Moon Herd - Part 1

by Izzy
(USA)

Ayson

Thousands of years back in the past three herds-the Planets, the Sun, and the Moon- rule the land given to them by the unicorns who started the herds. But the Moon herd disappeared from the face of the earth. Or so, the story says. But this story has been passed down from generation to generation, so everyone believes it is gone. But centuries later, this is soon dismissed, for a filly from the Moon herd has returned. This is Ayson's story.

"Mommy, when is the Moon herd coming back?" A colt named Gibor asked the mare standing next to him. "Don't talk about them, they are bad news." The mare replied as she looked out over the cliff at the raging see above. The wind whipped her mane all over the place. Her colt pranced and whinnied next to her. "Be still, young one. This is the night the ghost horse from Moon herd will come back hopefully." She looked out to the waves crashing on the shore and rocks around it. The pink puffs glided by, as if to say 'Goodbye, Gibor! See you tomorrow!'

As the moon rose, so did the tide.

"Look! Over there!" The mare shrilly cried. She nickered softly to the glowing light that seemed to dance over the glossy black water. It neighed back, and danced toward them. Gibor cowered, for he was scared. The figure burst out of the the glowing shell it seemed to e hovering in.

The pure sparkly white Pegasus spread his wings and neighed as a wave rose and crashed against the shore. As it did, hundreds of Pegasuses marked with the same moon birthmark on their forehead danced across the beach behind the stallion. Gibor gasped at what he saw. The Moon herd!

"Look away, child!" The mare called as the stallion reared. They ran far away from the cliff, never to return again.

Centuries later...

A two year old mare trotted across a wide open plain. She stopped at a small lake, just to see what was wrong with her. "Why is everyone running away from me?" She thought, "Every herd I try to join, they take one look at my face and gallop away." She studied her face a little longer.

She couldn't find anything wrong. Her glossy black mane glistened in the sun and was beautifully groomed on a stick, her eyes were black but they shined like the morning sun, and her coat was as glossy as ever. But she couldn't find anything. She stared hard at the water, watching as her reflection did the same.

"I don't get it." She whispered. She tossed her head and let her bangs reveal the birthmark on her face. It was light gray, and in the shape of a moon...

Moon Herd - Part 2

by Izzy
(USA)

"Gibor!" A young mare asked, "Did you hear? A moon herd descendant has come back! She has come back!" The mare whinnied and galloped away excitedly. Gibor just stood there, confused. He was the leader of the descendants of the Sun herd. He trotted over to his people.

"My herd," He started, "We must move. A moon herd is coming!" He neighed frantically as a streak of lightning basically split the sky in half. Ayson approached and spooked at the roar of the leader. The flaxen stallion pawed the ground and flipped his ears back.

"Stay away!" He screamed angrily at her. "We don't want you in the Sun herd!" He reared and charged toward her. Ayson could see young foals cowering behind their mothers. Gibor was almost upon her.

She reared and snorted as a crash of thunder rumbled above.

"Stop!" Ayson yelled. Then time slowed. Gibor stood frozen in running position, right in front of her. "Freeze!" She yelled. Gibor stood frozen in ice right there. She gasped and touched a hoof to the chunk. It cracked a little. "Play!" The herd galloped over to frozen Gibor, as Ayson ran away, cowering in fear.

"Get her!" Gibor yelled. A Thoroughbred with incredible speed raced after her. The dirt sprayed up behind him.

"Get back here!" He snarled. Ayson kicked it up into a faster gallop. She raced through the stream and down the mountain. The cold water had felt good when it splashed against her ankles.

"Ayson!" A voice yelled. She looked past the horizon, and saw a clustered group of horses.

"Wh-who are you?" Ayson asked cautiously.

"We," The black unicorn gestured to the rest of the group standing behind him, "Are the real leaders of the herds." The white unicorn with the moon marking under it's horn pawed the ground.

"It's up to us who goes into which herd," The stout brown unicorn declared, "And you, for one, most definitely deserve a good herd." the white unicorn snorted in agreement.

"That's why, we created a herd for you to lead," The soft velvety voice of the white unicorn rang out like tiny bells, "They consist of horses from herds that kicked them out or didn't want them... Look there, Child! Your herd descends!" Ayson braced herself for a let down.

But she what she saw, was not. Ayson gasped. "Who wouldn't want to have them in their herd?!" She thought. Beautiful horses from the Sun, Planet, and one horse from the Moon herd came swiftly galloping up the hill.

"We came," The bay Moon herd horse declared, "My name is Racham."

"My name is Shadrach. I was the leader of my herd, 'till we were wiped out by the other herds." He was a handsome Arabian. "Like me." Ayson thought.

"And I am Bonita." A dappled Canadian horse from the Sun herd chimed in. Her name described her perfectly. She was pretty. She had the brightest blue eyes.

"Now that you herd is assembled," The unicorns spoke in unison, "You must make sure that war doesn't break out. For you four are the rightful airs to the throne of the land, and no one can take that away from you." A white mist swirled up and the unicorns trotted into it. They were gone in a flash.

Moon Herd- Part 3

by Izzy
(USA)

Ten Years ago...

Shrill battle cries rang out as horses and ponies fought because they were all from different herds. Horses dropped dead everywhere, and the scene was a bloody mess.

"Gibor, go!" The mare yelled. It was over, all over in a flash.

"MOM!" Gibor shrieked. A stallion whizzed by her, and she fell to the ground.

"Planet forever!" The stallion shrieked and strode on. Gibor fell on his mum's body. He sobbed as the scene went on around him...

"Gibor!" A distant voice exclaimed, "Get up!" Gibor open an eye, and saw a filly standing above him.

"What do you want?!" Gibor asked, crankily. He sighed and slowly got up. "I'm getting too old for this..."

"You're only eleven!" The filly exclaimed, "And besides... You're the leader. We need you." She bowed and got back up. "The Royal Herd has formed under the Mystic Unicorn Jury's watch. The herd thinks you have fallen from your throne, so they already have a back up leader.

"He's a strong stallion. He lead his old herd with confidence and pride. You must meet him." The filly pranced alongside Gibor as he went to see the possibly new leader.

"Hello, I'm-" But before the stallion had time to finish, Gibor slashed a hoof into his throat. The stallion died on impact.

"Next time you bring a new stallion in without asking me first, that will be you." Heads turned in shame to look at the roan's bloody body. "You," He pointed toward a three-year-old stallion, "Go catch the Royal Herd. Bring them to me for execution. But leave the white Moon Herd Arabian. I need her."

Nine years ago...

"Sophia, can we go graze now?" Gibor asked the beautiful angel pegasus.

"Not yet, just watch..." They were at the spot where Gibor and his mother first stood gazing out at the sea. They were waiting for the Sun unicorn. After what seemed like hours, the palomino unicorn showed up.

"Ah, young Gibor. You look so good! I'm sorry to hear about your mother..." His voice trailed off, "Anyways, Sophia, you called about him?"

"I think he's ready."

"No, the Sun herd isn't ready for him to lead."

"No, just listen to me! He's ready, you can see it in his eyes." The palomino look right into Gibor's eyes.

"He is ready... Send him on his way..."

"Great leader, Gibor, what is it that you seek?" Gibor stood by the Palomino unicorn, his herd behind him.

"I seek word," He started, "I seek word on the Royal Herd. I want to know their status."

"Ah, the Royals... They seek you, Gibor. But, you have sent one of your own... Why do you do this action?" Gibor knew he couldn't tell the horse about the plan.

"I sent him to gather... Uh... info on the herd." Gibor tried to suppress his giggle.

"You need the extra player on your team. Being the highest ranked herd, you need to be protected. The war is coming."

Eight years ago...

"Ayson dear, don't go too far into the woods!" The mare yelled after her yearling.

"I won't, Mum!" She yelled back. Ayson trotted into the woods, deeper and deeper with every step. Ayson was so busy sniffing a flower, she hardly noticed the shaking that had started to settle into the ground. The herd of horses thundered through the woods, and Ayson looked up just in time to see them.

"Ayson!" She heard. Ayson took off through the woods, back the way she came. Her mum stood at the other end of the hallowed canopy of trees.

"Mom!" Ayson yelled. The mare galloped forward, but the canopy closed in around Ayson. "Mom!"

"Ayson!"

"Mom!"

Nothing...