Disclaimer: I do not own Eragon/Eldest or any of its characters/places. I only own Jaenelle, her father, and her dragon.

A/N: Thanks to WildIceDragon, outhere101, lightningstorms, vampslayerwannabe, Remember the Darkness, and Neko of Light for the reviews. I didn't expect to get so many name suggestions! I had a hard time picking the name, so if yours wasn't chosen don't feel bad. I liked them all a lot! Especially since they came from my reviewers


'Wha… What happened?' Jaenelle opened her eyes several minutes later and instantly closed them again with a groan. 'It feels like I was kicked in the head by a horse or something. Ughhhh…'

It was then that Jaenelle noticed the loud purring noise reverberating throughout the room.

'What's that…? …Oh crap! I remember now…' She sat up slowly and propped herself up on her elbows. 'It was this thing…'

The 'thing' was currently curled into a ball on her lap, sleeping quite contentedly. As not to disturb it and frighten it again, Jaenelle stayed in her position and looked around her room to see if anything had changed. She gasped when her eyes came upon the white shards at the base of her bookshelf. It hadn't been a stone that she had found in the woods, it was an egg!

'But what kind of egg I wonder?' She looked at the peculiar creature still in her lap. 'What are you little one?'

As if it had understood her question, the little creature sat up in her lap and stretched like a cat, its butt sticking up in the air. Jaenelle's eyes were wide when she took in the pearly white tail, sharp ivory teeth, and most importantly, the leathery, slightly translucent wings located behind its haunches.

'It's a…' "Dragon!" Jaenelle yelled softly in surprise

The dragon sneezed in indignation.

Jaenelle lifted the little thing off of her lap and placed it at the foot of her bed and lay down on her stomach with her arms crossed under her shin so that she could look at it directly in the eye.

"Well I can't just go around calling you 'Dragon' can I? You need a name. But first I should tell you mine. I'm Jaenelle! And I'm going to take care of you from now on, okay?" The dragon blinked its large amethyst eyes at her. "So I'm going to assume that you're a girl…" A sense that somehow the dragon was laughing at her reached Jaenelle. "…I'm going to assume that's a yes. So how about… Aislin? It means dream or vision in a different language…"

Jaenelle could almost feel the answer in her very bones.

"No? Well how about… Neige?"

Another negative feeling and a swish of the tail.

"Apala?"

There was a pause as the dragon considered the name before giving another negative response as the answer

"Um I'm running out of names here… How about... Ren?"

A sense of curiosity

Jaenelle continued, encouraged by the reaction. "It means 'pure'. It does fit you sense you're pure white and innocent and all. So…? Ren?"

Happiness flooded her senses and Jaenelle smiled widely.

"Come here Ren, we'll find you something to eat." Ren padded over to the edge of the bed and reached her neck out to Jaenelle who picked her up and held her in the crook of her arms like a baby.

As the two made their way to the kitchen, Jaenelle looked out of one of the small windows and saw that is was still in the middle of the night. Taking one of the many raw steaks meant for the dogs, Jaenelle cut it up into small pieces and held one out to Ren. The tiny dragon sniffed the piece before gobbling it in a flash. Ren nudged her hand in gratitude and to ask for more.

Lying in her bed with Ren sleeping soundly on her stomach while humming lightly, the tiny dragon's belly bulging, Jaenelle smiled contently and looked at her right hand. On it was a silvery oval that covered her entire palm. 'This will have to be covered up when father comes home… Oh no! Father! I can't tell him about Ren, no can know about her. If the king is still looking for dragons who knows what he'd do to her.' Jaenelle sighed and placed her silver palm back on the dragons back, feeling the papery texture of Ren's wings. 'If only you could understand me little one. If only…'

And with that Jaenelle fell asleep, not hearing the whisper of a voice in the crevasses of her mind.

'…Jae…Nelle…'


A/N: I know, I know. THIS CHAPTER WAS SUPER FREAKISHLY SHORT! NOT EVEN 1,000 WORDS! But my creativity/motivation levels are at like, zero right now! I'm very sorry about this, but I promise that the next chapter is going to be longer.

HOWEVER, it is going to take a little longer to get out because I have a lot to do this weekend so I won't have much time to write. That's why I tried to get this part out now to get it out of the way… The next chapter will be much better, I promise!

PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!!

(sniffs) Review for braindead?