1 Thank you Mean Titan for your review and my first review for this story!
Since no one even tried to guess what the answer to the riddle was I'll have the same riddle for this chapter. I know I should have waited before I posted this chapter for more reviews but hey? It's not like you're complaining!
Yay second chapter! Hope you like it. And remember READ AND REVIEW!
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Chapter 2 The Waredog
Marak hurried towards his home. It was almost dark. And believe me, running with a big pack of dear meat on the plains where wolves feed... Lets just say it isn't a fun time. Marak's house was fifteen miles away from the town Melian. He had five miles to go. Dark was coming fast. He had two miles left when dark fell. He listened around him. There was no sounds besides his own feet, the soft wind blowing through the grass and the crickets chirping.
He saw the light of his house half a mile up ahead. The candle burning in the window. He knew the candle was for him to find his way home. His mother always worried about him when he goes out hunting and she often leaves a candle or lantern in the window so he would know where it was in the dark. He silently thanked her. It was then when he heard the padding of feet.
It was coming closer and he didn't like the sound of it. Marak knew it could smell the meat and started running as silently and fast as he could. He still made a good amount of sound though.
It was getting closer. He wished he didn't tie the bow on the back of his pack. If he tried to stop and get it, it would be too late. The light ahead was getting closer but so was the padding of feet. It was taking him down he knew it. He wouldn't make it in time. He decided to take the chance of trying to get the bow in time and shoot at it.
He stopped abruptly and fumbled as fast as he could to get the knot loose. It came undone. He heard a growling sound. He quickly grabbed a arrow from his quiver and strung it. He looked around him. He didn't see anything. Just then the grass moved to his right. He turned. Big yellow eyes stared back at him.
It was too dark to see exactly what it was but anyway he aimed. The animal looked like it was going to pounce from the look in it's eyes. Just as he was about to pounce he shot at it. He heard the whistling noise of the arrow in the air and then a large yelp.
His eyes focused in on the animal trying to see better in the dark. It was too small to be a wolf he realized. It had a stubby tail as well. Then it hit him, it wasn't a wolf but a dog! But it was a strange dog if he has ever seen one. It's hair was all shaggy and it's ears so pointy it was abnormal for a dog. He cursed. He just killed a dog, even if it was a strange one, he still didn't mean to kill it. He liked dogs actually. He moved closer. He heard a whimper. Its not dead yet.
He saw that the arrow was in it's thigh. It wasn't a fatal wound he noticed but if the blood didn't stop flowing it would be, and it looked painful.
He moved down next to it. It growled at him. "Its ok boy I won't hurt you" he said in a soothing voice. It started to whimper more. He sat down next to it trusting that the dog trusted him enough. He looked at the wound. He sucked in his breath, whistling but not meaning too.
He squinted trying to see better. It would hurt it badly if he was going to pull it out. But he needed to if he wanted to save it. And there was the condition of his safety. The dog may not be a wolf but it still had fangs. "If you want to live you can't bite me. Now I'm going to have to pull it out and it will hurt" he said more saying it to himself then the dog.
Do what you must
"What?" he said surprised. He looked around "who said that?". He saw no one there. The dog whimpered again. "It couldn't have been the dog" he thought. The dog stared at him with intelligent eyes. "You? You said that?" asked Marak surprised.
Yes me, do what you must and now... it hurts.
Marak understood. He hesitated for a second. He took a deep breath in and before the dog or thing could react he pulled out the arrow quickly and swiftly. The dog/thing gave a howl of pain but didn't bite him thankfully though he looked as if he was fighting against it.
Now heal it
"Heal it? What do you mean?" Marak asked not understanding.
Look for the magic deep inside you and heal it.
"You have got to be kidding me" he said. He thought for a second, if that dog could talk then why can't HE do magic? He decided to try it. All though he felt ridiculous about it he put his hand over the wound that was now flowing with blood. He closed his eyes. He looked inside of him, searching. He felt a weird block in his mind. He pulled at it. It stuck. He pulled again. Didn't work. For the last time he pulled with all his mind's might and it felt like a strange sensation. He opened his eyes. His hand! It was glowing green!
He felt a tingling in his hand and fingers. It felt like pins and needles. But it felt oddly comforting at the same time. As soon as it came it went away. The doggiethingy stood up, good as new. The thing/dog turned around looking at where the wound had been. There was nothing there but blood.
Good work. You learned faster then I thought you would. You will be a good Scippa one day.
"Huh?" he managed to say as he stood there shocked. "What are you? How did you know that I could do it? And what is a 'Scippa?'" he asked, starting to gain the use of his mouth again.
To answer the first question I am a Waredog. And for the second I felt it around your aura. As for the third you will have to find out for yourself. You shall find out after time don't worry. I will go now. A few last words. Follow your heart as your wyrda your fate awaits you.
Before he could say anything more the Waredog was gone bounding through the grass.
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Marak opened the door to his house quietly. It was a small three room cabin made out of adobe for walls and dried grass for a roof. He was currently in the main room that served as a kitchen, dinning room and living room. It wasn't really that well furnished because his father had made all of the furniture by himself. There was a small table with three chairs around it. There was also a wooden couch with a quilt on it made by his mother.
On the right hand wall was a big fireplace made of clay. With which his mother cooked on. In the back of the big room was two doors one two the left, his parent's room, one to the right, his room. Hoping not to wake anyone that was sleeping. He put his pack down and then he walk on his tippytoes towards his room but before he could reach it he heard someone getting up out of the bed in his parent's room. The door opened.
"Oh it's you my darling!" said his mother a little too loud. His mother ran towards him arms outstretched. She hugged him and planted a kiss on his forehead "I was so scared! I knew it was a good idea to keep the candle in the window!". She kissed him again. "Mother I was only a few hours late!" he said not wanting all this attention.
His mother didn't listen to him. She kept holding on to him. His mother was in her white nightgown. She had dirty blond hair and was rather plump. His mother wasn't the prettiest person in the whole of Alagaesia but he loved her.
Also his mother had a overacting problem sometimes. Especially when it came to Marak. He was the only child in the family giving him a lot of attention. Sometimes it gets annoying. Like this time.
"Terassa the boy is fine, now let him breath." Mother and son turned around to see Marak's father in the doorway. His father had blond hair, but he didn't have much of it.
Like most southern people he also had tan skin but his was lighter then most. His father was tall and had a broad build. Sometimes Marak wondered why he was so tiny for his age if his father had that build. But he reminded himself that he would grow more when he was older, he hoped.
"Ok, I'm just glad to see that he's home safe. You could be more passionate about Marak sometimes Sellman" said a teary eyed Terassa. "Well I'm glad he brought home food" his father said slyly. His father's gaze turned to Marak's bulging pack. His gaze turned back to Marak and he winked at him. His father often played jokes that he cared about food more then Marak. They both found this funny but mother didn't. Probably because she didn't understand the joke behind it.
"Now that we're all up why don't you tell us about your hunting trip." Marak agreed eagerly. He wanted to tell his father how good a hunter he was. So he told them all about how he found the tracks and hid in the grass and shot at the doe killing it. At the end of his story before his father was pleased. "You are really becoming a good hunter son." Marak smiled, happy for his father's praise.
Marak just then remembered something. "Father! In town I heard that there was a battle! They called it 'The Battle of the Burning Plains'. AND the Blue Rider fought in it! They say his name is Eragon, and his mighty dragon is Saphira."
Father didn't look shocked but sad. "I knew it would come to this. Good we have a rider against Galbatroix. Was there anything more about the battle?"
Marak looked down at his feet as if he had done something wrong. He took a deep breath and said "Father I am sad to say that there IS a rider working for Galbatroix. They call him the Red Rider." His father's mouth went into the shape of an O.
Marak preceded to tell them all about the battle. Well all that he had heard. He knew he should have said something about the Waredog and him healing it but something inside of him told him that it should be kept secret.
Father put a hand on Marak's shoulder and stared into his son's eyes. "Marak remember this. These are grave times, but always remember that there is always hope. At every beginning there is a end, but every end there is a beginning. Heed my words boy. There is always hope. That is the truth." Marak nodded thinking about what his father just said.
His mother, who had been quiet for awhile clapped her hands gaining their attention. "Sellman, Marak I think its time for bed. For a farmer it is always early to bed and early to rise as they say it" She blew out the candle and went into her bedroom.
Marak also went into his bedroom thinking about his father had said before. It took him a while to find sleep after his action packed day but eventually he was in his dreams.
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I thought since there is a warecat Eragon why not a waredog?
(dedicated to all you dog lovers out there)
So here is the question/riddle from last chapter...
Tall I am young.
Short when I'm old.
While with life I do glow,
Urur's breath is my foe...
What am I?
The first person who gets the answer will get their name in the next chapter or if I put in a new character in the story I might put your name in the story itself (in this case put your real name into the review (or if you are scared of stalkers make up your own name)