Starpebble stumbled and stopped, her head spinning. She felt like she’d been walking in circles — all the jungle looked the same to her. She hung her head and closed her eyes as pain pounded behind her eyelids. Her knees felt like buckling.
She raised her head and cracked open her eyelids, relief flooding through her as she saw that the jungle ended not far ahead, giving way to smooth grass. She lurched forward and fell to the ground, resting her aching head against the cool grass and sighing with relief. She relaxed and opened her senses to the world around her.
A strange smell came from close by — meat and wood smoke and pegasus and wolf — and she sniffed, trying to figure out what it was, then struggling up as a noise came.
“Hey, girl.”
She peered around, her vision blackening strangely, and she realized dimly she must be sick. But before her stood a strange creature, its paw stretched out toward her, and she backed up quickly before swaying in place, her headache pounding through her like the thundering of a river. She felt too dizzy to do anything but just stand still, so she did.
Something patted her shoulder and the strange creature — a Landwalker, she realized — took her head in his paws and peered at her blood-soaked head. “Oh, you poor, poor, girl,” he muttered, and she jerked her head out of his hands with revulsion, trying to rear.
The Landwalker stepped back until she came to the ground with a thud, the pain in her head almost too much to bear. She backed up.
I need to get out of here.
She turned back toward the jungle, then staggered as the pain in her head reached an unbearable amount and she fainted.
Quinn stared in confusion at the silver Kihlara unconscious on the ground. He knelt and stroked back her forelock to examine her head.
It wasn’t too bad, but it would need attention. He stood and looked around in indecision. If he left to get the animal doctor, the Kihlara might come awake and escape.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a girl watching him from a small distance away, and he called to her, beckoning her over. She jogged over, and raised an eyebrow as she saw the Kihlara.
“Where did she come from?”
Quinn frowned. “I don’t know, she just came out of the jungle. Would you go fetch the animal healer?”
The girl turned and ran off, her curly black hair bouncing against her shoulders. Quinn turned back to the Kihlara and stood by in case she should wake up.
The girl returned a bit later with the animal healer, Sami Firetongue. Sami dropped to her knees and peered at the wound.
Sky Guard riders began to trickle to the edge of the jungle, attracted by the unusual sight of a Kihlara they did not know. They gathered around in a loose circle, whispering.
“Whose is it?” one asked, craning her neck to see the mare.
Sami glanced at Quinn.
I found it, he reasoned.
“Mine,” he said.
Aaaaand that's that! Sorry it took so long for this chapter! I had it written and forgot to post it.
Hope you all enjoyed! PLEASE inform me of ANY MISTAKES OR INCONSISTANCIES be they a missing period or a plot hole or a weird travel time or ANYTHING! Thank you!
Mountain Herd:
Flintwing~ (over-stallion) dark gray stallion with slate-blue feathers, black mane and tail. Deceased
Cedarwing~ (over-stallion) agile light bay stallion with blue feathers, black mane and tail, thin white blaze
Sprucefeather~ (widowed mare) bay mare with green feathers, black mane and tail
Snowstone~ (under-stallion) white stallion with mint feathers, white mane and tail. Deceased
Stormrain~ (yearling) dark gray filly with dark green feathers, black mane and tail
Hoperiver~ (single/widowed mare) pure white mare with sparkling blue feathers flecked with amber, silky white mane and tail
Stormsun~ (single mare) chestnut mare with turquoise feathers, curly black mane and tail fading to light brown, four white socks, blaze
Rockroot~ (medicine stallion) smoky-gray stallion with deep pink feathers, black mane and tail, white snip on nose
Snow Herd:
Mistwing~ (over-stallion) white stallion with misty blue and white feathers, silver mane and tail
Ashcloud~ (lead mare) smoky gray mare with smoky purple feathers, black mane and tail, large diamond-shaped star on forehead
Fogfire~ (captain) gray stallion with navy feathers, black mane and tail. Deceased
Moonfrost~ (mated mare) dark silver mare with dark purple feathers, black mane and tail, Deceased
Echoflower~ (single/widowed mare, elder) white mare with pink feathers, white mane and tail
Rainshine~ (yearling) dark silver dapple filly with silver feathers, black mane and tail
Desert Herd:
Cobrawing~ (over-stallion) bay pinto stallion with green feathers, mixed brown-and-white mane and tail
Dustcloud~ (lead mare) palomino mare with pale green feathers, white mane and tail, wide white blaze
Sunfire~ (captain) gold dun stallion with violet feathers, gold mane and tail, thin white blaze
Starpebble~ (yearling) silver filly with pale blue feathers, white mane and tail, deep blue eyes
Ember~ (black foal, yearling) solid black colt with black feathers, black mane and tail
Spark~ (black foal, yearling) solid black colt with black feathers, black mane and tail, four white socks
Brightsky~ (mated mare) bright palomino mare with mixed blue and purple feathers, white mane and tail
Sunlight~ (single/widowed mare) palomino pinto mare with pink feathers, white mane and tail. Ember and Spark’s dam. Deceased
Summersong~ (yearling) brownish-gold filly with pale pink feathers, light brown mane and tail
Palmroot~ (medicine mare) gold dun mare with amethyst feathers, black mane and tail, black points
Tumbleweed~ (nursing foal) buttermilk buckskin with turquoise feathers, black mane and tail, uneven blaze
Sandwens:
Quinn Cloudburst~ age fourteen. Curly light honey-brown hair, lightly tanned skin, dark brown eyes
Sami Firetongue~ age thirty-nine. Short crinkly black hair, dark brown skin, amber eyes
Kihlari:
Sera~ beautiful dark bay mare with lemon-yellow feathers, black mane and tail, wide white blaze
Ras~ handsome dark bay colt with lemon-yellow feathers, black mane and tail, wide white blaze
Jager~ gray pangare mare with light green feathers at the mantle changing to white at the ends, gray mane and tail
Awesome!!! I’m still curious about what has been happening with Spark and Ember... 🙂
AWESOMEEEEE!!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!! NO!!! STARPEBBLE!!!!!!!😫😮😣
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wonder how Starpebble's gonna react to all of the Landwalkers...