Our Forever

Chapter 17: Plans

A young colt cantered through the forest. His dam had insisted that he meet her for training. What kind of training? Oh, the colt knew all too well, because his mother was Riversun and she obsessed on plans to kill Starwing, and he was apparently part of those plans now that he had the starfire. Blackleaf just didn't understand why his mother didn't kill Star with her own starfire, or why she would want to kill him at all. He had of coarse heard the terrible story about how Star had killed his grandsire Nightwing, but for some reason Blackleaf didn't quite believe that Starwing was actually bad like in the stories that Stormtail told him. As he got closer to the opening in the trees where his mother waited on the other side, the early weaned colt checked himself for burrs and mud, because his dam hated when he came to training all dirty. Finding nothing on his coat or mane, he slowed his pace and walked through the opening in the vines that curtained the meadow from sight. Seeing him instantly when he came in, Blackleaf was so surprised that he tripped over his own hooves but regained his footing quickly, for there was his sire: Brackentail. Brackentail had never come to training before, so something had to be up if his sire would interrupt training on such short notice. Riversun spoke from where she stood beside Brackentail. "Blackleaf, there is something important that your sire found out just this morning that must be discussed right now." Blackleaf looked hopeful. "Does that mean I get to skip training for today?" Riversun shook her head. "No, it does not mean you get to skip training. We will do that when your father leaves." Blackleaf no longer felt happy in the least which was not unusual, so he got quiet so he could hear what his parents had to say. Brackentail began. "This morning, our spies that I sent to spy on River Herd came back and told me that Star is now the sire of twin fillies-" "Fillies? Really? And twins?" Blackleaf said, interrupting his sire. Brackentail sighed. "Yes Blackleaf, fillies. Now let me continue." He said with the slightest hint of impatience. Blackleaf nodded and lowered his head, showing that he was listening now. Brackentail continued. "As I was saying, Star now has two fillies. Their names are Spiderangel and Morningstar-" "-Morningstar? That's a nice name." Blackleaf said, interrupting for the second time. Brackentail pretended nobody had spoken and continued talking. "Star guards them with his life except when they're playing with their friends. Now, ever since I got this news, I've been thinking a lot about how these two can be useful. I have finally pierced together a plan to get revenge on Star and Morningleaf. We send you Blackleaf, to River Herd. You will say that you ran away. They slowly let you enter the community. You befriend Star's fillies. You lure there into the forest, and we capture them!" Riversun clapped. "I like that plan!" Blackleaf felt a sinking feeling growing inside him. He didn't want to do that to such innocent-sounding fillies. "Blackleaf, you will leave tonight." Said Riversun, sensing that he might try to get out of going. Blackleaf sighed reluctantly. "Okay." Brackentail patted his colt on the back. "Good." He felt terrible as-later that day when it began to grow dark-he began flying toward River Herd, and the twins.