Authors Note: I Know I have another story going on, that of which I DO mean to continue, it's just that…the idea for this one came to me and my fingers simply ACHED to write it. It's another AU, obviously, and all characters created by CP belong to him. Parts of the plot in this story were inspired by the movie 'Into the Grey' and as before, I do promise to give you my very best. All the glory and honor belongs to God.

-Lioness

Howl

Chapter 1: The flight

If I were a member in an audience listening to the testimony of my life, I would stuff both my ears with cotton and then jam two fingers in for good measure, sit there and mutter under my breath " thou hearth no evil." Matter of fact, I might even march right up to the guy and give em a one-two, just for running his mouth like he aint supposed to. Because there isn't a crayon in the box dull enough to believe that something like that, something so life-altering, I'm talking change-you-forever-never-the-same-again kind of hullabaloo, would ever happen to some guy off his aunt and uncle's farm, who'd never seen an airplane or any place outside the country in his life. The farm was all I need know back then.

Never could I have conjured up the kind of imagination it would take to predict the future in store for me the moment I received a plane ticket to some far away city by my father, asking me to reunite with him and celebrate for my eighteenth birthday.

I didn't know then that when I got on that plane I was saying goodbye for longer then I knew to the farm. I wouldn't see Aunt Marian or Uncle Garrow for many years to come. I would never reach my destination.

"Flight 192 this is your last call," sang the voice in the call box, "Last call for 192. Please board your plane. Last call 192."

I grunted as strong arms slapped me on the back.

"Well Son, tell the old man we said hello… And maybe mention that your aunt and I could use a smidgen of that financial support back at the fa-"

"Garrow Hayes that's enough out of you!" scolded Aunt Marian, shoving at her husband's shoulder. She walked right up to me and pulled me in for a hug.

"Don't you listen to him boy. The time he puts under the sun has fried a few of his brain cells I figure." She grasped me close and I felt her tears on my neck.

"We ask nothing of your father but that he sends you home soon."

I nodded and pulled her closer. The love I had for these two who had raised me went further than the moon and it would be hard to leave them for a summer. I knew the pressure of the farm, knew that Garrow's age would make it tough for him to work the fields alone and thinking about leaving him to that fate for a whole summer made me feel like repenting.

As if sensing my guilt, he fixed me with his signature stare. "Don't you worry yourself over an old man like me boy." There was a twinkle in his squinted eye as he lifted his chin.

" I may be old, but the woman there still swoons at the sight of me in my Getty up."

"Oh you old goat quite It." sighed an exasperated Aunt Marian as I let her go.

"Don't be frontin' like it aint so Mrs. Hayes."

She shoved him hard in the chest and he collected her there, enveloping her in his strong arms and standing proud, like he had tamed a lion.

Garrow chuckled deep from his chest and they both looked at each other with so much love I was suddenly very interested in my boots. They shared a kiss and I smiled, a little embarrassed by the public display of affection. When they broke apart we all shared mixed glances. I was leaving my home to go out into a world I knew nothing about, to meet a father I knew even less about. My gut clenched and my palms grew sweaty.

Garrow examined me from behind Aunt Marian and then grinned.

"I am curious to know if those city folks really do wipe their butts with their technology."

We all laughed and I came in for a group hug. My throat constricted and I coughed to hide it, though I don't know how successful I was when I spoke and my voice choked.

"Bye guys. See you after the harvest."

"Bye son."

"Bye Eragon, we love you."

"Ladies and gentlemen we are now closing the doors to flight 192. I repeat this is the final call for flight 192."

I pulled away from the arms of my family and gave them my best attempt at a grin.

"Goodbye."

I shifted my bag onto my shoulder and left them to board my flight, fingers tensing on the straps. The plane looked foreign to me and I was already feeling homesick. The flight would take two days to get to New York and glancing at it I whistled low under my breath and followed the other passengers on board.

This big metal bird better fly safe. I thought to myself.

A stewardess led me to my seat once I got on and we passed all the numbered aisles while I tried to ignore a sense of claustrophobia.

"If you could be seated here sir,' she instructed with a hand and a practiced smile, " we hope that you enjoy your flight on Alagaesia Airways." I tipped my hat to the lady and made to sit and stopped dead when I caught a glimpse of a woman sitting at the back of the plane.

She had the sun kissed skin of a Native American and long black hair in a loose braid that draped like a waterfall over her left shoulder. Her features were sharp and angular like a felines and her lips a nice shade of honey. What really struck me dumb were her eyes. I had never seen such eyes. They blazed like the polished side of an emerald stone and I found myself mesmerized by her.

Just then a man in a suit approached her and blocked my view I heard the distinct sound of something clicking together and when he removed himself to sit next to her, there was a pair of handcuffs on the strange beauty's wrists.

I blinked and finally took notice of her orange attire. So the strange beauty was a criminal? What could such a woman do to get in that sort of trouble?I thought to myself. Slanted green eyes glared at me and I gulped. If looks could kill...

"Sir we need to ask you to please take your seat so that the others may join us." called the stewardess. I swiftly sat.

My bag fell out of the cockpit above me and I jerked awake with a cough. The sight before me made me shake my head twice and I rubbed my eyes to awake from a dream.

Or maybe this was a nightmare…

The lights in all the aisles were flickering on and off and passengers all around me were screaming at the top of their lungs. The stewardess, who had led me to my seat, had her stylish bun in disarray around her neck and she rushed back and forth down the aisles trying the keep the atmosphere calm.

Calm for what?

There was a loud beeping noise coming from somewhere above me that sounded like an alarm before oxygen masks flew out of the ceiling and pelted me in the face.

The people grew to hysterics.

Just when I was about to shout for the stewardess a loud, horrible noise resounded over the entire plane like a rushing wind and everything went black.

Authors Note: I hope you give this one a try. I have already begun the next chapter. Chapters, I intend to make a little more on the lengthy side, but this first one is short for…well story telling reasons (shrug) Stay tuned.

Lioness