The Guardian Herd by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez Page B

furious.
    Dewberry’s wings lilted to her sides. “We won’t . . . we can’t go back to the herd, obviously. Your mother will think we’ve all died.”
    â€œI know,” she whispered.
    Hazelwind whipped his head around. “Hasn’t Silverlake gone through enough,” he growled. “Our father was murdered before her eyes, and now you, her filly—falling to her death and drowning. That’s what she’ll think, you know. And she’ll think I got killed too. How could you?”
    Tears erupted and flowed down Morningleaf’s cheeks. “I didn’t . . . I don’t . . .”
    â€œLet me guess; you didn’t think,” accused her brother.
    â€œDon’t be so hard on her,” neighed Brackentail.
    Hazelwind lashed his tail. “Stay out of this.”
    â€œI didn’t think you’d follow me this far,” sputtered Morningleaf.
    â€œLike I haven’t heard you and Redfire talking for days about the aquifers,” he snapped. “As soon as you let go of my neck, I knew what you were up to.” Hazelwind stared down at his battle-stained chest. “I need to clean up.”
    â€œMe too,” said Dewberry.
    The three pegasi who’d attacked the blue roan slipped into the dark river to rinse their hides. They came out glistening, and also shivering.
    â€œNightwing will search for you, probably for many days before he gives up,” said Hazelwind, his anger subsiding. “We’re stuck in here for a while.”
    Bumblewind glanced at the tall limestone walls, his eyes glowing in the phosphorescence. “How did Redfire know this was here?” he asked Morningleaf.
    Hazelwind answered. “Redfire’s been filling her head with information about the desert. Rivers like these that cut through soft rock, form underground channels like webs that can’t be seen from the air. They branch out and surface far away from the main source, which is the river.” He glanced at his sister. “Now I know why you wereasking so many questions about them.”
    â€œShe always asks a lot of questions,” said Brackentail.
    Hazelwind shrugged. “That’s probably why I didn’t think too much about it until she let go of me.”
    â€œWhat are we supposed to eat in here?” asked Bumblewind.
    Dewberry shoved him. “Hungry already?”
    Everyone nickered, and the tension melted out of the cavern and floated away with the long, dark river.
    â€œWe’ll rest here a few days,” said Hazelwind. “Then, if it’s safe, we’ll track Nightwing’s herd to the interior.”
    â€œWe’re going to follow them?” asked Morningleaf, stunned.
    He grimaced. “Yes, we’ll keep our distance, but we’ll set up a watch to spy on Nightwing and the pegasi. When Star comes, he’ll need information, and we’ll be able to give it to him. At least something good has come from your recklessness.”
    Morningleaf nodded quietly, because her brother was right; she hadn’t thought out her plan, or what came next. She was shocked that she was alive at all.
    They traveled deeper into the tunnel, found smooth stone, and settled for the night. Before falling asleep, Hazelwind nuzzled his sister, forgiving her. “The four IceWarriors who swam downstream didn’t see the aqueduct; they’ll report that we drowned, and a search won’t reveal our hoofprints or our bodies. It wasn’t the worst plan.”
    Morningleaf sighed. “Our mother will understand, someday.”
    â€œYes, someday,” Hazelwind repeated, and then he closed his eyes.

10
CAMOUFLAGE
    A STRIPE OF ORANGE SPLIT THE DARKNESS, AND Star watched Frostfire awaken and gaze at Valley Field, the charred meadow of his homeland. “I may never come back to this place.”
    Star paced, feeling anxious. “All that matters now is finding our friends and defeating