It's been a verry long time! But alas, without further ado, chapter four of my ever-building story. Thank you for taking your time to read it! Please feel free to review, as always, polite critisism is very much loved. I do own the Inheritance Cycle. -Zale

The hatchling stared at the world with keen eyes from atop my jacket as I ran to the house. As the building came into view, I stopped and looked at it. "Ok, you gotta stay quiet, okay… Lizard?" Its eyes seemed to narrow at the name. "It's temporary." I explained. "And don't move. Wait until I get you to my room, okay? My aunt cannot know you… uh, are here." I was going to say 'cannot know you exist,' but that seemed a little harsh. I zipped up my jacket further, over its snaky head.

I trotted up to the door and walked through quickly trying to act casual, ignoring the extremely warm creature curled upon my chest. As I made my way into my room, I saw Deb passed out on a couch. I rolled my eyes and shut my door. Unzipping the jacket, I said "Ok, little Lizard. Welcome to your new home." The dragon baby hopped out and landed a little clumsily on its paws, and spread its wings for balance. After it became stable again, it began moving around the room, sniffing everything and occasionally nudging something with its snout. I smiled as it tripped over its own feet a few times. "Stay here," I whispered, and snuck back into the kitchen. I grabbed a water bottle and a pack of ground hamburger meat from the fridge, and a bowl from the cabinet. My aunt was still snoring away, oblivious to my presence.

Returning to Lizard, I placed the bowl on the floor on the left side of my bed and poured in the water. After that, I opened the hamburger meat and placed the package next to the water. "Alright, there you go." Lizard began making his way over to the provisions and lap up the water greedily, a lot like a cat. I laughed a little at the idea. Ok. I need a plan. I stared down at the little dragon, thinking. I got to keep it. That's not up for debate. But should I get like, a doghouse or something for it outside? Or let it stay in my room? Then the thought of me coming home after school to find my room torn up by a bored dragon hatchling and my aunt freaking out popped into my head. I shuddered. Not a desirable scenario. So, a dog house thing for it outside while I'm at school. That way it can explore and stuff but still have a place to return to. And at night… at night it can sleep in my room. I looked at the window to the right of my bed. There we go. It can jump in and out. Sounds good to me.

And me.

I grunted in surprise and whirled around. What was that? It had sounded like words, but... surely that was the wind. What else could it be? I felt a nagging sensation in my head, like a rogue thought was trying to pull at the edge of my mind. I looked back at my dragon. It was staring at me, knowingly.

Riley.

"OH SH-" I jumped back, startled, and crashed into my desk, falling to the floor and sending papers flying. I scrambled onto my feet and stared in shock at Lizard. I focused on the nomadic thought inside my head. For the first time, I realized that it might not even belong to me. A thought roaming about inside my head, and it wasn't even mine. I then discovered that I could touch it mentally, with a stream of focus I hadn't noticed before. I reached toward the drifter thought. As I neared it, I realized it wasn't a thought at all but a consciousness. Is, is that… you?

Yes. Riley.

Suddenly I felt it. It was like the roving awareness and my tendril of focus became one, snapped together and welded that way. The mind of my dragon and my own had become one.

What just happened?! I mentally shouted.

We are one. The reply was short, deep and unmistakably male. Even though it was youthful in tone, the masculine notes were there.

You're a he? I asked tentatively.

Yes. Now I suggest you create a proper name for me. Suddenly an idea, not my own, came to the forefront of my mind- the dragon hatchling catching a lizard in between its- his- paws and devouring it.

Ok, I get it. Lizard isn't manly enough. I rolled my eyes.

Not proper, came the reply.

I sighed. It just came to my attention how odd my situation was, and how quickly I was adapting to it. Fine. I began trying to form a name, one that sounded mysterious yet strong at the same time. I played around with some syllables and sounds. "Hegg… Myt…. Shr… Sly… Sanv.. Sangvy… Sangvion. Sangvion?" I mulled it over, repeating it over and over. "Sang-vee-on. Sangvion." I looked down at him.

May I call you Sangvion?

He cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. After a few moments, he replied, Yes. Yes you may.