Chapter 1 - Wryda

"Brom?" Is called entering through the front door. Her real name was Islingr, but it was weird, she felt different while using it, so she never did.

"I'm here," Brom replied, noticing the voice and mess of bronze hair.

"I'm going hunting with Eragon," she said, resting against the wall.

"Good, see if you can find Fricai Andlat."

"Sure," Is said, reaching for her bow, quiver and throwing knives. "Anything else you want me to get for us?" Upon the shake of his head she nodded and slipped out of the hut. Islingr had been an orphan living with Gertrude until Brom adopted her, 15 years ago. She jogged down out of the village to the farm a league away, the worn track beneath her feet kicking up dust behind her.

In a half hour, she was waiting outside Eragon's house. The door opened and Eragon stepped out, saying goodbye to his Uncle and stopping when he saw her. "What are you doing?"

"Going hunting with you."

"No! Absolutely not!"

"Why? I've improved my aim. Please?" Is begged.

Eragon looked doubtful. "Really? Ok, hit that... low hanging branch on that tree," he said pointing to a tree 50 metres away, adding, "With your bow."

"That's easy," she said smiling, taking her bow off her shoulder. She knocked, drew and fired in two seconds, hitting the middle of the branch and immediately after she slung her bow across her body.

Eragon was pursing his lips, refusing to back down. "Can you hit that post?"

Is nodded. "When I do, can I come with you?" her hand flickered to the belt of knives, moving her arm back she threw her knife. It sheared of the edge of the post.

"Fine, you can come," Eragon said grudgingly, walking into the forest. Is followed, half-jogging behind him with one hand on the hilt of a knife.

"So, what are we hunting?" Is asked, after doubling back to collect the knife she'd thrown.

"I found a deer's tracks the other day, she had a limp," he replied, his eyes scanning the ground. Is glanced around every once in a while, searching for 'death friend'. She warily kept one hand on her dagger.

Islingr started as a twig snapped behind her and she heard the faint sound of paws hitting the floor. "Eragon? Are there wolves in this part of the Spine?"

"There are always wolves in the Spine," he replied not really thinking about her words.

"Damn," Is muttered. "Can you hear that?"

A pause. "No. Hear what?"

"Wolves," she said smiling. He reached for his bow and turned as Is saw a leaf move from where he had been facing. Is reacted instinctively, flicking her wrist to throw a knife at the wolf that leap out. She ran at the wolf, her dagger held out in front of her and stabbed the predator in the stomach as it leapt for Eragon's unprotected back. She heard a twang and a yelp soon followed. Taking the knife out of the wolf with disgust she turned, knife raised for another throw. In front of her were three wolves and Eragon in the middle of them. She threw the perfectly balanced knife at the wolf on Eragon's right as he fired at the one in front of him. The wolf on his left pounced, to spear itself on Eragon's dagger in his other hand. Grimacing, Is took the knife out of the wolf again and wiped it on the grass.

"Are you ok?" Eragon asked, walking over to her.

"Define okay," she said, gesturing to the wolves littering the floor. "Why did we do this?"

"It's the way of life, we did it to survive… and I did it to protect," he said breaking eye contact. "Of course, it's not that you needed it." Is nodded, remembering the first time she went hunting with Eragon four months ago, trying to shoot a deer. She only just missed his neck… and the arrow hit a tree.

"We should move on," she said, tearing her eyes from the bodies of the wolves she killed.

"Aye," Eragon nodded absentmindedly. "We need to be a league or two deeper into the Spine by sunset." Moving to the track, they set off.

"Eragon?"

"Aye?"

"How often do wolves attack you like that?"

"This is the first time I have been attacked by a pack, usually it's just an old lone wolf or mating pair," he explained. "How did you hear them? I couldn't hear anything."

"I don't know," Is said disturbed. "I'll ask Brom, he seems to know more about me than I do myself."

"Aye, he's very secretive," Eragon said glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"You don't know a tenth of his life," Is murmured.

They had set up camp on the edge of a clearing in a circle of bushes. Is started a fire and Eragon was checking the surrounding area. Islingr dropped a strip of chicken into the pot, which she had persuaded Brom to let her bring, with some herbs. Soon the aroma was wafting around the clearing and Eragon was next to her, drooling.

"How much further must we travel?"

"It depends if they move. If they don't, I think we will reach them in an hour less than half a day," Eragon estimated.

"Ok." Is said then added, "Stop drooling, Eragon."

"Hurry up then," he frowned.

"Go and make yourself useful," she said annoyed.

"I don't know what to do."

"Anything but sit there and stare at the pot!"

"Fine!" he said moving away to sort out the sleeping arrangements. Not even five minutes later Is called him back for diner.

"I'll take first watch," Is volunteered.

"Ok," Eragon happily agreed.

Is collected her bow and quiver and positioned herself up a tree to watch over the clearing, after scattering the remains of their meal in the forest. Through the night she kept watch, mulling over her sudden speed when facing the wolves. When the sun rose over the trees, she climbed down to wake Eragon. To say he wasn't happy she hadn't woken him in the night for his watch was an understatement.

"Is, they're in the clearing up ahead," Eragon whispered. "The doe is on the left edge of the herd." Is nodded, and drew two knives. Eragon rose, knocking an arrow and drawing back the string in one fluid motion, shot… and an explosion shattered the night. He saw two silver flashes on his right, but his attention was riveted on the

Is couldn't believe her eyes, one: she had killed a doe. And two: there, in front of her was a dragon egg.

She couldn't help but laugh as Eragon poked it with an arrow and leapt back like a startled rabbit. Is held her breath as he picked it up and asked, "Do you know what this is, Is?"

"Aye," Is nodded.

"Well? What is it?"

"You must promise you won't tell anyone. And give it to me," Is added.

"Aye?"

"It's a stone," she whispered.

Eragon blinked. "A stone?"

"Yes, I have to bring it to Brom."

"Why?"

"You will find out in time," Is replied cryptically.

"Shame we didn't get the doe," Eragon said sullenly.

"Do you doubt me that much?" Is laughed, pointing at the lump in the shadows on the edge of the clearing.

"When did you do that?"

"Unlike someone, I didn't get distracted," Is said cheerfully. "Go ahead and have it all, we don't need it." It was true, Brom always appeared with a few extra gold coins every two days or so.

"Thanks, Is," Eragon grinned.

"It's alright, we need to skin it quickly and head for Carvahall," she said moving to the carcass. Eragon quickly caught up and started skinning it, while Is retrieved her knives. Once Eragon was done, he rapidly cooked a small piece of the venison and ate it as they made their way back to Carvahall.

I'M BACK, EVERYONE!

It's been about three years, and I guess it's about time I started going back over this story. So: EDITED: 12/06/16 (because I don't like American dating, because I'm english).

I will be going over the chapters already posted and sorting them out before writing another chapter. And my writing style's changed quite a bit in the three years since I last posted a chapter on this story. It also no longer seems like a little kid write it, as you'll hopefully realise soon (when the next chapter goes up).

A little warning though, I haven't read the Inheritance Cycle in... many years, so I may get something wrong. If I do, please tell me.

I have a little motto with writing stories: Nothing goes unfinished. So this will be finished, no matter how much I have to force myself to sit down and write.