Windborn

*Windborn* is the fourth book in the Guardian Herd series, written by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez.

## Summary

It has been many moons since Star received his powers, and in that time, Star and his friends have been through constant struggle.

Now, Star truly has his toughest, most deadly challenge yet. Nightwing the Destroyer has captured all pegasi of Anok, including Star’s friends. And when Star learns of Nightwing’s deadly plan for the captured herd, he knows the time has come to fight.

With no one to turn to but his enemy Frostfire, both pegasi search all of Anok to track down Nightwing. And as a violent storm approaches, Star and Nightwing face off amidst quaking lands, dangerous winds, and blazing fires, in a battle to end all battles—and one that will determine the fate of all the pegasi in Anok.

## Plot

After Nightwing captures the pegasi from the Trap, Star runs into Frostfire, who is looking for Larksong. Star tells Frostfire that he healed Larksong, that she was likely captured by Nightwing, and that she is pregnant with Frostfire's foal. Though distrustful of each other, they agree to work together to find Nightwing.

Nightwing and Petalcloud fly towards the Flatlands in the center of Anok with those they captured, including Morningleaf, Echofrost, Bumblewind, Brackentail, Shadepebble, Hazelwind, Dewberry, Silverlake, Sweetroot, Redfire, and Larksong, and Nightwing proclaiming himself their new over-stallion and naming the herd the Wind Herd. Ashrain was among those Nightwing killed with his Starfire for resisting him, and when Morningleaf said Hollyblaze called Nightwing a coward, Nightwing burned her wings.

Morningleaf falls into the river to fake her death and escape from Nightwing. Bumblewind, Brackentail, Hazelwind, and Dewberry go with her, and all are presumed dead by Nightwing and the rest of the herd.

After finding Mountain Herd territory ravaged by Nightwing, Star and Frostfire search the Jungle Herd territory, during which Star learns to use his Starfire to turn invisible, and they find Spiderwing's nest burned by Nightwing. After searching Desert Herd territory, they head to the Flatlands and find Nightwing and his captives. Star and Nightwing fight, but are unable to hurt each other, so Nightwing tells Star and Frostfire to leave.

Star and Frostfire save Dewberry and Bumblewind from dire wolves whose den they stole, though Bumblewind's head is hit hard against a tree by the wolf leader, and Star won't heal him for fear of Nightwing finding them. Star reunites with Morningleaf, Brackentail, and Hazelwind. They are digging a tunnel to the valley where the Wind Herd live in order to free the pegasi and escape across the Dark Water to the south continent inhabited by Landwalkers. The Wind Herd is in view, and Nightwing is segregating the pegasi including by gender, and killing any who disobey him or try to escape.

Graystone is an Ice Warrior who is on Hazelwind's side, with Echofrost and Shadepebble spying on Nightwing; Echofrost tells them that Nightwing plans to execute the walkers by sunrise. Star goes to stop Nightwing, who says he will spare the walkers if Star makes a tribute to him by stacking ten thousand stones on the tallest hill, intending to make him look weak and the Wind Herd to fall into despair. If anyone helps Star, or if he uses his Starfire for any reason, or if he returns to the Wind Herd, Nightwing will kill a walker. Petalcloud banishes Frostfire with Star. Star agrees to Nightwing's terms in order to buy the others time to dig the tunnel.

As Star stacks the stones, he and Frostfire observe the Wind Herd, as Petalcloud trains the weanlings to be warriors for Nightwing, winning them over and forbidding their mothers from interacting with them. They realize that Petalcloud is pregnant with Nightwing's foal and he is building a herd of his own, and will kill all the adults afterwards. Bumblewind dies of his injuries, and Hazelwind and Brackentail take his body to Star to bury under the stones, so that Star makes it a monument to Bumblewind instead of Nightwing and has the strength to continue.

When Star accidentally uses his Starfire to turn invisible, he learns that Nightwing cannot sense when he does this. He also discovers a Starfire alarm to fight off some dire wolves, which Nightwing is aware of but lets slide and allows him to heal himself from the fight and kill wolves if he sees them again due to them stalking his foals. Star turns invisible to visit his friends on his second birthday (reaching adulthood), but when he sees Morningleaf and Brackentail's affection for each other, his jealousy for Brackentail briefly reaches its peak before he remembers that he is immortal and Morningleaf is not. He also informs Silverlake and Sweetroot of Morningleaf's survival, the tunnel, and that he is building the tribute for Bumblewind. Sweetroot says that if Star fails to defeat Nightwing, the Wind Herd will eat the poisonous berries to die on their own terms.

When the newborn pegasi are born, Petalcloud gives birth to twins; while the filly Riversun is born healthy, the colt, a black foal, is born dead, causing anger and grief in Nightwing, who violently refuses Star's offer to revive his colt. Nightwing and Petalcloud then take Frostfire and Larksong's colt, Starfrost, as their own.

Eventually the tunnel is finished, and Star and his friends plan to get 200 pegasi out through the tunnel, a small enough number that Nightwing will not notice. Though Star and Hazelwind intend to honor Star's promise to Frostfire that Larksong will be among the first through the tunnel, they will not be able to take Starfrost without Petalcloud noticing and Nightwing hunting for him. Larksong refuses to leave without Starfrost, but eventually changes her mind.

After a tornado attacks the Wind Herd, Morningleaf, Echofrost, and Brackentail are about to take Larksong through the tunnel, but it collapses, and Frostfire betrays them to Petalcloud, trading Morningleaf for Starfrost. When Petalcloud and Frostfire inform Star of this, Star confronts Nightwing. During the fight, Silverlake and Redfire rescue Morningleaf after Nightwing's attempt to use her as a hostage fails. When Silverlake reveals to Nightwing that Star's tribute is for Bumblewind instead of him, Nightwing angrily kills Silverlake with Starfire and knocks the tribute over, crushing Petalcloud. Star and Nightwing fight in a final battle, and Star loses his Starfire trying to purify Nightwing with it, becoming mortal. However, as Nightwing attacks Star a final time, Star absorbs his Starfire and sends it back at him, destroying him.

With Nightwing's death, the Beyond is destroyed, and all the pegasus souls trapped in it, including Silverlake and Thundersky, go to the Golden Meadow. Frostfire, Larksong, and Frostfire leave Star's herd, and the Ice Warriors, led by Stormtail, with Riversun at his side, return to the Snow Herd territory. Echofrost and Hazelwind will not return from the southern continent, as they had always intended to spread pegasi outside of Anok. Star and his herd return to Western Anok to live in peace, building a new tribute to Bumblewind at Crabwing's Bay. Star is finally content to be a normal pegasus and belong to a herd.

## Points of View

* Star
* Morningleaf