're going to kill me, or turn me into one of your slaves—just do it now. Please.”

Angry thoughts tumbled through Star's mind. This white stallion had kidnapped Morningleaf, murdered her protectors in front of her eyes, and then taken her to the dark lava tubes in Jungle Herd's territory, where she'd lived in terror until she escaped. If Star released his rage about this, he could be as dangerous as Nightwing. The dark emotions tumbling through his mind horrified him.

But then Star noticed Frostfire's swishing tail, which was curly like his own, and he remembered that this white stallion was his uncle. He and Star's mother, Lightfeather, shared the same sire, Iceriver. And Star's mother had once instructed him to follow his love, not his fear. He had to remember who
he
was, even now when he was alone with his enemy. And he was not a destroyer. Star crammed the silver fire down into a tiny, cold seed.

Frostfire snorted. “I'm right about you, aren't I? You
are
here to conquer us.” He looked terrified, but also smug.

“No, that's not true.”

“Than
why
are you here? What do you want with the herds of Anok?”

Star arched his long neck. “I don't want to hurt you, or anyone.”

“But you
do
hurt us. You don't see how you've ripped the herds apart? You don't see the trail of blood behind you—that every over-stallion is dead, that the steeds of Anok are enslaved, and that Nightwing has returned?”

“I didn't do all that. I united the herds.”

“But it all started with you, when you were born.”

Star tossed his damp forelock out of his eyes. “No. It started four hundred years ago, when Nightwing was born.”

Frostfire shrugged his pale wings. “What's the difference? You both hurt us; you both bring destruction.”

“Can we stop arguing? Our friends are missing.” Star gazed across the tundra toward the Great Sea, thinking and wondering. “Why did you leave Larksong alone in her condition?”

Frostfire's ears sprang to attention. “What condition?”

Star blinked, only now remembering what Larksong had told him, and that Frostfire didn't know. “Your mare is with foal.”

Frostfire staggered as though Star had kicked him. “My Larksong?”

“Yes. It's a colt.”

“How do you know?”

“I healed them both.”

Frostfire paced in a circle, shedding feathers, excitement building in him like a storm. “I'm going to be a sire?” He pricked his ears forward, his voice rising. “Larksong was supposed to meet me by the little waterfall at midnight. She said she had something to tell me, but she never showed. I think Nightwing took her when he took your herd. We need to save them!”

Star's gut tightened. “Together?”

“Why not?”

Star gaped at him.
Because you formed an army to kill me
, he thought.

Frostfire seemed to read his mind. “Right, I know we're not herdmates, but we have the same purpose, do we not?”

“But I don't need you,” said Star. “I can look for them on my own.”

Frostfire closed his eyes for a moment, seemed to make a decision, and then peered intently at Star with his odd pair of eyes. “You can, but it will take you many seasons
to search all of Anok. I know where Nightwing is taking the pegasi.”

Star's heart lurched. “How do you know that?”

“Nightwing told me when I formed the Black Army, before he chose to side only with Petalcloud. But—”

Frostfire stalled, eyeing Star's longer, more powerful wingspan. “If I tell you, you'll leave me behind.”

Star hesitated. There was some truth to that. Frostfire could never keep up with him because of Star's powers. Star didn't need to eat or sleep often, so he could fly for many days without stopping. Frostfire would need rest and food.

“I'm not wrong, am I? You'd leave me?” asked the white stallion.

Star shrugged. “Why do you
want
to travel with me anyway? Why should
I
trust
you
?” Star gazed at Frostfire, remembering all the treacheries of their past: the time he yanked Star from Feather Lake and flew him to Mountain Herd's territory to meet the over-stallion, Rockwing; the time he promised to protect Morningleaf and then kidnapped her instead; and the two times he'd beaten Star's friend Brackentail to near death.

Frostfire met his gaze. “I need you, Star.”

“Why?”

Frostfire tensed. “Look, I failed to deliver your head to Nightwing, and after you defeated my army, the Destroyer vowed to kill me. It's why Larksong and I were hiding. We were going to meet at midnight and fly away, probably across the sea. But you have starfire. You can keep me safe from Nightwing, right?”

Hysteria bubbled from deep within Star. His worst enemy was pleading for his
protection
.

“Please,” said Frostfire. “He'll kill me on sight, and now he has Larksong. I can't rescue her on my own. If you promise to help me free her, I'll help you find your friends.”

Star stared at Frostfire's curly tail. His mother would want Star to help him. Through a tight jaw, Star reluctantly agreed. “All right, I'll help you rescue Larksong, and I won't leave you behind. Now tell me, where is Nightwing taking my friends?”

“I won't tell you, but I'll take you there.”

Star suppressed a wave of anger. “You trust me to protect you from Nightwing, but you don't trust me to keep my promise? I won't abandon you, Frostfire.”

His companion stared at him, saying nothing. Star exhaled, realizing that a lying stallion like Frostfire couldn't trust anyone. “Fine. Let's go.”

“It's not that simple,” said Frostfire. “Nightwing will visit the territories first, to collect the stray pegasi. He wants all of us, every last pegasus. So if we find him here in Western Anok, maybe you can stop him before he settles the herd. If we can't find him quickly, then I'll take you to the lands where he plans to live.”

Star pinned his ears. “Where to first?”

“I don't know exactly. Maybe Mountain Herd's territory,” said Frostfire. Then he narrowed his eyes. “This doesn't mean I believe in you, Star—that you're the healer. You can destroy too, just like Nightwing. You're no different.”

Star balked, and fresh anger surged through him, but he decided to let Frostfire have his feelings without rebuke. “I hear you,” said Star. And the two stallions flew side by side into the sunrise.