When Eragon and Brom wake up to find Percy gone, they are a little worried, but Saphira assures them that he has only gone on a walk minutes ago. So they had quietly prepare breakfast and awaite his return.

But he never does.

Upon searching with their minds, the trio can find no trace of their lost companion. His bed role and sack with spare supplies are still where he left them, but it seems as if Percy has simply vanished into thin air. So they pack everything up and head out, but instead of continueing towards the Varden they go in search of the green eyed  teen. 

Saphira leads the way, he sharp nose especially keen towards his scent. See they had noticed another thing strange about Percy after only a short time with him. He smells distinctly of the sea even after being on the hot plains the entire week. Brom guesses that he comes from a family of fisherman, but it's impossible to truly know seeing as Percy himself seems repulsed at the idea of eating fish.

- O - O - O - O - O -

It's late into the night and they haven't found him yet, though Saphira says his scent is much stronger here. They have searched all day with barely any breaks even to eat and cerntainly they didn't rest. Eragon worried that if they don't find Percy by morning though that Brom might decide to move on. Honestly Eragon can't blame him. They can't continue to risk the Empire finding them for someone they met only a week ago.  He still doesn't want to give up though. Percy's already his friend and he can't imagine leaving him behind.

'I found him,' Saphira says suddenly. 'There's another presence with him, but its....' The fact that there's someone else there puts Eragon and Brom on edge, but before they can do anything Saphira has charged in the woods ahead of them. The pair race after her hastily.

What they find startles them beyond belief. There is Percy sitting crosslegged on the ground, stairing up at them with the goofiest smile in the world. 

And there in his lap sits a baby dragon, whiter than snow. 

Saphira seems to be purring as she stares down at the two. Slowly she lowers herself into a laying position and looks at Percy at eye level. 'It seems much as happened on your walk young one.'

He nods and looks down at the dragon. "I thought it was just a stone, but then it hatched. Imagine my surprise. Eragon I've got a burn likes your's now."

Percy holds up his hand and, there just as he said, is the gedwey ignasia. It's more distinct on Percy's skin than it seems to be on Eragon, almost the color of the small dragon's scales. His dragon, Eragons realizes. Percy's a rider.

Shaking himself from his surprised trance, Brom kneels before Percy, though he doesn't try to touch the dragon. "This dragon will complicate your life greatly, but it will also be the best thing that has ever happened to you. From now on you are not only responsible for yourself, but for your dragon and these are dangerous times. Many will try to manipulate you and if they can't manipulate you they will try to kill you. You must be ready, Perseus."

Percy stares back with a surprisingly steady look. "I don't know what's happened to me in the past and I don't know what will happen to me in the future, but I know that I will protect her with my very being." He looks down at the dragon and seems to hesitate before he looks back at Brom. "I won't let myself get killed. I couldn't imagine leaving her alone like that."

The old storyteller is taken aback, but he smiles. "You will make a grand rider."

"Wait," Eragon says. "How do you know it's a girl?"

"Huh," Percy says looking confused.

Eragon furrows his brows. "You said she."

"Well yeah," Percy starts. "I mean I've been showing her images and I don't know-bonding with her since she hatched and I guess I just sorta know."

Saphira laughs, a deep rumbling in her throat that causes Eragon to jump. 'It took you so long to realize that I am a girl, little one. You kept assuming I was a boy.'

"It took you that long to realize Saphira was a girl," Brom chuckles. "I wish I had known sooner. I would have knocked a bit of sense into your head."

"But how did you know?" Eragon complains. "Saphira practically had to tell me. All her thoughts were feelings and images. She didn't have a 'voice' yet."

Percy seems confused by this. "What do you mean she didn't have a voice. I can here her voice clear as day in my head. It's not like there's words or anything, but she has a voice."

Eragon huffs, but before he can continue Brom holds up a hand. "It seems that Saphira was more ready for you than you were for her, but you've learned since then and that's all that matters. Now come we should ride again. It will be disastrous if Galbatorix is to discover that there is yet another rider. Percy you ride Saphira and you two can fly above the clouds. We don't want you seen if we come across someone else on the road."

Eragon seems a bit flustered but complies. He helps Percy get strapped into the saddle with Saphira and the black haired teen uses old fabric to secure the white dragon to himself. He looks worriedly at Eragon only once before he and Saphira are off, flying high out of sight.

The young rider sighs and climbs onto Cadoc. As the sun begins to rise he settles into the worn saddle and begins to drift off to sleep. 

- O - O - O - O - O -

'Have you two decide on a name yet?' Saphira asks of Percy. She refrains, though only just, from reaching out to the baby dragon's mind. The little thing seems highly attached to Percy and looks wide eyed at Saphira. She doesn't want to startle her.

"Nix," Percy says almost automatically. The white dragon purrs with contentment.

Saphira glances back. 'I have never heard that name before. Does it have meaning?'

Percy shifts. "It means snow. I think. I don't know. I think it might have been something I knew, but when I think about it I don't remember anything. Just the word and she seems to really like it."

The blue dragon hums thoughfully. She feels for Percy. It must be so hard to have not even an inkling about who you are. But at least this is something. If this is indeed something he learned before then maybe there's hope that his memories may return. 

'I think it's a wonderful name. It fits her pefectly.'

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A/N

I hope you enjoyed. I had fun making this chapter and teasing Eragon a little bit. They almost seem like one big family don't you think.

Anyway I'm so torn on what to do next. I was thinking about time-skipping to their arrival at the Vardin and have everything in between be similiar to the book. I might have flashbacks to certain moment that were important or give a short summary of how Percy and Nix's presence affected the original story plot,  but I feel like Percy won't do much until Nix is bigger so they'll probably be at the Vardin before anything happens.

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