Starpebble woke and immediately realized she was trapped. She whinnied in panic, and looked wildly around.

The Landwalker from earlier glanced up and rose from where he sat on the floor, advancing toward her. Starpebble struggled up and neighed at him, then took in her surroundings as he leaped back.

She was in a building of some sort, a place with a high wall at her back reaching up to the ceiling and two shorter walls on either side. A swinging wall was in front of her, open. Starpebble searched for the hateful word.

A stall.

She lurched toward the open door, but the Landwalker slammed it closed, his small paws fumbling with a latch on the front. “No, girl,” he said.

Starpebble calmed herself with difficulty, closing her eyes and breathing slowly. Then she opened her eyes and studied the Landwalker cub.

He was neither big nor small, and the light brownish fur on top of his head curled. His dark brown eyes watched her carefully.

He unnerved her.

Starpebble watched as he slowly reached a hand toward her. She stood extremely still.

Then, as his hand was only an inch from her nose, she bit him.

He slapped her on the nose and she stepped back in alarm, rubbing her stinging muzzle against the wall of the stall. Amused chuckles rose from either side of her, and she glanced up to see a pegasus in each of the stalls on either side, laughing at her.

The one on the left, a handsome palomino, rumbled at her, “Don’t try to bite him.”

His accent was strange, but he seemed good-natured enough, so Starpebble stepped to the back of her stall, as far away from the Landwalker as she could get.

“Who are you?” she asked the stallion.

The pegasus on the right poked her head over the stall wall. “I’m Celaeri, and that's Viru. We’re Kihlari, originally from Anok, descended from Lake Herd. The story’s been passed down ever since Sula left.”

Starpebble cocked her head. “Sula?”

The stallion frowned. “Um… what was her wildling name, Celaeri?”

The blue-gray mare thought for a moment, then she raised her head in triumph. “Echofrost!”

Starpebble reeled. “Echofrost?!”

Celaeri looked pleased. “Yes.”

Suddenly, someone swung open the stable door and a tall female Landwalker strode in, her long purple cape covering bright blue trousers and a golden shirt. Celaeri turned, then her eyes widened. “Viru, it’s the queen!”

The queen moved swiftly down the aisle to stop in front of Starpebble’s stall. The Landwalker cub bowed.

The queen peered at Starpebble. “So this is the wildling, Cloudburst?”

Hope you all enjoyed! PLEASE inform me of ANY MISTAKES OR INCONSISTANCIES be they a missing period or a plot hole or a weird travel time or ANYTHING! Thank you!

Mountain Herd:

Flintwing~ (over-stallion) dark gray stallion with slate-blue feathers, black mane and tail. Deceased

Cedarwing~ (over-stallion) agile light bay stallion with blue feathers, black mane and tail, thin white blaze

Sprucefeather~ (widowed mare) bay mare with green feathers, black mane and tail

Snowstone~ (under-stallion) white stallion with mint feathers, white mane and tail. Deceased

Stormrain~ (yearling) dark gray filly with dark green feathers, black mane and tail

Hoperiver~ (single/widowed mare) pure white mare with sparkling blue feathers flecked with amber, silky white mane and tail

Stormsun~ (single mare) chestnut mare with turquoise feathers, curly black mane and tail fading to light brown, four white socks, blaze

Rockroot~ (medicine stallion) smoky-gray stallion with deep pink feathers, black mane and tail, white snip on nose

Snow Herd:

Mistwing~ (over-stallion) white stallion with misty blue and white feathers, silver mane and tail

Ashcloud~ (lead mare) smoky gray mare with smoky purple feathers, black mane and tail, large diamond-shaped star on forehead

Fogfire~ (captain) gray stallion with navy feathers, black mane and tail. Deceased

Moonfrost~ (mated mare) dark silver mare with dark purple feathers, black mane and tail, Deceased

Echoflower~ (single/widowed mare, elder) white mare with pink feathers, white mane and tail

Rainshine~ (yearling) dark silver dapple filly with silver feathers, black mane and tail

Desert Herd:

Cobrawing~ (over-stallion) bay pinto stallion with green feathers, mixed brown-and-white mane and tail

Dustcloud~ (lead mare) palomino mare with pale green feathers, white mane and tail, wide white blaze

Sunfire~ (captain) gold dun stallion with violet feathers, gold mane and tail, thin white blaze

Starpebble~ (yearling) silver filly with pale blue feathers, white mane and tail, deep blue eyes

Ember~ (black foal, yearling) solid black colt with black feathers, black mane and tail

Spark~ (black foal, yearling) solid black colt with black feathers, black mane and tail, four white socks

Brightsky~ (mated mare) bright palomino mare with mixed blue and purple feathers, white mane and tail

Sunlight~ (single/widowed mare) palomino pinto mare with pink feathers, white mane and tail. Ember and Spark’s dam. Deceased

Summersong~ (yearling) brownish-gold filly with pale pink feathers, light brown mane and tail

Palmroot~ (medicine mare) gold dun mare with amethyst feathers, black mane and tail, black points

Tumbleweed~ (nursing foal) buttermilk buckskin with turquoise feathers, black mane and tail, uneven blaze

Sandwens:

Shanika Stormrunner~ Queen of the Fifth, age thirty-three. Tall with long black hair, tan skin, golden eyes

Quinn Cloudburst~ age fourteen. Curly light honey-brown hair, lightly tanned skin, dark brown eyes

Sami Firetongue~ age thirty-nine. Short crinkly black hair, dark brown skin, amber eyes

Kihlari:

Sera~ beautiful dark bay mare with lemon-yellow feathers, black mane and tail, wide white blaze

Ras~ handsome dark bay colt with lemon-yellow feathers, black mane and tail, wide white blaze

Jager~ gray pangare mare with light green feathers at the mantle changing to white at the ends, gray mane and tail

Celaeri~ blue-gray mare with rose feathers, black mane and tail

Viru~ palomino stallion with reddish-orange feathers, flaxen mane and tail