Spirit Animals: Life Of Tarik - Book 1

Chinwe

Tarik exited Marci's tent that he was supposed to be sleeping in. The rock with the message was deep inside his pant pocket, he would re-read it over and over again to make sure that he wasn't hallucinating the message that was carved into it. The other Greencloaks were asleep, tired from sitting around the campfire and telling stories about their lives. After receiving the rock, Tarik joined the other Greencloaks again, but couldn't focus on what his friends were saying to each other. He only thought of his family in danger. Before leaving his friends behind, he wrote a small message for them.

I'm sorry.

I need to protect my family.

With Lumeo sitting on his shoulder, Tarik silently but quickly walked over to where the second Greencloak group's horses were hitched. He grabbed the reins of who he thought to believe was Errol's horse, which had a dark brown coat, gave it a pat, and then stepped into one of the stirrups, swinging his other leg over the horse's body to mount it.

The horse was surprisingly calm, and Tarik looked back at the few tents that the Greencloaks were sleeping in. He checked to see that no one was watching him, before riding south towards the Euran docks.

---

At dawn the following day, Tarik and Lumeo arrived at one of the Euran docks. His horse was exhausted after walking all night, and Tarik got no sleep once again. The sun was beginning to rise, but not enough to light up Eura completely. The ocean was calm too, but there were no ships docked yet.

Tarik scanned the area, and could make out one unfamiliar ship.

It didn't look like the normal traveling ships for normal people, and it certainly wasn't a Greencloak ship. Tarik rode closer to the vessel, trying to stay awake. He dismounted his horse, and began to walk towards the entrance of the strange ship.

Stepping onto the ship, Tarik stopped just at the entrance. It didn't seem like anyone was on board. The ship was empty, and perhaps the sailors were somewhere else. He reached into his pocket again to fish out the rock with the message.

Caylif and family in danger.

Return home at once.

Tarik clutched the rock, he desperately needed sleep. He was beginning to get hungry too, he didn't even think about taking supplies with him before he left the Greencloak camp. He slowly walked onto the deck and approached the door that lead inside below deck. He pushed the door open and froze instantly.

A Niloan girl was asleep on the floor at the bottom of the stairs that lead down. She had darker skin than he did, and her hair was braided. She had a thin face and was covered head-to-toe in traditional Niloan clothing.

He was about to close the door when the girl spoke in a strong voice, her eyes bursting open.

"No! Wait, please," she was awake, and rose to her feet swiftly. Tarik was about to turn and run away, before a massive wildebeest appeared behind him, blocking his escape.

"I said wait!"

Lumeo wiggled up from inside Tarik's shirt and sat on his shoulder baring his teeth at the girl.

"Who on Erdas are you?" Tarik asked, his words almost slurred.

"I am Chinwe, please help me," Chinwe was in front of him now, she had deep brown eyes that seemed to burn right through him.