The crescent moon gave little light, so she found it easy to maneuver through the streets under the shield of darkness without being spotted by watchful eyes. She made her way to the woods by the Sande cottage, her black cloak hiding her face. There she waited in silence for the others to show up.

"Sierra?"

She whipped around to see Reed dashing through the forest, his footsteps muffled by the moss. "You're here!"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I was starting to think, maybe you wouldn't show. It's dangerous."

"Danger is my middle name," Reed grinned.

"Shhh, crouch down. And your middle name's Samuel." she pushed her hood off her head so she could see better. Twin figures were running towards them, nimble feet skipping over logs.

"Hey guys," Tia said, removing her hood and crouching down as she neared their hiding spot.

"Ready?" Esther questioned, running up beside them.

"How are we going to get to Corona? It will take forever on foot!" Diana appeared behind her, voice serious.

"We're going to 'borrow' some horses," Sierra grinned mischievously.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Esther asked doubtfully, peeking from around the royal stables.

"If King David's so timid to do anything, he won't care if we 'borrow' his horses," Sierra responded.

"I love the irony," Diana quipped, grinning.

Reed snickered, but Tia shot him a warning look and he quieted.

"Alright, here's the plan," Sierra said, ignoring them. "We sneak into the stables, quietly, mind you, and get five of the darkest, strongest- looking horses."

"Why dark?" Tia asked, then answered her own question. "Oh, to blend in at night."

"Exactly," she responded with a nod. "And then we slip away under the cover of night. The king's guards are all guarding him, and he doesn't expect five sixteen- year- olds to steal-"

"Borrow," Reed interrupted, flashing her a sneaky smile.

"Right. Borrow five dark horses and gallop away with them," Sierra finished. "Everyone understand?"

The others nodded, and together, they entered the stables, their footsteps blurring with the horses' gentle nickering.

Her eyes swept through the stalls, searching for the perfect horse. She spotted a rather dark one at the back- a dark bay with black points, and walked over to unhinge the door to its stall. She led the sturdy mare out of the stables, petting her gently. Esther was already there, sitting on an ebony stallion with a broad white blaze.

"Good work," she knew Esther had an eye for strong steeds, and she had chosen one with muscular legs, who would be excellent for trotting long distances.

Sierra mounted her mare, choosing to ride bareback to avoid the hassle of bits and bridles.

She pulled her cloak closer around her and adjusted her bow and quiver on her back. Her coin pouch and hunting knives hung from her belt, and she strapped a bag full of supplies around her horse's midsection. By then, the others had joined them, all mounted on their horses with serious faces.

"Are you guys ready?" she questioned.

They all gave her stern but confident nod, and she chirruped her horse on into a steady canter.