Chapter Eight! Wow, we're moving along. Thank you so, so much for sticking with me thus far! A special thank you to Bailey (guest) and Scylla's revenge for reviewing. I really appreciate your feedback. If any of you are wondering, here are some pronunciation guidelines for my major character's names.

Akira-uh-kee-ruh

Unmei-oon-mae-ee

Alphel-all-fell

Ialeth-ee-uh-leth

And hopefully, if you're reading Inheritance fan fiction, you know how to pronounce Eragon and Saphira! They should be coming in in the next 1-5 chapters, I'm not sure exactly when. I will add new character pronunciations as I bring in the characters. Following the example of moniquebowman, I may post pictures of people who resemble how I imagine my characters. What do you guys think? Please read and review!

Enjoy,

ElvenRangerRysel

After several day's rest, Akira and Unmei were ready for the final, and most difficult leg of their journey. They would have to fly across the ocean nonstop, as there would be no place to land. The flight usually took a day and a half, and it would not be easy for either her or Unmei.

They departed early in the morning, and at first, the journey was magical. After several hours of flying, the coastline of Alagaesia had faded into the horizon, and sea and sky create the illusion of flying through a dome of polished sapphire. Now and then, they would fly lower, Unmei's wings nearly skimming the sea with each powerful downstroke.

Dolphins swam, churning the sea with their playful antics. Night fell, and both dragon and rider still felt ready to go on. The stars seemed larger, brighter, and closer, as though they could reach out and touch them. Then it grew colder.

Akira shivered, and took time to get out her cloak. Towards morning, it began to rain lightly, and by the time full light came over the sea, it was a full fledged, miserable downpour. Akira was soon soaked to the skin, and steam rose from Unmei's warm body. Little gusts of wind buffeted them from side to side, making flying even more difficult for the already tired dragon. Akira united her mind with Unmei's and the dragons flapped a little harder at the fresh flow of energy. Akira hardly knew whose wing's ached, and she felt warm and comfortable from the heat of her dragon's inner fire, communicated over their mental link.

The wind grew stronger, and even Unmei could hardly see more than a dozen feet ahead. Thus it was that they were unaware that they flew over land until suddenly a tree loomed out of the mist. Unmei and Akira yelped with shared surprise. Unmei flew up steeply, then circled.

We should look for a place to land. Then we can build a fire and get warm. And dry. We'll look for Hjemmet Tildrager when the weather improves.

Alright, Unmei agreed, there are probably deer in this forest.

They swooped downward and landed. Rain dripped down through the canopy of fir needles, landing noiselessly in the mossy ground. An ancient hemlock that must have been hundreds of years old, grew beside a small stream. Its needle covered boughs were draped in moss, and sword ferns grew around the fallen and nearly fully decayed cedar trunk from which the old tree sprouted, filling the air with their earthy smell.

Akira fumbled with the straps that secured her legs to the saddle, groaning as she hit the ground. She was so stiff. But stiffly gathering firewood was better than being wet and cold. Dead limbs lay everywhere, and within five minutes there was enough for a fire. Despite the fact that the wood was slightly damp, Akira managed to get a fire going fairly easily. Akira pulled the saddle and the pack off of Unmei's back. Unmei flew off to hunt.

Akira put on her training uniform and hung her wet clothes on branches stuck in by the fire to dry. Then she went to the stream and took a good long drink. Unmei arrived with a fine plump fawn. Akira elected to roast a piece of that rather than eating the last of her dried meat. She wrapped an apple in leaves, and when she had finished the venison the warm apple made a welcome treat. Then she wrapped herself in her now dry cloak, and curled up under Unmei's pale purple wing. It had stopped raining, but the last bits of moisture in the tops of the tree's dripping down pulled Akira into drowsiness. She hadn't realized just how tired she was. As she fell asleep she thought about what the next day would bring. She knew that she had to be trained, and she sincerely wanted to help make Alagaesia better, yet she could not help but wish that it could stay like this forever.

Just her and Unmei.

Together.

Forever.