Spirit Animals: Life Of Tarik - Book 1

Trap

Tarik stared in horror at Chinwe. Everything he had done to escape Lynk and his men had been wasted because he had been caught again. He should have known that this was a trap all along. He looked at Lumeo, the little otter looked back at him too. It was almost as if Lumeo was saying, "It's okay." Chinwe slowly approached Tarik with her dagger, her wildebeest appearing behind her.

"Please try to understand," Chinwe said lowly. "My mentor is Lynk, I have to listen to him."

"You're making a terrible mistake," Tarik hissed, keeping his distance. "Greencloaks aren't supposed to attack Greencloaks."

The enemy ship was sailing closer, there were soldiers aboard who were readying ropes and weapons. Chinwe's wildebeest huffed and lowered its head that revealed two large horns. Chinwe moved faster towards Tarik. Lumeo pounced on Chinwe, making her wriggle and shriek as the otter bit around her neck.

Tarik was about to draw his sword until Chinwe's wildebeest charged him. Green cloak swirling, he ran to the bow of the ship and grabbed onto the railing. Tarik looked in the direction of the other ship approaching, and glared his most hostile glare he had ever done to another man. Standing at the front of the other ship was Lynk, who glared back at him with the same hatred. Fang stood next to him, his expression unreadable.

Fang had betrayed Tarik.

The wildebeest did not stop, and Tarik dodged its horns just in time by leaping to one side. The animal cracked the railing and tried to pierce its horn into Tarik once it had recovered, but missed because he jumped into the ocean below.

The ocean was freezing, and Lumeo joined Tarik shortly after. He swam to the surface for air, and saw that Chinwe and her spirit animal were looking down at him.

"We are in the sea between Nilo and Eura, there are many sharks and crocodiles, so I would come back up here if I was you!" Chinwe called.

"I'd rather have them kill me!" Tarik yelled. He treaded water for a moment, before seeing that there was a small boat heading straight for him with a small group Lynk's men on it. He took a deep breath and swam below the surface, knowing that the boat was after him.

He silently asked Lumeo for some extra help in the water. The otter swam in front of Tarik, it looked like he was trying, but their bond wasn't strong enough. The otter suddenly squeaked underwater in alarm and Tarik felt something large brush up against his leg.

A tiger shark swam around Tarik and Lumeo in circles. Tarik was about to scream, but that would mean wasting breath. Lumeo stayed as close as possible to Tarik, watching the shark. It's stripes were bronze, while the belly was a silvery-white. Tarik could feel his heart pounding in his throat, tiger sharks were very dangerous.

He glanced up at the surface of the water. The boat was directly above him now, and he could hear yelling. The tiger shark stopped circling and began to swim straight for Lumeo. Without realising, Tarik screamed as he watched Lumeo dodge the shark's many rows of sharp teeth just in time. Lumeo swam further away, separating himself from Tarik. 

Tarik desperately needed air, but that would mean swimming to the surface and taking his eyes off of the beast below him. Lumeo floated to the surface in shock from the shark, and Tarik lifted up his sleeve for Lumeo to enter the passive state. 

A large bird flew down to Lumeo's body and grabbed him from the ocean. Tarik finally swam to the surface and gasped for air as he watched the bird drop Lumeo onto Lynk's ship, which was now with Chinwe's. Strong hands grabbed Tarik and pulled him onto the boat. He kicked and screamed at the soldiers, fearing that Lumeo was hurt. 

"Bring him to me!" Lynk called down at them. 

Tarik was being held down by the man who pulled him out of the water. He looked young, with pale skin and brown hair, but he did not have a friendly face. He placed a hand over Tarik's mouth to stop him from screaming and yelling. There were two other men with him both steering the boat back to Lynk's ship. 

After being taken to Lynk's ship, Tarik was chained to one of the posts by his wrists. He was forced to put an unharmed Lumeo into passive state, and he was soaking wet from the ocean. His sword had been taken from him too. He kept his head down, a few strands of hair falling over his face. He clenched his teeth in anger, knowing that Lynk was approaching him by the sound of footsteps. He saw a pair of black boots stop in front of him, but he did not dare look up.

"Look at you," the harsh, deep voice of Lynk said. "Chained like the dog you are. I warned you, Tarik. I told you to leave the Greencloaks while you still could, but you didn't listen."

Tarik clenched his teeth harder, and he revealed his teeth to the wooden floor. He heard Lynk scoff.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Lynk violently grabbed Tarik's chin and lifted it up so that they were both looking at each other in the eyes with hate.

Tarik bit down on Lynk's finger. The man yelled in pain, then slapped Tarik across the face.

"Don't test me, I'm going to punish you until we reach Caylif. I've captured everyone in your village, including your little friend Ahmar. Unfortunately, your family escaped, but don't worry because I know their location," Lynk wickedly grinned.

Fang slowly approached Lynk from behind, his blue eyes locked on Tarik. Tarik looked at Fang with hate too, knowing that the reason why he was here was because of the huge cat. The golden amulet still hung from his neck.

As if sensing his spirit animal, Lynk reached down and grabbed the amulet from Fang and dangled it in front of Tarik's face.

"Ever wondered why you faint all the time, Tarik?" The amulet, shaped like a fang, swung from side-to-side. "It's because of this amulet. It allows the wearer to see through their target's eyes, easily identifying who their target is with and their location. That is how Fang found you to deliver your message from me." Lynk reached a hand into Tarik's pocket and pulled out the rock that was given to him. 

"I hate you," Tarik said harshly.

"Wonderful, I'm glad you still have a voice," Lynk threw the rock into the ocean.

Tarik watched it plop into the water. How could he have been so stupid to go alone? He should not have left his Greencloak group in the first place. The horror on Ricko's face after losing him a second time, Lishay's sadness, Dorian's fear. They would have to stop their mission and go after Tarik, who was with the man the Greencloaks were looking for.

"I hate you!" Tarik repeated.

"Shut up," Lynk said with authority. 

"Stop hunting me and my family," Tarik went on. "You are the weakest person I've ever met. One day you are going to lose. One day I-" Tarik was interrupted.

Lynk kicked Tarik in the stomach. "I could end your life right here, boy. Don't tempt me."

"Why are you keeping me alive then?" Tarik shot back.

"I enjoy seeing you suffer at my hands." Lynk replied.

Chinwe walked up to Lynk's side. 

"If you don't already know, Chinwe is my recruit. I've trained her better than Ricko has trained you. She can fight well and can beat you in combat," Chinwe blushed at the praise.

"I do not care, you're all going to lose," Tarik's eyes burned into Lynk. 

"We're going to lose?" Lynk looked around at his crew who burst out into laughter. "It's fifty of us against one of you."

"And what will you do when Olvan finally catches you?"

"He won't," Lynk grabbed Tarik's hair and pulled. "He does not know where I am, and he never will."

Within an instant, Lynk punched Tarik in the head. Tarik felt himself fall to the ground, his chains rattling against each other. Fang watched and sat down behind Lynk. Chinwe looked away.

"I will starve you until we get to Caylif, with extra beatings. You're going to get the full holiday deal, Tarik," Lynk began to laugh.

Tarik's vision blurred and Lynk's voice seemed to echo in his mind, then he finally passed out.