Chapter 7: A few weeks later
“Mama, I’m bored,” Minara complained to Lissna. She had just woken up from her nap, and they had already been let out of the stall that day.
“Why don’t you ask Norann to tell you a story?” Lissna suggested, eating her hay.
“Ok…” said Minara, somewhat grumpily. She wanted to run, and stretch her legs, but she and her nurse mother had already been let out for an hour for that day, and they were only allowed out once a day. She walked over to the side of their stall which was next to the elder mare, Norann’s, stall.
“Can you tell us a story?’ Minara asked the old bay roan mare. Immediately, the heads of all the other foals in that aisle of the barn poked over the walls, eager to hear the story too.
Norann stretched her dark purple wings, before settling them on her back again, and looked at the rare black filly. Her eyes, one turned a milky blue-ish white color from blindness, the other a deep brown, quickly washed over Minara’s black coat, bright, inquisitive blue eyes, and bold white markings. She was reminded of a legend that she had been told when she was a filly.
“One we haven’t heard before!” Nickered Minara’s friend, Ashie. She lived on the other side of Minara’s stall, with her mother Corlie, and twin brother Zinc. Ashie pawed the ground with her dark gray leg. “And one without battles!” She was tired of hearing overwhelming amounts of battle stories, which were constantly demanded by the colts.
Minara was tired of hearing about battles, too. She and Ashie were the only fillies in their section of the barn, and so their story requests were constantly overruled by the colts' requests for battles. She didn't mind the battles, themselves, they were exciting, and Minara enjoyed hearing about the heroes. It was the fact they had heard them over and over again, to the point where they had heard every single one of them multiple times.
"Ok, I think this will be one you will like." Norann nickered. “Ready?” She asked the foals.
Minara laid down, having a feeling the tary would be a long one. The foals nodded, and swished their tails excitedly.
“Far away in the north, in the land of our Ancestors, there is a legend.” Norann began. “Once every one hundred years, a foal is born, a special foal. This foal, one their first birthday, will either unite the herds, or destroy them. How, you may ask? There is a special star that shows up once every one hundred years as well, that we call the Hundred Year Star. It is like a second sun, equal in size, but differing in brightness and color. The Hundred Year star is the saem size as our sun, but is a brilliant gold color, and much brighter than our sun. And it is also magical.”
The foals gasped. Magic? Minara’s ears pricked up, enjoying the story.
“On the special foal’s first birthday, the star will shine one last time, and then transfer all of its power to the foal, and vanish, never to be seen again for another one hundred years.”
“But how will the star know which foal to give it to?” asked Ashie’s twin brother, Zinc.
“And does the foal know that they’re supposed to get the power?” a colt named Liro chimed in.
Norann hesitated. She had hoped to avoid this specific question, for many reasons. She glanced at Minara, and the filly’s eyes were as curious as all the other foals, not knowing the seriousness of what she was about to hear.
Norann sighed. “There are many tell-tale signs of this special foal.” She said. “For one, the foal rarely survives actually. Their mother nearly always dies at birth, due to the foal’s extremely long legs and wings. But the most apparent sign of this special foal, is that the coat is black.”
A hush fell over the barn. The foals who lived behind Minara’s side of the barn were also listening. Minara’s ears twitched uncomfortably. She slowly unfurled her long legs and stood up, her large wings sagging to the ground. “But, Norann, my coat is black,” She said slowly, not quite understanding. She was just a normal foal, wasn’t she? “And, the two stars outside, the bright gold one hasn’t always been there?”
Norann’s eyes softened toward Minara. “No, honey. I'm afraid not.”
Minara’s ears swiveled around, and she wasn’t sure what to think of this news.
“That’s enough, Norann,” Lissna said, walking over to Minara. Minara looked at her nurse mother to see if what Norann said was true. Lissan nuzzled Minara, comforting her. “It’s just a legend, it’s not true.”
“Are you sure?” Minara asked, her eyes wide.
“Yes,” Lissna said, but not very confidently. She had a feeling the legend was true, but just said it wasn’t to not worry Minara. She would figure it out on her own, eventually, and hopefully be able to handle the responsibility of it.
~Characters~
Sandwens:
Kali Moonphase~ Ruk breeder/manager. Edin's mother. Average height, with light skin, brown hair, and green eyes,
Edin Moonphase~ The Astronomer's Apprentice. 13 year old girl. Tall for her age, with light skin, long, straight black hair, freckles, and green eyes.
Astra Smith~ The Astronomer. Edin's mentor. Average height, with tan skin, black hair that is usually worn in a messy bun, brown eyes, large round glasses.
Riko Nightfire~ Edin's best friend. Rider in the Sky Guard's Dust Patrol. Average height, tan skin, dark brown hair, brown eyes. Kihlara mount: Sorren.
Queen Journa Stormrunner~ Leader of the Fifth Clan. Tall woman with light tan skin, dark brown hair, and hazel eyes. Kihlara mount: Magnfiesk.
Kihlari:
Sirie~ Silver bay mare with gold feathers tipped in red, flaxen mane and tail. Minara's birth mother. Deceased.
Minara~ Black filly with bright amber feathers tipped in dark brown, bright blue eyes, huge white blaze, four very tall stockings.
Sorren~ Dapple gray stallion with teal feathers, thin stripe on face, two hind socks.
Lissna~ Chestnut mare with spring green feathers, star on forehead, and one hind white sock.
Magnfiesk~ Queen Journa's Chosen Stallion. Striking grullo stallion with light blue wings with flight feathers tipped in dark pine green, pale blue eyes, wide blaze, black points, black mane and tail with lots of white hairs mixed in. (pronounced: Maan-fyesk)
Norann~ Bay roan elder mare with dark purple feathers, black points, black mane and tail, one deep brown eye, the other eye turned a milky blue-ish white from blindness.
Ashie~ Dark gray filly with coral feathers, dark brown eyes, silver mane and tail, and large snip on nose.
Zinc~ Dark bay colt with golden feathers, dark brown eyes, black mane and tail, black points, wide blaze, and two hind stockings.
ASHIE AND ZINC WHY DO I LOVE THOSE NAMES SO MUUUUUUUUCH?!?!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! MINARAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA