(this takes place 15 years before A New Beginning which takes place a year after Star defeats Nightwing.)

The sun shone brightly on the lush green grasslands of Dawn Meadow, making the birds sing loudly in the trees. Newborn foals buzzed around their mothers, testing their new wings. A light breeze coming from the east ruffled Morningsun's mane as she and the Sun Herd army trained. Morningsun was not a warrior, preferring not to have her life be committed to fighting, but she could sense the tension between Thunderwing and Rockwing building again, and she wanted to be prepared if anything happened between the two over-stallions. Stormfire, the captain teaching, was currently in a lecture on how to do a perfect Rounded Head Attack with the help of Stormriver, a dark bay with aqua green feathers. Stormriver acted as the enemy steed while Stormfire flew a fast circle around his head. The silver pinto captain showed the army when and where to hit the enemy to stun, or kill him, them flew back down to Stormriver's side.

"Now, I want each of you to get a partner and take turns practicing this move. Ashfire and I will go around and correct you if needed." Stormfire tossed his long black-and-white forelock out of his eyes. "I want each of your Rounded Head Maneuvers perfect by the time this battle training session is over."

Morningsun sighed, and looked around for her friend Starlight. The two mare's have been friends ever since they foals foals, and have done almost everything together. But, just as she thought, she found the pinto battle mare with the handsome stallion, Morningstone. Ever since Starlight was able to get him to notice her, she barely spent any time with Morningsun anymore. Morningsun was glad she was happy, but this meant she had to find someone else to be her partner.

"I see you need a partner," someone said behind her. She turned and saw a dark bay stallion with bright-red and yellow feathers. He tilted his head with a spark in his brown eyes. "Do you want to be mine?"

Morningsun rolled her eyes. She has seen this stallion before and thought he was very handsome, but she never considered even talking to him. Even from afar, she could tell he had a bigger than normal ego, and that wasn't charming at all to her. But when she looked around, she saw everyone else already were paired up, so she said, "no, Jetflame. I don't want to be your partner. But," she looked around to make sure one last time. "I guess I have no choice."

Jetflame looked startled for a second, and Morningsun guessed it was because he was used to all the mare's liking him. But then he narrowed his eyes, with anger or determination, she couldn't tell, and said, "ok then. Do you want to start or are your wings too tired from folding them on your back?"

Morningsun was already losing patience. How was this stallion so handsome, yet so annoying? She curled her lip in disgust. "My wings are just fine, thank you."

Jetflame chuckled. "Nah, I think you better see Grass wing with all the other duds and walkers." He nodded his head to where the honorary palomino over-stallion was teaching his army of walkers.

Morningsun stamped her front hoof, arched her neck, and flared her golden-yellow wings. Starlight always said she looked too fair and beautiful to intimidate a stallion, but Morningsun was too angry to remember that right now. "Let's get started," she said through clenched teeth. She took off to start practicing, but not before she noticed Jetflame. He was staring at her, mouth hung open, the spark in his eye gone. Morningsun snorted. She should listen to Starlight more often.

Jetflame shook his mane and took off after her.

They practiced the move over and over. Whenever Morningsun messed up, Jetflame would these her about it. But when she did if perfectly, he mocked congratulations like a mare humoring her foal, then when it was his turn, he would purposefully mess up, then say "well, I guess you're too good for me." Then he would turn around and start flying away like he wasn't interested in her, until he can back so she could have a turn. Morningsun knew she wasn't actually supposed to strike him, but sometimes when he got too annoying, she would "accidentally" club his head with her hoof.

Morningsun sighed in relief when Stormfire called that session over. That probably was the fastest she ever flew when she left the training ground. She touched down in Dawn Meadow where her friends Frogfeather and Lightbreeze were grazing. Their newborn colt was suckling from the air, flapping his dark-pink tipped green feathers. They named him Frog breeze after his sire and dam. They also had an older filly which they named Lightfeather, and they said that if they had another foal, they would name them Breezefeather. Morningsun thought this was cute, but wasn't sure if she would want to do the same.

Lightbreeze lifted her head when Morningsun touched down, and whinnied a greeting. "Hello!"

Morningsun relaxed, relieved someone who wasn't annoying was glad to see her. "Hello," she replied. "How is your little Frogbreeze doing today?"

The tiny light-brown pinto stopped suckling and lifted his head. His big green eyes stared at her proudly as he said, "I waced a big biwd down a big hiwl and won! Now I am Fwogwing becauth I am the big biwdth ovew-thtawion."

Morningsun laughed. She could barely understand him, but he was cute. "Good job, Frogbreeze!" She told him.

The colt narrowed his eyes. "No! I'm FwogWING!"

"Oh! That's right," Morningsun chuckled. "Good job, Frogwing, over-stallion of big birds." Frogbreeze beamed at her, then continued suckling.

Lightbreeze nickered. "You're good with foals," she commented.

Morningsun shrugged her wings. "I try."

"So," Lightbreeze started to preen her aqua-blue feathers. "What brings you here today?"

Morningsun groaned. "I'm just trying to get away from this stupid stallion."

Frogfeather lifted his head. "Who?"

"Jetflame." Shechecked over her shoulder to make sure saying his name didn't draw him near her. "He won't leave me alone." She then proceeded to tell them about the training session and how Jetflame was teasing her, but instead of them looking annoyed or angry like she thought they would, their expressions became more and more amused.

When she finished, Frogfeather and Lightbreeze shared a look and chuckled. "Looks like you've gotten yourself an admirer!" Nickered Frogfeather.

Morningsun recoiled, stunned. This wasn't what she was expecting. "What are you talking about?! Jetflame doesn't like me!"

Lightbreeze tilted her head, studying her. "Hmm," she said to Frogfeather. "Looks like she likes him back."

Morningsun pinned her ears. "I do not!"

Frogfeather started nodding, ignoring her. "Yeah, I think you're right. But it seems she doesn't know that herself yet."

Morningsun clenched her jaw. They were wrong. Of course Jetflame didn't like her and there was no way she would like him. Why was everyone against her today?

"What do you think sounds better?" Frogfeather asked Lightbreeze. "Jetsun, or Morningflame?"

That was it. Morningsun had enough. She stamped her front hoof. "I was wrong," she said to the both of them. "I thought you two would help, but instead you became just as bad as Jetflame." She turned and started to walk away.

"Just wait," Lightbreeze called after her. "Soon you won't be able to deny that you like him back." She nuzzled Frogfeather. "The same thing happened to me."

Morningsun narrowed her eyes. That's never going to happen. She vowed that under the light of the afternoon sun. Not ever.

By the way, Stormfire is Echofrost and Bumbewind's sire! (It says so in Windborn) Anyways, how do you like this so far?

-Thunderblaze ⚡