The Undead Dragon: An Eragon Fanfiction COMPILATION

Chapter 1.2: Dragon Riders (Rough Draft)

Kade

"What do we have here?"

I look up at the silver-haired man defiantly, trying to get up, but my strength was knocked out of me along with my breath when I hit the ground mere moments before, leaving me only able to move and flop back on the ground after barely lifting myself an inch off the dirt. I try to shift my position and push myself back away from the Silver Male before I feel cold steel against the small of my back through my clothes, the tip just barely kept from puncturing my clothes. The blade entering my skin ever so slightly.

"Planning on going somewhere, bucko?" The other male states, strolling up casually towards me and the Silver-haired man. "I think that your pack is just a tad bit full. Mind if we take a little peek?" He adds, disrupting my racing thoughts. I just had to reach my bag, somehow face off two Dragon Riders, and then try to outrun the Dragon again. This was a piece of cake.

Not.

I feel the steel in my back get removed, and then a pair of hands gently grab my shoulders and yank me to my feet. "What's up with you running like that, kid? Got something in that bag you shouldn't have?" The Auburn-haired man asks, the silver-haired male picking up my backpack and flipping the flap open. His eyes widen in surprise, and he says something in a rather fast tongue, and Auburn Hair spins me around to look him in the face. "Where in gods creation did you get that Dragon Egg?!" He growls with eyes narrowed.

"I-I-I didn't steal... I promise... I no steal it... Find it abandoned!... Under fort." I stammer, trying to speak correctly. I was really regretting not having lived with another human being in... oh, ten or eleven cycles? Wasn't it years? I can't really recall.

The Auburn male blinks in surprise, before looking to Silver hair with a small huff. "Kid can't speak a lick of common-tongue..." He chuckles. "I believe him, though..."

"You believe every sob story, Jaclyn." The Silver Male grunts, before touching the Egg, and I grit my teeth and blink as I find myself on my feet, hand around his wrist and his sword to my neck. His eyes are wide and definitely showing genuine shock. "Kid... let... go of my wrist... now..." He demands, and I let go quickly, stunned. How did I get up so fast?

"His reaction... Hadvar, his reaction to you touching the egg..." Jaclyn murmurs, getting up from the dirt and looking at me as Hadvar watches me warily. "I've... never seen anything like THAT before."

"Defensive... He must have some kind of bond to the Dragon in the egg." Hadvar comments, before frowning gently. "Why hasn't it hatched, then?" He says, before looking to Jaclyn. "Should we take him in? Who knows if he'd last out here with a newborn Dragon in these woods. Something tells me he wouldn't..."

I glare at the male, crossing my arms. "I know what is survival. I do survival for years, many years, and you no see me before." I growl, and the silver-haired male holds his hands up in surrender. "You no know me... You no see me... You no judge."

"Kids right, Hadvar. Maybe he is good with living in these woods. Still... Something isn't right with the egg... I feel they've been in there too long." Jaclyn remarks, looking worried, before gently moving and touching the egg. He closes his eyes and I feel as if something strange was going on with my thoughts. I felt as if they were being vaguely guarded. Like something was keeping something out. However... the feeling was fading. As if there was no strength left. A moment more, and Jaclyn looks down from the egg, removing his hand and shaking his head gently.

Hadvar looks stunned, then rather ashamed, looking down as well. "Hey, kid... We've got some news... We know why she hasn't hatched yet." He says, looking to the two Dragons who had landed behind them, nodding softly to them.

"What?... What you know? Why she not hatch yet?" I ask, frowning and feeling an odd, heavy sense of dread falling over me. "Why you look so?..."

"Maybe it would be best we take you to our Outpost before we tell you what we've found. It's getting late, and we are supposed to be back by sundown." Jaclyn remarks, setting his hand on my shoulder and giving the Dragon egg back to me. I hold it close, watching them warily before nodding. "You wanna ride Aeron? A bit better than in his talons?"

"Sounds fun. I'd like that." I remark, and Jaclyn grins a bit, patting my shoulder. "You look like I make you happy... Why?"

"Aeron was hoping you'd accept. I think the ol' boy likes you." Jaclyn remarks, and the voice of the Dragon hums within my head again.

"My Rider speaks true, Little Warrior... I have taken a bit of a liking to you..."

"Well... Thanks, I think?" I reply, feeling my cheeks heat up, and the two laugh softly, before Jaclyn helps me up onto the saddle. I hug the Dragon Egg to my chest, Jaclyn watching me sadly before Aeron takes off easily, his powerful wings clawing at the sky, and I can't help but wish that I was alone on Aeron's back. It would be cool, to fly alone on a Dragon. I grin a bit and hold on tighter, eyes closed as my hair is whipped from my face, enjoying the soft sting of the cool evening air against my skin as we soar skywards.

"Hang on, young one, use your legs more... Keep the egg close, and use your legs, you're holding on too loosely." Aeron remarks calmly, and I open my eyes, before tightening my legs around him as best I could. A low rumble sounds, and he nods slightly. "Better... Better..."

"Where we go, now? We go back to fort?" I ask aloud, and the Dragon nods gently. "And... what about egg?... Why everyone so unhappy?... Is egg hurt?"

Aeron was quiet, before looking back at me with a look of regret. "Everything will be explained soon, little Warrior. Just know that everything will be okay, alright? You have my word as a Dragon..." He says earnestly, but I could tell by the way his tone changed... something was very wrong with my Dragon Egg.

I just didn't know how bad it truly was...