Mair'ee The Last Ladish

• Mikala Benson, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2008

I am Mair'ee. I have Red-Gold hair and I have a story to tell you. Long ago the ancient prides of Ladish were revered above all. Those days are over. We are now hunted for our hair and golden horns. Here is my story:
My mother was the ladishean before she was killed by a stampede. The ladishean is the ruler of the tribe. As her only daughter I got the title. However I was a foolish young filly only just having had my 150th birthday. We of the Ladish live thousands of years if not killed. My tribe was invaded on all sides by the dark and vengeful satian Kuros. Satian's are creatures of the night. They gallop on hooves made of gold yet they make no sound and their hearts are filled with blood lust. They killed my scout party and invaded. I, being a foolish young filly, fled asking the out of bounds humans for help. Now I know why we kept away. They saw my mane and golden horn and, seeing into their hearts as I am able, I saw that they were filled with an insatiable greed. Turning and fleeing back to my pride I did not cover my tracks and so I was easily followed. Filled with shame I ran past my pride, eyes filled with tears, and into the dark forest beyond.
That night I slept badly. I heard screams and saw smoke. At first I thought it was a nightmare, and then I heard the dying call of the last Ladish. I knew this as only one Ladish may cry out when killed, and that is when he or she is the last of their pride. As this was a magical enchantment I realised I had been expulsed from my pride by my cowardice. I swore then and there that I would warn all the other prides of Ladish and kill those greedy humans whom had slaughtered my only family.


I have been searching for 3,000yrs for those humans and have failed to find them. I am dying. All of the Ladish will die out with me. You know my story. It is now you who has to avenge the deaths of my brothers and sisters. I trust you will succeed.
The old man closed the story book and smiled at the sleeping children. He had just recited to them the last words of Mair'ee the final Ladish. Thinking it a mere story the children had quickly forgotten and fallen asleep. “They will remember when the time is right,” thought the old man ruefully. He put the book back in the shelf and fell asleep, never to wake again. These children grew up and were successful in wiping out the family of the cursed men.
That is the story of the Ladish Mair'ee and her final command.