Free.

|| 2 ~ Ailee ||

This is Jayi. 

He bootiful.

||~__________~||

AILEE SIGHED, SITTING OUT ON THE DECK OF THE BOAT. She rubbed her forearm, where a tattoo of a galloping horse rested. 

She briefly remember the day that Jayi had first turned into a tattoo. It was stormy, and that meant that Ailee had a nightmare.

It wasn't like she was a little kid being afraid of storms, but rather, she remembered how she became stranded on a Nilonian beach, left to fend for herself. 

Jayi had comforted her, and she had fully trusted him that day, when she spilled her secrets, her darkest thoughts, and most wanted desires. They had trusted each other, and things changed between them.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Shane leaned against the railing beside her. She had noticed that they looked similar, blue eyes, blonde hair, and both attractive. 

"Hey, Ailee. You and Abeke are doing some training in the hull." He explained, sitting up. 

Ailee rolled my eyes. "Let me guess, your our trainer?" 

He nodded, then glanced around me, a confused look on his face. "Where's Jayi?" I showed him my forearm. "Here." 

Shane looked surprised. "How did you do that so quick?" Ailee started following him as we walked towards the hull. 

"I actually stole some nectar from Abeke's tribe when I was nine, I summoned him then, and he has been with me for two years now."

They entered the hull, the crates were pushed against the wall, and nobody bothered them here.  Abeke was waiting with Uraza. 

Ailee summoned Jayi, who appeared in a flash. The stallion stumbled for a second as the ship rocked, shaking his head in annoyance. 

"Have you guys spent time with your animals? Showing fondness?" Shane asked.

"Yes."  Abeke replied, while Ailee just patted Jayi's shoulder. 

"Any spirit animal has unusual intelligence. Yours more than most. They can't talk, but they will understand." He reminded. 

"The Great Beasts could speak." Ailee said, looking at wonder at her best friend.

"When Uraza was a Great Beast, she was larger than a horse. When Jayi was a Great Beast, he was as tall as a giraffe." Shade said. 

This only caused both girls to gaze at their spirit animals in awe. 

"We re not sure if Uraza and Jayi will grow to be their full size, because this has never happened before." 

Abeke turned her gaze to Uraza's violet eyes. Ailee looked into Jayi's. Shane, suddenly curious, asked, "Can you sense their moods?" 

While Abeke said something, Jayi's conscience flowed through her, like a refreshing stream. "Jayi doesn't like the ship. He also is anticipating something, I would guess its getting off this boat." 

Shane nodded approvingly, and talked to Abeke. Ailee zoned out the rest of their conversation, before jumping back in when Shane handed Ailee a short wooden stick. "I think we should do something more strenuous. Pretend this is a knife. All you have to do is stab me."

Abeke and Uraza went and sat by the wall to watch. Ailee turned to Jayi. "Please, help me out. We're a team. Us against the world." Jayi stomped his hoof, throwing up his head and letting out a whinny.  

Ailee smiled, and turned towards Shane. She edged closer to him, feeling a low hum run through her body. She knew it was Jayi, but he held back the rest of his assistance, he knew she didn't need it. 

Dashing forward, Ailee used Jayi's speed to duck around Shane, and slice under his arm. Shane grinned. "Good job. Abeke, your turn." 

Abeke stepped up, and they gave each other high-fives. Jayi nuzzled the blonde, and proceeded to lay down on the floor. She sat between his legs, resting her head on his silky red fur. 

Shane won their first duel, and gave Abeke a chance to redo with some stealth. Ailee had to admit, Abeke was an excellent stalker. Halfway though her training, a man in black burst through the door towards Shane, a curved sword raised. 

Abeke and Ailee shared a look, before Ailee felt Jayi supporting her, the buzz feeling from before returned tenfold.

Abeke leaped, and kicked the attacker's arm. Ailee ran towards the man, and ripped the sword out of the assassins hand. Abeke then dodged and uppercut, while Ailee grabbed the hand he had used to try to land the uppercut, and twisted it behind the man's back.

"No, Abeke, Ailee! It was pretend!" Shane's voice ran through the silence. Ailee felt the support from Jayi leave, and she gave Shane a glare. 

After giving Shane some warnings, both called their animals into passive state, and let Shane lead them back to their rooms. 

||~____________________~||

Hope you enjoyed! 

~Aella~