Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah...so...this took longer than expected. *Glances at the 3 Month time between releases* SUPER sorry about that! I HOPE that this won't be a reoccurring theme...I don't PLAN for it to be.
Here's links to previous parts for your convenience!
Prologue: A Star's Fire: Prologue | theguardianherd
Part 1: A Star's Fire: Part 1 | theguardianherd
Part 2: A Star's Fire: Part 2 | theguardianherd
Part 3: A Star's Fire: Part 3 | theguardianherd
Part 4: A Star's Fire: Part 4 | theguardianherd
Without further ado, here's the new part! :D
Eaglefeather stared at his mate in shock, “You’re…going to have a foal?” He asked with wide eyes.
Starshine nodded, her gray ears drooping slightly, “Yes…” She murmured, “I was scared to tell you because…”
“Because you think it’s the black foal?” He asked softly.
“H…how did you know?” The gray appaloosa mare asked in shock, her eyes wide.
Eaglefeather shrugged, “We stallions talk sometimes too.” He said, “Word spread like wildfire among the captains, and then, ultimately, among us. The Hundred Year Star was spotted by Leopardwing a few nights ago.”
Starshine sighed, “And that’s what scares me…” She muttered.
“What scares you? The fact that Leopardwing found the star, or the fact that it was a few days ago?”
“Both…” She admitted, “That means he knows the black foal will be born this year…and he could use that to his advantage.”
“What do you mean?” Asked the golden stallion.
“He may try to take the black foal…” She muttered.
Eaglefeather grunted, pawing the ground angrily, “If your foal does happen to be the black foal…he’ll have to get through me to get it!” He snarled, his eyes ablaze.
Starshine sighed contentedly, “I know…” She said, and that was what scared her as well. She didn’t want to lose her mate, or her foal, “I just don’t know what to do…” She muttered.
Eaglefeather wrapped his mate in his wings, “You’ll be fine…” He said, “We’ll be fine…you, me, and our foal.” He murmured softly, nuzzling her.
“But…what if it’s the black foal?” She asked softly.
“Then we’ll protect it.” Her mate replied fiercely, “It is our foal after all.”
"But what if something happens to me?!" She asked, her voice breaking with anxiety, "You know the stories...most mares don't...don't..."
Eaglefeather pressed his wing against his mate's muzzle to silence her worrying, "Nightwing's mother survived...I'm sure you will too if you do end up being the black foal's mother."
"How do you know that?" She murmured softly.
"Because you're the strongest mare I know...and you can survive anything." He replied with a small smile.
"But..."
"No 'buts'" Eaglefeather interrupted, shaking his head, "You're the strongest mare I know...now you just need to believe it yourself...like I do."
Starshine sighed, leaning into her mate, her worries fading for now, “Thank you…” She murmured, burying her nose into his mane. Just talking with him had done wonders for her.
“You’re welcome, Starshine…” He said softly, “I’d do anything for you…just remember that.” He said softly.
Starshine and Eaglefeather stood like that for a few moments, just being in each other’s company. Starshine, for the first time in days, felt like everything would be alright…that maybe things weren’t as bleak as they seemed.
She loved her mate, and she was so happy that she would have his foal. It had been their dreams for a while now…to have a foal of their own.
Suddenly, her fears seemed more and more silly, now that she voiced them to Eaglefeather. Just as she expected, Eaglefeather couldn’t be happier…maybe Firleaf was right…maybe she should’ve told him from the beginning. ‘No…not maybe…’ She thought with an inner chuckle, ‘I should’ve told him from the start…’
Suddenly, the call of the Over-Stallion echoed across the valley as Leopardwing and Windcloud hovered above the valley. All at once, all eyes turned to them. Knowing that they had the Herd’s attention, Leopardwing dove down to the large outcropping of rock that served as the Meeting Place for the Herd, followed closely by the Lead Mare. There, the Over-Stallion could be seen and heard by the entire Herd when there were important things to discuss.
Stepping back, Starshine glanced at Leopardwing, then at her mate, an icy fear gripping her heart once again, “Eaglefeather…”
“We don’t know it’s about that…” He murmured, “But we need to go to the Herd Meeting…if we don’t we could get in more trouble than we already are with him.” He said, placing a wing on her shoulders and guiding her to the meeting place.
As they approached the Meeting Herd, Starshine still couldn’t shake off the fear. What was going on? Why did Leopardwing call this meeting? Was it…about her?
SO SORRY for the shorter chapter...I PROMISE, the next one is going to be longer! There's going to be a LOT to say in this meeting! ;)
As always, thoughts, theories, and constructive criticism is EXTREMELY welcome! :D
I hoped you like this part!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mountain Herd
Over-Stallion: Leopardwing, a gray leopard appaloosa stallion with a black and white mane and tail, amber eyes, and slate gray wings fading to a light blue
Lead Mare: Windcloud, silver mare with a light gray mane and tail, two white hind stockings, and leaf green wings
Under-Stallions:
Eaglefeather: A sooty golden furred stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, dark red wings, and four white socks
Cloudmane: A majestic white stallion with a white mane and tail, and pale blue wings
Mares:
Starshine: Gray Appaloosa Mare with dark blue wings and a wide white blaze
Firleaf: Bay appaloosa mare with pale yellow wings, black mane and tail, black points, a snip on her nose, and four white socks
nice! can't wait for the next chapter!