The sun was shining and the water was flowing as Eragon walked through the woods away from the camp. He did not know where he was going, just needed to get away from it all. All the attention, all the "Greetings Shadeslayer", all the gawking in awe at him. Out here he felt normal again, as if he had never left home and Garrow might shout for him from the house that it was time to eat or work in the fields.

But no. That was not true. He was a Dragon Rider. A part of The Varden. He could not go back home until Galbatorix is finished, which seemed like it was a long ways away, if ever.

Sitting down by the river bank, he puts his head in between his knees, trying to keep out the doubtful thoughts that had been plaguing him ever since Oromis and Glaedr's deaths. He had never felt more alone, now that they were gone. Sure he had Saphira, but the feeling that there was another Rider out there, helping them, had just seemed to take a large weight off of Eragon's shoulders.

But now they are gone, leaving him alone, feeling unprepared for what lies ahead. Than his thoughts stray to Murtagh and Thorn, but they cannot help, they are already enslaved by the mad king. Now they are his enemies, trying to take them captive. Murtagh. The person who had fought by his side, saved his life on multiple occasions, the person who he would of trusted with his life. But that was before Galbatorix had found his true name. Eragon pitied him sometimes. But, part of Murtagh seemed to relish the new power he had. Liked being able to conquer Eragon. It made him shutter sometimes to think about it.

He could sit no longer. Shaking his head, Eragon jumps up from where he is sitting and leaps across the river. He runs through the forest like it's not even there, dodging trees and rocks. His new elf abilities allow him to gracefully maneuver over and around every obstacle in his way. Sometimes he wished life could be that way, where you could just jump and swerve around any barrier put in your way.

Eragon ran for about 20 minutes before coming to a meadow. It wasn't very big, but within it, Eragon could sense much life. Everything from bugs, which were everywhere, rabbits, hiding in a burrow, squirrels, yelling at him from the trees above, and deer, standing at the edge of the trees trying to decide if he was a threat.

He ignored them for the time. Instead he sits down in the middle of the meadow, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. Extending his mind to everything around him, he is painfully reminded of the time spent meditating in the glade by Oromis's hut. Eragon smiles remembering all the frustration at not being able to accomplish what Oromis had wanted him to.

'I hope you are proud of me now', he thinks to no one in particular. He can't help but wonder what Oromis would say to him if Eragon could talk to him one last time.

'He would say how much you have grown as a warrior, and that he is very proud to call you his student', Saphira's voice booms through his head, her praise and love making him smile. As soon as she comes, she withdraws again knowing that he needs time to think, but before she leaves, Eragon throws in a quick 'thank you', and she gives a slight acknowledgement.

She always knows how to cheer him up. Closing his eyes, Eragon starts to meditate, trying to clear his mind of all the things haunting him. All his doubts, all his worries, everything that had been causing his sour mood, slipping away. It felt nice not to worry for a time, to be free of all the pressure. Even if it wouldn't last, it felt good for now.

'Saphira', he called out to her, 'why don't you come here? We'll stay here for the night.'

Her only reply was to spread her wings and jump into the air. It took her about a minute to find him after he sent a mental picture of his location to her. Eragon never failed to wonder in awe as her scales glittered in the light of sundown. She was magnificent, there was no other way to describe her beauty. Nothing could compare.

'And that is as it should be', she says smugly to the thoughts he was thinking. Eragon could not help but chuckle at how proud she was, but being the last female dragon in existence, a little pride was not a bad thing.

'That it is not', Saphira replies as she lays down and lifts a wing, inviting him in, 'especially when it is true.'

Eragon just smiles and shakes his head, saying 'goodnight Saphira.'

'Good night Little One.'

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The light shined through Saphira's wings, showing the maze of veins flowing through the webbing. Eragon amused himself for a while by trying to follow one from wing tip to base, but always got it mixed up with another somewhere in the middle.

Finally after the 6th time losing the vein, he quietly slips out from under her wing and stands up to stretch. He feels his back crack in several places as he gets a faint questioning thought from Saphira. She is barely awake so Eragon sends back a reassuring thought, telling her he will be right back. She falls back to sleep almost instantly.

He smiles down at her, remembering the reason for her exhaustion being having to fly patrol almost all day and all night for the past week. Surprise attacks on the Varden had been happening more and more frequently lately. It was slightly troubling, but expected as they moved farther into the Empire.

The morning was gloomy, casting a eery mist that swirled around Eragon's feet as he walked out of the meadow into the forest. Something seemed out of place as he walked in between the trees. He stopped as chills ran up his arms. Turning slowly, Eragon looked to his right and felt like he was supposed to go that way. Following his gut, he turned and started in that direction. As Eragon came upon a log, he went to step over it but stopped. His mind ever open to all life around him, he sensed a tiny mind. The mind was different than the normal creatures of the forest and as Eragon turned towards the log he pushed away the branches of a tree to look in the hole of the trunk of a stump right next to the log. As his eyes aligned on the inside, all he saw was leaves and small twigs, but his mind told him different. Curious to see what was under it, he carefully pushed it out of the way.

As Eragon's eyes rested upon the thing laying in the bed of leaves, he could not help gasping out in shock and scrambling backwards, clutching at his heart.

'Saphira!', he shouts in a near panic. Se hears him immediately. And jumps up, bounding towards him from the meadow. Eragon could hear her hitting the trees around her, not bothering to be quiet and dodge trees. When she finally got there Eragon had crept back up to get another look to be sure. Just to be sure.

'Little One, what is it?', she asks in alarm.

'How? No it can't be......', Eragon stutters, still staring into the hole. Finally, he gets up the courage to reach in and pull it out.

'Wha-', Saphira starts but is cut off as Eragon brings it into the light.

Nestled in his arms is a purple and silver Dragon Egg.

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AN: WHOO HOO!!!! OK A LITTLE SHORTER OF A CHAPTER THAN I WOULD HAVE LIKED BUT IT IS THE FIRST CHAPTER!!!! SO TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK SO FAR, WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE AND SO ON AND SO ON!!!!!!

READ, COMMENT, VOTE!

THANKA YOUUU

~Bert