The Guardian Herd: Stormbound (19 page)

BRACKENTAIL LANDED, OUT OF BREATH
.

“Why aren't you with Morningleaf?” Star brayed.

With heaving sides, he sputtered. “Frostfire attacked the stallions. I fought him, I tried . . . but Morningleaf screamed at me to get you.” He glanced at Star and began to cry.

“You didn't follow her!” whinnied Star.

“What could I do?” he asked, wiping his eyes. “Free her from Frostfire by myself? I came to get help.” He dropped his head. “I'm sorry.”

Star flinched when a clap of thunder shocked his ears. Heavy raindrops began pouring from the clouds, drenching all of them.

“Did you help Frostfire take Morningleaf?” snapped Thundersky, flashing his old anger at Brackentail for betraying Sun Herd and pressing into him with his chest.

“No, sir!” Brackentail whinnied, and his devastated expression told Star his words were true.

“Where did they take her?” asked Silverlake, more gently than her mate.

“When I saw the fight was lost, I ran and hid in the woods,” said Brackentail, trembling. “Frostfire sent Shadepebble home, telling her that stealing Morningleaf had been part of his mission all along.”

“So Rockwing
is
behind this,” said Silverlake.

Star pranced in an anxious circle, crushing the lichen and stirring up the dirt, which quickly turned to mud in the rain. “This is my fault. I asked her to go.” Lightning sizzled toward land and struck, not far from where Star stood. He felt his world spinning out of control. He couldn't breathe, or think.

Bumblewind had finished with the Desert Herd steeds and he fluttered from the sky, landing next to Star. His eyes rounded when he saw Brackentail. “You all need to get out of here before someone gets struck by lightning.” His voice was drowned out by more thunder.

Silverlake ignored him and neighed over the explosive
sky to Brackentail. “But why does Rockwing want Morningleaf?”

“Rockwing wants Star's homeland,” explained Brackentail. “He's holding Morningleaf hostage to get it.” Lightning burst over their heads, and Brackentail's legs sprawled in fear.

Star cocked his head, squinting against a sudden blast of wind. “But I haven't claimed the territory.”

“I think I understand,” snorted Thundersky, turning to Star. “Rockwing doesn't believe you'll let him have it. Your mother is buried there. It's sacred ground to you, and it's where you were born. You're still young, Star, and you don't know how your feelings will change when you grow into a stallion, a powerful stallion. You'll want to settle someday, and you'll be able to take any land you want—why not your own homeland? That's what Rockwing's afraid of, and he's stolen Morningleaf to control you.”

“Yes, Thundersky is right,” said Brackentail.

Star's spinning world crashed around him, and he became oblivious to the storm that had descended upon them like Brackentail's bad news—quick and terrifying, and out of their control. “Morningleaf is a hostage, again,” whispered Star. “Because of me.”

Silverlake's breathing quickened. “Not again! Not if I
can help it.” Star saw the determination in her eyes. Silverlake was no longer lead mare, so she was free to leave her herd and risk everything for the sake of her filly. “Let's go find her!”

“Wait,” whinnied Brackentail, holding up his orange-feathered wing. “I'm not finished.” He shook his soaking neck and continued. “After Frostfire left, the strangest thing happened.” He looked at each of them. “Shadepebble returned and found me. She was alone.”

The steeds blinked at him, unimpressed. “So? Why is that important?” asked Bumblewind.

Brackentail explained. “She was so upset by Frostfire's betrayal, she decided to help us. Don't you see? Rockwing's filly is on our side.”

Lightning struck a nearby tree, and the trunk cracked in half and tumbled onto its side. The pegasi spooked, scattering and then regrouping.

Bumblewind gulped and prodded Star. “We have to get out of here.”

“But Shadepebble's just a yearling, and a runt at that,” said Thundersky, also ignoring Bumblewind. “What can she do?”

Brackentail pricked his ears. “Rockwing has our filly, and now we have his. Don't you see?”

“What are you suggesting, Brackentail?” said
Silverlake, flattening her ears. Another burst of lightning crackled down from the sky, blinding the pegasi.

“We have to seek shelter—NOW!” whinnied Bumblewind. They all galloped away but neighed to one another over the beating of their hooves.

“It's Shadepebble's idea,” Brackentail explained, running with one eye on the thundering sky. “She'll pretend to be our captive, to give us leverage against her sire, Rockwing.”

Silverlake blinked. “That's incredible. Where is she?”

Thunder rumbled hard and violent, assaulting their sensitive ears.

“I sent her ahead, to the Sun Herd lands to find Hazelwind and his group. They must still be there since they haven't arrived yet to hide in the Trap, but they're in great danger. Frostfire already sent messengers to Rockwing that he'd captured Morningleaf. That's all Rockwing was waiting for. He will march on Sun Herd's territory and claim it immediately. Rockwing's army will destroy Hazelwind and his followers. Hazelwind can use Shadepebble as a hostage, to stop the attack. Surely Rockwing will want to save his last remaining filly.”

Thundersky huffed. “That was smart thinking, Brackentail.”

Silverlake neighed over the wind and rain. “So where
is Morningleaf? With Rockwing?”

Brackentail shook his head. “No. Frostfire is hiding her far away, and he didn't say where, but I think we could use Shadepebble to get her back too. She's willing to help us.”

Thundersky glanced at the storm, which was gaining in power. “Let's go to the Sun Herd territory then,” he said, pinning his ears. “I want to be there when Rockwing arrives. I'll make him find Frostfire and return my filly.”

All the pegasi listening flared their wings and rattled their feathers.

“I'm ready,” said Star. He kicked off, not caring who followed him, just anxious to go. But then everything suddenly turned black, and he smashed into a tree.

“Star!”

Splitting pain seared his mind. He gripped his head in his wings and stumbled across the tundra. He vaguely heard his friends trotting after him. Pain stabbed his brain like a bird was pecking at it. He ducked with each blow, moaning.

Star collapsed, and his body convulsed. He heard Silverlake scream his name, then the forest blurred and disappeared.

Star was flying fast over the ocean. The sudden shift
made him dizzy. This was another vision. A pegasus flew beside him, and Star saw black feathers. He didn't have to turn his head to know it was Nightwing. “Leave me alone,” Star neighed.

Star's headache subsided, and he tried to get his bearings. They were flying over the Great Sea, he guessed. He looked down and saw blue sharks following them, snapping at their hooves. He tucked his legs up tight.

“Why am I here with you?” Star asked. “Why won't you leave me alone?”

“Look ahead,” said the Destroyer.

Star looked and faltered, almost tumbling into the sea. A short distance away was the western coast of Anok. Star recognized his old cave and Crabwing's Bay. Nightwing soared toward it, and Star realized the Destroyer would make landfall today!

Star floundered to get ahead, to fly faster and warn his friends. Then the world went black again and he fell. When he opened his eyes, he was upside down in the mud, his legs galloping in the air. Silverlake fanned his face with her wings. “Star?” she said.

He focused and stood up.

“What did you see?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“It's Nightwing. He's almost to our coast.”

His friends stared at him, stunned. “We're out of time,” said Silverlake. She glanced at her mate. “We have to warn Hazelwind.”

Bumblewind peered at the clouds sizzling with electricity. “We shouldn't fly during a lightning storm.”

“We have to,” cried Silverlake.

“Fly low and fast,” said Thundersky, and Star had never seen him looking so concerned.

Star turned to Brackentail. “Go back and warn the herds in the Trap. Tell them they must not fly the skies any longer. It's all come down to this. They must hide so Nightwing doesn't see them. Will you do that?”

“Of course,” Brackentail said, looking exhausted.

Star kicked off and the others followed; they didn't waste time with good-byes. They flew just below the black clouds.

“Where is Nightwing now?” Silverlake asked Star.

“Not far,” he said, feeling sicker. Iceriver was dead, Morningleaf was kidnapped, the plague-ridden Snow Herd steeds had refused to hide, Rockwing was heading toward Hazelwind, and Nightwing was about to make landfall in Anok. It was overwhelming.

Star shouldered the cold breeze as Silverlake, Thundersky, and Bumblewind drafted behind him. He had to
learn how to block Nightwing out of his mind. As long as the stallion could track him and invade him like he'd just done, everyone around Star was in danger.

They flew steadily for a few hours, dodging bolts of lightning, and with each passing mile, Star grew more anxious. Finally he spoke, “I can fly much faster than this on my own.”

Silverlake nickered, unsurprised. “Go ahead, Star. We'll meet you there.”

Star nodded and pushed down on the wind with his wings. He rocketed up and out of the storm, climbing until he could see the curve of the planet. The winds buffeted him at speeds that ripped loose his feathers. Star rounded his wings, gripped the current, and set his course for Sun Herd's territory, his birth land.

A SHADOW OF WINGS DARKENED THE SIDE OF THE
volcano where Frostfire had led his group to drink from the steamy river. “Inside,” ordered Frostfire in a hushed whinny.

Larksong and the others scooted back into the lava tubes.

“It's a Jungle Herd patrol,” commented Frostfire. “It looks like some of their steeds decided not to hide in the Trap.”

Several days had passed, and Frostfire kept his pegasi inside the cave except to drink. The tubes were miserable—

hot and dark. They unraveled through the belly of the volcano for miles. Twice already his steeds had gotten
lost. Strange noises echoed from the depths, and his team was certain dangerous creatures lurked there. Frostfire insisted it was only rats, but that did little to relax them.

Frostfire waited until the Jungle Herd patrol was well out of sight, then he sent the two stallions to gather coconuts. His team liked the taste of the sweet milk inside, and besides, his steeds were bored. Cracking the coconuts would entertain them.

Just after the stallions left, the rain began to fall. Frostfire sighed. It rained every afternoon here for hours. He and his pegasi stood at the mouth of the tube looking out, waiting. Waiting for the rain to stop, waiting for Nightwing to come, waiting for Star to defeat him, and waiting for Rockwing to make his exchange: Morningleaf for Sun Herd's territory. The waiting set Frostfire's feathers on edge.

When the stallions returned, they dropped the coconuts on the rock floor of the tubes and watched them roll. “Who wants to play wing toss?” asked Larksong.

Frostfire glowered at her, but the others leaped at the chance to play, to do something.

“Can we?” she asked him, fluttering her long black lashes.

Frostfire nodded. He hated his inability to say no to
her, and he hated the fact that she knew he couldn't say no to her. Frostfire left a gray pinto stallion in charge of Morningleaf and flew to watch the game.

Since there were three of them, Frostfire and his warrior stallion teamed up against Larksong. They tossed the coconuts back and forth between them. After each catch, they stepped back a winglength. As they drew apart, the game became more challenging. The first steed to miss a catch was out, and then the second, leaving the last steed the winner.

They played several rounds before dusk fell and Frostfire grew nervous. “I'm going to check on Morningleaf.” He abandoned the game and trotted back to the lava tubes. The pinto stallion and Morningleaf were dozing side by side. Frostfire relaxed and joined them, standing just inside the dark maw of the tunnel as he watched the warm rain drip off the broad jungle leaves.

Moments later, a sharp squeal jolted Frostfire out of his thoughts. The pinto stallion slammed into him, knocking Frostfire and Morningleaf sideways, but the stallion wasn't looking at them. He was staring fearfully into the blackness behind them.

“Watch it!” Frostfire scolded.

The pinto ignored him, and was soon bucking and
flapping his wings. Morningleaf skittered across the rocks, trying to avoid being crushed by the thrashing pegasus. Frostfire looked closer and saw blood dripping down the pinto's white-and-gray back. “What's happening to you?” he asked.

The stallion trotted frantically in a tight circle, his lips curled, his chest heaving. He wasn't listening to Frostfire; he was snapping his jaws and twisting his ears. Frostfire and Morningleaf scrambled farther out of his way. Something had attacked him.

Frostfire reared, trying to see over the pinto's back. Then a flurry of wings burst into the cavern, and supersonic whistles confused Frostfire's ears as the stallion's attackers swarmed: bats! They swirled out of the black depths and landed on the pegasi, biting their necks.

Frostfire trumpeted a warning to the steeds outside, all the while flapping his wings, hitting bats, and smashing them against the rock walls. The chestnut filly was also under attack. Frostfire was overwhelmed by twin white fangs, transparent wings, and tiny, clawed feet. Bats charged him with their mouths open, slicing and biting him all over. Frostfire neighed in frustration. He bucked and they flew off him, but returned with a fury. A big one landed on his neck. Frostfire felt the sharp poke of
its fangs piercing his hide. He squealed with anger.

This was not an enemy he could effectively fight in a small space. “Out of the cave!” Frostfire whinnied. He flew out of the tube into the fresh air. The bats followed him and then disappeared into the jungle, but Frostfire still heard their awful squeaks.

He shook himself, while his pinto stallion rolled in the damp grass. The rest of the steeds landed next to him. “What happened?” asked Larksong.

“Bats,” said Frostfire.

Larksong inspected his wounds and then stiffened. “Where's Morningleaf?”

Frostfire glanced around but didn't see her. He neighed, furious, and flew back into the tube. He and his team searched all the areas they'd been exploring over the last few days. They were empty.

Morningleaf was gone.