Arya stood waiting for Eragon to arrive. Why was he always constantly late? She thought, seething inside, while keeping her face smooth and expressionless. She was just about to reach out for his mind when a rush of wind flipped back her midnight black hair. Finally, she thought, striding over to Saphira who was glittering beautifully blue in the sunset. Eragon slide of Saphira's leg and landed gracefully at Arya's feet. She sighed inwardly and asked, 'Where is it you have been this time, young rider?'

'Have you forgotten my name already, Arya-elda?' he replied in a slightly hurt voice. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Arya smiled and said in the ancient language 'Astra esterni ono varda'

'Mor'ranr lifa unin hjarta onr' Eragon said, tilting his head in recognition.

'Un du evarinya ono varda' She finished, turning on her heel and bowing quickly to Saphira, while repeating the phases through mind contact.

'Well, where have you been?' she asked again, while trying to suppress the slightly disapproving tone in her voice. And not succeeding. 'What's wrong Arya, are Saphira and I not allowed to go out of your company now? Afraid we'll get into trouble?' he teased mockingly. Arya turned and walked away feeling her rage well up inside her. What was it about Eragon that kept getting under her skin at the moment? It's not like he kept trying to talk her into having a relationship with him, he'd learnt to stop that a long time ago. Infact, he was more being little brotherly than flirty, perhaps that was the problem. Perhaps she wanted him to ask her out...No! That's not right, she snapped to herself, he's a child still in our years and I can not distract him from his studies. Not only that but I like him as a friend, just a friend she told herself doubtfully.

Meanwhile Eragon leant on Saphira and sighed as he watched Arya storm off. He wanted so much just to walk up to her, give her a hug and apologise for everything. But he couldn't. She didn't want him and that was that.

It's ok little one hummed Saphira she'll get over it.

Yes he thought, and that's the problem. Saphira watched him walk away from her feeling sympathy and pity for him. She carefully hide her feelings knowing they would just make him angry and even more cut of from her. He was feeling pretty crap now but at least he would get over it, at least he had her. If only he could remember that, she thought sorrowfully.

Sofia

The cold rain and wind whipped Sofia mercilessly as she ran through the forest. Damn the stupid weather she thought, cursing the fact that she couldn't spell the rain to fall anywhere but on her. That was a hard spell and would attract unwanted attention, as she had found out earlier. Running was also proving difficult, as the wound on her leg was throbbing and she didn't think she had healed it properly in her haste to get away from those fiends. They had attacked her without warning, seven cloaked figures wielding enormous power at their fingertips. She had barely escaped, as in her surprise she didn't bring her shield around quickly enough to block the fire they threw at her. She managed to enhance the rain to shoot at the flames before they reached her and leap away from the approaching figures. They attacked her once more as one, quickly and efficiently trying to put her out of action. Thankfully she had extensive training in physical combat with a few of those adept enough with magic, some of the humans in her village were surprisingly strong.

She had quickly hit out at them with a wave of boiling air, which successfully robbed them of the oxygen in their lungs. Turning she gathered her strength and started to run in the opposite direction. But not quite quickly enough. With a burst of speed one of the figures struck at her with a huge silver sword. It caught her leg and she gasped, reaching down and muttered 'waise heill' while crying silently from the pain. Looking over her shoulder she cried out in terror as the sight of three of the figures chasing after her. Screaming out a spell of immobilisation, Sofia sobbed as she ran for her life through the dark trees. Without looking back she ran faster than she ever had in her life and soon she could feel the presence of the strangers no longer. Only then did she stop and sink to the ground, her slim chest heaving as she gasped for the breaths she thought she'd never feel again.

Authors notes:

I do not own Eragon or any of Christopher Paolini's characters. All rights belong to Paolini and Doubleday publishers.

The strange bit of language at the start means may good fortune rule over you/peace live in your heart/and the stars watch over you. Thanks for all my reviews, I've have tried to make the paragraphs longer though I'm not sure if it worked. Please tell me if you have any improvements you can think for the story and if it actually makes sense.

EllemayXxxX