ATTACK
Echosong saw Fernheart lying under her tree. She started hurling insults at Fernheart, who was now Fernstar. “Echosong, you are banished from Spring Herd for the rest of your life.” Fernstar glanced behind her, toward her army. “If she returns, kill her on sight.”
Echosong's eyes grew wide. To the herds, banishment was a punishment worse than death. She charged Fernstar, enraged that her daughter had stolen her position, and almost reached her as her warriors blocked her, biting the tops of her ears and neck until she bowed her head in submission. “Now Echosong, leave this herd.” Fernstar reared, threatening Echosong with her deadly hooves. Fernstar slammed her hooves against the grass, causing Echosong to slip and fall. Echosong turned and galloped away from her former herd.
I’ll be back for you, Fernheart. thought Echosong. As she galloped away, Fernstar sent a battalion of about five hundred warriors after Echosong, and they gained on her quickly.
She dodged their sharpened hooves. She even stopped and bucked, striking a stallion in his wing, breaking it. “I can still fight you and your stupid herd!” whinnied Echosong.
She pumped her neck and galloped toward Moon Herd. She waited behind a rock, and when a mare came her way, she shoved her very sharp hoof through the mare’s wing, making her fall to the ground and squeal in pain. She kept galloping towards Moon Herd.
Sweating, blood-stained, and herdless, she dropped her haunches and tried to stop, but she landed in a lake. Spiritstorm thought it was Autumnberry, so she cantered toward the lake. When she realized that it was Echosong, she reared, threatening her. Echosong bowed her head, quivering in fear and shock.
“Fernstar has sent warriors after me, and they will attack Moon Herd. You must hide your steeds before they arrive,” said Echosong. Redray reared and brayed, calling for his army.
The Moon Herd army came and gathered in formation, with the biggest steeds in the front and the smaller steeds at the back. The Spring Herd battalion searched the herd for Echosong, found her, and glided toward her.
Moon Herd let the battalion take Echosong, letting her fight for her own life. As she bucked and kicked, Spiritstorm helped the Spring Herd steeds get Echosong. “Now tell me, why are there warriors raiding?!” asked Redray in a roar.
Echosong grumbled but told him. “Fernheart, who is now Fernstar, banished me, so I galloped here and thought that maybe you could stop her?” she said.