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Rasha woke with a start as the next sunrise drifted lazily over the Glen Tribe territory. That was a weird dream, she thought as she shook her head, clearing it of sleep.

The previous night's dream replayed in her mind. There she was, above a cliff in Mountain Tribe region, amongst a background of blackness. As she looked down upon the multiple ridges and cliffs, a figure rushed by, almost the same size as she stood. Her eyes widened at the chestnut-and-white fur that sped through the many paths: her mother, Rane, galloping through the region, three yellowish hooves blazing.

"It was your choice!" she shouted as she bolted past her daughter.

She shook her head again, giving a little sigh. Dreams can be strange, Rasha. You had an excitement-filled day yesterday.

From her left, a weight shifted, and a small yawn escaped the throat of her Tribe leader. "'morning, Rasha. Did you have a pleasant slumber?"

"Yes, I did, Hymn," she burred. "Most wondrous day for a meeting, huh?"

"Weather feels perfect," she nodded, standing up. "I wouldn't be surprised if some of the one-springs decided to have a little excitement."

"Who are you going to pick to go?" In Tribal law, only two foals from each Tribe got to go with the horses to the once a full moon meeting.

"Usually Deputy Juan picks, but he and I talked it over, and decided you can choose. His opinion is usually the same: Skye and Eros."

"Well, I was thinking, maybe Yumi and Tiger can go," Rasha proclaimed.

"Yes, they are very well-behaved. That is a well-thought-out idea," Hymn nodded.

"Yeah, the only time Yumi acted up was because Eros bored her with his boasting at the river yesterday. She momentarily forgot about the water snakes."

"Oh? And did you or Keanu do something about it?"

"Keanu told her to remember Imber, and she stopped."

The leader of the Tribe merely nodded, as she knew the young black and white filly to stop herself when some horse told her to. She had no problems with her. With time, she hoped that she could find a respectable mate.

Rasha rose to her hooves. "I better get something to eat."

"Good idea," the leader nodded, though her voice seemed to waver. "I shall be with you shortly."

The bay-and-white mare nodded, giving a confident neigh, before she trotted down the hill to be with her chosen mate.

Meanwhile, Hymn rose to her hooves, shaking her body to wake it up, as she walked down to the stream to get a morning drink, sighing as the cool water slid down her throat. "She is a good horse. Given time, she might become the newest leader."

"Do ye always talk to ye-self?" a familiar whicker sounded from behind her.

The white mare turned around, seeing the brown and mostly white mare approach her. "Oh, good morning, Chex. It's just you."

"Aye. Ye cannot escape my notice, O faithful leader," she said thickly. "So what's bothering you the present day?"

She looked into her green eyes, trusting her fellow Tribe member with the truth. "It is going to be my time soon."

To Chex's morals, she merely snorted. "It will be our time when it is time, Hymn."

"Yes, that is truth, but..." the mare gave a small sigh. "I don't know who to trust to be the new leader yet."

Her friend smiled gently. "Oh, Hymn... You always worry about the tiny things."

However, the Tribe leader didn't respond, instead staring blankly across the river. A gentle smile seemed to decorate her muzzle.

It didn't take long for Chex to understand. "How long until it happens, Leader Hymn?"

A soft sigh escaped the white mare's nose. "Oh, soon. But don't you cry for me, dear Chex. For when that happens, you'll be the new lead mare alongside Juan. Your reign will be brilliant. I have total strength and faith in you."

The brown and mostly white mare bowed her head in respect. "Yes, Leader Hymn."

"Now, go. You need some nourishment."

Chex nodded, going up the hill to eat some of the nice grass. Hymn soon found herself doing the same thing, going in the opposite area and joining Rasha, Juan, and Keanu. The meal soothed her empty stomach, calming her resolve.

Once her members had finished eating or nursing (depending on how old the mare, stallion, or foal was), Hymn raised her head. "Every horse, listen to my words."

The Tribe lifted their heads. When a leader, no matter where the horses resided, spoke these exact words, everyone dropped their current activity to listen.

"As you may be aware, this day of the season, we will depart to the center of our land, to chat amongst the leaders of our most wondrous Tribes. This will be a momentous occasion, as Rasha is joining those old enough to gallop as a Glen Tribe member. The young foals joining us this eve are Yumi and Tiger."

The mentioned foals' eyes brightened. Them? Going to the Tribe meeting? Their excitement couldn't be masked as they almost wanted to prance around.

While the legs of the two started shaking in excitement, Juan could only look concerned. They always brought Eros and Skye. Where was this sudden change in decision? What was his mate talking about?

Eros and Skye, however, were relieved. They had been routinely picked for the Tribe meetings, and never once could spend a nice evening back at their home Tribe. Skye looked forward to laying in her bed of grass and watching the moon. Eros, however, wanted to stay near Bari, their Guard.

The Tribe Leader nodded her head. "This is my word. Now on with your duties and lives."

The gentle words boomed like an unknown thunder, rippling through each of the horses' bodies and freeing them from their sudden freeze.

Once unlocked from the spell, Yumi jumped up and down. "We're going to a Tribe meeting, Tiger! Isn't that great?!"

The buckskin colt looked at the ground shyly. "Uh... yeah... sure, Sister..."

"You can meet new colts and fillies your age," Hymn added. "Maybe even fall in love with a filly or a colt."

Tiger lowered his head to the ground. "I hope they like us both..."

"Oh, fret not, wee one," Chex interjected. "Most of us know the foals around the Tribes. Ye don't need to feel foolish..."

Rasha nuzzled her buckskin sweetie. "Oh, isn't this exciting, Keanu?"

"Well, of course, Rasha. It is a huge honor for every horse," the Tribe member nodded.

Juan, however, walked up to his mate. "Are you sure that they are ready? We once lost Anémona in the dark, and if it weren't for her mane and tail, we would have had to train Emily to take her place."

The light chestnut and white mare, who went straight to grazing after the announcement, raised her head at the mention of her name.

"Yumi will be fine. She has little white hind feet and a white marking on her face. I will make sure she won't get lost on the way," Hymn nickered reassuringly.

"Yeah, that is the truth," Juan nodded once. "I do hope you know what you're doing."

The rest of the day went by quite slowly, but the afternoon soon came. Hymn walked around, making sure every horse that was going hung close to each other. Upon seeing Yumi stand by Anémona, she shook her head in gentle disapproval. "Yumi, your escort will be me. Stick close, as the night will mask you."

"Y-you're f-f-full of l-luck..." Tiger stuttered, standing by his escort, Bruno.

The filly, however, took this with dignity and grace, ignoring her brother's attempt at sounding jealous. "I will stick by your side, Hymn."

"That's good," the Leader nodded. "You and I will be walking up front. Juan will take the tail end of our group."

Juan, who was walking next to Emily, nodded. "Every horse, stay close to and from the meeting. Once we reach the trees of Forest Tribe, it will become much more difficult to do so, but not impossible. Keep to your escorts and if you need help while separate, just neigh which Tribe you belong to. If another horse answers differently, even if you do not know them, they should be going in the same direction you are."

"Thanks, Juan, for your helpful instructions," Hymn nickered.

"You are welcome."

Rasha took a deep breath. "Since I was a part of Forest Tribe, I know the way around the trees. Just go two-by-two and follow each other. This is going to be a bit peculiar to me."

"Only because you are a part of our Tribe now," Keanu, her escort, reassured.

"But that is good thinking, Rasha. We shall use your advice for later meetings," Hymn smiled. "Now, let's go. We shan't keep Mountain Tribe Lynn, Forest Tribe Rane, Ocean Tribe Edwina, and Desert Tribe Zowe standing and wondering when the Glen Tribe will come."

The group traveled across the grass, hearing the ones that were staying behind give their good byes. To Rasha, hearing her mother's name gave her a tiny jolt, reminding her of her dream. However, it helped her to know that she made her choice at four springs and she was happy with it. She kept close by her buckskin sweetie, almost bristling in mixed excitement and nerves.

It was a short walk to the edge of Forest Tribe's trees. Multiple birds chirped, tweeted, or squawked, signaling the Glen Tribe's arrival. This would be her new routine, Rasha knew. No longer would she be informed of a Tribe arriving through their territory. Now she was a member of a different Tribe, she was a new arrival.

Going through the trees and the dirt with Rasha's advice from earlier was perfect. None of the horses got lost as they traveled between the trunks. It was going great until a familiar voice hit the bay-and-white mare's ears.

"Halt!" She knew that deep and gruff voice. She lifted her head to see a sleek black stallion with forest green eyes. It was her former Guard, Chiko. "Who goes through Forest Tribe territory?"

Taking control of the situation, Hymn stepped forward, Yumi close to her flanks, almost hiding in the white mare's tail hairs. "It is Glen Tribe, Forest Guard Chiko. Let us through. We shan't keep the leaders waiting."

The black stallion nodded, a stern gaze making the two foals shiver. "Yes... the meeting is today, after all. Very well, you may pass."

The white mare nodded, in return. "Many thanks, Forest Guard Chiko." With that, the Leader guided the black filly to stand beside her, away from the Guard's sharp looking eyes.

Just as Keanu passed with Rasha, the Guard recognized the Forest Tribe Leader's daughter. "Rasha..." he bowed his head in respect. "I trust you enjoy walking amongst Glen Tribe."

Rasha nodded, feeling a small pang of guilt about to swallow a part of her heart. While not her twin brother, the older stallion always protected her as both a Guard and a brotherly figure. "Yes, Chiko."

"Enjoy the meeting in your new Tribe. You are surely missed, but the tradition is to be respected and upheld."

"Many thanks, Chiko."

The journey to the clearing and the tribal stones connecting to the Tribes was relatively medium, but worth it. Hymn and Bruno let their charges free to interact with the fillies and colts their age while the Tribe Leader took her place near a rocky outcropping, standing next to Rane, the chestnut and white mare of Forest Tribe, and Zowe, a bay-and-white mare with a star in the middle of her head and brown eyes of Desert Tribe. The two bowed their heads in respect, allowing her to take her place between them. The heavy Lynn, a graying black mare with forest green eyes of Mountain Tribe, and the lighter Edwina, a blue roan mare with white stockings and blue eyes of Ocean Tribe, stood at the edges.

Taking their spots under them behind the tribal stones, several large stones jutting up toward the sky with a gem near the top of each one, Andre, a similarly heavy grey and white stallion with a darker gray mane, Vitya, Aitor, a stallion similar to Anémona in color with blue eyes, and Ezekial, a heavy chestnut flaxen stallion with green eyes, all stood beneath their mates, knowing their laws.

Bruno stood beside Rasha's right flank, Keanu on her left, making sure no harm came to her if Vitya decided to break the tradition. If the buckskin with the white nose knew the bay stallion, and he did, he would break from the stones as soon as the night signaled the end.

Instead of him, a bay filly with midnight blue eyes approached the three. "Sis!"

"Aleena," Rasha burred, nuzzling her young sister. "How are you?"

"Good, Sis!"

"SIS!" a shrill voice filled the mid-afternoon air as a chestnut filly with forest green eyes galloped with her little feet.

"Coro," Rasha nickered, lowering her head, gently catching her other sister under her belly to keep her from tripping and falling over her own four legs. "Easy does it, little one."

"Oh, we miss you," Coro said. "We know you made your move and said goodbye to us, but we still miss you."

"Oh, sweet ones, I'll still live on in your hearts, and we can see each other at the meetings," the big stepsister burred, making sure Coro was steady before letting her go.

"We love you," the two smiled.

Rasha nodded. "I love you, too. Now, I want you two to be good and obey Kapri, okay? She'll help you through your training, along with Cruz."

"But we aren't two springs yet," Aleena protested.

Bruno burred in amusement. "Well, you don't have to worry about that yet. You're still foals."

"Thank you, Bruno, for that reassurance," Rasha smiled.

Just as Rasha finished her sentence, a sorrel flaxen mare with blue eyes and a white blaze on her face approached them. "Coro, Aleena, do not stray too far from my gaze! You could have accidentally gone too far and gotten hurt."

"Oh come off it, Kapri," the bay and white mare burred amusedly. "They just wanted to greet me."

Kapri blinked, looking at Rasha. "Oh, I thought they were going to hurt themselves. But hi, Rasha."

"Greetings," she bowed her head.

"I may be happy for you, but Vitya, while accepting and respecting the traditions set, isn't. He approves of your chosen mate, however."

Rasha sighed. "Still hurting. I know. He wanted me to be with Emilio, and I saw dreams with my future with him. They weren't nice, to say the least."

Kapri nodded. "Just be careful. He seems to be angry."

The bay-and-white mare nodded. "I am going to be cautious. So how are you faring?"

"Doing fine," the sorrel answered, but the new Glen Tribe member could detect an underlying tone.

"Kapri? Something is wrong, is it not?" Rasha blinked, tilting her head to one side, her ears rotating to the back of her head.

"It is nothing, Rasha!" Kapri bared her teeth, arching her neck and pinning her ears back.

"Is it because of my move?"

It was then that her former Tribe member and friend relaxed and unclenched. She realized her undue anger at her own personal problems would be like a stone thrown directly to the chest. She looked at her. "No, Rasha...no... It has nothing to do with you."

"Are you certain?"

Kapri's ears turned back to the front. "Yes, I promise." She then nickered at Aleena and Coro. "Come now, fillies. Time to talk with the foals."

As they followed the sorrel flaxen mare, Aleena whispered to Coro, "I've never seen the two Glen Tribe foals before, but they are cute."

Rasha burred in amusement. "That was sweet."

Keanu, who was watching with interest, nodded. "Yes."

The evening moon started to rise over the clearing, the stars just starting to poke out.

"Every horse, we are in meeting. Listen to our words," Hymn, Zowe, Rane, Edwina, and Lynn said in unison.

Juan, Aitor, Vitya, Ezekial, and Andre nodded, their noses touching the tribal stones. Juan's glowed in light forest green, Aitor's a distinct orange/yellow, Vitya's a dark forest green, Andre's a lavender purple, and Ezekial's a dark blue. The Deputies raised their voices to the sky, "Stars, protect this sacred place."

In response, the stones' glow intensified, showering the clearing with more of their light, and as though the moment was right, Hymn stepped forward. "Horses of our Tribes, a couple days ago, we had a lovely addition to our Tribe. Rasha, please step forward."

With shaky legs, Rasha stepped into the Glen's light. "Yes, Leader Hymn."

"Rasha, you are a new member of Glen Tribe," the white mare announced. "You are happy with this choice?"

"Yes, I am," she affirmed.

Vitya shifted in discomfort. The news of Hymn's words and Rasha's confirmation had felt like a shard of rock in his heart. To hear his full daughter between him and Rane had gone to Glen Tribe as per tradition, it hurt him. However, he didn't let himself gallop over and drag his daughter back, for if he did, the lights would turn red, an omen. The previous Deputy before Ezekial, Jupiter, once broke free from the stones, trying to greet another horse from the Desert Tribe, causing the light to turn red. For the entire winter, it had grown difficult to find food for the Ocean Tribe, despite the weather being in their favor. Fortunately, the other Tribes welcomed their starving bodies and helped them regain their strength. By spring, the Ocean Tribe had returned home.

"Then it is so," Hymn resumed. "Welcome to Glen Tribe, Rasha."

The bay-and-white mare bowed her head in respect. "Thank you, Hymn."

The Leader pointed her hoof to her right, toward Bruno and Keanu, standing in front of Emily and Anémona. "Now be with your chosen Tribe."

She whinnied happily and trotted to her new family.

As the white mare backed away in respect, Mountain Tribe Leader Lynn took her place, the heavy draft mare looking on. "Today, my Nurse Versailles had looked over one of the mares of my Tribe. She had not shown it for three moons, but after a gentle examination, we found she will bless our Tribe and herself with a new foal."

Awed gasps and gentle words of congratulations spread through the clearing like fire.

"Ayla, please step forward," Lynn nickered gently.

A black-and-white mare entered into the gentle purple light. "Yes, Leader Lynn."

"You chose to bless us with this colt or filly. You are happy with this choice?"

"Yes I am," Ayla nickered.

"Then it is so." She pointed her hoof toward Nurse Versailles, a light buckskin with white stockings and light brown eyes. "Now be with your Tribe."

Ayla bowed her head respectfully and trotted off, joining her equally thinner Tribe member.

As Lynn receded, Desert Tribe Leader Zowe stepped forward. "We have been plentiful with foals this spring. We could not bring them, and they were not able to come over. However, we will bring them when they are ready."

Many cheers flew around the Tribes, just as the bay-and-white mare stepped back.

The next, Rasha's mother Rane, stepped forward. "We may have lost a member of our Tribe, and we will miss her, but we don't need to treat it as a tragedy."

Rasha took a deep breath of relief. Right away, her mother had understood her move and why she did it.

"But, we have two little fillies that will grow up and become members of our Tribe, if they so choose," the chestnut-and-white mare declared.

Coro and Aleena jumped up and down, just near Yumi and Tiger. While the black-and-white filly watched the two, a palomino colt looked at her, setting her brother's suspicions high. What would this colt do to her?

The Forest Tribe Leader backed away toward the other Leaders, allowing the Ocean Tribe Leader, Edwina, to step forward.

"Our foals are growing well, also," the blue roan mare announced sweetly. "And our Tribe is doing wondrously. Unfortunately, I have nothing new to report."

At some feet-stomping applause, she moved backward.

"It is so!" Hymn announced. "Following our chats, may the stars and the moon guide our paths home."

With that, the lights dimmed to nothing. Vitya nuzzled the stone before trotting over to his daughter. "Hello, Rasha."

His daughter didn't shrink away from his gaze. "Hello, Father..."

"I see you've made yourself at home." He nodded his acknowledgement toward the two buckskin stallions. "Keanu, Bruno..."

"Vitya," they said, copying his gesture.

"Nice to see you both." With the formalities out of the way, he returned his attention to his daughter. "If we didn't have our tradition in place, I would have had you dragged back home, but since we do, I can only try to cope."

"Oh, Father," Rasha said, nuzzling his neck. "You know that even though I am in a new Tribe, I'll still be your daughter."

The Deputy gently nuzzled his daughter's mane with his cheeks. "I hope Keanu treats you well."

"He will. He's helped me so much already," she reassured.

He looked at his daughter's chosen mate, suspicion crossing his eyes as he arched his neck. "He has, has he?"

"Just made sure her hooves didn't get wet, so the poultice could work. And I helped her to the river, so the foals could play, Vitya," Keanu nodded. "No more than that. I want her to consent before any deeds go down."

Just like that, the tension in his body relaxed. "Ah. So more of a respect for her boundaries than taking advantage."

Bruno nodded, jumping in. "They merely slept in Hymn's cave the first night. Nothing more than snoozing happened, Vitya. Keanu is my brother, and I know he respects mares and stallions on the same level."

"Make sure of that. Deputy Juan may be lenient on his mares, but if anything should happen without consent--" Vitya's deepened his voice and reared on his hind legs to demonstrate his power. "--it will not be pretty for him or any of you."

To Rasha's due, she pinned back one ear while keeping the other straight forward. "Uh... Okay, Father, you made your argument. You do not need to add force to this."

"That's what I thought. But you made your choice, Rasha. I cannot drag you back. Not unless you make that choosing yourself."

His daughter nodded. She knew her father was looking out for her, but she kept her face straight, the one ear returning to its original position. "Right now, my heart is in Glen Tribe, Father. I have made several more friends."

Just as she spoke her sentence, Yumi had taken a lead in a galloping race, a determined spark in her eyes. "I'm gonna beat you to the trees!"

"Oh, yeah?!" shouted Coro, just near her new friend's tail.

"Just wait!" yelled a red roan filly, just a few horse-legs away from them.

"Esther! What have we talked about--" neighed a creamy stallion, every muscle in his body ready to take off.

"Oh, come off it, Amar. Let Esther be a foal," Edwina scolded, gently giving him a nip. "As another point, she is my daughter, not yours."

"Well, she could get hurt, Edwina."

"Like your colt did? It was just a small scratch. And as you're a Nurse, you should walk off a bit. Later in his life, Jesper is going to stretch his legs and trot, and you are not going to be around. Do not suffocate him."

"Well, he _is_my son. He deserves to be cared for," Amar argued as his palomino son trotted over.

"Father..." Jesper shook his head. "It was just a small scratch from a branch, not a claw from a wolf. I am certain that I will recover."

Rasha looked on. "Sounds like some horse is too protective."

"Yeah, but we cannot intervene," Emily breathed, making all the horses in Glen Tribe jump. The chestnut-and-white mare rarely talked, but when she did, it caused a jolt. "Sorry."

The newest member of that Tribe looked at her. "You are a noiseless one."

In reply, Emily tapped a hoof as though she were shrugging. "I just do not have too much to say."

"Visibly," Vitya deadpanned, looking at the mare.

"She used to be obnoxious, but Juan gently trained her out of it," Keanu nickered.

Vitya briefly turned his head to gaze upon the Glen Tribe Deputy, who was chatting jovially with Ezekial. "His methods are foreign to ours, but it is his way."

"Father, I am no longer a part of Forest Tribe," Rasha reminded. "The poultice Anémona gave my feet and Hymn's ceremony strengthens this."

The bay stallion of Forest Tribe looked at his daughter, the stone settling in his heart. Her decision had been made since meeting the buckskin colt by accidentally sliding underneath him. Luck had been with Vitya as Keanu kept his tail covering himself and modestly asking if Rasha had been "happy to see him". The next spring had a similar incident, but Keanu had accidentally rushed into her, ending with Rasha on her back and the buckskin on her belly and chest. She had gotten him off her by herself, but her body couldn't stop vibrating every other step the morning after. The Forest Tribe deputy had her checked over by Parthenios; however, it was just her ecstasy from the payback. To hear that she was now a member of Keanu's Tribe tightened his heart.

"Y-yes..." he muttered, backing away a couple steps.

But the tightness was going to get worse.

"Horses of our Tribes! The moon is high! It is time to trot to our home Tribes," Mountain Tribe Deputy Andre's deep voice echoed through the clearing.

Vitya winced, pinning his ears lightly back, as Hymn stepped down from her position. "I hope we see each other at the next meeting, Rasha."

"I am certain that she will, Vitya," the white mare assured.

"Yes."

"Now, you go be with Rane and your Tribe. They need you," she gently ordered.

Nodding, the Deputy turned around and walked to Coro, the filly he escorted.

Right as he did that, Yumi galloped back, panting from exertion, but bristling from excitement. "I beat them to the trees!" She jumped, bucking her hindlegs in midair.

"Well, you are a fast filly," Hymn burred in amusement. "But it's time to go back to Glen Tribe."