Spirit Animals: Life Of Tarik - Book 1

Meeting Faisel

Five days had passed, and Tarik wasn't any better. He was able to bathe himself, sleep plenty, eat food and drink water, but he was sick. He thought that perhaps being a prisoner on a ship was the reason why he had come down with some sort of sickness. When he looked in the mirror in his room, he saw how he had looked different. He was covered in bruises, and his skin had paled. He even had dark circles under his eyes and he was slightly thinner. He refused to leave his room, afraid that people would look at him in pity.

Not that his sister didn't do that already. She was clearly worried about him, and tried not to ask too many questions as he hated talking about his experience. Nayo, the healer that was taking care of Tarik, had treated him well, but she was cautious around him as Greencloaks were not accepted in Fort Zourtzi. Chinwe had to have a guard walk with her to places around the fort just to make sure she wasn't doing anything suspicious. It felt like they were treated like criminals.

Tarik broke into a coughing fit, and Lumeo jumped down from the bed to race over to him. He covered his mouth with the end of the blanket from his bed as he crouched down, eyes watering. Lumeo squeaked desperately at the door to get someone's attention.

"Lumeo..." Tarik croaked. "Stop."

The otter looked back at him with worry. Rushed footsteps came closer from down the hall and stopped at his door. He really didn't want any visitors right now. Tarik tried to control himself, but whoever was outside had already come in.

"Tarik?" Nayo echoed. He heard her approach him from behind and grab his shoulders gently.

He couldn't reply, he just held the blanket on his mouth, almost choking. He felt like he would vomit if he coughed once more.

"Here, drink some water," Nayo handed him a glass of cold water.

He took it and uncovered his mouth to drink, feeling refreshed but still had an urge to cough. Nayo then handed him a type of medicine to sooth his throat and make the coughing stop. He felt better, but it was only for now. He would have to do this again later as the cough kept coming back.

LaReimaja opened the door and froze. "Oh, am I interrupting?"

"No, he's fine for now," Nayo reassured.

"What happened?" LaReimaja made her way to Tarik as he stood up to face her with glassy eyes.

Nayo gently pushed him to sit down on his bed. "He still has a cough."

"Oh," LaReimaja said sadly.

LaReimaja wasn't wearing a bandage around her head anymore. Tarik had discovered that she had fallen off the balcony while the fort was under attack by Lynk. She looked better now, which was a good thing.

"Sorry for the information, but my father is now sick," LaReimaja told Nayo.

Tarik looked up.

"What's happened to him?" Nayo asked.

"He can't do much. He doesn't have strength," LaReimaja whispered to the woman, now aware that Tarik was listening.

Nayo looked at Tarik, then back at LaReimaja and nodded towards outside. His sister gave Tarik a sad look and went outside with Nayo.

They didn't want him to know. Tarik sat back on his bed, alone once again. Lumeo was staring at him with sad eyes.

"What it is, buddy?" Tarik asked the otter.

Lumeo squeaked and nuzzled Tarik's leg, he bent down to stroke the otter's head fur and smiled. Something green caught Tarik's attention, and as he shifted his gaze to where it came from, he saw that his green cloak dangled from the rack on the wall. It was a reminder of the Greencloaks, and another reminder of his friends.