Page 137 of Wind Rider

Beside Skye, Scout moved forward and reached her neck long so that she could nuzzle River.

“Scout says she’s really sorry she hurt you.” Skye spoke softly, obviously on the verge of tears.

River caressed the mare’s nose, rubbing her forehead affectionately. “Oh, Scout, I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Thank you, River. If you hadn’t helped me I’m pretty sure I would have died, and Scout was so panicked she would have gone over the edge after me. Daisy’s Strawberry died today. She broke her leg so badly in a gopher hole that she had to be sent to the Mother Mare. Daisy is missing—they believe she threw herself into the gorge. Th-that would have been Scout and me if you hadn’t—” Skye had to stop and bite her lip to keep from sobbing.

“Oh, no! May the Great Mother Mare welcome Daisy and Strawberry joyously.” River closed her eyes and prayed. When she opened them again tears were running freely down Skye’s face. “Hey, you didn’t die. Scout is well. Everything’s okay.” She and Skye hadn’t been close since they were children, but she hated the guilt and despair she saw in the girl’s eyes. “It isn’t your fault I stopped. It was my choice, and I’d make the same choice again—I’d just be more careful with my feet,” River added with a smile.

Skye returned River’s smile. “May Scout and I wait with you?”

“Sure, if you can find room,” River said.

The large crowd that surrounded River had begun to shift to make room for Skye and Scout when a rustle of excitement skittered through the Herd.

“Dawn and Echo come!”

“She holds the ribbon!”

“The Council has chosen!”

River clutched April’s hand.

“Oh, Great Mother Mare—this is it,” April said. She turned to face her sister. “I want you to know that no matter what name Mother reads, today you and Anjo acted like a Lead Mare-and-Rider team.”

River couldn’t speak. She could only nod and hold tight to her sister.

“The seven teams who finished the Mare Test—come forth!” Dawn called in a clear, calm voice.

Quickly, April helped her sister stand. Anjo knelt and River mounted. They joined the other six teams who faced Dawn on her Echo. River could see the wide purple ribbon folded in her mother’s hand.

“I have in my hand the name of the team the Mare Council has chosen to be Lead Mare and Rider, but before I read it Morgana would like to speak.”

River felt a jolt of surprise. Morgana was the leader of the Mare Council, and the oldest person she’d ever known—though she didn’t know her well. Her mare, Ramoth, used to be a bright red sorrel, but now her coat was flecked with white. Herd lore had it that Ramoth was over sixty years old, but no one really knew for sure, and Morgana refused to say.

The old woman rode her mare with dignity, though. And though Ramoth was stiff with age, she carried her Rider with pride, holding her head high. They took their place beside Dawn and Echo, and then turned to face the curious Herd.

“Today one team has shown what it is to be a true leader—to put compassion over competition and selflessness over selfishness. Today one Rider stopped to rescue not one, but two teams. Both would surely have perished without her aid, and that would have been a terrible loss.”

River listened—confused at first.Someone else saved two teams? Was it Alani and Doe?

She speaks of us.Anjo’s voice was rich with satisfaction.And she should. We did well today.

River was about to sayBut we didn’t winwhen Morgana nodded to her mother. Dawn raised her hand and let the ribbon unfurl as her voice, filled with joy and pride, rang through the Herd.

“The winner of the Mare Test is River and Anjo!”

The Herd erupted into uproarious cheers. River felt her body go hot and then icy cold as Anjo pranced forward. Eyes shining with happy tears, Dawn presented the purple ribbon to her daughter. Incredulous, River looked down at the letters that spelled out first her name, and then Anjo’s.

“You have one more Test to pass, my darling girl,” Dawn said. “But I believe in you and know you will have no problem doing so.”

Then she moved aside so that Morgana could approach her.

“River, are you prepared to prove you are a Crystal Seer, and worthy to lead Herd Magenti?”

“I am.” River was shocked that her voice didn’t shake, as she had to ball her hands in Anjo’s mane to keep them from trembling.

“Do you have the crystal you wish to awaken?”