Free The Guardian Herd: Stormbound by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez Page B

agreement.
    â€œReturn home,” he said to Darkleaf. With her broken wing and injured leg, he knew she would never make it. They’d flown over dozens of wolf tracks on their way here, and her fresh blood would call the packs to her. And if the wolves failed to come, the bears wouldn’t.
    â€œThat’s a death sentence,” whispered Larksong, but Frostfire ignored her.
    They all watched Darkleaf limp away, broken winged but with her head held high. Frostfire considered the growing number of rebels in Mountain Herd and wondered if Star’s influence on the pegasi of Anok wasn’t perhaps more powerful than his starfire.

11
THE ICE LANDS
    SEVERAL DAYS HAD PASSED SINCE STAR AND HIS friends returned to River Herd and gave the news that Twistwing had refused his healing power. “It doesn’t surprise me,” Thundersky had said, folding his crimson wings.
    â€œWhat about Petalcloud?” asked Silverlake. “Didn’t she argue for the sake of her herd and the unborn foals?”
    â€œShe was even less interested than Twistwing,” said Dewberry, and Silverlake had huffed in anger.
    Now Star, Bumblewind, and Dewberry were helping the River Herd steeds dig for roots in the frozen ground. Echofrost was practicing drills with Hazelwind. She hadn’t spoken to Star since he’d healed Brackentail. Starwas crushed, but Morningleaf insisted he leave Echofrost alone, for now. The cause of the rift—Brackentail—stood by himself, closely watched by his guards.
    â€œHow are the mares doing?” Star asked Sweetroot. “The ones I healed?” She was nearby and busy uncovering a special plant she thought could be used for healing.
    She looked up, beaming at him. “They’re doing well, and their unborn foals are kicking.” Sweetroot had quarantined the mares several miles away. Three stallions guarded them at a safe distance. “Their quarantine is over tomorrow.”
    Bumblewind glanced around him. “Has anyone else showed signs of the plague?” he asked her.
    â€œSo far, no.”
    Dewberry nudged him. “Your tongue looks a little blue.”
    â€œWhat?” Bumblewind splayed his wings. “It does?”
    Star rolled his eyes. “Bumblewind, she’s just teasing you again.”
    Star heard the sudden fluttering of feathers and looked up to see Morningleaf flying stiffly across the tundra. He glanced at the sky and noticed that while they’d been digging for roots, a storm had amassed over the Hoofbeat Mountains. Snow drifted from the darkened, large clouds,and a bitter wind blew it sideways.
    Morningleaf landed beside them. “I can’t feel my muzzle,” she complained. Her aqua feathers were dusted with frost, and her eyes had watered during her flight, causing frozen rivulets of tears down her cheeks. She blinked snowflakes off her eyelashes. “I’ve been looking for you all. This storm is moving fast.” She pointed her wing toward the nearest section of the mountain range. “My father and I found shelter there, to the east. It’s an ice cave. It won’t hold all of us, but we can fit the new foals and the elders inside. The rest of us can group together under the trees.”
    Star disliked caves. He’d lived in one with Crabwing when he was a weanling, and Star never wanted to live in another. But it sounded like the best—the only—option for River Herd if they wanted to survive the burgeoning arctic storm. “Let’s move,” he said.
    Star and Morningleaf proceeded to gather the River Herd pegasi. Dewberry set out in search of Silverlake. She’d been appointed as a sentry, and it was her turn to patrol the skies. Bumblewind followed her.
    Star was saddened by the desolate appearance of the River Herd steeds. Despair had drifted upon them like snowflakes, soft and light at first but then filling everycrevice until all other feelings were buried, trapped by the