The sun was rising on the desert horizon, the red rock mountains rising like a wall on the sandy landscape. Within each of the caves slept a pegasus family, the members each marked by a stripe of ochre at the entrance. At the entrance to one of the caves stood a young chestnut filly, her golden wings shimmering in the rising sun. Looking behind her, the chestnut filly checked to see if her family was still asleep. Satisfied that they were sound asleep, she leapt over the edge, her wings snapping open to catch the wind to slow her descent. Gliding down, the filly made a slow descent down the cliff face. Angling her nose to the strip of blue that was the Tail River in the distance, the filly’s heart burst with excitement, she was going to make it! Suddenly, a small trumpet sounded from one of the cliffs above her. The filly looked above her in shock, the lookouts! She hadn’t accounted for the lookouts seeing her!

“Filly! Stop!” Called the buckskin stallion, leaping from the cliff face to give chase.

“Stormy skies…” The filly muttered, looking around for a hiding spot. She knew she’d never be able to outrun the stallion…so she’d have to outwit him. Angling her wings, she banked a hard left, diving underneath an outcropping of rock, and flew out from beneath.

The buckskin stallion followed, diving under the outcrop, and began to gain on the filly.

“No, no, no…I can’t get caught now.” The filly muttered, diving under another outcropping of rock, her wings beginning to ache. Thinking fast, the filly dove into an abandoned cave, galloping deep inside. The stallion, however, followed her, looking around. Snorting, he trotted deeper into the cave, squinting his eyes in the dim light of the rising sun. Muttering to himself, the stallion trotted even deeper into the cave, trying to find the filly.

The filly poked her head out from behind a large stalagmite, smiling as the stallion trotted deeper into the cave. Looking back towards the entrance, the filly walked towards the front, looking behind her every few moments smiling even wider as she reached the edge. Leaping off the edge, she unfurled her wings again, gliding forward, and angling herself back towards the river

“I did it!” She squeaked in joy, faltering in the air as she attempted a rather faulty barrel roll.

“Did what?” Asked a voice above her.

Looking up in shock, she saw the buckskin stallion flying above her, his eyes glittering with confusion and humor, “I…I…uhhh…”

“Trying to escape are we, Skysun?” Asked the stallion with a chuckle.

“Well…no.” She nickered, “I was just trying to get to the…Tail River for a…drink!”

The stallion snorted, “Like I believe that! You are planning something, aren’t you?”

“Nope!” Skysun said, trying to put on her most convincing smile, “Just thirsty, and Mama, Papa, and Lighthoof are still asleep. I didn’t want to wake them.”

“And your grandparents? What about them? Couldn’t they take you?” He asked.

“Still asleep…at least…I think they are. Besides, even if they weren’t they’d probably be busy!” She said brightly.

“And why would that be?” Asked the stallion.

“Uh…ummm…well…I…I thought…”

“Stop, Skysun. C’mon, let’s just get you back home.”

“Aweeeeee…please? I’m soooooooooooooo thirsty!” She whined, “You can hear me calling for you from the Mountain! If I need help, you can come rescue me!”

The stallion looked at the filly skeptically, “You promise you won’t go any farther than the closest bank of the Tail River?” He asked.

The filly nodded, “I won’t go farther than the closest bank of the Tail River! Promise.” She replied.

The stallion nodded, “Fine…but only for a few minutes. If you’re not back by the time the sun fully clears the horizon, I will wake up your family.” He said seriously.

Skysun nodded, “Thank you, Jetflight!”

“You’re welcome…” He said, eyeing the filly, “Now get going.”

The chestnut filly nodded, turning and gliding away back towards the river. Landing at the bank, she leaned down to take a drink of the river water.

“So, you came.” Said a voice from the bank. A buckskin filly stepped out from inside a bush at the edge of the river, her wings fluffed out nervously, “Are…you sure you want to do this?”

“Of course I’m ready! We planned this out for days!”

“No…Skysun, you planned this out for weeks.” Said the filly.

“Pfft…Flamebreeze!” Said Skysun, “We both know you want to do this too.”

“Not…necessarily. It’s…not the best idea.”

“C’mon! It’s the best idea ever!” Said the chestnut.

The buckskin snorted, “Whatever you say…”

“Let’s stop talking and get going!” She whinnied, spreading her wings and taking to the sky.

“I want it on record that I think this is a very bad idea!” Flamebreeze called, leaping into the air after her friend.

“Noted!” Skysun whinnied, flying along the river, careful not to cross the wide expanse of water, she wasn’t going to break her promise! She wasn’t going to cross the river…but she was going to go farther south.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HERD ALLEGIANCES

ASH HERD:

Over-Stallion: Camelwing, a dun stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, two white front socks, two white hind stockings, a slim white blaze, and sandy yellow feathers

Lead Mare: Galecloud, an older chestnut mare with a chestnut mane and tail, pale yellow feathers, four white socks, and a wide white blaze

Medicine Mare: Oasisroot, a pearl chestnut pinto mare with a slightly darker mane and tail, and sun yellow feathers stained at the tips from the herbs and roots she works with

Captains:

Adderfire: A magnificent chestnut stallion with a chestnut mane and tail, two white hind stockings, and golden feathers tipped in a sandy yellow

Sunfire: A dun stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, four white socks, and golden feathers that fade to a pale yellow

Under-Stallions:

Jetflight: A golden buckskin stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, two white hind stockings, and cream yellow wings tipped in white

Mares:

Amberfeather: A palomino mare with a white mane and tail, a wide white blaze, two white hind socks, and amber feathers tipped in coppery red

Cactusbreeze: A golden buckskin mare with a black mane and tail, black points, four white socks, and yellow feathers fading to a pale yellowy green

Lighthoof: A young palomino mare with a white mane and tail, a white front sock with a peachy hoof, a thin white blaze, and coppery red wings fading to gold

Foals:

Skysun: A chestnut filly with a slightly darker chestnut mane and tail, four white socks, a wide white blaze, and gold wings tipped in a darker gold

Flamebreeze: Buckskin filly with a black mane and tail, black points, thin white jagged stripe on face, one right front sock and one left hind sock, and desert yellow wings tipped in ocher

Sandhoof: A dunskin colt with a black mane and tail, black points, two white front socks, and bright yellow wings tipped in a sandy yellow

MOON HERD

Over-Stallion: Sleetwing, a light gray stallion with a darker gray mane and tail, an interrupted white blaze, and pale blue wings

Lead Mare: Ashcloud, a sooty gray mare with a black mane and tail, four white socks, and pale green wings fading to a light gray

Captains:

Icefire: A blue roan mare with a black mane and tail, two white front socks and a hind left sock, and with silvery gray wings fading to a pale blue

Under-Stallion:

Tigerfeather: A light gray appaloosa stallion with a light gray mane and tail, four white socks, and pale yellow feathers fading to a pale orange

Mares:

Starlight: A white mare with a white mane and tail, and pale pink wings

Palefrost: A pearl mare with white wings fading to an icy blue

Foals:

Snowsong: A silver appaloosa filly with a white mane and tail, two white hind socks, and light purple wings that fade to white

Jaggedstone: A dark gray colt with one white right front sock, a jagged white stripe on his face, and pale silver wings fading to a pale blue

RIVER HERD:

Council Members:

Ravenfrost: A black mare with a black mane and tail, four white socks, a wide white blaze, and pale blue wings, Mare Representative to the Council

Hawklight: A light bay stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, four white socks, dark brown wings fading to black, the Stallion Representative to the Council

Harefire: Lead Captain of River Herd, a dark chestnut pinto stallion with a dark chestnut mane and a white tail, four white socks, a wide white blaze, and white wings fading to ocher, Captain Representative to the Council

Petalroot: Medicine Mare of River Herd, a silver pinto mare with a silver mane and tail, four white socks, and pink wings fading to green, Medicine Mare Representative of River Herd

Foals:

Nightmoon: A grullo sabino filly with four white socks, a wide white blaze, and dark blue wing that fade to black

GRASS HERD

Over-Stallion: Lightwing, a palomino stallion with a white mane and tail, four white socks, a large snip on his nose, and pale yellow wings fading to a light blue

Lead Mare: Rosecloud, a dark bay pinto mare, a black mane and tail, black points, two white hind socks, and a bald face marking, and deep red wings

Foals:

Darkfeather: A bay colt with a black mane and tail, black points, four white socks, and wings that go from a pale purple at the front to dark purple at the flight feathers

CRAG HERD:

Over-Stallion: Stonewing, a dark gray stallion with a black mane and tail, two white hind socks, and dark blue wings

Lead Mare: Pinecloud, a light gray stallion with a dark gray mane and tail, four white socks, and pine green wings

Foals:

Speckledice: A gray leopard appaloosa colt with a white mane and tail, and baby blue wings fading to white

WIND HERD:

Over-Stallion: Hailwing, A silver dapple stallion with four white socks, a large star on his face, and slate gray wings

Lead Mare: Softcloud, a cream pearl mare with pale pink wings that fade to a darker pink

Foals:

Woodflake: A dark bay colt with a black mane and tail, black points, four white socks, and pale brown wings

CAVERN HERD

Over-Stallion: Viperwing, a dark bay stallion with a black mane and tail, black points, two white front socks, and dark green wings

Lead Mare: Leafcloud, a dark brown snowcap appaloosa mare with a dark brown mane and tail, four white socks, and pale green wings fading to a dark green

Foals:

Emeraldheart: A bay filly with a black mane and tail, black points, two white hind socks, and emerald green wings

Brownfeather: A dark brown colt with a dark brown mane and tail, one white front sock, and dark green wings fading to a pale green

MORE CHARACTERS WILL BE ADDED AS THEY INTRODUCED IN THE STORY!!!!

I HOPE YOU LIKED IT!!! As always, constructive criticisms, theories, and thoughts are always welcomed!!! Stay tuned for more!!