Saving Aleera

• Katelynn Thorley, Grade 8
• Poetry
• 2008

The clatter of hooves, the panting of horses, the stink of sweat and the loud voices of the surrounding men (although quite within her routine) was starting to annoy Selena. It had been so for the past two weeks and she was beginning to dislike it very much. Selena was the only female soldier, let alone commander, within the ranks of the five hundred men that their army was composed of. And being a female she saw things quite differently. For example, she thought that if the General had of followed her directions they would have arrived at their destination sometime last week. But being a man with power he was stubborn and refused her assistance.

The destination in question was the city of Aleera, far to the west of her home city that had sent a distress signal asking for reinforcements to fend off an opposing army. This army was said to have monsters and spellcasters within its ranks, which had made some of the troops' courage waver. As the thought of gutting a hideous monster occured to her, the procession halted with a call from the General. "We'll stop early tonight, so hurry up and pitch your tents!"

When darkness had fallen, Selena was to be found sitting by the fire with four other men including the General. All five began to get sleepy when there was the 'twang' of a bowstring and the man opposite her fell to the ground with an arrow protruding from his chest. The General leapt through the trees and stabbed the culprit with a hunting knife. As he parted the foalage of a large oak, he revealed the burning torches of Aleera in the distance.

An arrow shot from the city and missed their camp by about 300m. A man called "We're out of range!" As Selena took the bow and arrow from the fallen foe, aimed towards the city, and let the shaft go. There was a moment of silence and then a responding howl of pain echoed across the plain. The other men stared at her in awe, but Selena simply ran to her tent to change into her battle gear.

She sprinted out of her tent in heeled boots, a small jacket, light weight shirt and pants accompanied by a metal plated corssete. Her long black hair was tied back and she carried numerous knives. A magnificent white sword hung from her waist as she ordered the troops and prepared for battle.

The smell of sweat and blood filled the air as Selena felled countless men. Enemies hid behind every crumbling tower, every wall of vines and she slayed them all. The horror of battle seemed to make time stand still. She killed a beautiful witch with the jaw of a tiger, and a black horse with red eyes, fangs and horns.

But she was not prepared for what came next. At the top of the marble street was a creature of nightmare. A howling wolf that stood on two legs and which was larger than any man. It was covered in black fur and its fangs and claws shone pearly white in the moonlight. It was killing half of their forces. She ran at it and jumped on its shoulders. It roared and tried to shake her off but she produced a knife from the side of her boot and stabbed it in the neck. It fell to the ground, dead.

She gazed around at the city and realised that the battle was over. The streets were lined with corpes and blood but most of the troops had survived. From the citadel there streamed the remaining citizens of Aleera. It was over. After a night of siege, it was over.