"So... What's it like in a herd FernHoof." RedColt had asked that question twice now but the her mind seemed to be focused on a large brown skink basking on a very rotten looking oak log. FireMuzzle had suggested a stop in the journey and they had been grazing and inspecting this clearing for some time now."A-him?" RedColt jumped over the log and turned to face her as his shadow fell across the log chasing the skink off. "FernHoof." he nickered.

"what, oh yeah um look after the walkers and you know fight stuff and build stuff. stuff like that." The buckskin pointed her black muzzle to a barrier of sticks and clay in the distance. RedColt squinted, he could make out the shapes of horses milling about.

"Red, FernHoof." FireMuzzle called. " Let's go, hurry up, we're almost there." He speed up to a fast trot and RedColt cantered slowly beside FernHoof.

RedColt bucked and kicked playfully fand raced over to FireMuzzle his Roan coat seemed to absorb remaining lightness. "Red, wate up."FernHoof nickered "when you were a Traveler what did you do all ligh-"

"Quiet you too! there'll be time for chatting later, FernHoof go and clean the walkers nests." FireMuzzle interrupted them.

"Ok." FernHoof headed off at a trot towards a group of three horses.

"Red, I need you to follow me and i'll introduce you to GrayMoon and PineMoon"

Red followed him wearily watching the horses snicker something to each other under their breaths. "FireMuzzle! what do you think you're doing bringing a PoniePet into MeadowHerd don't you care about Rules!" A very tall buckskin stallion was trotting angrily towards them. "take it back. Take it back now!" The buckskin pinned back his ears and snaked towards RedColt. "Uhh! I'm sorry?" RedColt backed up quickly.

"WhiteSpot! Thats enough. Now is not the time for arguing." A cremello mare walked quickly towards them, her neck bowed. "FireMuzzle i've heard rumors that you've brought a… how should I say this, A PoniePet to this herd? "

FireMuzzle Lowered his head. "Greetings GreyMoon. This is Red a former Traveler who was PonieNaped by the notails and has been living with them for half a season. But he could be Red-Feather-Foal?!" He stood up tall, RedColt not knowing what to do copied him.

"Hello Red i'm GreyMoon the lead Mare." As RedColt took a step forward to greet the creamello, another horse came into his view, this one, a chocolate coloured stallion. "Welcome Red my name is PineMoon and i'm the lead stallion of MeadowHerd. FireMuzzle,GreyMoon we will discuss this matter in my pen." He flicked his tail."FernHoof!.."

The small trotter raced out of the walkers den and stopped puffing in front of him "take Red on a tour of camp don't let him leave your side." RedColt watched FireMuzzle follow the two leaders inside a cave before racing after FernHoof.

FernHoof swished her tail and nodded at a pile of apples, hay and some other fruits. "This is where we put all our good food before we eat it."

"Wait?" RedColt whinnied.

"Yes?"

"You wait! To eat food."

FernHoof shook her mane. "Just the treats like hay and carrots."She walked over to a den with vines woven into walls the den was big enough for foals to fit in and out. "This is where the trotters, like me sleep and over there." She nodded towards a bigger den made from clay and sticks. "Is where the Defenders sleep."

"Defenders?" RedColt flicked an ear. This place has everything...

"Yes, Defenders. I can't wait to be a Defender, Red it's awesome fighting mountain lions and patrolling camp…eeee it sounds like so much fun." She turned on the spot.

"Okay, and what's a Trotter?"

"Oh, yes, a Trotter is a horse, like me. Learning to be a Defender, like me."

"Is every horse here a defender?" RedColt turned and gazed at all the horses.

"No, we have Walkers, they're too old or injured to perform the duties that a Defender could. And we have Dams with their foals."

"Wow."

"FernHoof." The cremello mare nickered.

The young Trotter turned and looked towards the sound. "Yes?"

"We're going to have to cut your tour short i'm short. FireMuzzle will give you time to show him around tomorrow." GreyMoon snorted.

"Can all horses old enough to keep up with the great eagle Gather in the meadow And hear my words." the old mare squealed as she trotted away.

"c'mon, we have three minutes to get there or we will be punished." FernHoof squealed and ran off. RedColt chased after her and stopped just in time, towering above them was a very drowsy looking piebald mare. "watch it FernHoof and...Red is it...Yes well Red wat-" she yawned "-ch out in the future."

"Red come we'll miss the beginning of the Meeting, and don't mind CloudFrog, she's very sleepy." FernHoof snickered, her black mane bounced up and down as she trotted towards the majority of the horses. RedColt had to admit it was cute the way she trotted.

"Mmk." RedColt cantered after FernHoof. They stopped and made their way to the front of the gathering herd of horses.

"As by now all of you should know we have a new arrival" PineMoon whinnied, looking around at the horses before him. "Red come forwards." RedColt nervously walked slowly up to the stallion. "Go Red you got this." FernHoof's neigh echoed from somewhere near the front " Red we understand that you would like to learn the way of a herd and in doing so, join Meadow Herd." He paused. "Is that correct."

"Yes" RedColt chewed his tongue softly.

"Then if it's the will of MoonHerd.." PineMoon Looked up, RedColt did to, he saw the moon shining as bright as ever with not a single cloud in the Darkness to be seen. "It is." PineMoon squealed The rest of the herd copied him expect from a few, RedColt had time to pick them out. The buckskin stallion he'd met when he first arrived, the piebald mare he almost ran into and a new dapple gray stallion around his age.

"Red do you promise to look defend this herd with your life…" PineMoon interrupted his thoughts.

"I do." Red nickered

"And help us when we're in times of need."

"I do."

"Then Red, I give you your Trotter name, RedHoof!"

"RedHoof, RedHoof." The herd, even the three who weren't cheering befor took up chanting his name. Red looked around, clearly surprised by the support from all the horses that he didn't know, who had cheered for him to.

"RedHoof you need a teller"GreyMoon whispered, "PoppyTrail, are you ready to teach RedHoof every thing you know?"

"Yes, GreyMoon I am."A black appaloosa walked out of the crowd and stepped forward.

GreyMoon dipped her head "You may resume your duties." The other horses started to depart.

"RedHoof meet me outside the trotter's den at the setting Darkness." PoppyTrail twitched a muscle in her shoulder and she walked off.