The Guardian Herd (13 page)

MORNINGLEAF WOKE IN THE COOL DEPTHS OF
the den. Brackentail had slipped into the chamber and fallen asleep next to her. His warm breath blew against her singed feathers, making them rise and fall. His ears twitched and his eyelids fluttered—he was dreaming.

She stretched, being careful not to wake him. The bright splotch of sunshine that streamed from the hole above her head indicated that it was near the middle of the day. They normally slept until dusk. What had awakened her? And where was Star?

The sound of whispering sifted gently through the silence, and she recognized the soft voices of Bumblewind and Dewberry. Morningleaf slipped out of the lair and
crept through the center chamber where Hazelwind was sleeping. She followed the tunnel to the den's first chamber and entered, yawning.

Bumblewind glanced at her with startled eyes. “Why are you awake?”

“That's an odd question. I can be awake if I want.” She peered at her two friends, who looked guilty. “Why? What's going on?”

They looked at each other, arguing with their eyes as they often did. Morningleaf realized Star was missing, and her belly twisted. “Where's Star and Frostfire?” Before they could answer, she knew where they'd gone. “They went to save the walkers, didn't they?”

“We couldn't stop them,” said Dewberry.

Morningleaf's eyes burned, and her throat tightened. She stood for a moment, her wings trembling, and then she charged out of the den and galloped toward the blind that overlooked the valley.

“Morningleaf!” Dewberry grunted, and sped after her.

Morningleaf flattened her neck and galloped faster.

But Dewberry was older and stronger. She caught up to Morningleaf and snatched her tail in her teeth, tugging hard to stop her.

“Let go!” Morningleaf squealed, kicking Dewberry
in the chest. The mare released her, and Morningleaf resumed her gallop toward the blind.

Dewberry lifted off, flying just over her head. “Get back to the den,” she snapped. “Now.”

“No,” whinnied Morningleaf. “I have to know what happened to Star.”

“But it's daylight! It's not safe.”

“I don't care.”

Morningleaf reached the hiding place, out of breath, and skidded inside.

Dewberry followed and bit Morningleaf's mane, yanking out some hair.

Morningleaf whirled on her. “Why did you do that?”

Dewberry nipped Morningleaf again, hard, like an angry dam.

Morningleaf snapped her jaws, but Dewberry's dark eyes hardened to stone. “Don't try it, filly.”

Morningleaf closed her mouth and rubbed the top of her neck with her wing, which throbbed from the bite. “What's your problem?”

“
You
,” huffed Dewberry, pointing behind them. “You tore out of the den without scenting for wolves, without checking the sky, and without telling us where you were
going. Are you trying to get us
all
killed, or just yourself?”

“But Star—”

Dewberry stamped her hoof. “Star left the den without telling you for a reason, Morningleaf. Did you consider that? He didn't want you to stop him or follow him.”

“Why?” asked Morningleaf, trying to catch her breath.

“Because of stuff like this,” said Dewberry. “When it comes to Star, you don't think about anyone else, or yourself.” Dewberry folded her ruffled wings. “You take too many chances.”

Morningleaf tossed back her flaxen mane. “What are you talking about?”

“I'm talking about
everything
you've done,” rasped Dewberry. “Baiting armies, flying in jet streams, galloping through a wolf-infested forest by yourself. Do you expect Star to drop everything and save you?”

“Of course not,” said Morningleaf, tears forming in her eyes.

Dewberry continued. “Did you ever stop to think that you're putting Star in danger too? He can't focus on Nightwing if he's got to run after you and save your life. It's why he left you behind. He's not the dud foal you grew up with,
Morningleaf. He can take care of himself.”

Morningleaf exhaled as if the mare had kicked her.

Dewberry leaned toward her. “Let Star go so he can become who he is meant to be.”

The two friends faced each other, panting, their eyes shining. Dewberry had said too much, pushed Morningleaf too far, but the fierce mare did not back down. Morningleaf's thoughts swirled madly, leaving her confused and sad.
Was she holding Star back?

Dewberry softened. “You don't see him the way we do, but I wish you would. His love for you will destroy him one day, if you don't release him of it.” She stroked Morningleaf's mane. “He'll throw us all away for you. Running off and putting yourself in danger will only distract him from his purpose, and it will probably get you killed. Let him go.”

Morningleaf staggered toward the nearest tree and leaned against it. Her throat closed, and she couldn't breathe. She dropped her head and sucked at the hot air, drinking in bugs and dust and coughing terribly. Dewberry stood near, watching. Morningleaf's knees gave way, and she sank into the soil. She knew Dewberry was right, but her heart was breaking. “How?” she wheezed. “How could I do something like that?”

Dewberry sank down next to her. “I don't know how, but I know you must.”

The two mares pressed their foreheads together. Morningleaf sobbed, feeling lost.

“Echofrost's dam told me your story when we were living in the Trap,” said Dewberry. “That Silverlake forced your birth early so she'd have milk for Star, and that you tried to protect him from the mean foals like Brackentail. And I saw you take the deathblow that was meant for Star, and I watched him bring you back to life. You've lived
for
him and
through
him since your first breath of life, but you have to understand that maybe you have your own destiny.”

Morningleaf squinted. “I take care of Star; that's what I've always done.”

Dewberry shook her head. “And you've done it well, but he doesn't need you anymore.”

Morningleaf took a deep, shuddering breath, and her wretched tears subsided. The two lay quietly in the shade for a long time.

Dewberry eventually stood. “Since we're here now, you might as well peek at the valley and see what happened to him.”

Morningleaf sighed. “No. You look.”

Dewberry peered out of the blind and then turned back to Morningleaf. “He's alive, and so is Frostfire.”

“What about the walkers? Did Nightwing execute them?”

“Nope. They're fine. It appears Star and Nightwing have made an arrangement.”

Morningleaf grit her teeth. “How so?”

“The walkers have been let go, and Star is . . . well, he's stacking rocks on a hill.”

“That makes no sense.”

Dewberry shrugged. “Nothing Star does makes sense to me. If I had that starfire . . .” Dewberry trailed off, her eyes bright with her imagined conquests. She blinked. “Anyway, Echofrost or Shadepebble will explain it to us later. Let's get back to the den before Hazelwind comes after us.”

Before leaving the blind, they sniffed for wolves and checked the sky. When they were sure the way was clear, they returned to the den—but they returned to madness. Brackentail and Hazelwind were prancing in the first chamber, wild eyed and pawing the soil, their bodies shaking and their lungs wheezing.

“What happened?” asked Morningleaf.

Hazelwind trembled; his eyes were swollen with tears. “It's Bumblewind.”

“What?” cried Dewberry.

“He's dead.”

MORNINGLEAF DID NOT BELIEVE HER EARS. SHE
rushed to Bumblewind's side and pressed his body with her wings. “Bumblewind? Wake up!”

His large eyes were closed, and his jaws were parted. Morningleaf nuzzled him, trying to exchange breath, but his lips were cold. She rubbed his chest and pulled on his stiff legs. “Get up, Bumblewind. Please get up.”

Dewberry reared, hitting her head on the den's ceiling. “It's my fault,” she whinnied, her eyes rolling. “My fault.” She kicked the walls, causing dirt to fall on their heads.

Hazelwind tackled her and tried to subdue her before she collapsed the den.

Morningleaf threw up her head and moaned.
Brackentail wrapped his wing gently over her mouth. “Shh,” he said. “You'll draw the wolves.” Morningleaf fell onto her side next to Bumblewind and pressed her nose into his stiff neck, crying silently.

Dewberry knelt by Bumblewind's head and whispered into his ear, “I left you. I'm sorry. I let you fall asleep.” Her tears rolled down her cheeks and splattered the dirt floor.

Hazelwind soothed her. “This isn't your fault.”

Dewberry tossed her mane, her agony causing her to twitch as though infested with bugs. She buried her head in her wings.

“No, it's my fault,” cried Morningleaf. “I took Dewberry away from him.”

“No, you're both wrong,” said Hazelwind, his voice raw. “I heard you both leave, and I came to see what was going on, and Bumblewind was awake. I stood with him and we talked for a while, and then I noticed he'd closed his eyes. I immediately pressed on him and shook him; I even bit his ear as hard as I could. He just . . . slipped away. It couldn't be stopped.”

The lair blurred, and Morningleaf wiped her eyes. “Let's take him to Star.”

Dewberry shook her head sadly. “We can't. Nightwing is watching him.”

Hazelwind rubbed his face in his wings and then looked at each of them. “She's right. Now listen, and please hear me. Bumblewind died in his sleep, without pain. He's safe in the golden meadow with the Ancestors. This is over for him.” Hazelwind gazed at Bumblewind, who looked peaceful.

Fresh sobs wracked Morningleaf, Dewberry, and even Brackentail. Hazelwind curled to his knees, and the four of them soaked Bumblewind's coat in salty tears. After a long while they began whispering their favorite memories of him into his motionless ears.

Hours passed, and finally the talk subsided and the steeds rested with Bumblewind until the temperature cooled and they knew it was dark outside. The four friends stirred. It was time to bury Bumblewind.

Just then hoofbeats sounded outside the den. Shadepebble, the Mountain Herd filly who spied for them along with Echofrost, poked her head into the crowded chamber. “The wolves are near,” she whispered. The group squeezed aside to let her in. She saw Bumblewind's stiff body and froze. “Oh no.”

Hazelwind grimaced. “Yes, he's gone. We need to return him to the soil, but we can't let Nightwing see the burial stones.”

“We could put his body in the last chamber of our den and then collapse it,” suggested Brackentail.

Shadepebble shuddered. “No. The wolves will dig him up.”

Morningleaf gasped.

“I'm sorry,” said Shadepebble, hugging her friend.

Hazelwind pawed the den floor. “We have to do something with him, and soon.” He shed a few jade feathers, showing his stress.

“I have an idea,” said Shadepebble. “Star is building a stone tribute for Nightwing.”

“A tribute?” whinnied Hazelwind.

“Just listen,” said the filly. “In exchange for the lives of the walkers, Nightwing is forcing Star to build a monument to him of ten thousand stones on the tallest hill.”

“That will take many moons,” cried Brackentail.

“Yes,” she said. “But Star saved the walkers, for now anyway, and bought you time to complete your tunnel.”

“But why would Nightwing want Star to build his tribute?” asked Brackentail. “He's Nightwing's rival.”

Hazelwind knew the answer. “It's to make Star look weak in front of Wind Herd and to embarrass him.” Hazelwind exhaled, looking tired. “It's not unprecedented. Rockwing once forced an enemy over-stallion to bury his
own dead captains after Rockwing beat him in a battle. It was long ago. . . . He was a Snow Herd steed, I believe. After the over-stallion finished, Rockwing broke his wings. Then his warriors flew him up to the clouds and dropped him.”

Morningleaf shuddered, imagining Star with broken wings.

“So what's your idea, Shadepebble?” asked Dewberry.

“If you want to give Bumblewind a stone burial and honor him—have Star bury him in the tribute.”

Hazelwind sucked in his breath. “How are we honoring Bumblewind if we put him in Nightwing's tribute?”

“No, she's right,” said Morningleaf, catching on to the idea. “It will make the tribute special to
us
, and it will encourage Star. He'll be building it for his friend, not for the Destroyer. It'll be our secret.”

“And something Nightwing can't take from us,” added Brackentail.

The five pegasi agreed, and Morningleaf's broken heart stumbled back to life. Bumblewind's death would mean something.

“Now comes the hard part,” said Shadepebble. “Getting Bumblewind to Star.”

“Brackentail and I will carry him,” said Hazelwind.
“Shadepebble, you'll need to give the news to his twin since you're in the same group. But wait until tomorrow and tell Echofrost on the open plain. The crashing winds will dry her tears and deafen her cries. Nightwing can't know anything is amiss. Understand?”

Shadepebble nodded and slipped out of the den, rising into the sky, flying through the trees and heading back toward the valley. She would land at a rendezvous point where Graystone, the sympathetic Ice Warrior, would meet her and walk her back to her group. The risks of her friends' comings and goings terrified Morningleaf, but she was glad Shadepebble had brought them news of Star.

Hazelwind turned to Morningleaf and Dewberry. “All right, we'll be back as fast as we can.”

Morningleaf and Dewberry whispered their good-byes to Bumblewind, while Hazelwind and Brackentail tugged on the pinto's wings and slid him out of the den. They were careful, brushing away the dirt that lodged in his feathers. Once out, they lifted him by the roots of his wings and carried him away.

When he was gone, Dewberry dissolved, her body quaking with sobs. She'd teased Bumblewind without mercy when he was alive, but the two were almost always together, and suddenly Dewberry seemed half a
pegasus without him. Morningleaf's throat tightened. Bumblewind's twin sister, Echofrost, would also be a half without him.

Dewberry kneeled and rolled on the spot where Bumblewind had died. “You were the best of us,” she said, her voice cracking. She sniffed the soil and the loose feathers that remained, and then closed her eyes.

Morningleaf rested near her, saying nothing, and they waited for the stallions to return.