(Disclaimer: I do not own Dreamworks's or Kathleen Duey's original characters/plot. Clear Sky's narration will tend to focus on how Sierra came to the village, the period when Star and the others are gone, and other situations where Star had not been present, so the narration may be rushed, vague, or some combination thereof, and I apologize beforehand.)

Part 2: Clear Sky

Chapter 1–Clear Sky's Intro

She had been gone for two weeks already. She, Graceful Maiden, and Rain had been sent into the open, expansive grasslands beyond our valley home. I hoped that they would be all right, for they would be watched by army-men and enemy tribes, who would have no problem with capturing or killing them.

The mare that I've spoken of is named Bright Star of the West. She, along with her older sister and niece, had come to our village after they had been separated from their herd. The mustang trio quickly became a part of our semi-wild herd, regaling their experiences of the past. Star was made into a warhorse, and was valued for her speed and stamina. She is a valued friend among us, as well. I, personally, see her as more than that.

My name is Clear Sky, the warhorse of Half Moon, and a native of Chief Loud Fox's Blackfoot Lakota tribe.

My story isn't nearly as exciting as Star's, I can tell you that. I was born in this village five years ago. My mother, Kita, was one shade darker than I, with light brown eyes and a calm, gentle personality. She taught me to be kind to others and to treasure the ones near and dear to me. My father, an iron grey stallion named Dark Shadow, taught about strength and pride in myself and my heritage. I admired them greatly, and I have lived by their beliefs since then.

My days as a colt had been like any other horse's, even though I did not have many other foals to play with. The other horses in our herd were either already adults or close to reaching that stage in their lives. The horse that had been closest to my age was Storm, and he'd been born an entire year before I, so he hadn't paid much attention to me. I'd mostly stayed by my parents' side.

When I was a yearling, Half Moon's father had carefully tied a thin cord around my neck, and had brought me to the pasture. In his hand had been a light cloth and another bunch of rope. I hadn't been sure about the reason why he'd brought them at all at first. Then, as he had laid the cloth on my back, removed the rope from my neck, and held the other rope so I was able to see it, I'd realized that he was going to teach me how to carry a human on my back. I'd tossed my head excitedly, for I had seen my mother and father decorated for hunting days, and had awaited the day I would be able to join them. They, along with Storm, Dusk (Loud Fox's black-and-white paint), and Storm's half-sister, were hunting and warhorses. Whenever they had gone out, they had been painted with bright colors and feathers had been attached to their manes and the vines that had hung from their mouths. They'd looked so elegant and courageous.

"Calm down, young one," the man said. "You must want to be with your friends, right?"

I'd tossed my head again as a response.

"I must say that it will not be easy. However, Half Moon has been learning to ride on your mother," he'd replied as he'd stepped closer, his bone necklace rattling softly. I'd seen the boy with Mother before that day, and had been somewhat disappointed. I'd wanted to learn at the same pace as he. Then, I'd figured that some experience would help.

"I have every bit of confidence in your adaptability, nevertheless,' he'd continued, "so you should have no trouble with the mouthpiece."

I'd known that was coming–Mother had told me about it. A section of rope was supposed to be tied to my lower jaw, between my front and back teeth, so my rider could tell me where to go. All of the horses I'd encountered had told me how much they'd hated wearing it. I hadn't exactly jumped at the chance to wear it, needless to say, but by the time I'd stopped brooding about it, the mouthpiece had already been tied on.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" he'd said.

Well, no. it hadn't been bad. It hadn't made may mouth feel ridiculously odd, either.

I'd tossed my head and shaken myself, excited to have been looked upon with respect.

"Easy, easy, there," Half Moon's father had laughed. "You can't be this fidgety when Half Moon comes."

With excellent timing, the boy had ridden up to the pasture fence on my mother. She had sensed how well I'd been doing, and had smiled at me adoringly.

"Half Moon, my son, what timing you have! Your colt has been awaiting your arrival."

"Really?" He slid from my mother's back and came closer. "Why do you say that, Father?"

"Clear Sky is ready to begin his training."

"Really?! So soon?!" the boy cried happily. "May I start now?"

"Of course you may–the sooner the better." Half Moon had embraced his father, and then me. My mother had nodded to me reassuringly, and had walked to Half Moon's father and nuzzled his shoulder.

"I will take Kita away and care for her, and then I will return to check on you."

"All right, Father."

"Be careful, now." He and my mother had slowly walked back into the village.

Half Moon had then turned to face me, his eyes sparkling with determination. "Now then, Clear Sky, let's see how you'll do with someone on your back."

That, I'd quickly realized, hadn't been so terrible at all, for Half Moon had yet to grow up to a mature man, so his weight had not been too great at all. For a while after mounting, he'd merely sat still, allowing me to grow accustomed to the feeling of him being there. Then, he'd gently tapped my sides with his heels, and, naturally, I'd moved away from the sensation. I'd expected to be chided for reacting that way, but had been rewarded instead.

"Father was right! You're a very fast learner!" he'd said. "Let's try a turn now." He'd tapped my sides again, that time holding his legs against my sides so as to apply constant pressure, and had leaned to his right slightly while pulling my head to the left. I'd followed the pressure on my back and in my mouth, and had been praised after a successful left turn. We'd done the same thing for a right turn (with his weight to the left and the pull to the right, that is), and then he'd pulled back on my mouth and stopped squeezing my sides, so I'd stopped. He'd been so happy when he'd dismounted! He'd allowed me to take a break, rope in my mouth and all, and I'd taken the opportunity to seek out my parents.

My father had seen me first, and had woken my mother from a nap as I barreled toward them.

"I take it your lesson has gone well so far?" he'd asked with a grin.

"Yes!" I'd replied ecstatically. "I can't believe how easy it is! All I have to do is follow Half Moon's guides, and we're going without a problem!"

"Have you trotted yet? Cantered? Galloped? Those exercises won't be so easy," my mother had said.

"No, I guess not." I'd forgotten–we wouldn't be able to walk into battle or on the hunt.

"Walking is one thing, but you also have to learn to balance your rider while you trot, canter, and gallop, and that includes turns."

". . . . Oh."

"How did it feel when he was just sitting there, before you started moving?"

"Well. . . it felt like he was sitting squarely in the middle of my back."

"That's how it should be. You must do whatever you can to assure that your rider has his balance. If he falls, especially in war or during a hunt, when one is moving as fast as one can go, a fall from a horse can be crippling, or even deadly. Part of this training period is to teach horses and riders to move as one body, and to know when something is wrong with the other. Do you understand, Clear Sky?"

"Yes I do, Mother," I'd said.

After the sun had moved across the sky, making the shadows extend out from under their sources, I'd heard Half Moon calling for me. I'd left my parents to find him; he was at the pasture already.

"Hello, Clear Sky. Didi you enjoy yourself? I hope the rope didn't get in the way," he'd said to me. I actually hadn't eaten–I'd been too excited to eat. I'd decided to make my parents proud of me, to carry myself and my rider with pride.

For the rest of the afternoon, Half Moon had walked me around the pasture, making me do lazy circles and arcs, even setting up logs so I could weave amongst them. The day after that, I trotted; then I cantered; and then I finally galloped (the canter and gallop were performed around the entire village). I can't explain how I felt to be Half Moon's horse, even today. I can say that it was so fulfilling to be trusted by a kind human like him. . . me, who was twice his size.

My parents had been just as happy, if not happier. Soon, they'd said, they would teach me all their was to know about being a warhorse of the Blackfoot, and I would run beside them during a charge. . .

I never got the chance.