Tazi

We traveled back the way we came. Or at least I think so. Most of the forest looks the same to me. And we weren't really using a path so...

Our progress was much slower, as we were keeping a wary eye out for Conquerors. We'd taken turns wearing the talisman, so no one would wear it for too long. I didn't like how heavy it hung around my neck. Somehow all I could think of was how it would drag me down if I was swimming.

Finally, on our second day of walking, we arrived at a clearing in the forest. The grass was soft green and a waterfall flowed into a small pond, the setting sun sending rainbows arcing across its spray.

"What is this place?" Niko gaped in wonder at the sparkling diamond water that cascaded down from the rocks above us.

I wasn't nearly as impressed; there were far larger waterfalls around Greenhaven. But Niko wasn't from Greenhaven, like me, I remembered. Maybe they didn't have waterfalls in Nilo.

"This," Tyler replied, "is Lonely Falls." His face had a grim set to it, but I chalked it up to exhaustion.

"It's so pretty!" Lizzie said, tilting her head at the glittering water. "I've never seen water so clear."

"Supposedly it's so clear because Briggan blessed the Falls with his Sight." Ryan explained, "there's a myth that if you drink the water without purifying it that you'll get a version of his prophetic sight."

"The myth also says that the visions drive humans mad." Lucia pointed out. "So maybe we shouldn't."

"Crazy-vision water or not, this seems like a good place to stop for the night." Zay cut in brusquely, "the sun's going down, and my feet feel like they're going to fall off."

Tyler hesitated for a fraction of a second before he nodded sharply. "Good idea. But everyone must stay close, understood?" He glanced around. "We're still technically in enemy territory."

His comment went almost unnoticed amid the exaggerated sighs of relief and sounds of packs dropping on the ground.

"Well, it's someone else's turn to have the talisman," Sasha said, slipping the chain over his head.

"It's Tazi's turn." Ryan turned to me. "Right?"

I suppressed a sigh and nodded. He handed it over and I placed it around my neck, hiding the heavy pendant beneath my shirt.

We set up camp and chatted, relaxing after a long day of travel. I released Ian into the pool beneath the falls, and dangled my feet in beside him, sighing with contentment. I didn't mind keeping him in passive, but I missed Ian when he wasn't around. Not for the first time, I wondered what it'd have been like if I'd bonded with a land animal. Ian brushed a past my leg and I shook off the thought.

I twisted away from the water, noting the flashes as everyone else that had mastered passive state released their animals too.

The clearing was actually quite large, as it was remarkably uncrowded, even with everyone and their animals milling about.

My gaze was drawn to Navia and Cerco at the edge of the clearing. They were playing tag. Navia was It, and she soon tapped the wolverine on the tail. He turned, chasing after her. Cerco launched himself at his summoner, knocking her flat. Navia laughed, rolling over so her animal was on her belly.

"Sure hope the vision thing only works if you drink the water," a voice beside me made me jump, and I turned my head so fast I cricked my neck.

Lizzie smiled, "sorry, couldn't help myself."

I rubbed my sore neck and laughed awkwardly. "No problem."

"Mind if I sit?" Lizzie plopped down beside me when I shook my head, putting her feet in the cold water with a sigh of relief. "Anyway," she continued, nodding to Navia, "I'm surprised that she hasn't gotten to passive state yet. I mean, they get along so well."

"It has to do with more than that. I think." I scrunched my face, trying to remember what Tyler had said in our training. "Ian and me, it's a necessity. The others, it's an option."

Lizzie nodded, almost pensive. She absentmindedly rubbed a hand over her shoulder, where her own tattoo was still visible. "Yeah, I get that."

I raised a curious brow. "How do you mean?"

Lizzie pulled her feet back out of the water, wrapping her arms around her knees. "Well, back in the Conqueror camp, there was this other girl. Her name was Drina, I think, and she also had a spider. Widow and her spider got into a fight one time, and both got badly hurt." She hesitated. "I don't really trust a lot of other spirit animals." She admitted finally, her ears reddening.

"Oh, no." I gasped. "That's so awful! Is Widow okay now?"

Lizzie nodded. She reached again for her tattoo.

"Hey, if it makes you feel better, Ian can't harm her." I said, "she'd be safe here."

Lizzie hesitated again. She glanced back at the others. "What about them?"

I followed her gaze. "Well, none of us want to kill you, so I wouldn't worry about their spirit animals."

"Not even Zay?"

I glanced back at her, an answer on the tip of my tongue, when I saw the teasing glint in her eye. I chuckled.

Lizzie grinned back and, with a small flash, released her spider. Widow clambered over her arm and up to her head, where she attempted to mess up Lizzie's hair. But, luckily for Lizzie, it was in a ponytail. Widow let out a disgruntled hiss and made her way back to Lizzie's shoulder.

I laughed at the spider's antics, ignoring the pang of jealousy that struck me. "And now I know why you always have your hair up!"

We continued to talk for a while, but were interrupted by Sasha calling us for dinner.

"Once you two are done being sweet over there, come get something to eat!" The Zhongese boy called.

My face grew hot and I mumbled, "we're not being sweet."

Lizzie giggled awkwardly and we jogged back to the group.

Sasha smirked as we came over, running a quick hand through his hair. He usually had it up, but right now it was hanging in a black curtain just past his ears.

I moved away from Lizzie, not wanting to give him the wrong idea, even though my hot face was sure to be doing just that. Accepting some food from Tyler, I scooted next to the jaguar summoner.

"Tazi and Lizzie sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I—"

I slapped a hand over his mouth, my ears burning even hotter. "Shut it." I growled fiercely.

He pushed away my hand, relaxed and cool. "'Course." He stood, shooting me a wink and mouthing, she likes you.

I turned away from him, ignoring the thrill that shot through me.

Niko was sitting on my other side, Lucia beside him. "You're just jealous, Sash." He teased with a crooked smirk.

"Jealous?!" Sasha scoffed, "that's funny." But his eyes narrowed.

Niko stuck out his tongue.

Sasha growled at him, sounding remarkably like his jaguar.

"If you two can't get along, I'm leaving you both for the Conquerors." Tyler said from beside Lucia, sounding somewhere between amused and annoyed.

That shut us up.

"Thought so." Tyler muttered, leaning back against his black bear. Charlie let out a snuffle that sounded almost like laughter.

The rest of dinner was quiet, with no fuss.

Afterwards, I found my self stretched out on a bedroll beside Lizzie's. I turned to her, smiling. "Night, I guess."

She smiled back. "Night, Tazi."

She closed her eyes, but I couldn't stop thinking about how my name had sounded when she said it. Before I fell asleep, I pulled the Silver Wolf out from under my shirt so it didn't touch my skin. I didn't need any visions tonight, good or bad.

Hey guys. I know, it's been a long time. I'm sorry, but I was busy with swimming lessons, and had a bit of writers block. Anyway, what do you think of this chapter? It is a bit long, but the next one will be a bit shorter (maybe)  POV requests are much needed! Peace out!

edit: 23/04/23
hello my worms
this is what I'm posting in honour of Zay + Zarlo's birthday, pls enjoy
I am tired.
if you saw any mistakes, no you didn't
xx