7

VALLEY FIELD

STAR AND FROSTFIRE DROPPED OUT OF THE JET stream and plummeted toward land. “We have to slow down,” whinnied Star as they sped toward the surface of Anok.

The two pegasi threw out their wings, and the orb responded, slowing little by little as the ground rushed toward them.

“The shield will protect us if we crash, right?” asked Frostfire.

“We’re about to find out!”

The orb screamed toward land, with the two pegasi braced inside of it. Frostfire squeezed shut his eyes, and Star cringed as they rushed toward the meadow and then slammed into it. The sphere bounced across the grass, spinning them in a furious circle. When the orb finally rolled to a halt, Star retracted the shield, and he and Frostfire spilled onto solid ground, dazed and panting.

The stallions stood up and glanced around, struck silent. The grass in Mountain Herd’s southern grazing field was burned away, and the leaves had melted off the blackened tree limbs. Star had traveled here once as a foal, but not by choice. Frostfire and his warriors had snatched him from Feather Lake and carried him here to meet their over-stallion, Rockwing. The spotted silver stallion had offered to make a pact with Star, to save him from execution and rule Anok together, but Star had refused.

He remembered his first view of Valley Field. The grass had been dark green, unlike the lighter grass in Dawn Meadow. Butterflies, bees, and flies had glided busily beneath the disruptive hooves of the frolicking Mountain Herd foals. The steeds had been content on that hot spring morning, until they’d glimpsed the black foal of Anok dangling helplessly between two of their stallions. Terror of him had sent them into a stampede, and Star had not understood then why the fierce herd was so afraid of him.

Now he was staring at that same meadow, except it had been scorched by Nightwing’s silver fire in what appeared a massive burst of rage. This was why the pegasi had feared Star, even when he was young—they’d worried he’d turn into a destroyer, like Nightwing, and do exactly this to them.

“What happened here?” Frostfire whispered, his body swaying.

Star’s blood raced when he saw all the downy feathers littering the black ash, but by the faded scents of pegasi, he was sure this had happened many, many days earlier. “I think some pegasi stood up to Nightwing here. Why else would he destroy them?” Star said, trying to answer Frostfire’s question.

Frostfire groaned, overcome by sorrow. He dropped and rolled in the ashes—absorbing his beloved herd into his white hide, staining it black.

Star stepped away from Frostfire, leaving him to his grief, and he nosed the feathers that had settled on the dust. They were the last connection to those who’d died. Star glanced back at the white stallion, thinking. Only Morningleaf knew that steeds killed by Nightwing’s fire were sent to the Beyond, a realm between life and the golden meadow, a place where their souls were trapped. Star turned away. He wouldn’t tell Frostfire about that. Right now, the stallion’s only solace was his belief that his dead herdmates were in the golden meadow. The way to free them was to defeat Nightwing, and that would be up to Star, not Frostfire.

“This herd . . . ,” said Frostfire in a strained voice, stumbling over his words. “I wasn’t born to them, but . . . but they were good to me.”

Star jerked his head toward the captain.

“It’s true that Rockwing was hard on me,” admitted Frostfire. “And I had to fight to earn respect in the army, but the rest of them . . . they didn’t deserve this.” He lay on his side, pressing the ashes deeper into his white coat. He snaked his dark-gray tail through the dust. “You can’t heal this, can you?”

Star exhaled. “I’m sorry, but no.”

“Can you . . . leave me for a bit?”

Star bowed his head and then galloped into the sky. He soared over Valley Field, searching for any clues that might indicate survivors, or where Nightwing had gone after quelling this uprising in Mountain Herd’s territory. Star swooped low when he reached the alpine forest, peering between the trees. Deer and foxes skittered out of his giant shadow, and birds flocked to their nests, silenced by the sight of his huge wings.

After a while another span of blackened grass caught Star’s eye. He dropped to the forest floor and pawed at it—more ashes. He lifted off and continued searching, discovering more spots of singed ground. Nightwing had been thorough, finding hiding pegasi and destroying them.

Star flew back to Frostfire, who was standing now. “There are no survivors here,” he said.

“I think you’re right,” said Frostfire, his eyes round and white rimmed. “What has Nightwing gained by doing this?”

Star’s anger ignited, and he arched his neck. “Don’t you see? He’s killing all rivals and rebels—anyone who won’t follow him. He wants to rule Anok, and it was only days ago that you were helping him. Have you forgotten that you formed the Black Army to hunt me down and take my head? Because I haven’t.” Star’s voice sizzled, low and quiet, like hot embers.

Frostfire took a step away from him, blinking rapidly as he stuttered for words. “I—I know what I did . . .” He trailed off.

Star advanced on him, swishing his tail. “And now that he’s turned on your friends, now you change your mind about him? Well, it’s too late.” Star swept his wing across Valley Field, and then he trotted away from Frostfire as his anger grew. He didn’t like it, this bitter wrath, and just looking at Frostfire’s guilty face inflamed him further. The white stallion wanted to stop what had been set in motion, now that he’d lost control of it. It was typical pegasus thinking—to leap without looking, to attack without considering all alternatives, and then to regret it—and it frustrated Star to his core.

Frostfire waited until Star’s breathing slowed, and then he spoke softly, his tone humble. “Only you can stop him, Star.”

“That’s probably true, but how? I have a shield, but so does he. I had a guardian herd, but they’re gone. I don’t know how to beat him.” Star turned, facing Frostfire, his sides heaving. “I will find Nightwing, but after that I’ve no idea what will happen.” He dropped his wings, letting them brush against the ashes, feeling better to say this truth out loud, to admit that he was stumped, that he was utterly helpless in the face of Nightwing.

Frostfire’s eyes glinted in the sun. “Maybe I can train you to fight,” said Frostfire. “I trained many steeds when I was lead captain of Mountain Herd’s army.”

Star snorted. “My herd already tried that, but no skill of hoof or tooth will defeat Nightwing.” A sharp image of Bumblewind’s jovial face came to mind. They’d trained together as warriors in the Trap, and fresh misery ripped at his heart. He missed his friends.

“You’re right, and I know that,” said Frostfire, “but they taught you how to be a warrior, not a defender.”

Star braced. “What’s the difference?”

“When I became a captain in Rockwing’s army, I noticed that there are two kinds of pegasi: those who thrive on destruction, and those who thrive on preventing destruction. You’re the latter.”

That sounded true to Star. “But how will that help me against Nightwing? He’s stronger, and we both have a shield.”

“Have you tried using your starfire on him?”

Star stared at the ashes under his hooves. “Yes, but nothing good comes from the silver fire,” he said, his throat tight. “I won’t use it, not ever again.”

Frostfire nodded. “Then what about the gold starfire?”

“It heals,” said Star. “It doesn’t destroy.”

“But maybe you can use it another way?”

“I don’t know,” said Star, “and neither do you.”

“Maybe not,” said Frostfire, peering at him. “But I was the highest-ranked captain in Mountain Herd’s army because I know how to win battles. And I doubt you’ll beat Nightwing if you attack him first. You must draw him into attacking you, to activate your defensive powers, like this new one, the shield.”

“That almost makes sense,” said Star.

“If you don’t try, you’ll never know.”

“Maybe.” Star paused. “But the sun is dropping fast. Now is the time to rest—tomorrow we’ll fly faster and longer, to cover more ground.”

The two pegasi glided to fresh grass on the outskirts of Valley Field. They grazed beneath the dim half-crescent moon, then Frostfire curled into a thicket and dropped into a deep sleep. Star stood over him, keeping him safe and wondering who, if anyone, was watching out for Morningleaf.