Well, I'm supposed to be asleep, but I've had the first part to this written for over a week and sitting in my binder. I thought I'd try to finish it really quickly. This didn't even take me an hour to finish, which is really unusual. I only took such a short time because I'm ultra tired and homework took longer than it usually does. Damn small French text on my homework. o_e

Anyway, there may be typos in here (which I'll go back and correct when I have time), and it may not make much sense (but I hope it does). Please enjoy, nonetheless. :D

It's a bit of a slow moving chapter, but it's the bridge between the beginning and getting down to business.

Eragon sits back on his haunches as the fire sparks to life, setting to work on skinning the deer. Occasionally he glances up, eyeing what was once a dragon – his dragon – from over the yellow flames.

Saphira doesn't look up, even though he's sure that she can feel him watching her. Her arms are wrapped around her legs, which she's drawn up to her chest as if to conceal her body from the world. She's clothed now, albeit in Eragon's extra clothes that are too big and make her small frame look even smaller. She wasn't able to put the clothes on earlier, being still unfamiliar with the mechanics of the human body, and he'd had to assist her. He'd tried hard to avert his eyes as he did so, but he couldn't help her if he did. She hadn't been flustered in the least bit in exposing herself to him, but she was once a dragon after all. She'd even laughed at him when he stuttered out a reply as to why he was attempting not to look at her.

Eragon.

The Rider's head snaps up at the sound of his name to look over at Saphira.

You're turning red, she continues. Are you all right?

It's then that Eragon realizes that his cheeks had begun to burn when remembering the events from earlier. He feels his face heat up even more (and not from the fire) as he hastily looks down, not looking up this time from the deer. I'm fine.

Saphira chuckles a bit. It's not the odd coughing growl she possessed as a dragon, but rather a pretty, human laugh. If you say so.

Eragon tilts his head subtly and decides he likes the way her laugh sounds.

"You're going to have to learn how to walk, don't you know?" Eragon voices as he bites into the venison hungrily. He eyes Saphira, who is awkwardly grasping her piece of venison in her hand. Instead of tearing out strips, she attempts to take bites out of the entire hunk of meat as if she still had the monstrous jaws and deadly teeth she did before. Eragon squashes down a laugh and tells her, "You can tear it. It makes things easier."

Saphira shoots him an annoyed look that's not much different than the ones she gave him as a dragon. This time he can't keep his laugh down. Ignoring him, she asks, Will it be a far walk to the next town?

Eragon looks up in thought as he swallows. It shouldn't be more than a few days' walk. Oh, and… "You're going to have to learn to speak as well."

Saphira's face scrunches up. I feel like a child having to learn such simple things.

"But you'll learn much faster." Don't worry.

Saphira slowly begins to tear strips from her piece of meat. Eragon focuses on her sapphire orbs, and he can see the smallest bit of reminiscence behind them. He feels bad for her – truly, he does. He knows she misses the feel of the wind on her face as she soars through the air without anything to hold her back, the feel of being feared. But it's all gone now, gone with her fire, gone with her wings…

Gone with my majesty.

Eragon blinks and remembers that she can tell what he's thinking. He shakes his head and looks at her seriously. "Now that's not true, and we both know that."

He holds Saphira's gaze.

She's the first one to look away.

Saphira falls asleep first. She falls asleep before Eragon can set out his bedroll. He had planned on offering it to her, but she had dozed off too quickly. He lays it out anyway, and he goes to pick her up and gently set her on it. She's surprisingly light, and he's extra careful when putting her down. He immediately lets himself lay back next to her, the fatigue catching up to him.

But sleep doesn't come very easily. The crackling of the fire is the only thing he can hear aside from the low hum of crickets. He stares up at the stars, counting them, only to lose count and start over until that fails to entertain him any longer. Then he turns onto his side and sees Saphira breathing deeply, sleep being a friend to her.

He doesn't remember anything after that, having finally fallen asleep.

Reviews loved. :D