The Guardian Herd: Landfall Read online

  DEDICATION

  FOR CRYSTAL, THE GIRL WITH THE CHESTNUT HAIR

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  DEDICATION

  EPIGRAPH

  HERDS

  MAPS

  1 DESTROYER

  2 SHOOTING THE STARS

  3 THE WEANLING ARMY

  4 SLEEP

  5 CALL OF THE OVER-STALLION

  6 THE TRAP

  7 NEWS

  8 THE ANCESTORS

  9 DECOY

  10 AWAKE

  11 SEA OF RAIN

  12 LOOSE FEATHER

  13 CLOSE CALL

  14 CONFESSION

  15 STRENGTH

  16 THE UNITED ARMY

  17 THE SOUTHERN NESTS

  18 TRAINING

  19 THE SWAMP

  20 DANGERS BELOW

  21 HERD SECRETS

  22 OUTBURST

  23 THE SWALLOWS

  24 FRIENDS

  25 TO FALL IS TO DIE

  26 ADVICE

  27 MISSING

  28 REVELATIONS

  29 CELEBRATION

  30 DOOMED

  31 STARWING

  32 FEAST

  33 PROMISE

  34 BONE BREAKER

  35 COUNTING THE ENEMY

  36 WARRIOR BLOOD

  37 THE WOUNDED

  38 HEALER

  39 NIGHTFALL

  40 UNITED

  41 DEATHBLOW

  42 SURVIVAL

  43 CRY OF THE WOLF

  A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  BACK AD

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  BOOKS BY JENNIFER LYNN ALVAREZ

  CREDITS

  COPYRIGHT

  ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

  EPIGRAPH

  Do not go gentle into that good night,

  Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

  —Dylan Thomas

  HERDS

  RIVER HERD

  The black foal:

  STAR—solid-black yearling colt with black feathers, white star on forehead

  Under-stallions

  THUNDERSKY—dark-bay stallion with vibrant crimson feathers, black mane and tail, wide white blaze, two hind white socks. Previously Thunderwing, over-stallion of Sun Herd

  HAZELWIND—buckskin stallion with jade feathers, black mane and tail, big white blaze, two white hind socks

  SUMMERWIND—handsome palomino pinto stallion with violet feathers. Deceased

  ICERIVER—older dark-silver stallion with powder-blue feathers, white mane, white ringlet tail, blue eyes, white star on forehead. Sire of Lightfeather. Previous over-stallion of Snow Herd. Deceased

  GRASSWING—crippled palomino stallion with pale-green feathers, flaxen mane and tail, white blaze, one white front sock. Deceased

  CLAWFIRE—white stallion with blue-gray feathers, jagged scar on face, gold eyes. Born to Snow Herd, joined River Herd

  Medicine Mare:

  SWEETROOT—council-mare. Old chestnut pinto with dark-pink feathers, chestnut mane and tail, white star on forehead

  Mares:

  SILVERLAKE—light-gray mare with silver feathers, white mane and tail, four white socks. Previously Silvercloud, lead mare of Sun Herd

  CRYSTALFEATHER—small chestnut mare with bright-blue feathers, two front white socks, white strip on face

  DAWNFIR—spotted bay mare with dark-blue and white feathers, black mane and tail. Deceased

  ROWANWOOD—blue roan mare with dark-yellow and blue feathers, white mane and tail, two hind white socks

  DEWBERRY—battle mare. Bay pinto with emerald feathers, black mane and tail, thin blaze on forehead, two white hind anklets

  LIGHTFEATHER—small white mare with white feathers, white ringlet tail, white mane. Star’s dam. Born to Snow Herd, adopted by Sun Herd. Deceased

  MOSSBERRY—elderly light-bay mare with dark-magenta feathers, black mane and tail, crescent moon on forehead and white snip on nose, two white hind anklets. Deceased

  Yearlings:

  MORNINGLEAF—elegant chestnut filly with bright-aqua feathers, flaxen mane and tail, four white socks, amber eyes, wide blaze

  BUMBLEWIND—friendly bay pinto colt with gold feathers tipped in brown, black mane and tail, thin blaze on face

  ECHOFROST—sleek silver filly with a mix of dark- and light-purple feathers, white mane and tail, one white sock

  BRACKENTAIL—big brown colt with orange feathers, brown mane and tail, two hind white socks

  FLAMESKY—red roan filly with dark-emerald and gold feathers

  SHADEPEBBLE—heavily spotted silver filly with pale-pink feathers, black mane and tail, thin blaze, three white socks. Born a dud and a runt to Mountain Herd, joined River Herd

  MOUNTAIN HERD

  ROCKWING—over-stallion. Magnificent spotted silver stallion with dark-blue and gray feathers, black mane and tail highlighted with white, one white front anklet. Deceased

  BIRCHCLOUD—lead mare. Light bay mare with green feathers, two white front socks

  HEDGEWIND—flight instructor. Bay stallion with gray feathers, black mane and tail, thin white blaze

  FROSTFIRE—captain. White stallion with violet-tipped light-blue feathers, dark-gray mane and tail, one blue eye. Born to Snow Herd, adopted by Mountain Herd

  LARKSONG—sky herder. Buckskin mare with dark-blue feathers, white snip on nose, black mane and tail

  DARKLEAF—sky herder. Dun mare with black dorsal stripe, purple feathers, black mane and tail, white snip on nose, golden eyes

  SNOW HERD

  TWISTWING—over-stallion. Red dun stallion with olive-green feathers, black mane and tail

  PETALCLOUD—lead mare. Power-seeking gray mare with violet feathers, silver mane and tail, one white sock, wide blaze on face

  STORMTAIL—gigantic dapple gray stallion, purple feathers, black mane and tail, black eyes

  DESERT HERD

  SANDWING—over-stallion. Proud palomino stallion with dark-yellow feathers, wide white blaze, one white sock

  REDFIRE—captain. Tall copper chestnut stallion with dark-gold feathers, dark-red mane and tail, white star on forehead

  SUNRAY—spy. Golden buckskin mare with light-purple feathers, black mane and tail, white star and snip on face

  RAINCLOUD—legendary mare. Fine-boned palomino. Deceased

  JUNGLE HERD

  NIGHTWING—solid black stallion. Four hundred years old. Immortal

  SMOKEWING—over-stallion. Speckled bay stallion with brown and white spotted feathers, black mane and tail, white snip on nose

  ASHRAIN—battle mare. Wiry dark-bay mare with yellow and green feathers, one white sock, snip on nose

  SPRINGTAIL—battle aide. Light-bay skewbald mare with dark-blue feathers

  SPIDERWING—legendary over-stallion. Deceased

  HOLLYBLAZE—legendary sister of Spiderwing. Spotted bay weanling filly with gold-tipped emerald feathers, two front white socks, light-brown eyes, black mane and tail, wide blaze on face. Deceased

  MAPS

  1

  DESTROYER

  THE SUN HERD LANDS WERE ON FIRE, AND NIGHTWING the Destroyer reared in the center of the flames, facing Star, his hollow eyes gleaming silver. He’d landed in Anok just moments ago, and surrounding him were Hazelwind’s warriors and Mountain Herd’s army. Nightwing had arrived during a battle between the two, but the fight was forgotten when the Destroyer’s hooves touched the soil. In a hushed voice, Hazelwind ordered his steeds to retreat, but Nightwing kept his eyes trained on his rival. He had not risen from a four-hundred-year hibernation and crossed the Great Sea to jump into a war between herds. No, he had come for Star.

  Star advanced toward the Destroyer, his ear
s pinned, his posture wary. “Why have you returned?” he asked. “What do you want?”

  Nightwing’s eyes darted to Star’s dull hooves and flattened ears, and Star could imagine what Nightwing was thinking—that Star was an inexperienced yearling, not yet a warrior.

  Nightwing kicked off and flew a lazy circle around Star, examining him, looking fearless. He reminded Star of the orcas that swam in the ocean, carefree yet deadly. “I want you,” he said, flashing the sharp rims of his hooves and snapping his yellow teeth.

  Star’s heart stalled, but he wasn’t surprised. He’d awakened the Destroyer on his first birthday, when he received his power from the Hundred Year Star. On that night he became Nightwing’s rival—the only living pegasus who possessed the starfire besides Nightwing.

  Star flared his wings, shielding his best friend, Morningleaf, who stood near him. “Stay back,” he whispered to her. She edged closer to her dam, Silverlake.

  “What are you going to do?” Morningleaf asked Star, panting, still out of breath. She’d just escaped from the Mountain Herd captain, Frostfire, who’d been holding her captive in the lava tubes beneath a volcano in the south.

  Star glanced at her fluttering aqua wings, wishing she hadn’t arrived in the Sun Herd lands at the same time as Nightwing. How could he keep her safe and battle Nightwing at the same time? “I’m going to fight him,” he said, and Morningleaf gasped.

  The Destroyer hovered overhead, taunting Star, but with the flat expression of a snake. “Come fly with me, black foal; show me your powers.” He panted, drawing his silver starfire, and his black hooves glowed silver.

  All around Star, the Mountain Herd warriors who’d flown here to fight folded their wings and retreated toward the woods. Their leader, Rockwing, was dead. The first thing the Destroyer had done was to kill the over-stallion with a breath of starfire, turning him immediately to ash. Only Hazelwind’s herd and Star’s friends from River Herd remained close to Star, crouching and coughing on the smoke. Star’s fear bubbled up from the depths of his mind—not for himself, but for his friends, and all of Anok. Nightwing was powerful. Star felt the energy blazing out of him, and maybe he was too powerful to beat, but Star had to try.

  He charged Nightwing, hooves splayed and tail lashing as he leaped into the sky. Nightwing dodged him and struck Star’s shoulder, slicing it open and leaving a trail of blood. Star tucked, tumbled through a cloud, and came up beneath Nightwing, biting his leg and tugging him off balance.

  Nightwing rebounded and sank his incisors into Star’s neck. Star gasped as Nightwing ripped out a hunk of mane, then let go and pummeled Star with kicks to his back and wings.

  Star fluttered, absorbing the blows in silence, trying to get his bearings. Nightwing’s front hoof struck Star’s jaw, causing his brain to rattle. He whirled and double-kicked Nightwing with his rear hooves.

  Nightwing’s body, thin from hibernating, somersaulted backward. Star pinned his ears and followed. The rain had lessened, but now it picked up again, and the drops splattered the grass like tears. Nightwing spun out of the mist and dropped onto Star’s back, driving him toward the ground. Just before impact, Nightwing darted away, and Star slammed onto the grass, blood spilling from his nose.

  Thundersky, the past over-stallion who’d once threatened to execute Star, galloped to his side. “Use your starfire.”

  Star wiped his muzzle, pointing. “But he’s not.”

  Thundersky shook his head and shot out of the grass, springing like a puma and smashing into Nightwing. Thundersky’s adult colt, Hazelwind, followed, and they flanked the ancient black stallion.

  “No! Stay back,” whinnied Star. He rocketed off the grass, hurtling forward to protect them.

  Nightwing circled the three of them, glaring at Thundersky, and Star recognized the short, fast breaths he was taking. He was drawing on his starfire, the immortal power they’d each inherited on their first birthdays from the Hundred Year Star. He was going to kill Thundersky.

  Star pinned his wings and dived into the Destroyer, slamming into his back while drawing on his own starfire from deep within.

  Nightwing flung him off and blasted Star in the side, scorching the skin over his ribs. Star bit back the pain and dived at him again. Nightwing flipped around and exhaled, dousing Thundersky in a burst of silver light.

  “No,” Star neighed, but he was too late.

  The bay stallion’s crimson feathers curled into black ash and his hooves melted, dripping like sap onto the grass.

  “Father!” screamed Morningleaf. She stared at the sky, out of breath, watching her sire fall.

  As Thundersky dropped through the clouds, he flung back his head and trumpeted the call to battle, but it was for the last time. The silver flames engulfed him as his regal voice carried across Anok, rebounding off the trees, skipping across the lakes, whispering over the grasses, and then wafting up into the sky—touching all the places Thundersky had lived and loved and fought to protect.

  Nightwing closed his mouth, and Thundersky’s lifeless body crashed onto the meadow.

  Sorrow blasted Star, crippling his thoughts. Thundersky’s family galloped to him, fanning his sizzling flesh with their wings, but the mighty stallion was dead.

  Nightwing landed in the meadow, smoke billowing out of his nose, sparks crackling between his teeth, his wings spread wide. The steeds who’d fled to the woods in fear of Nightwing gaped at Star in desperate silence, waiting to see what he would do.

  Star ransacked his mind for his worst memories—focusing on the feelings that turned his golden fire silver, and deadly. He arched his neck, drawing on the hot embers in his belly and turning them cold. His muscles tightened, and untold power flowed through him. He would show Nightwing. He could destroy too. “Over here,” he said.

  When Nightwing turned, Star roared silver fire at him. The Destroyer evaded it, but the grass burned where the fire landed, quickly spreading across the field in spite of the rain. The mothers and newborns who Hazelwind had brought with him when he split from River Herd in the north took to the sky and flew away. The rest pranced in place, unwilling to draw attention. But Nightwing didn’t follow the mares. He let them go.

  Star tucked his wings, dived toward Nightwing, and found Hazelwind flying by his side. “Go,” said Star. “He’ll kill you too.”

  The young son of Thundersky set his jaw. “We’re warriors, Star. We fight together, and we die together.”

  Star met his gaze, surprised. Hazelwind had abandoned Star in the north because he viewed him as weak, lacking leadership ability. He’d said Star couldn’t protect a herd. But now he’d taken a place by Star’s side and called him a warrior. Star nodded, and the two raced toward their enemy.

  As they swooped over Nightwing, Star pelted him with exploding bombs of light, but Nightwing dodged them. The blazing starfire seared the soil, scarring it in long, black streaks. Nightwing whirled and smacked Hazelwind; sending the buckskin careening, hoof over wing.

  Hazelwind’s best friend, the Sun Herd yearling named Echofrost, charged after him. “Hazelwind,” she whinnied, and her dark eyes blazed with fear.

  Star reared and clashed with Nightwing in midair.

  Nightwing kicked, and Star rolled sideways, gasping and grunting. The blow had cracked several of his ribs. With every breath, throbbing pain shot from his sides to his tail. Then Star saw Nightwing flex his gut. He ducked as Nightwing’s silver fire grazed the tips of his ears.

  Star whirled and slammed Nightwing in the chest with his hooves.

  Hazelwind returned, rocketing from the heights, and he kicked the Destroyer in the back. Nightwing rolled, recovered, and lit after Star, ignoring Hazelwind, who was followed by Echofrost. Nightwing flew over Star’s head, striking the crest of his neck and cracking his other hoof against Star’s skull.

  Stunned, Star tumbled toward land. Nightwing flapped his wings, rearing to strike again, but Hazelwind intercepted, taking the blow and tumbling across the sky, shrieking in pain. Hazelw
ind crashed onto the grass, and Echofrost landed next to him, whispering into his ear.

  Star regained his altitude and took a breath. He needed more power, more anger. He needed a horrible memory, and one came to him quickly. It was about Crabwing, the young seagull he’d befriended on the coast of Anok many moons ago. A cruel over-stallion had crushed the bird. Star remembered Crabwing’s tiny gray body split open on his flat feeding stone, and fury like lightning pulsed through Star’s veins. He drew all his starfire into his gut, turned on Nightwing, and blasted him with blinding silver light.

  2

  SHOOTING THE STARS

  STAR’S SILVER FIRE SHOT ACROSS THE SKY. BUT HE watched, incredulous, as Nightwing puffed up his chest and projected a silver sphere, like an air bubble, around his body. The starfire streamed around it, leaving Nightwing unharmed. Nightwing clacked his teeth and tore after Star, dropping his shield and hurling bolts of light that slammed Star in waves. He stifled a groan as his feathers caught fire and he began to fall. Nightwing followed, spewing sparks.

  “Stop it, please!” Morningleaf screamed at Nightwing from the ground.

  Star stared at the Destroyer, dumbfounded. He didn’t know anything about a shield. What else didn’t he know about their power? Star hovered over the grass, breathing hard, his mind rattled by pain and confusion. He couldn’t beat Nightwing, not if the ancient stallion had a shield. Star hadn’t realized his eyes had filled with tears until he blinked, and the tears rolled down his cheeks, soaking into the scorched grass. Fresh white flowers erupted in the ashes.

  But Star’s reprieve was short-lived. Nightwing flew toward him, shooting a stream of fire like lightning, and Star’s reflexes jolted his body out of the way. It was just the two of them now, and Nightwing was quick. He shot a burst of starfire that missed Star and exploded against a tree. When the branches ignited, Star’s adopted dam, Silverlake, rushed to the pegasi who were too terrified to flee and herded them into the woods.

  Nightwing kicked Star’s chest and knocked him into the clouds. Star’s skin sizzled where the silver hooves had struck him.