The Guardian Herd: Stormbound (9 page)

STAR AND SILVERLAKE TROTTED THROUGH A
thin forest, the snow crunching beneath their hooves. “If we . . . don't find Dawnfir . . . soon, we'll . . . have to head back,” Silverlake said, her teeth chattering between words.

Star saw that her entire face was again dusted in snow that had turned to ice, but her eyes were bright and determined. Star knew she wouldn't stop looking for the mare, even though it was clear Silverlake was freezing to death. He projected his starfire onto her and warmed her again. “You have to tell me when you're cold, before it gets so bad.”

She nodded, and then her ears pricked forward and her eyes widened. Star listened as a crashing sound pierced
the muffled silence around them, followed by the terrified squeal of a mare. “It's Dawnfir,” Silverlake said, and then she whinnied for the mare. “Over here!”

The thumping of hooves and the cracking of branches grew closer. Star lifted his head and beamed light straight into the sky to guide the mare's path toward them. Dawnfir burst out of the shadows, careening jaggedly, her wings tucked tight and sweaty froth covering her chest. Her eyes were white rimmed and her ears flat. “Run!” she squealed.

Star and Silverlake reacted immediately and stampeded with Dawnfir. Star's heart pounded, and his blood whooshed between his ears, wiping out all other sounds. He was faster than the mares, but he ran behind them to protect them—but from what he had no idea.

They galloped madly, leaping over boulders, their heavy hooves breaking branches and slipping over frozen creeks. The last time Star had run—in a confused, panic-stricken terror like this—was during the fire that had killed Mossberry. Sharp branches sliced his chest, and hidden boulders smacked his shins.

The three of them raced out of the forest and skidded to a halt on the open, snowy plain. They were exposed, with nowhere to hide. They could lift off, but they would be flying blind and into a blizzard.

Dawnfir looked back the way they had come, panting. They were each sweating, still hot from running. A sharp growl suddenly exploded from the forest, causing Silverlake to rear, but she held her ground. “What is that? What are we running from?” she asked Dawnfir.

“Bear!” Dawnfir neighed, catching her breath. “But not like any bear you've ever seen.” She shook her coat like she was trying to rid herself of the memory.

“Where is it?” asked Silverlake.

Dawnfir glanced around her. “I don't know. I just ran.”

“And the bear chased you?” Star asked, peering toward the woods, but he couldn't see a thing. The sky, the land, and the heavy falling snow—it was all a blinding white color.

Dawnfir's sides heaved, and her breath came in short bursts. “I think so. It's been stalking me, actually—like it's smart, like it can think.” A shiver ran from her ears down to her tail. She met Star's eyes. “You won't see it; it's invisible. It's not like the black bears that live in our mountains.”

Silverlake folded her wings and stepped closer to Dawnfir, peering deep into her eyes. “An invisible bear? I think it's getting dark, and your imagination has flown away with you, Dawnfir.”

Dawnfir lifted her chin. “No. It's real, and it's smart.”

“Not as smart as us,” said Silverlake, ending the discussion.

“Are you hurt?” Star asked, scanning Dawnfir's body for injuries.

“No.” She sucked in the cold air and coughed.

Silverlake sighed. “Good, we're together, and we've had enough folly for the day. Let's get back to River Herd.”

Suddenly, Dawnfir screamed, and Star gasped as her body was lifted off the ground and thrown across the icy snow. “Dawnfir?” he whinnied. He reared, ready to strike, but saw only whiteness around him. Silverlake skittered sideways, and Star splayed his wings, circling, hunting for the creature that had tossed Dawnfir. It roared, a guttural echo that ended in a high-pitched wail. Star's gut lightened.
Where was it?

Dawnfir struggled to stand, but two of her legs would not hold her weight. She tried to fly, but her wings only fluttered wildly. Star galloped toward her. The padding of massive paws followed him, gaining speed. The creature growled, a short, chopped sound. Star ran faster. He reached Dawnfir and skidded around her, snatching her tail and tugging on it to help her stand. Her mouth
gaped open, and her pupils shrank. “It's right there!” she neighed.

Star whirled and almost didn't see the bear rearing in front of him. It blended perfectly into the white landscape, except for its black nose and eyes. The beast was gigantic, easily four times the size of a black bear. It opened its mouth and roared at Star, the deep rumble of its voice shaking Star's feathers and its hot breath blowing back his forelock.

Star froze, too astonished to move.

The bear swiped at him, and its giant paw connected with Star's shoulder. Star somersaulted and crashed into a snowbank, his right leg stinging as it twisted under him.

The bear dropped to all fours and charged Dawnfir.

“No!” Star whinnied, and exploded out of the snowbank, hopping on three legs and skidding into the bear's path.

Silverlake swooped out of the sky and kicked the beast's head.

It charged past Star, spinning him out of the way. Blood dripped from Star's shoulder, and he stared at the wound. The bear had bitten him!

Silverlake landed next to Star. They galloped forward, but the bear charged them, so they soared above it and
resumed kicking at its head with their powerful hooves. The bear ignored them, pawing at Dawnfir and drawing blood. The downed mare rolled onto her back and clubbed the huge beast with all four hooves.

Furious, the bear snatched Dawnfir's blue and white feathers in its claws and dragged her toward its snarling mouth. Anger flushed away the last of Star's confusion, and the starfire flamed inside him, curling through his bones and shooting through his body. He twisted from the sheer intensity of it and almost fell out of the sky.

On the ground, Dawnfir squealed in pain as the bear tugged hard on her wing, shredding the feathers, and then it dived onto her throat.

Star inhaled, expanding his chest with starfire. Silverlake screamed at him, her eyes full of tears, and her words echoed through his brain.

“Kill him, Star!”

STAR'S WHOLE BODY VIBRATED WITH WRATH,
and his hooves changed from gold to silver. He roared at the bear that was attacking Dawnfir, and the bear roared right back. Dawnfir met his eyes and shook her head, but Star couldn't stop the rage that engulfed him. He opened his mouth and blasted the bear with the silver fire.

The piercing light shot into the bear and lifted it off the snow. Star's heart clamped down, hardening to the bear's pain, leaving Star feeling cold. Darkness swarmed his thoughts until all he wanted was the bear dead. The creature roared and pawed like it was on fire, and Star narrowed his eyes. He drenched the beast in silver flames—to save Dawnfir. The bear clawed at the air like
it hoped to run away, but there was no escape, and Star watched it collapse.

Star closed his mouth. His hide sparkled and his hooves glowed silver. He pranced, full of energy, but his heart was as cold as ice. He turned and saw Silverlake staring at him, shocked, her head low and her ears flat.

Star took a slow breath. “Don't be afraid.” Silver sparks snapped and fell from his mouth like shooting stars.

Silverlake skirted around him and rushed to Dawnfir's side, but it was too late. The bear had sliced open Dawnfir's throat and belly. Her eyes were absent of life.

Shock and anger blackened Star's vision. Dawnfir—his mother's best friend—was dead, her body too damaged for him to heal. He faced Silverlake and saw his reflection in her eyes, his threatening posture, his silver glow, and the bear's blood smeared across the white star on his forehead. He saw a killer. His gut uncoiled like a snake, and he screamed in fear—of himself. He leaped into the sky, away from her, away from Dawnfir's body, away from the horror.

Star pumped his wings, flying higher and higher. He couldn't see where he was going, and he didn't care. He just wanted to be alone. He flew straight up into the storm, through layers upon layers of wet gray clouds, their
moistness choking his breath, until finally he pierced the highest layer and exploded into a clear sky.

It was dusk and the sun was setting, casting long rays of pale light. The stars were out, already sparkling. Star soared over the thick, murky storm clouds that hid Anok from his view. His thoughts swirled with grief and a new sensation: power.

He glanced behind him and saw Silverlake following, but staying low and out of his way. He ignored her, climbing even higher. The silver starfire raced through him, not letting him alone. It seized him like poison, hurting and killing every good thought he'd ever had.

“Star?” whinnied Silverlake from below. “Are you all right?”

Star knew he needed to get rid of the silver poison in his body. He opened his mouth and blasted a plume of starfire so powerful it tossed him backward. The silver light exploded out of him, racing toward space as he exhaled.

When Star felt drained, he closed his mouth and fell, tumbling ears over hooves toward land. The face of a solid-black pegasi with hollow eyes and a ragged mane formed in the sky above him like a living constellation. Star gaped at the almost transparent image.
Trust your
eyes, Star
, Dewberry had instructed him.

Star blinked rapidly and refocused. The creature was real, yet unreal. It was a vision of Nightwing, splashed across the sky but looking right at Star. Nightwing bared his teeth and lunged for Star's throat, like the bear did to Dawnfir. Star dodged the shadowy black stallion and shielded his eyes, falling faster toward the cloud layer.

Silverlake jetted toward him, whinnying, “Fly, Star, fly!”

He hadn't realized he wasn't flapping his wings. He hit the cloud bank and fell through it, scattering the mist like silver smoke. He spread his feathers and flipped over, capturing the current until he was gliding.

The apparition of the black pegasus disappeared. Star coughed up the rest of the silver starfire in short bursts, and soon his glowing hooves dimmed and the last of the sparks popped between his teeth. He soared back up toward Silverlake.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice quaking. “Why did your starfire turn silver—it's always been golden?”

Star coasted, exhausted, not knowing what to say.

“It's the power of the Destroyer, isn't it?” Silverlake's voice trembled, on the edge of panic.

They flew out of the clouds and glided over them,
above the storm. He opened his mouth, and the truth tumbled out. “I am both,” he cried. “I am the healer
and
the destroyer.”

Silverlake gasped. “So it's not the Hundred Year Star's choice what you are? It's yours?”

“Yes . . . no.” His voice broke. “It's a choice, but I'm always both. Each time I use my starfire, I have to choose what I am.” He took a deep breath, ready to confess more. “Before, when I healed Brackentail's wing, I almost killed him. I was angry. I'm . . . I'm doing my best to control it.”

Silverlake tensed but flew on, thinking. After a while she spoke. “You can't tell anyone else. You'll scare them.”

“I know,” he said, anguished.

Silverlake sensed Star's doubt and misery. “Now, more than ever, you must believe in yourself,” she said firmly.

Star trusted Silverlake because they wanted the same thing: what was best for the herds. He could be honest with her. “I saw Nightwing again, just now. It was another vision. I'm afraid of him.”

She grimaced. “Focus on who you are, not who he is.”

Star tossed those words through his mind. His mother had said something similar in a dream. But who was he? The truth was, he was two pegasi. He was the yearling who wished he was a regular steed like everyone else. But
he was also the black foal of Anok, the immortal healer, and the only one who could save the herds from Nightwing.

How could he be both?

“I don't want this,” he admitted.

“I know. Your mother had a plan for her life too, but when you came along you changed everything.”

Star hung his head.

“The point is that you were her greatest joy. She accepted you, and she died with no regrets. Stop wishing you were something you're not. You need to accept your destiny like she did.”

Star wiped his tears, nodding.

Silverlake looked him in the eye. “You used that silver fire to try and save Dawnfir. You did the right thing with your power.”

Star's throat tightened with grief, and he couldn't breathe. He just nodded.

“Let's bring her home,” said Silverlake.

They returned to the scene, but Dawnfir was gone. A score of huge paw prints circled the bloody snow where she had died.

“Those prints are from ice tigers,” said Star, horrified. He scanned the terrain. “It looks like they dragged her into the forest.”

Silverlake shuddered. “Please,” she whispered. “Let's go back. I don't want to see tigers feeding on her.”

Star nodded, feeling as though he'd just woken from a nightmare. He felt the golden seed of his starfire glowing deep inside, warm and comforting once again. With a sinking feeling, he recalled the hollow-faced stallion he'd seen in the sky. Nightwing was awake; Star was positive of that now. But why had he appeared to Star? What did he want?

Star swooped through a cloud, scattering it and feeling weary. Nightwing was using the power they'd both received from the Hundred Year Star to find him. Star didn't know Nightwing's plans, but he did know that there was one thing an over-stallion would not tolerate above all other things—and that was another over-stallion.

With a jolt Star realized Nightwing wasn't the threat—Star was the threat! He had survived his birth, inherited his power, and now lived among the herds of Anok. He was a challenger to Nightwing's reign—a rival. Though the four-hundred-year-old stallion had tired of his immortality and retreated into hibernation, he now had a grand reason to awaken . . . and to return.