Starshine stared at her sister, Firleaf, in shock. She was PREGNANT!? When did she find out, and WHY hadn’t she told her earlier? Shaking her head to clear it, she smoothed her ruffled feathers.

“Y…You’re what!?” She asked.

“I…I’m with foal…” Firleaf murmured, looking at her hooves.

“Why didn’t you TELL me!?” Starshine demanded in shock.

“I was just told TODAY!” She snorted in response, pawing the ground with a hoof, “And I TRIED to tell you! But you just brushed me off!”

Starshine suddenly felt TERRIBLE for brushing off her sister. She was obviously scared to tell anyone, and she was brave enough to confide in her sister…and Starshine just brushed her off. What kind of sister was she? Obviously not one who LISTENS to her sister’s needs.

“I…I’m sorry…” Starshine murmured, looking at her hooves, “I…well…I needed to talk to Eaglefeather…” She said, looking up at her sister with tear filled eyes. “I’m sorry I pushed you away…” She murmured.

Firleaf’s eyes softened, “I forgive you, Starshine…” She murmured quietly, “But please, try not to do that again.” She said with a small smirk, “Unless, of course, whatever it was is important.” She said.

“It WAS important!” She said with a grimace, unsure of how to tell her sister.

Firleaf flicked an ear, “Do…you want to tell me? Or…not?” She asked.

Starshine shook her head, “No, it’s fine. I’ll tell you.” She nickered with a sigh. “I…I’m with foal…just like you..” She said.

“Oh!” Firleaf nickered, her eyes widening in understanding, “THAT’S why you had to talk with Eaglefeather!” She said, understanding lighting up her gaze.

Starshine nods, relieved that her sister understood, “I was terrified…” She murmured.

“About what, the Hundred Year Star?” She asked with a tilt of her head.

Starshine nodded, “I spotted it in the sky last night…” She murmured quietly, “The same day Wrenroot told me that…that…” She couldn’t finish the sentence, her earlier fears coming back in a flood.

Firleaf chuckled, “Starshine…” She murmured, “There’s no use worrying about tomorrow’s problems today…ESPECIALLY when we’re not even sure who is having the black foal this century.” She nickered, “Besides, how sure are you that the star you saw WAS the Hundred Year Star?” She asked, “The elders say that the star in the time before the black foal is born is barely visible in the sky.”

That set off a hundred questions in Starshine’s head, WAS the star she THOUGHT was the Hundred Year Star ACTUALLY that legendary star that only appeared every century? She now wasn’t so sure…but…it HAD to be the star…right? Her mother had told her to trust her instincts, and her instincts were telling her that what she saw WAS the Hundred Year Star…still…Firleaf had a point, but that didn’t make her feel any better. “Even so…” Murmured Starshine, “It’s been about a hundred years since the LAST black foal’s birth…” She said, looking at Firleaf, “And this century’s black foal could be born any day now.” She said.

Firleaf laughed, “You’ve always been one to worry about nothing!” She chuckled.

Starshine huffed, “I call it being cautious! We don’t know what the future will hold, and if we…”

“And if we have an IDEA of what will happen, then we can better prepare for it! I know, Starshine, you say that like EVERY OTHER day!” She said with a laugh.

Starshine grew hot, her ears pinned back, “I do not!” She protested, “Besides! It’s MOM’S line! Don’t blame me if I agree with her!” She snorted in irritation.

“When has worrying EVER worked?” She asked with a roll of her eyes.

“Er…that time when we…”

“Nope, not then.” Firleaf interrupted.

“Um…how about the time when father and mother…” Starshine nickered thoughtfully.

“Not then either.”

“That time when Spiderheart…”

“Nope!”

“How about when Wrenroot.” Nickered Starshine, growing irritated.

“Nuh uh.” Said Firleaf shaking her head in amusement.

“When Leopardwing…”

“Try again!”

Starshine was getting irritated, “Well if you’re just going to interrupt me, I might as well…”

“Interrupt you!?” Firleaf asked in mock shock, “When was I interrupting you!?” She was then suddenly thrown into a fit of giggles when Starshine just glared at her sister, obviously unhappy about how she was being treated, “Sorry, sorry!” Firleaf nickered, fighting back giggles, “But it’s true! When has worrying EVER done you well? Hint: Never!” She said with a bright smile, giggling.

Starshine rolled her eyes, “Are you done?” She asked with an irritated tilt of her head. Firleaf laughed, wiping her tears away with her wing.

“Yes, yes, I’m done!” She nickered, choking back her giggles and smiling widely.

“Good.” Starshine nickered, “I’m surprised you’re not taking this seriously…”

“Why should I?” She asked with a shrug, “Sure, the black foal should be born soon…but who’s to say we’ll be it’s mother?” She asked, “It’s not like there’s outside proof of a mare being pregnant with the black foal.” She nickered, looking at her hooves, “I just see no point in being scared of something that might not even happen…”

“But…” Starshine nickered with wide, worried eyes, “You KNOW what usually happens to the mothers of black foals…they…they…” She sighed, not able to finish the sentence.

“Die?” She finished for her sister, who only nodded, “Even so, why worry about an unknown future? Sure, it can be daunting, but just trust that it will all work out.” She nickered, pressing her forehead against her sister’s.

“How can you be so calm about this?” Murmured Starshine, choking back sobs.

“Because I know that there’s no reason to believe we’re carrying the black foal…” She murmured, “And I believe everything will work out fine in the end.” She finished with a soft smile.

Starshine sighed, “I wish I had your courage…” She murmured softly.

“But you DO, Starshine…” She murmured, pressing her wing against Starshine’s chest, “In here…you’ve just got to trust it’s there…and trust that you’re braver than you think.” She said with a soft smile.

Starshine smiled softly, “You always seem to know how to make me feel better…” She murmured.

“I AM your sister, you wierdo!” Firleaf nickered, flicking her sister’s nose with a wingtip.

Starshine laughed, smiling widely, “I’m glad we talked this out.” She nickered sincerely.

Firleaf nodded “I am too.” She said with a soft smile, “And maybe it’s time we return to the herd…” She said, getting to her hooves. Starshine nodded, getting to her hooves and stepping up to stand beside her sister.

“Yes, let’s go home.” She said, ruffling her feathers. Their spirits high, and the Hundred Year Star forgotten, if just for a moment, the two sisters walked side by side back to Mountain Herd, matching smiles on their faces.

HEY GUYS!! Here is the NEWEST part of Legend's Arise!! I hope you enjoyed it! And I can't wait to show you what's next! As always, constructive criticism and theories are welcome!!