Alanna Kicks Butt
Alanna stopped Moonlight where the tracks ended. George was right. The tracks ended where the grass began. She walked over to a tree, and leaned against it, sighing. She felt so helpless. And she hated feeling helpless. Especially at a time like this. She couldn't cry; she had used all her tears that night. So what could she do? She sighed again. She turned to walk back over to Moonlight, to ride back home, when her had brushed a notch in the tree. A strange symbol like a wavy star was carved into the bark in the centre of the tree. Alanna frowned. In the centre was a small "J" etched into the centre, and the section of the star pointing east was coloured in. Alanna headed to the tree directly in the direction the star was pointing, biting her lip. The same symbol was on this tree, except this time the point of the star shaded was the point facing south. Alanna followed the star, and met another star on the next tree. She followed the strange symbols until she reached the tallest, densest tree in the entire forest. An arrow pointed upwards, engraved in the place where the star would have been. Alanna, taking a deep breath, jumped at the tree and landed on the first branch. She climbed up to the next branch, and the next.
Alanna arrived at the top of the tree, panting. She wiped her forehead with her sleeve, and brushed her hair out of her face. When she looked up, Alanna gasped in awe. In front of her stood a medium sized hut, made of oak planks. Alanna walked cautiously over to the door, and tried to open it. Unsurprisingly, the door didn't budge. Alanna, used to doors sealed by magic, forced her own magic into the lock. The door swung open with a crash; the handle lay on the floor. Inside, Jon was on the floor, tied up with strong magic resistant chains. He looked as though he had been crying, and there were red marks on his wrists where the chains had chafed. Jon looked up, startled by the sudden noise.
"Alanna…" he gasped. A tear leaked from his eye, and Alanna sniffed, tears in her eyes. She ran over to Jon, and kneeled on the floor in front of him. She hugged him tightly.
"Ah, Alanna. Come to rescue your darling prince?" asked a man, stepping out from the shadows. Alanna jumped up.
"Alex?" she gasped. Her old friend, who tried to kill you, said one part of her. For once she agreed with that unreasonable part.
"The very same." Alex said, smiling evilly.
"Why did you…?" Alanna began.
"Oh Alanna, you're cleverer than that. Or at least I thought you were."
Alex drew his sword, lunging at her. Alanna threw a fireball at him, setting his clothes alight. He screamed and jumped into a vat of water, giving Alanna time to draw Lightning. She sent one last look at Jon, and readied herself. Alex stepped out of the vat, his clothes giving off a slight smell of burning leather. Once again he lunged at Alanna, who blocked him. She swung her sword around and caught Alex on the shoulder of his sword arm. He switched arms, fighting back with as much power as he had. Alanna ducked and blocked his blows, looking for an opening the whole time. At last she got it. She ducked once again, and as Alex dived for her, she shoved her sword upwards with all the strength she had. Alanna dropped to her knees, looking at the floor, gasping. Alex lay motionless beside her in a pool of crimson liquid. Suddenly she fell back to earth and rose to her feet. She broke Jon's chains and hugged him again. Alanna gazed into his sapphire eyes. She kissed him fiercely and finally let go of him. He took her by the hand and they rode Moonlight back to the palace.