Early the next morning Patchfeather trotted into Legend grove, closely fallowed by Lakefir. Icewing, Beanwind, Aspenflight, Stormender, two other Legend's members named Rainheart and Starstripe, three battle mares Patchfeather didn't know, Beanwind and Aspenflight's yearling colt Bramblewind, and Coldfire.

Patchfeather shivered at the sight of the gray captain, last spring, after she had been almost killed by a grizzly. She had found a feather the same color as Coldfire's at the place the attack had happened. Patchfeather was convinced that Coldfire had some how been responsible for the attack, and the attack that had killed Dragonfrost's sire, Whitesnow. She was still looking for evidence to her clam, but so far she had found none.

"ATTENTION!" ordered Stormender. All the pegasi in the clearing, except Icewing and Bramblewind, lined up a wing length apart and stood stiffly at attention. "Some of you already know the mission." continued Stormender, "But to those who don't, here are the orders: we are sending in two teams, team alpha will be led by Icewing, he will lead his team into Sun Herd territory, and try to get Thunderwing to let his daughter Lightfeather come back to Snow Herd. Team Beta will be led by Beanwind, their job is to observe, and if necessary extract team alpha. Every one got that?"

"Sir yes sir!" said all the pegasi in the clearing except Icewing, said at once.

"Good! Starstripe, Snowecho, Whiteflower, Patchfeather, and Bramblewind, are on tem Alpha, you leave as soon as possible. Everyone else is on Beta."

And just like that team alpha flapped their wings and flew towards Sun Herd territory.