Spirit Animals: Life Of Tarik - Book 1

Stalking

Nara's body had been buried not far from the river's shoreline. The Greencloaks had buried her under a beautiful tree, and had placed flowers on her grave as they said a few words in her honour. She had been stabbed in the chest during the battle on the river and had died in Olvan's arms.

Tarik had been brought back to Greenhaven yesterday. He forgot how big the castle was. He was also greeted by his siblings, who he missed very much. They waited for Tarik to return once the Greencloaks found him. He was able to bathe himself and get bandaged up properly by Lenori. The arrow that struck his leg had just missed his artery.

He sat on a wooden bench outside Lenori's room with LaReimaja beside him and Lumeo at his feet. He had almost forgotten what it was like to be safe at last, not having to worry about food or water... or running from somebody. He was glad LaReimaja was with him, he had missed her more than anything in the world.

"We were all really worried about you," LaReimaja met Tarik's eyes with hers, placing a hand on his arm. "We had no idea when we would see you again or if you were alive."

Tarik slowly nodded, "I had no idea either, I knew I was alive, but sometimes it didn't feel like it."

"Well you're safe now, that's what matters," said LaReimaja.

Before Tarik could say anything, Lenori opened her door and told him to come in. He looked at LaReimaja and she nodded, as if supporting him to go. Tarik walked into Lenori's room with Lumeo padding behind him. The room was lit with candles, and Lenori's rainbow ibis was sitting on a green and gold rug nearby. There was a wooden table with chairs in the middle of the room, Olvan was sitting in one of them.

"Please take a seat," Lenori said to Tarik calmly.

Tarik sat with Lumeo on his shoulder. Olvan and Lenori had wanted to find out what had happened to him. Lenori sat down across from Tarik, next to Olvan. There were three extra chairs beside Tarik, and he guessed that those were for Ricko, Lishay and Dorian.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," called Lenori.

Ricko entered the room with Lishay and Dorian behind him. Tarik flushed as he saw Lishay, his face having more colour than usual and he simply just stared at the candle on the table to avoid eye contact with her. Time away from Greenhaven had suddenly made him have a funny, weird feeling around Lishay that he could not quite explain.

Ricko sat next to Tarik with Lishay on his side. Dorian sat next to Tarik and placed his hands on the table. Lenori placed a jug of lemon water on the table with some cups. Olvan began to pour one for himself.

"Do you understand why you are all here?" Olvan asked the team before taking a sip of the lemon water.

They all nodded except Tarik.

"Tarik?" Olvan raised an eyebrow.

Tarik began to remember what had happened with Lynk, and he froze in his chair.

Ricko placed a large hand on his shoulder, "we just want to know what happened and who took you," he looked at him sympathetically.

Lenori leaned forward, "we want to know as soon as possible on what happened. We understand that it may not be an easy thing for you to explain to us, but we want to help you."

Tarik could feel that everyone's eyes were on him and he sighed deeply.

"We want to know everything that went wrong, what had happened to you for all those weeks, how you escaped with a Greencloak's spirit animal that didn't even have it's partner with it," Olvan said.

Tarik looked up at Lenori, stroking his otter's fur on his shoulder.

"When we went on that... mission, we were attacked by bandits," Tarik started, "after a few minutes I saw that Dorian had been stabbed and I immediately rushed to him before I was pulled away. I think I passed out, because I remember I couldn't really breath. Then I woke up in this cell, and that's when I met Nara and Hanzan."

Lishay had explained to Tarik before that Hanzan was her twin brother when they found him. He had been captured for killing one of Lynk's soldiers and when he was free, he went back to his home village in Zhong.

"Did you know where you were?" Olvan asked.

"No, I think I was just outside of Zhong, on the Euran-Zhong border. I knew for sure that I was in Zhong after I escaped," Tarik replied.

Olvan and Lenori exchanged a look with each other.

"Do you know who captured you?" Olvan was looking at Tarik.

Tarik paused for a long moment, looking back at Olvan. Ricko still had his hand placed on Tarik's shoulder, and Lumeo squeaked quietly. Suspense filled the room.

"A Greencloak captured me," Tarik said, holding Olvan's stare.

Lenori suddenly looked down and shut her eyes as if she were in a nightmare. Olvan nodded slowly, looking at Lenori, then at Ricko. Ricko's hand left Tarik's shoulder.

"What was their name?" This time Lenori spoke.

"Lynk captured me. He tied me up after I had tried to escape with Nara and Hanzan and he threatened to kill me," Tarik said quietly. "He had attacked me a few times in Greenhaven too, telling me to leave the Greencloaks. He had left me with Fang in a room by myself and then Fang freed me and helped me escape to a place called Xin Du in Zhong."

"I see," Lenori said, then looked at Olvan.

"Lenori has had a vision, a few of the same vision before you joined," Olvan said to Tarik. "Ricko is aware of this vision and so is Lynk, as I trusted them both completely. It is to my understanding that... unfortunately Lynk doesn't believe in the vision Lenori has had." He placed his large hands on the table in front of him.

"What vision?" Tarik asked.

"Lenori?" Olvan questioned the woman, and she hesitated.

"I wasn't planning on telling you anytime soon Tarik," she began. "It's something that I wanted to tell you after you completed your training and became an official, real Greencloak. I am completely aware that you don't know what's going on right now, but I simply can't let you know just yet."

Tarik was disappointed.

"It's certainly strange for Fang to help you without Lynk, unless it was Lynk's plan to get you to trust Fang," said Lenori.

Tarik nodded slowly in agreement.

~~~

Tarik had spoken to Lenori and Olvan for hours, explaining what had happened. It was late at night, and Tarik couldn't sleep even though he felt so tired and exhausted. He stood in the Great Hall, a ray of moonlight shining through the roof.

The Great Hall was his favourite place in Greenhaven. Here, he felt at peace with himself. It had been a long time since he was last here, and he could have sworn that he had at least daydreamed for an hour here tonight.

No one knew he was here, only himself and Lumeo. The otter was curled up on Tarik's shoulders. He suddenly was alert, and squeaking at something behind Tarik.

When he turned around, his heart dropped. Lynk and Fang were watching him from the other end of the Hall. Lynk had a horrifying look in his eyes, Fang looked quite peaceful. Tarik was glad Fang had survived, but he could hear his heart pounding in his ears.

Tarik turned and ran back to his room with Lumeo and locked his door and windows in case anyone tried to come in. He had his own room to himself now.

He didn't sleep for the rest of the night, his heart still racing at the thought of Lynk being at his door, waiting patiently to kill him.