Chapter 7

The next morning Tamara immediate got up and get dress fast. It was before dawn when she went to the stable. Everything was quiet. It only two more days till the gathering of the tribe goes to the Enchanted Covert. After getting everything ready on her horse she headed to the waterfall. As she stopped she notice that the waterfall was glowing. Then a strange noise got Tamara’s attention. It sound like a growling noise coming from above the waterfall.

“Boo!”, a familiar voice said behind her.

Tamara scream and then she jumped off her horse into the person while putting a knife on the person throat. Her eyes were blurry and she couldn’t see who it was.

“Calm down Tamara it’s Hazel”, Hazel said.

Her mind came back and she let go of Hazel. “Don’t scare me like that Hazel”, she said.

Hazel laughed as she got up.

“Sorry Tamara. Anyway how are you holding up after seeing your sister leave you”, Hazel said.

Tamara wanted to stay that she wanted her sister back but half was glad that Grace left. “I think she doesn’t know what to feel after last night Hazel”, Song’s voice said behind her.

“Hey Song and hey Blaze”, Hazel said, “where is Shadow. I thought she was with you Song?”

“She was I guess she fell down a tree again”, Song said, “or her horse didn’t want to go that way they had to go the long way.”

“I take the second seguession”, Blaze said, “beside she don’t do much climbing unless she competing against Hazel.”

“No it was the first one”, Song said, “wrong again.”

“What are you talking about. I know that Shadow will not climb the tree unless Hazel is with her”, Blaze said.
As the two girl argued, Tamara and Hazel back up and talk to each other quietly.

“You guys seems to get along”, Tamara said.

“We do but not like we used to”, hazel said, “We’ve been battling lately.”

“You guys are annoying me already”, Shadow voice said above Tamara

Shadow was up in the tree, playing with her knife. She had on her hoodie. “ you guys annoyed me”, she repeated.

“Well don’t get lost next time”, Hazel said.

Tamara backup as Shadow faced Hazel with her sword drawn. They both glare but Hazel didn’t draw her sword out yet. Tamara glance at Blaze and Song. They both had their swords out waiting for someone to make a move.

Before anyone can make a move a growling noise filled the air. It sounded like multiple wolves growling at different times. Everyone started to backup but Tamara couldn’t move her leg. Her legs were paralyzed. Her eye search around until she spotted at least 5 heads right in front of her. Their eyes was on Tamara but for some reason Tamara doesn't seems to be afraid.

“Tamara what are you doing”, Blaze voice said in a whisper.

“Hush let Tamara talk to the wolves like she used to when she was little”, Hazel whispered back.

Tamara eye the wolves that are coming her way. They seems half alert but half relaxed to see Tamara. Most of them walk around in circle sniffing Tamara. There was some who walked around but stop and sat down right where they were.

Tamara glanced around to find the others but they were not there. Right now, Tamara is surrounded by the wolves. “Okay what am I supposed to do”, she whisper. Tamara wanted to draw her sword but there was something about these wolves that was telling her to wait. She gasped at the blue light sparkling around her. It came out of nowhere. Blue light flashing in the sky. It was like a blue snake flying in the air. Then it stopped. The blue light disappeared as the same way it appeared.

Tamara glanced around to find to the wolves. But didn’t see them instead seeing people. They were in the same spot that the wolves were. That when Tamara draw out her sword. There were three women and at least two men.

“Don’t be afraid Tamara”, said a woman.

“Why don’t you tell us who you are”,Hazel voice said behind her.

Tamara glanced at the others behind her. All their swords were pointed at the stranger. By the time Tamara looked back at the stranger, they were all gone. They all lowered their swords.

“Come on let’s get out of here before they come back”, Song said.

They all left that area and and went into a snowy season. Everything was turned white. Tamara never seen any snow. It was like a imaginary line that seperated the snow and the dry area. While riding most of the animals were hiding from them. Tamara can barely see any animals. Most of the animals were white so they blended in with the snow. As the girls got to the snow tribe, Tamara notice that they were quiet. She could hardly hear any noise.

Shadow came to tamara and whisper, “right now we have a predator walking through this area. That why we are all silent. Most of the hunters left to get it but it hard to find it.”

“What is it”, tamara asked.

“It a Crossed Leopard. It one of the predator that hunt children. Most hunters tried to get it but it disappear before anyone can draw an arrow”, shadow said.

Most of the people in the snow tribe waved at them in a greeting. They don’t seems to be afraid by tamara. Even though she did see some of them in the gathering of the tribes meeting, she thought they would be afraid of her.

“Shadow why don’t we hunt down the leopard”,blaze said, “it been a while since I hunt.”

“Yea”, song said, “I would love to hunt down the animal.”

Everyone started to mumble about them two hunt down the leopard. Tamara look in the wood and notice that the blue light she saw earlier was there. Tamara felt a strange, but warm feeling about the light. She started to follow the light.

Why does she feel so strange? Her eye was kept on the light as if can’t let go. Tamara can feel animal near her but what is it?

“Follow me. Don’t be afraid” a voice said in her head or was it the light.

Her memory flashes all around her. The fire when she was kidnap, the time she curved the tree. The time when she saw the wolves, when she was young. But one memory stood out the most. The crossed leopard was in front of her. Shadow was there riding on its back.

“Look tamara! I’m riding on Ruco's back”, Shadow said to her.

The leopard seems to trust shadow. Tamara blink out of the memory and notice she was in an open area. She doesn't know where she is at. A growl interpret the quietness of the day. When she look back where she might have came she saw a creature.

It has a cross on its chest. Its claws has blood. The eye was cold, cold-hearted leopard. Tamara face it but didn’t draw the sword.The leopard has blood all over its back. The growl was clear when it open the mouth.

Memory block her vision. She was in the wood but she was running. When she turn around she saw a tail spinning with her. She is now ruco.

“Ruco run”, Shadow voice yelled. It was a younger vision of her. Arrows was flying in the air. Mens was shouting in the air. Tamara can feel what ruco felt that day. Fear. Threatening. Mostly abandone. Ruco ran harder trying to escape.

“Go Ruco and don’t come back”, shadow voice said. Tamara can tell the sadness in her voice.

That was the end of the vision. Ruco was closer to her than ever. In his eye, she can see the sadness and the hatred that he felt all alone. Tears came down tamara eyes.

“Ruco….. Do you remember me”,tamara said in a whisper.

Ruco stop to look at tamara, but nothing change about it.

“Ruco, it me tamara. Shadow friend”,she said, “I know why you are doing this. Because you want revenge for what they did to you.

“Tamara!”, shadow voice said.

She was on tamara horse, galloping over to were tamara was standing. She immediately got off and stand in front of Tamara. Shadow drew her sword out. But when she saw the cross leopard, she growl at him with anger. Tamara can see shadow’s knuckle turning white.

“Shadow stand back”, tamara said.

Shadow didn’t listen, but instead she attack the leopard. Ruco leap to the side as shadow tried to strike head-on. Without waiting for shadow to turn around ruco strike, with his paw, on to shadow’s arm. Shadow cries out when blood pour down.

Shadow got up to face Ruco, but get scratch in the face. Before she can get up, the leopard bit her leg hard. Shadow manage to have enough strength to cut ruco on the side. Ruco yowl in pain then leap backward. They both glare at each other, gasping for air.

Tamara grab shadow other arm to pull her backward before Ruco can strike again. Shadow was loosing strength of her right arm. She tried to stand up but stumble down. Ruco was about to charge when tamara step in front of him.

“Enough. Please you are hurting her”,tamara said. Ruco stop and glare at her. Tamara called behind her, “Shadow do you remember Ruco, the leopard?”

“Yes”,shadow said. “This is Ruco”,tamara said.

“Ruco”, shadow whisper, “All this time it was you who I was fighting.”

There was a long moment of quietness. Until Ruco started to sit down. Blue light flashes around him. Just like when Tamara saw the wolves. Why is this happening? As the light faded away, Tamara look back at Ruco. He is now a human.

He had the same a scar on his chest just as he was a animal. When he open his mouth the fangs was still there.

“Hey Shadow”,Ruco said, “you grown up alot.”

Shadow couldn’t speak anymore. All she could do was sitting there looking at Ruco. Tamara can see the tears coming down her face. Just then the horses gallop toward them from the forest. It was song and blaze racing and hazel behind them. Ruco vanish from the rest of them.

Shadow’s cut and bruises wasn’t able to hide away from the others.

“Shadow”, Blaze and song yelled at the same time. Everyone jerk away, even shadow had enough strength to jump on a tree. Tamara smiled at shadow knowing that she is going to get in a lot of trouble. Tamara got on her horse but face the direction of where the sun is at. She stand at the top of the hill looking at her home. This is my new life. Protecting my friend and being who I am, Tamara thought. When she look back to where the others were, she found them smiling at her. Even if shadow is hurting she can see her smiling at her. This is my home. This is where I truly belong. Now I can stop looking for my home cause it first found me, tamara thought. After smiling back at them, tamara gallop through the forest, ready for a adventure. Ready to start a new life by leaving her broken heart in the past. “This is my new life, my home”

Author's Note

I am working on chapter 8 i will publish it when it is done