Author's Note: Thank you so much for reaching to here! I apologize that I have not been able to update due to my workload, but check my profile for sneak peeks of chapters or my surprise that's also based on Spirit Animals! If you've also read The Dragon's Eye, the most recent book of Spirit animals, then I have a sequel of it, filled with predictions on the next series. So make sure that you check it out, especially if you want another bit of Reilin!

Melin rode on her horse like a natural. Everyone else did too, but she did better. Even though her horse was a former spirit animal that became snappy, she handles it like a general versus a meek soldier.

Monte and Barlow, two retired greencloaks, had finally re-joined. She was unable to tell through some of their lies and tricks, but after their good… meeting, they had agreed. I had taken Briggan to chase them down, but otherwise, she'dve liked to end this with a good fight.

"Turn right," Monte commanded. Tarik nodded, just before an arrow flew out of the air and gave him a bald spot! "Turn right to get the right haircut," joked Barlow, keeping his jokes up.

Tarik shouted an order for battle before Conor sent Briggan off and Abeke was thrown off her horse while attempting to reach for her arrows. Barlow summoned for his bear as Monte's spirit animal was shot on the tail and it instantly closed its eyes, sending Monte into a flurry of anxiety.

"Hi-ya!" shouted Meilin, kicking her horse into the battle. An arrow flew through the clearing at her face, but she caught it with her teeth! She bashed a hooded foe with the hilt of her sword, before using her horse to kick someone out of the way. Arrows whizzed, but Meilin gracefully leapt in the air and ran on top of the arrows like stairs before swinging around on a tree and knocking out three more foes. She landed perfectly and stood there, searching for the next victim with her raging eyes before a blade cut into her hip behind her, and before she could throw a punch at the wielder of the blade, she fainted… from the sleeping remedy.

Meilin awoke to Abeke nudging her.

"Hey, hey, you awake?"

Meilin groaned in response from her daze and Abeke said, "Nice fight you put up out there."

Meilin thought, "That was typical, but we lost anyway." Then she barked back, "Nice job falling off your horse!"

"Hey that was a mistake. I think that I pricked my poor horse with one of my arrows, but nice loss in the battle."

"Well nice job helping us lose! If you shot the guy down then…"

Conor cried, "Girls, girls. That is enough! Good job to both of you for splitting us even further.

We're supposed a team. We're supposed to work this out, and both of you aren't making it any better!"

Abeke dropped her head in shame as tarik saw a glint of leadership in Conor. Meilin just huffed out a big puff of air and hopped back into place where she originally sat on. "What a waste of my time!" she thought in her rage, "I could be home right now and make a spectacular fight besides my father, but no, I have to be here as Zhong falls!" Her arms ached from being tied against the dark totem pole, but not for much longer. A bell clanged at the center of the large village.

The people gathered near where a large ring was painted, surrounded by a few trees and a large jar of an ink-like substance. Meilin wriggled in her spot. She could barely make it out, but it was like a fighting stadium at home, except the ground here was just plain dirt, while at home, her trainers dusted it with powdered chalk, causing it to be slipperier.

"I hope it's a battle of strength," Barlow commented, "I can give it to them if they want."

A chiefly figure appeared as the villagers parted out of the way. "Intruders," he boomed, "Hurt our people, yet we, the Ravens, give you our mercy. You though, shall have to earn your freedom only by a battle of agility. In this ring, a champion from both teams must mark the other opponent ten times. No spirit animals are allowed out, and if you step out of the ring, you are immediately forfeit. If you win, you are free to go."

"And if we lose?" questioned Tarik, his new shaved spot glimmering in the sunlight.

"Then you stay…" threatened the chief

Monte remarked, "So it's freedom or slavery. Hospitality? Pah! We only skirted the edge of their land and here we are!"

"Well, they did bind up Meilin's wound," replied Tark honestly, causing Meilin to look down at her bandaged hip and scowl pathetically at herself.

"But who's our champion?" questioned Conor, "Monte and Barlow, no offense, but this isn't your style."

Immediately, chatter broke out between everyone and ended with this: "I think I should go," volunteered Tarik.

"No I should!" cried Meilin, "I have experience, I've…"

"But you're just a rookie. It's our job to defend you kids," Monte answered.

"But if we lose…"

"Better off us than you."

There was no use in arguing. No one would root for her, and she bit her lip as Tarik entered the ring along with the Raven's champion. They dipped their fists into the pot of dark goo, showing each mark made on an opponent vividly. As soon as they both entered the ring, the battle had begun.

The Raven bantered, "Nice bald spot," just as Tarik made his first mark on him.

Meilin thought, "Nice trip-up. Now here's someone who needed a mentor."

Next, Tarik swung twice, but one was dodged, and he returned to his side with two new marks on his arm.

"No! He's baiting you to use your energy!" thought Meilin.

Again and again, Tarik was punched till he was forced to stay opposite of the Raven in the circle.

8 to 4, the odds were against them without Lumeo, Tarik's spirit animal. The Raven bounded over to the other side abruptly like a gazelle, swung his leg out causing Tarik to leap over it, but before Tarik could land, the Raven bruised his arm, swung a punch at his chest, and sent Tarik flying out of the circle. The tenth hit… and Tarik was a full, clear meter out of the circle.

"No!" cried Conor.

"Tarik!" squeaked Abeke.

"He tried his best," uttered Monte gravely as Barlow nodded.

"NO!" cried Meilin defiantly, and she sprang to her feet, still bound, roundhouse-kicked a guard, and as his sword fell, she let it slice her knotted rope perfectly in half. Before she knew it, she was already bounding across the alleys towards the barbed fence. Troops tumbled after her, as she stood on top of the thorned fence and looked back at the others.

"Go!" shouted Tarik, seeing her turmoil, "Go! We'll be fine! There's no going back now. Better one leave than all get punished. For Arax's talisman!"

"For Erdas!" cried the rest of the Greencloaks together before Meilin turned to leave just as a pike struck the fence.