Spirit Animals: Life Of Tarik - Book 1

Fort Zourtzi

Something sniffed at LaReimaja's face and sneezed.

She slowly opened her eyes to come face-to-face with a fennec fox. It's dark eyes blinked with wonder, then the animal ran away when she screamed.

"Shh, it's okay," said an old female voice. "You're safe now."

LaReimaja was lying on her back, her head pounded painfully. She looked around and could see that she was under the roof of a hut, lying in a soft bed. The woman stepped into her view, revealing an old Niloan woman with withered features and long dark hair tied into a braid behind her.

"Who are you...?" LaReimaja croaked.

"My name is Nayo, I am a healer," Nayo said.

LaReimaja sat up slowly, she could see that there were some candles that lit up the room. The fennec fox, that was Nayo's spirit animal, was watching her from afar. A dining area was placed in the center of the room, with a few bookshelves on the side of the hut's walls.

"I don't remember anything about being here," LaReimaja said.

Nayo sat down on a small chair next to LaReimaja's bed. "Right now, you are in Fort Zourtzi. This is a military fort, full of soldiers and merchants alike. A group of our tradesmen went out of the fort a few days ago to trade their silks and spices. They had found your group, as you were all trespassing onto Zourtzi's land," Nayo swallowed before lifting a glass of water to her mouth.

LaReimaja looked at her with such interest and worry. Where were her brothers?

Nayo put the glass down, offering another to LaReimaja who delightfully accepted the drink.

"It was said that after your group was spotted, the tradesmen notified our soldiers, who tracked you down. However, they had noticed that you and those other children were Niloan and your... it seems they were your captors, were foreigners. They said that you and the other two children were in chains, and that they saw a woman punch you in the head. That's when our soldiers attacked," Nayo was out of breath.

"What happened to everyone else?" LaReimaja clutched her glass tightly, afraid to hear that her brothers were lost.

"Your captors are currently in our dungeon, awaiting their trial, and the other two children are staying with a boy's family. The boy said that he knew you, and offered to shelter you until your village was safe."

"Who?" LaReimaja said, frowning a little.

"Faisel. Do you know Faisel?" Nayo leaned forward.

LaReimaja's eyes lit up with a new hope, "Yes! So he's alive too? Do you know Ahmar? Is he here as well?"

The old woman slowed LaReimaja down, "I do not know of Ahmar, but we guess that you all came from the small village that was attacked a few weeks ago."

The girl sank back into the bed slightly. She was reminded of her parents, and thought about where they were. She wondered if they had died, but she tried not to think about it.

"How long... was I out for?" She asked the woman.

"You were unconscious for four days," Nayo stood. "Do you want something to eat? I've prepared spiced pork and vegetables."

Spiced pork and vegetables.

LaReimaja had lost her appetite thinking about her parents, and she desperately wanted to see her brothers and Faisel.

"I'm sorry, but can I see Faisel first?" She asked.

"It's not a problem, come with me," Nayo walked out of LaReimaja's view, her fennec fox following.