[Authors Note: All Characters are the property of Poalini except for Asydra. I seem to have chosen an ambitious project for my first fic. I wanted to add a character that had much of a similar personality to me and have him fit in the world in his own way (see if you can guess how he does) But I plan on taking this all the way through to the end of Inheritance and then making a continuation after inheritance as well. So, if you like it I will gladly accept help on this, inevitably, long journey. Thanks in advance .]
Asydra jogged up to where he knew Eragon would be waiting for him. It was a cool fall morning, though it was starting to get colder as it was very nearly winter. A smooth fog had rolled in overnight which gave the woods a nice morning glow as it absorbed the early sunlight. As he came up to the top of the hill he saw the esteemed hunter impatiently waiting tapping his foot by a fallen tree.
"Good morning fellow hunter!" Asydra exclaimed with an exaggerated bow. As he looked up he saw a gleam in the eye of his best friend at his joke.
"You should have been here an hour ago. You really need to learn to check the time." Eragon retorted walking to Asydra. They clasped arms in their typical greeting and began walking on their way, following the tracks of an injured deer.
"Well you know me," started Asydra, "I'm not one to show up without a gift." As he finished his sentence he pulled two fresh rabbits and a squirrel out of his pack, attempting to hand them to Eragon. When will he ever learn that he's going to take it from me. "I'm not asking. Either you take it, or I go give it to Roran, who I know will accept it." A smirk growing on his face.
"I don't appreciate charity and you know Garrow doesn't either." He replied as he begrudgingly accepted the meat and put it in his pack. As he pulled the bag tight he smiled, "You should really teach me how you are able to get the game you do. You don't even have a bow. All you have is that silly little dagger and that polished stone you're always tossing around. How do you do it?" Eragon looked at his friend and studied him. Though they had known each other since they could walk, Asydra knew that Eragon could never read his face for any sign of emotion. While Asydra could see the very thoughts on Eragon's mind. He was as animated as a puppet show.
Because of this it made the look on his face all the funnier when Asydra shrugged and said, "Ehh it's just a little trick Brom taught me." It was all Asydra could do not to laugh, Oh that is too good, though a coughing snort escaped him.
"Humph, maybe I should just switch places with you and live with Brom for a while. In the mean time you could learn to farm the land. How about that?" Eragon quipped with a chuckle.
"An intriguing offer no doubt," Asydra thought, "However I'm quite happy living with Brom." And that was very true. While Garrow was no doubt a good man, Asydra had been raised by Brom in Carvahall. When Eragon's mother was pregnant with Eragon she had sought refuge with Garrow and begged that he take care of him before leaving. Whereas he had come along to Carvahall with Brom as a babe. He had learned from a young age that Brom was not his father, Asydra's real father was unable to take care of him, so he sent him along with Brom who was a trusted friend.
As the first night of their hunt came about and they were nearing the edge of the Spine, Eragon suggested they make camp. "Why? we could still go a bit farther." Asydra turned to look at his friend and was met with a glazed look in Eragon's eyes. It just dawned on him how tired his friend was. "Alright I'll go collect some wood for a fire." with that he ran into the woods.
Eragon watched as his friend ran off into the woods. How is he so energized after a near day of walking? It doesn't make since. Now that I think about it I don't think I've ever seen him tired more than three times in my life. Lost in thought Eragon began setting up the camp site. It had been cool in the morning but as the day had come and gone it had gotten a lot warming. Though it wasn't too bad as they had gotten to a higher point in the mountain which had a significantly cooler climate. Not too much time later and Asydra returned seeming to look tired by the look on his face, though his movements were still fluid and fast, elegant almost.
"I'll take the first watch." Eragon nodded lighting the fire. After a nice supper of cheese, bread, and squirrel Eragon laid his head down to sleep. So close to the Spine neither one of them slept at the same time. The Spine was un-tamed not even Galbatorix and his black dragon would dare enter it. After a time Eragon's mind drifted off, falling asleep. His last thoughts just listening to the steady breathing of Asydra.
"Wakey wakey sleepy head," Asydra prodded and poked Eragon until he woke. Slowly rubbing his eyes Eragon sat up with a yawn. He stood and went to relieve himself. As he walked back he saw the sun's warm rays glowing over the horizon. He scowled at Asydra and stomped over to his pack to grab some bread.
"You should have had me take a watch. You need sleep as much as I do." Eragon growled as he shoved a piece of bread into his mouth. He looked at Asydra awaiting an answer. I don't get why he's so mad. He should be happy I let him sleep.
"I couldn't sleep," Asydra commented with a shrug, "I'm not as comfortable in these mountains as you are, Eragon. Though they doesn't scare me I never feel safe when I'm in its grasp." Eragon looked at him and seemed to think about his remark, settling on a curt nod as a reply while pointing at the tracks.
"We should get going before the pack moves to far ahead." Asydra grabbed his pack eager to get moving and so they began tracking the animal again. They came to do this for another two days and night. On the third night they spotted the herd of deer all huddled together sleeping. Asydra would have helped with their target, a medium sized doe at the edge of the herd who was laying with one her legs awkwardly stretched out, but he knew that Eragon did not want the help. So, he squatted down about two yards from Eragon and watched as he pulled back his bow… aimed down the arrow… steady, steady. He thought and held his breath he heard the twang as Eragon released the arrow it was a beauti- CRACK, BOOM. What the-!
A loud explosion rang through the trees accompanied by a bright flash of light that hurt their eyes. The smell of burning wood, grass, and deer fur flowing from the source. The deer bolted immediately at the sudden disturbance. Without thinking, Asydra ran to the clearing pulling out his dagger and flicking it fast as a blur at the doe. It missed by a hair as did Eragon's second arrow which struck a rock with a loud crack. A dull thunk echoed as Asydra's dagger stuck itself in the trunk of a tree. Both swearing they went to retrieve their items. As Asydra pulled his dagger out of the tree he heard a soft oath from Eragon as he realized he had just lost another arrow.
As they had recovered their items they began walking cautiously to the middle of the clearing where the explosion had happened. As they got closer they noticed a rather large, smooth, blue stone. Eragon knelt and picked it up, observing it closely.
"This is the work of magic." Asydra stated simply.
"The stone? Or its appearance?" Eragon implored without taking his eyes off the stone. Asydra eyed it closely. It was a deep blue with vein like patterns across it of a lighter blue. It was about the size of a fifty-pound pig but Eragon lifted it as if it weighed no more than twenty pounds.
"Its appearance, though with how smooth it is I wouldn't doubt if it was shaped with magic too." Eragon only nodded as he put the stone in his pack. "You might be able to sell it in town to Sloan and get some meat out of it, seeing as we just lost the deer we have been tracking." Eragon groaned but sullenly agreed. Asydra knew the source of Eragon's displeasure, neither one of them liked Sloan. He was a crude man who seemed to enjoy angering people. He was the only butcher in town though, so Eragon and Asydra oft had to deal with him. "You want to start heading back or do you want to get some rest first?"
Eragon looked up from thought, "Let's rest," he asserted, "We can get up early to get a head start." Sleep did not come easy for both that night as they thought about the stone and its exciting, yet untimely, arrival. However, they both managed to get a couple hours in. Before long they could see the tips of the sun's bright embrace coming into the sky. They packed up their gear, ate a small breakfast and headed for town.