Morningleaf

Morningleaf is Star’s best friend and milk sister. Her parents are Thundersky, the former over-stallion of Sun Herd, and Silverlake, the former lead mare. Morningleaf is described in *Starfire* as an elegant chestnut filly with bright aqua wings, a flaxen mane and tail, four white socks, amber eyes, and is the filly of Sun Herd's leaders, Thunderwing and Silvercloud. She is described as loyal, impulsive, and protective of Star, traits that she has displayed a numerous number of times when she repeatedly risks her life for him (and vice-versa). She counts higher and faster than most other pegasi can and is adept with patterns.

For example, in book three, *Landfall*, she becomes a scout for the Trap's army and has to spy on the enemy and count their numbers. Also, in the fourth book, *Windborn*, she demonstrates her skills with patterns when she takes apart a Mountain Herd basket and, after studying it, manages to replicate it. She would like to become a lead mare when she grows up. She is born to Sun Herd.

## Personality

Morningleaf is kind, intelligent, and a natural leader - she does want to be lead mare one day! Her closest friends are Echofrost, Bumblewind, and Star, and though the two are like siblings, they appear to have romantic feelings for each other. Brackentail is in love with Morningleaf, but she has held on to the past of his attempts to rid the herd of Star and has found her feelings are greater for him over Brackentail. Not only does she know that she is the over-stallion's daughter, she is naturally determined and fearless. She cares deeply for Star, and even saved his life in Starfire, flying into the path of her father's hoof, showing her bravery and selflessness.

## History

### Book #1: Starfire

In this book, Morningleaf is Star's main best friend, along with Bumblewind and Echofrost, the twins.

She protects him from the foals who tease him, like Brackentail, who she hates. When Brackentail nearly kills Star in a challenge, Morningleaf, along with the twins Bumblewind and Echofrost, saves him. Though she, Bumblewind, and Star escape, Echofrost and Brackentail are captured by Mountain Herd steeds.

Later in the book, when Star returns, he allows Thunderwing to execute him. Morningleaf, however, flies in front of Star, saving his life, but gets killed by the deathblow in the process. Thankfully, when Star receives his power, he is able to revive her life.

### Book #2: Stormbound

Morningleaf follows Star as he creates his own herd called River Herd. She stays with him there until Star dreams of Nightwing, where the older black foal sees Morningleaf in Star's dream. Star is aware of this, and when he senses that Nightwing is coming, he tells Morningleaf to go and hide where Nightwing cannot find her. Frostfire and the rest of his patrol from Mountain Herd offer to escort her, and Star agrees, along with a patrol from River Herd.

Later, Frostfire and his patrol attack the patrol from River Herd, killing Morningleaf’s guardians and nearly killing Brackentail and Morningleaf themselves, but the patrol left Frostfire's father, Iceriver, to die, removing his flight feathers so he cannot fly, and takes Morningleaf as a hostage to the lava tubes in Jungle Herd territory.

Morningleaf escapes the patrol by traveling through the lava tubes and uses a jet stream to travel to where Sun Herd used to live to warn Hazelwind's herd. She is caught by Star's healing fire as she exits the tubes, and arrives just in time for Nightwing to make landfall in Anok.

### Book #3: Landfall

Morningleaf is adamant that Star is not dead, and makes the connection that the pegasi hunting for him knows she would always be with him. She goes on a Decoy Mission to lead the Ice Warriors, Black Army, and Nightwing away from where the herds are really hiding: a tightly-knitted forest called The Trap. Shadepebble comes with her and Brackentail insists he goes with her as protection.

She nearly dies twice on the mission, and both times Brackentail saves her; once from falling asleep in Turtle Beach and nearly going over a waterfall, second when Brackentail pulls her from a river in Jungle Herd's territory and kicking away a crocodile.

When she gets back, Star is awake and alive, and the two tearfully catch up. Though she and Brackentail bond over the mission, it is clear that Star is still her best friend.

## Trivia

* Morningleaf's looks and attitude are taken from the author's pony, Comet.
* It was confirmed Morningleaf only accepted Brackentail in Stormbound because Star did so first.
* In Starfire, she was in the Golden Meadow for a brief amount of time after she leaped into the path of her father's deathblow. When she brings it up later as a vision, Sweetroot tells her that it was the Golden Meadow.
* She made Nightwing shed a tear in Windborn (Star finds a black flower)

## Quotes

"You don't fight a pegasus on the term he sets, Star."

"Look what you've done. Star was good and brave, everything you're not!" (To Nightwing)

"Hollyblaze called you a coward. What did she mean? [...] Nightwing... did you kill your best friend?" – To Nightwing in The Trap, causing him to blast her wings.