The sound of Saphira's heavy breathing pulled Eragon back into consciousness.
He was laid in a clearing, the grass was scorched and brown, it cracked and rustled beneath him as he struggled to get up. The pain was agonizing, but he couldn't tell where it was coming from, he clutched his side and staggered to where Saphira was laid, curled up and wounded.
He tried to make contact, but there seemed to be a heavy block shrouding her mind, a wall, which he could not penetrate.
Her eyes were half open and red; he could almost see the pain shaking through her with each breath she took.
'ERAGON' it was her that spoke first, shouting to a point that made him hold his head in his hands to try and bloke it out.
'ERAGON!', she was desperate, 'let me come near' he said, he was afraid she would lash out in her delirious state.
Her breathing slowed, and he crept closer aware of a rattling noise in her heaving chest.
Placing a hand on her now boiling scales, he found the black arrow which had pieced her like a dagger, only the fletch lings on the arrow end visible through the torn and ruptured flesh.
'Listen' he whispered, 'this will hurt, the arrow is deep and it has pieced your lung, roar if you must, but try not to lash out, you will kill me'.
'Hurry' she wheezed,
Eragon grasped what remained of the arrow, and pulled, it was the strangest sensation , as though he was pulling string out of a tube.
Saphira's chest heaved as he tugged at the barbed end, she let out a roar that shook the trees of their leaves.
With a final pull he drew the bloody arrow out of her, and laid it on the grass not wanting to see the gaping hole that was left.
'Thank you' she said weakly and her eyes began to close, sweat dripping from in between her scales.
'No' Eragon hurriedly knelt up, ignoring the pain that pieced through him as he moved.
'You must not sleep, Saphira!'
'But I am tired…..' she moaned,
'No, Saphira, you shall die if you sleep, I need to get help, I need a healer, stay awake, you must!'
Saphira shifted as he stood up, determination shone in his eyes, as he looked out through the clearing.
'I shall go and get help, I can not heal your wounds, my magic is too weak, I shall go and get help, find Murtagh .
He looked back at Saphira, with a look of fear in his eyes,
'in the meantime, you must stay awake, please, for me…..'
A tear trickled from her eye, pricked with raw emotion, Eragon fled from the clearing not wanting Saphira to see his tears, he needed for her to see he was strong.
Running through the forest, in search of a clear path that would lead him out of this nightmare , he would find a city, a town, people, anyone.
'Oh Brom I wish you were here' he murmured.
With a quick spurt of new speed, he crashed to the ground holding his head, what had he run into?
Looking up dazed, he gave a gasp, as he stared into the faces of the Ra' Zac!………..
To be continued!