Hedgewind, the two weanlings and the Sun Herd party all looked over at Wintermist as she seemingly crawled out of the ground. Once she had her bearings, she looked around at the other pegasi. Recognizing her friends, she asked, “What are you guys doing here, and why did you bring them?” She indicated with her uninjured wing toward the other pegasi.

“What are we doing here?” Brackentail sputtered, enraged. “You were stuck in a waterfall, about to go over the edge, Blackstorm saves you and loses his life in the process, and you ask us what we’re doing here?!?”

Wintermist realized a bold approach might not be a wise one. She used a more subservient tone. “Well, I came here to practice flying alone,” she said. “I didn’t want to be in flight school with him.” She gestured toward Hedgewind. “Then I fell in. Since Hedgewind and Flamefrost were trying to save me, and then Blackstorm saved me by listening to Hedgewind, then I guess I forgive him.” She went over to Hedgewind and exchanged breath, accepting him.

Brackentail was surprised. He hadn’t expected Wintermist to give in so quickly. “Well, now that that’s settled,” he said, “we need to get back home.”

Trying to obey him, Wintermist unfurled her wings, involuntarily sending sharp waves of pain through the left one. She winced and said, “Sorry, but I don’t think I can fly right now. I fell trying to dig and I’m pretty sure that I broke my left wing.”

Brackentail was surprised again but he didn’t show it. He nodded, then gestured to Star. “Star, how about you walk back with Hedgewind and the weanlings, and the rest of us will fly.”

Star nodded, and the rest of the envoy from Sun Herd took off. “Are we set to go?” Star asked the weanlings. The two colts nodded, dumbfounded that they could talk to Star. Sunshadow eventually found his voice.

“Yes, sir,” he said. Star nickered.

“Drop the sir, we’re equals,” he said. Sunshadow’s eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded. “Then let’s go!” Star said.

“One moment,” Wintermist interrupted. “I want to clean off.” Before they could stop her, she dove into the pool, swimming around and flinging dirt off of her hide. When she came back out, she was completely clean. She shook off the extra water, then nodded at the others. “Okay, now let’s go.”