"Lightdrop?"
"Yes?" Lightdrop whipped around and came face to face with Luckywish. He was back in black expanse of nothingness.
"Were you able to convince the others to stay?" Luckywish asked, hope filling her words.
Lightdrop reluctantly nodded, "I was." He said flatly, "but only after we had a run in with Ravenstrike."
Luckywish sucked in a short breath, "I should have known." She hesitated, then asked "What was the out come?"
"Bluestone is dead." Announced Lightdrop unceremoniously, his head dropped as he spoke.
"I'm so sorry Lightdrop." said Luckywish, her head bowing to show respect for the warrior. "I remember Bluestone as being an honorable stallion, I'm sorry to hear that his story has come to an end."
Lightdrop said nothing, slightly disappointed in the mare's reaction. He had been half hoping that Bluestone would have been here waiting for him, but this was not to be. Oh why did the blue roan have to go and get himself killed? Now Lightdrop was expected to lead the others on a quest to find this mystical stone that supposedly would neutralize Ravenstrike's ability to wield the equally mystical starfire. He didn't even really know what they were supposed to be looking for.
Suddenly, Lightdrop focued his attention on Luckywish, "Can you tell me more about this stone you want us to find?"
At first, Luckywish looked startled by the abruptness of his question, but nodded, "Legend has it, the stone was created when the Destroyer was defeated." she said, indicating a fierce battle that had taken place in Anok hundreds of years before -- a story that all the steeds in Stone Herd knew by heart. "There are no specifics as to where exactly it may be located, but I believe that it may be somewhere that has significance to the black foals of long ago."
Lightdrop let out a long breath. There were so many places that could be; the territory that was once inhabited by the ancient Jungle Herd pegasi where Nightwing the Destroyer was born, Dawn Meadow where Starwing the Healer spent his early days, the rumored cave across the Great Sea where Destroyer had hibernated for more then 400 years.... The yearling stopped himself as the number of possible locations where the stone could be hidden began piling up.
"Is there more?" asked Lightdrop, praying that there would be something, anything else that would narrow things down a bit.
Luckywish shook her head, "I'm sorry."
"Alright." said Lightdrop, reluctantly, "I better get back to the others, sounds like we've got a long flight ahead of us."
"Good luck." called the white mare as Lightdrop's dream of the black place began to fade.
~~~
Lightdrop opened his eyes, and found Twilightdawn, Cliffstone, Copperstrom, and Orchidfeather staring down at him. Rays of afternoon sunlight were pouring down through the trees branches and making everyone's coats look like they had caught fire.
"What's up?" he asked, blinking.
"We could ask you the something." snorted Orchidfeather, looking somewhat annoyed.
Twilightdawn shot a glare at the palomino mare, "Will you just cut it out." she snapped, then turned her gaze to Lightdrop, "How are you doing?"
The buckskin colt was puzzled, "I was just asleep." he answered, as he began straightening himself out. "No need to be concerned."
"Umm...." started Twilightdawn, casting a look at Cliffstone, "you've been out for more then a day."
"What!" exclaimed Lightdrop, he had not been expecting to hear that, "Why didn't you wake me?"
"We tried." nickered Copperstorm defensively, "But you wouldn't respond."
Lightdrop shook his head, thoroughly confused. How had he slept for a day straight? That was insane, it must have had something to do with his dream vision with Luckywish. But this wasn't important now, he needed to get everyone up to speed on what the mare had told him in regards to the stone.
When he had finished recounting his dream, everyone looked as if they had lost any of the motivation that they had gained the night before. Lightdrop didn't blame them -- this was a truly daunting task. Anok was huge, and it could take months to get from one side of the content to the other even taking the most direct rout, and there was a lot of area between. The stone could be anywhere. Where would they even start?
"Okay," said Twilightdawn, as if reading Lightdrop's thoughts, "I think the closet location that has significance to the black foals is Jungle Herd's old nesting grounds."
Lightdrop nodded in agreement, "That's what I was thinking."
"Okay, than what are we waiting for?" said Cliffstone, prancing. "Lead on."
Shakely, the buckskin yearling glanced one last time at the small memorial that had been erected in honor of Bluestone, and whispered "We'll make this right." Then he spread his yellow wings and kicked off.
With only a few strokes of his wings, Lightdrop had cleared with tops of the trees. It was here he paused for a moment scanning the sky for any sign of Ravenstrike, but there was no indication that the black stallion was anywhere near the small remnant of Stone Herd. Once Lightdrop was satisficed, he propelled himself forward, and towards the ancient land of Jungle Herd the others following close behind.
Lightdrop- buckskin yearling colt, black mane and tail, white stripe, bright yellow wings
Luckywish- white mare, white mane and tail, pale pink wings
Ravenstrike-black stallion, black mane and tail, one hind white sock, star and snip, blue eyes, black wings
Bluestone- blue roan stallion, black mane and tail, small circular star, gray and black wings
Twilightdawn- chestnut mare, chestnut mane and tail, one hind white sock, thin blaze, pink wings streaked with brown
Cliffstone- brown stallion, brown mane and tail, gray wings
Copperstorm- chestnut stallion, chestnut mane and tail, three white socks, navy wings
Orchidfeather- light palomino mare, white mane and tail large star, bright purple wings