Air Horse: Darkening Skies

Doubts and Storms

When Cloudy collapsed in the Clearing after a full day of flying, she fully expected her dreams to resume the regular chaos. Instead, she slept deeply and without dreams for the full night and halfway through the next day.

Cloudy woke up feeling more refreshed than she had in months. She scanned the Clearing with her sleepy gaze, wondering vaguely why she had slept outside and where everyone else was. Realization came in a flash that sent Cloudy bolting upright. She nearly took off, but a yelp gave her pause.

Cloudy turned to see Tussock flat on her back behind her. The whuff had most likely been on Cloudy's back, and had fallen when Cloudy stood.

"Tussock? How did you find me?" Cloudy cast about, afraid that Tussock had led the others to her.

Tussock rolled onto her paws. She circled Cloudy with her nose to the ground, then wuffed happily at Cloudy.

"You tracked me?"

"Wuff!"

"Did... anyone follow you?"

Tussock's happy whuff smile faded. She cocked her head to the side, then turned in the direction of Rocky Cliffs. No horses were in sight.

"Well, this is some search party," Cloudy laughed.

Tussock snorted, then started flying to the trees. Cloudy felt a spark of fear. Was Tussock going to led everyone to her? That would ruin everything!

"If you're going to bring someone here, I'll be gone by the time you get back. And from the look of those clouds, I'd say snow is on its way. I know you can't track after a snow."

Tussock froze. Cloudy's mind scrambled for something else to say. In an instant, she had an idea.

"You know, you could come along with me. I might need someone to keep the tree cats away."

Tussock perked up and spun around. Tree cats were a terror for horses east of the Rushing River. While they normally preyed on small ground animals, they were more than willing to taking on a full-grown horse, especially one traveling alone.

For some reason though, tree cats were terrified of whuffs. No one understood this better than Tussock, whose presence had protected Toby and his mother from tree cats for five years.

"Well?" Cloudy grinned smugly.

Tussock huffed and flew back to Cloudy. Cloudy was glad that she now didn't have to worry about being followed, but could Tussock being with her prevent her return? Cloudy shrugged and spread her wings. She'd just have to worry about it later; she didn't dare cross tree cat territory without a whuff.

"Can you please stop pacing. I'm trying to sleep," Skip grumbled.

Copper ignored him, continuing to pace in the small cave she, Skip, and Toby had taking shelter in to avoid a sudden blizzard. Between the howling wind and the endless echo of Copper's clopping hooves, not even Skip could fall asleep.

Toby tried to squeeze himself closer to the cave wall to avoid Copper's bumping into him. "Are you still worried about Cloudy? You're the one who told us she would be fine!"

Copper shook her head. "It's snowed for the last three days since she left, and now there's this blizzard!"

"Cloudy is a smart filly. She'll take cover from the storm," Skip said through a yawn.

"What about tree cats, hm?"

"I've told you a hundred times, Tussock is most likely with her," Toby snorted. "Now calm down and get some sleep! Cloudy will be fine."