Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE INHERITANCE CYCLE! I write for fun and if I was CP (the person who does own the inheritance cycle) why would I be changing my story? So just so we are clear, I am not Mr. Paolini!
Althea bent down to examine the trampled grass. The deer she was currently tracking had been here not long ago. The baby with the limp was keeping up; much to Althea surprise. With a deep sigh she followed the winding path deep into the Spine.
She was the only female hunter in Carvahall that was brave enough to wander into the Spine. Actually, she was the only person who dared to even set foot into the tree covered mountains. Carvahall was a small town; but that mattered not. There were few others, if any, that dared to attempt such a feat. Roran, her cousin, tried hard to be a successful hunter, he had to work hard to get as good as he was today. Hunting came naturally to Althea, like it would for some girls to cook or sew. At first her Uncle Garrow disapproved. He said "It was a man's job to catch the food." Soon he gave in; realizing her talent could not be wasted.
Almost sixteen years before Althea's mother had come to her brother, several months pregnant. As soon as her baby was born, she begged Garrow to take her daughter, and left without a word. Why she had done such puzzled everyone. All Althea knew was her mothers name; Selena.
Althea was almost sixteen. She then would be considered a woman, not the lowly child she was now. Dark brown eyebrows lay just above her piercing blue eyes. Her worn clothes were not the height of fashion, but suited her just fine for hunting and farming. Despite her appearance, she had a strong build and could fight as well as any man. A small knife hung loosely at her belt. It had a animal skin handle that curved slightly at the top. A buck skin tube protected her yew bow from cold nights. She carried a wood-frame pack on her pack, which thudded against her with every step.
The deer lead her to a small glen; a place she enjoyed passing spare time. Althea was aiming for a limping doe, ready to shoot, when a large explosion shattered the night. As the heard ran Althea let loose her bow. The shot missed by less than in inch, hissing into the unknown darkness. She cursed, turning to find the cause of the explosion.
The once beautiful clearing no longer existed. The grass was burned away; leaving a crunchy ground in it's place. The leaves had been blown in all direction; striping them from sight. In the center of the blast radius lay a beautifully shaped and polished green stone.
Althea watched carefully for more danger, ready to bolt if needed. Nothing moved except the floating mist. Slowly she lowered her raised bow, and took a few steps towards the stone. Moonlight flooded over her as she bent next to the it. Carefully she poked it with an arrow, and jumped back, expecting a reaction. When nothing happened she carefully picked it up.
Nature had not shaped or polished this stone. It was dark green with a flawless, and smooth surface. Ivory veins spider webbed around the circumference. Althea traced the webs with her index finger, enthralled by it's beauty; About a foot long, oval, and not a scratch anywhere. It weighed quite a bit, but not as much as Althea figured it should.
Thoughts bounced around in her head like a rubber ball. Was it meant for her, or someone else? How did it get here? Who did it belong to? If anything from the old stories were true, it was that magic should be treated with caution. It was here now so the only question that remained was what she should do with it. The risk of danger still lingered, and it would grow heavy if she carried it in her pack. For a brief second, Althea considered leaving it behind. The stone almost slipped through her fingers, but something stopped her. A stone like this has to have some worth.
It will pay for some food. She thought with a shrug. Carefully she tucked the stone in her pack, making room for it by shifting the objects around. Now for the next task; where she would spend the night.
With the leaves and grass gone, the glen was far to exposed. Althea quickly slipped into the surrounding forest, found a fallen tree, and slipped under it's protection. After eating her cold dinner, she wrapped herself in her thick blankets ready to fall asleep. Her last thoughts before she slipped into darkness were of the strange occurrences of that night.
A/N: Hey guys! What do you think? I will only continue if I get a good response, so send me a review! :)
You should check out ScienceWolf's story 'Arya.' It's awesome and is where I got the idea for my story. Mine will have some changes from hers (and Eragon) and don't worry, I asked her permission to write this.
