Disclaimer: I do not own Christopher's characters.
A Thief in the Night.
She ran through the dark, silent woods. Her foot falls like a cat's on the leaf covered turf.
A few weeks after Eragons departure Arya realized that she couldn't spend the rest of her days as Queen of the elves. She had wished for it all too be over while it was happening. But now that Galbatorix really was dead Arya found herself restless. She looked back at some of her adventures with a certain fondness. There was also the matter of Eragon. She had broken his heart and she knew that he would never be the same if she didn't help him. He was just a farm boy who had found a dragon egg. And yet, despite everything he selflessly went in to battle against Galbatorix. He had lost so much, fighting for the freedom of Alegaiseia. And yet his reward for freeing the races of Alegasia from his tyrannical rule was leave and never come back. It wasn't fair. Besides he would be in no fit state to properly reestablish the dragon riders after all he had gone through. Arya made up her mind, she was going after him. Arya's decision was ubiquitously accepted. She was the hero after all. Her position was appointed as a mark if respect. After giving her position to an elf who was much better suited for the job. Arya became someone who was honoured because of what she had done. Not because of rank and title. She suspected that Firnens effect on her character had played a part in influencing her decision. She had decided to travel in a North easterly direction because she knew that the Edda river would eventually curve that way. And it was her best hope of cutting off Eragon. Also the unexplored forests in that direction would ensure that Firnen had enough to eat.
Firnen had gone hunting and Ayra had welcomed the opportunity to stretch her legs. She had also needed the time alone to make sense of her feelings for Eragon and sort out her worries. Would she be too late? What she would do when she met him? But the rhythmic creaking of the trees coupled with the gentle susurration of the leaves soon lulled her into a dreamful state. The forest smelled of rotting leaves and wood, not an altogether unpleasant sent she Remarked.
The sun was on it's last rays when Firnen spotted a hill with a small circular clearing at it's summit. Following his instructions she quickly found Arya strode into the clearing she noticed that Firnen was still out flying, enjoying the last rays of the sun and the updrafts. Arya seated herself on top of one of the large boulders strewn about the place, hugging her knees. The boulders were mostly oblongs. Most were laying on their sides but a few stood upright, like gravestones. She was dressed the same as usual. Sturdy but flexible leather boots, pants made out of black leather and an expertly crafted had tied her rich black hair in a pony tail, presumably to prevent it from snagging on anything. From her perch she could see a large part of the forest below. It was mostly deciduous. She judged her position to be around four hundred leagues north east of Duweldenwarden. This was confirmed by the deep voice of Firnen who had landed on the hard packed dirt beside the boulder. Firnens head poked up over the edge of the monolith and Arya noticed that his scales were splattered with a multitude of insects. Even so she had to admit that he looked glorious in the sunset. If you were going to fight a dragon having the sun at your back was not an advantage.
She noted with interest that Firnen had started surreptitiously edging over to a tree. It was a tall dead pine, perfect for firewood. He tried to clean his scales on it. Unfortunately this resulted in the tree giving an awful creaking sound. Before Arya could react the tree started tipping towards him. ''look out!'' She shouted with both her mind and her voice. She knew she couldn't stop it with magic the effort would be too much. Startled birds flew out of trees around the clearing as the pine crashed down on top of him. Firnen blinked and swiveled a large beady eye towards Arya. '' You tried to polish your scales the only dead tree within a league.'' Said Arya, in a matter of fact voice. He flicked his tail indignantly and assumed a regal position. ''I am not a hatching.'' This was followed by a long pause. After a while Arya asked if he was alright. The tree hadn't been especially thick but she had to ask. Furthermore the question was sure to sting his pride and this would accomplish far more than any amount of reprimanding. ''I am fine, Arya'' he said in a slightly exasperated voice. She smiled.
Deciding to spare him more embarrassment. Arya suggested that they make camp. Firnen quickly took off in search for some food. '' It will probably be a four-legs deer again.'' Thought Arya with a slight mental grimace. Her aversion to eating meat had diminished since she had bonded with Firnen. But even so she had no great love for the sight of Firnen ripping the guts out of an innocent dear. As Firnen flew down into a gully Arya jumped off of the boulder, dusted of her hands and started building the camp fire.
The next day Arya awoke to a sky full of billowing clouds. The forest was eerily silent so she concluded that it was still early in the morning. She had slept on a bed of moss and had wrapped herself in a blanket she had brought from Elesmiera. Firnen lay curled up on the other side of what had once been a roaring fire. Now all that was left where a few smoldering cinders. Whenever he exhaled twin spires of smoke rose from his nostrils. They curled in the air and dissipated, seeming to become one with the dense clouds overhead. Arya noted that Firnen's scales where now scrupulously clean. He must have bathed. She remembered him disappearing into a gully. There was probably a river down there. If they followed it downstream they would have a good chance of finding a settlement. It might even join up with the the Edda... After all this area hadn't been mapped and anything was worth a try.
The silence was not friendly. It wasn't even neutral. The trees did not seem to be leaning in on her or anything. But that just made it worse. It meant that it was real. It was getting to her. She felt like she shouldn't move. Like something was watching her from the trees. It was getting lighter and the forest should have been starting to stir. Arya reached out with her mind but all she felt were the slow pulsing life forces of the trees. There where countless thousands of insects covering the trees and the forest floor but from her perspective they all resembled glow worms. Some seemed to levitate, she knew from experience that these were spiders. The problem was that she couldn't detect any small animals. She looked over at Firnen. Maybe his imposing presence had scared them away. No, that wasn't right. The woods had resonated with the sounds of animal life yesterday and he had been with her in the clearing.
Something was definitely wrong. Any one looking at a picture of the scene would have said everything was as it should be. And they would have been right. That was the point, nothing physical was wrong but the atmosphere was as tense as a bowstring. She felt as if the slightest provocation would cause it to snap. Arya went to nudge Firnens mind... And her probe encountered emptiness.
As if it had been waiting for the opportune moment, the illusion of Firnen dissolved. Arya jumped to her feet, breathing hard. She no longer cared if there was something creepy it the woods. She was going to find her dragon. And she was going to find whoever took her dragon. And then she was... ...But that doesn't bare thinking about.