This is my first story, so please no flaming. I don't know where it's going yet, but hopefully I will soon.
Rose stumbled across a root, her breath coming in heavy sobs. The utter silence of the forest around made her quieten down.
"Tom? Draka?"
The stillness confirmed to her what she already knew. She started weeping again, and ran on through the forbidding forest. The trees leaned towards her, and snared her raven black hair. She increased her pace, all the while listening for pursuers, hoping to find help. Suddenly she tripped, and fell. This time, she didn't get up. As she lay there the tears coursed down her cheeks. Eventually she exhausted herself. She curled up into a tight ball, thankful for the warm turn the weather had taken lately. After a long while she became so tired she couldn't keep herself awake, even with her nervousness. Her breathing slowed, and she fell asleep. The creatures of the night paid little attention to her, and she slept long and deep in the black woods.
The next morning found her refreshed, but with an achingly empty stomach. She picked herself up and carried on walking. After too short a time, her memories began to take over, and tears threatened to spill. To take her mind off it, she picked up a branch and walked along stripping it of leaves and branches. Then she devoted herself to hacking away undergrowth that barred her path.
She wandered a long way that day, and at nightfall found a small creek. She drank thirstily, and then settled down to sleep. When she awoke she sat up and considered her plight. She was in the middle of a random forest, with no horse, no friends, and no food. She then had the brainwave of following the stream, and set off. The watercourse took a winding path among the great, old trees. The scenery did not seem to change throughout the day, but it was with a sinking heart that Rose realised it was getting colder. She once again lay down, but covered herself with leaves to keep her warm.
The next few days followed the same pattern, but on the seventh day of her lonely walk she discovered that the trees were thinning out. She wandered out of the edge of the woods with relief, and saw, in the distance, the ruins of an old farm. She ran to it, and began to dig through the wreckage. She found an old cellar, with a few pieces of vegetable in them. She ate for the first time in a week, and settled down in the shelter of an old stone wall.
She rose the next morning and decided to keep going. She noticed smoke in the distance, and headed that way. It turned out to be naught but a cloud, however. She was bitterly disappointed when she found nothing but loads of odd rectangles of soot. She sat down in the middle of them and cried. When she eventually raised her head, it was to find a young man running towards her, looking desperate. He thrust a bundle at her and almost screamed at her to take it and hide it. She looked at him with an "You-odd-little-man" look on her face. He repeated his plea, more urgently this time.
"It's a matter of life and death – not for me, but for the Empire!"
Rose wearily took the bundle and began to run towards the trees. She ran far enough into the forest that its magic would stop any from pursuing her, but stayed close enough to see the light of day. When she reappeared, the young man was gone. She sat on the ground, feeling depressed. He was the first person she had seen for a long time. Suddenly she felt a great shadow – no – two large shadows pass her from above. She heard the painful spikes in pressure and looked up. Two gigantic dragons were approaching the ground near her, one red, one black.
What is so important Galbatorix would forsake his lair?
For the black dragon was indeed Shruikan. He didn't look particularly overjoyed to see her. Neither did the red Dragon or the young man sitting aboard him.
Murtagh
He ran his eyes over her, and looked approving. She blushed. Galbatorix addressed her from high up on the back of his Dragon.
"Girl, have you seen a Sapphire Dragon fly this way?"
"No sir, I can't say I have."
"Have you seen a ditzy young blonde with an egg in his arms go by?"
"No, sir."
It was the truth. She bore out Galbatorix's questions, then said:
"I heard some great wing-beats over that way, then they disappeared."
She pointed in the opposite direction to that which the young man had taken.
"Thank you."
The two dragons took off. Rose fell over, buffeted by the force of the gale their wings created. She saw a look of pity on Murtagh's face. Then a bolt of black light flew towards her from the saddle of the black dragon.
I know Eragon is a Brunette in the books, but he has blonde hair in the film and he's cute there. Now please just press the little button...