I'm rewriting some of my old stories first but will likely be moving onto new ones later. Hope you like the new version of Wild One!
This is based my strongly off my original concept for this story than the previous version.
High over the Spine the moon was just rising as I surveyed the forest. It's light bleaching the colour out of the leaves. As they rustled like waves on the ocean. All seemed calm. A shivering in the leaves started low in a valley, the rustling getting louder, red and orange sparks popped in and out of existence, before a steady glow picked up. The fire's crackling was quiet but carried on the wind to my ears.
High in the tree tops I sat, splayed comfortably in the fork of a tree. Hearing the noise my head turned to see the glow and my eyes narrowed as I noticed it. Shifting to a crouch I watched closely as the red glow flickered. My mouth set into a determined line and I started moving silently through the tree branches toward the fire.
As I neared the fire, I stopped and watched the shadows move across the fire's glow, counting them. Once I was satisfied that there were only two people in the clearing, I resumed moving forward, though I could feel a frown forming on my face. It was unheard of for anyone to come so far into the Spine that I didn't know about much sooner than this.
As I reached the edge of the clearing I stopped and from my perch in the branches peered down. The small fire illuminated two figures sitting on either side of it. One male and the other female. They were dressed in comfortable and well worn clothes, patched here and there. Both wore sheathed swords and had bows lying near at hand, their other belongings were scattered around the clearing. As I watched warily from the trees, sizing them up, the man spoke: "How do we know this is not a fools errand? We've been here for weeks and still found not a hint of what we seek."
"Do not despair, Eragon. We were told that sooner or later she would find us, not the other way around. We must be patient." There was a lilt to the woman's voice I hadn't heard before. As she turned her head, the curtain of hair obscuring her ears shifted to reveal pointed ears.
An elf, something was wrong here. Elves were strong, fast and not easily dissuaded from the course they chose. It might be difficult to make these two leave, particularly if they were searching for something and not simply passing through. Not to mention that elves were rarely found outside their own forests.
"I know, Arya. But there is a war going on out there and we are no closer to winning as we sit here waiting for someone we don't know." The man's voice was frustrated, as though they had previously had this conversation many times before.
Someone? I leaned forward. It sounded like they were looking for me as no one else was likely to be here, at least not without my knowing. If they were looking for me then I knew what that meant, what they wanted from me. Deep in though about the implications of this, I shifted on the branch. Hearing it creak in protest I winced and looked down to see both faces eyeing me cautiously.
Cursing under my breath I turned and moved quickly away, distancing myself from them, hoping to lose them. What they were seeking I could never let them have.
Pain lanced in my head making me gasp. Someone was pushing at the walls around my mind. Unable to focus well, I drew her dagger and made for the ground where I would be able to move more easily and faster. Just as I reached it the man and woman reached me with their swords drawn.
If there was anything Eragon had expected it was not this. The girl was tiny, barely chest high to him. Her long dark hair fell in waves around her face and shoulders before curling slightly near her waist. She had an angular face and large eyes. In her hand was a razor sharp dagger that glinted in the pale light. Even as she winced in pain from their attack on her mind she looked fierce.
Seeing them catch up to her the girl hissed and narrowed her eyes before taking off into the undergrowth at a speed that was belied by her diminutive size.