3
CHASE
“LET’S PRETEND WE’RE DESERT HERD STEEDS ON A high flight,” said Morningleaf, opening her wings. It was several days after his kidnapping, and Star was playing with his friends at the eastern end of Dawn Meadow.
“We’re not allowed to fly higher than the trees until we’re weaned,” Bumblewind reminded her, chewing on a blade of grass.
“We’re not really going to fly,” said Morningleaf, with a casual glance at Star. “But let’s pretend we’re on a high flight to where the blue sky turns black.”
“You know Desert Herd steeds can’t fly that high,” said Echofrost.
Morningleaf flicked her small, curved ears. “Yes, they can. Raincloud did it four hundred years ago.”
“That’s a legend.” Echofrost lashed her tail at a fly crawling up her leg. “Legends aren’t real; they’re exaggerated. Everyone knows that.”
“Can we just play?” asked Morningleaf. She flapped her wings and galloped across the grass. Echofrost followed. Star watched as the fillies flattened their necks and angled their wings as if they were really flying.
He whinnied and joined them, catching and passing them easily. The nice thing about his long legs was that he was fast—faster than any of the foals in Sun Herd. Star whipped around and faced Morningleaf, cutting her off. She dodged him, stubbing her hoof, and tumbled across the grass, nickering happily.
Morningleaf sat up and shook a flower petal off her head. “You two will be Snow Herd raiders,” she said, pointing her wing at Star and Bumblewind. “Try to catch us. Come on, Echofrost.”
Echofrost cantered up beside Morningleaf, flicking Star with her white tail.
“Hey!” he nickered and chased her, Bumblewind galloping beside him.
“Notice how they made us Snow Herd steeds, the worst fliers in Anok,” Bumblewind huffed. “So if we catch them, they’ll say we’re cheating.”
“But we’re bigger and stronger,” Star said, running faster, his heart thrumming in his chest. He felt like a regular pegasus colt when he played with his friends, like he belonged.
The foals galloped across the field, wings flapping except for Star’s. Morningleaf took flight up and over the growing grass with Echofrost flying beside her, staying just a short winglength over the colts’ heads. “Pretend we’re higher than the clouds,” Morningleaf said to Echofrost, her eyes gleaming.
Bumblewind grabbed his twin sister’s tail and pulled her lower. “You’re captured,” he said, imitating the deep, rumbling neigh of a stallion.
Star reared, snatching Morningleaf’s tail and landing her. “You’re both Snow Herd fillies now,” he said.
Morningleaf squealed and struggled to escape his grasp. Star pinned her against a tall oak tree. “You’ll never escape me, red filly,” he said, trying to sound serious while she pretended to be afraid.
“Can we play?” said a voice, interrupting the fun. Star looked over and saw Brackentail and the other Sun Herd foals.
Star flattened his ears, and Brackentail glared at him, lashing his tail. The brown colt seemed to feel no guilt about abandoning Star at Feather Lake.
Morningleaf’s ribs expanded in a deep breath, and Star realized he was crushing her. He released her so she could answer. “Sure,” she said.
“What are we playing?” asked a little dappled filly.
Morningleaf looked embarrassed. “Just chase.”
The filly brightened. “Sounds fun.” She darted forward, and all the foals scattered, flying after one another, their hooves skimming the grass.
Star bolted with an excited whinny and sped into the woods as fast as he could, determined to outrun anyone chasing him. After a while he glanced back to see who was coming after him, but no one was there. His legs were longer than the others foals’ legs; maybe he was too fast for them. He slowed, breathing hard, ready to dash away at the first sign of a foal.
He circled the trees for a long time, flicking his ears and listening for any movement. But slowly the truth hit him like a tail smacking an oblivious fly—no one had chased him. The thrill of the chase melted away, and he noticed his back muscles were throbbing from dragging his long wings.
In the distance he heard abrupt nickers and squeals as the foals called to one another.
“I found you.”
“You’re it.”
“Try and catch me.”
He felt silly standing in a thicket, panting and waiting for a chaser who would never come, but he couldn’t go back so soon, alone. They would understand what had happened, and Brackentail would make fun of him. Defeated, Star lay down with a sigh and munched on nearby huckleberries. He glanced at the dark forest around him, and his ears slumped. His eyesight was his sharpest sense, but in this thick forest, the shrubs and branches blocked his vision.
Suddenly, he heard a twig snap, loud and sharp—ominous—as though something heavy had stepped on it. Frightened, he knew he had to get back to the herd. He would trot home another way so no one would notice him returning by himself. He got up and made his way through the trees. He found a deer trail and followed it, trying to be quiet by placing each hoof softly in front of the other. After a while he emerged from the forest on a high ridge overlooking Dawn Meadow. Spread below him was Sun Herd, grazing, their wings blinking open and closed. The sun was setting, casting orange light across their vibrant feathers, and as usual, the pegasi had gathered into their family groups for the evening.
Above him, Thunderwing’s sky patrols circled, keeping an eye out for predators and raiding parties from other herds. The birds had ceased their singing, and the crickets began theirs. The herd was peaceful right now, a unit that worked together for the safety of everyone—except for him, the black foal. Only Silvercloud had sworn to protect him, partly because she was the lead mare and it was her duty, but mostly because she had promised his dam, and Lightfeather had believed that Star was good. Right now Silvercloud was standing alone under a tree.
“There you are,” said a voice, startling him.
He looked down and saw Morningleaf climbing the ridge, digging her hooves into the sharp rocks and wincing. “Why aren’t you flying?” he asked, perplexed.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and she huffed. “I don’t know. Habit, I guess.”
Star sighed. “That’s my fault.”
Morningleaf reached the top of the ridge and stood beside him. “Don’t talk like that.”
“It’s true.”
She flicked her ears and looked out over the herd. “I’m going to be a lead mare someday,” she said, ignoring his comment.
“Why?”
She blinked at him. “Why not?”
Star tossed his thick mane. Morningleaf was born to lead and protect, but the job wasn’t without its dangers. Lead mares were responsible for leading migrations and for the safety of all the mares and foals. If anything went wrong—if her charges were kidnapped, killed by predators, lost on migration, or harmed in any way—the lead mare could be punished, and the punishments were severe; but nothing Star could say about it would change Morningleaf’s mind.
He nickered softly. “We should join your mother. She’s all by herself.”
Morningleaf fluffed her feathers and snorted. “That’s my father’s fault.”
They proceeded down the ridge toward the herd. Star watched Thunderwing land from a flight and canter away from Silvercloud toward a group of single stallions. He spent every evening with them and none with Silvercloud. Star knew Thunderwing was angry with his mate for asserting her protection over Star. She’d forced him to choose between her and the black foal, at least until his birthday, and he’d agreed, but he’d also come to regret it. The breakup of Morningleaf’s family was because of Star, and it made him feel terrible.
“Why were you up there by yourself anyway?” asked Morningleaf as they descended into Dawn Meadow.
Star gazed into her amber-colored eyes, so bright and alive, and he wondered what her life would be like if he weren’t in it. She’d have both her parents. She’d have more friends. She’d get to fly more often. He pricked his ears, unwilling to tell her the truth about his humiliation in the forest. It would only upset her, so he said, “I was looking at the sunset.”
Morningleaf nickered, curious. “The sunset? Why?”
Star arched his neck. “Why not?”
Morningleaf snorted and took off across the meadow at a gallop. “Catch me if you can!” she whinnied over her shoulder.
Star leaped after her, his heart light, and he was grateful. He didn’t have a lot of friends in Sun Herd, but the friends he had were the best.