Here are some new characters! *wink wink* I hope you guys are happy to see them!

"Ebrithil." Akira bowed her head respectfully. Unmei too, lowered her head.

"There's no need for such formality," Eragon laughed. "Yes, you are my pupil, but we are both Riders. Remember that."

Akira raised her head slowly. She found herself staring into the eyes of Saphira. The huge dragoness had stepped forward while she stood with her head bowed and now they stood face to face. Her eyes seemed to welcome her, pulling her into their deep, jewel-like depths, and she heard a voice, musical, almost, but fierce and powerful, echo in the back of her mind. Welcome, little one. You are not from here, and yet, neither are we. Saphira raised her head and looked around. This land is not the dragon's ancestral home, and yet…this is where we belong. You belong here too, little Rider.

Akira felt the sincerity of their words. She wanted to believe them, did believe them. But it was not her home that she missed, but her family. The fact that she was here was not supposed to have happened. Unmei had chosen her, but Akira had not chosen this life. She was at ease here, was almost contented here, but she wasn't happy.

Saphira turned to Unmei, and touched her on the brow with her muzzle. You have chosen wisely, daughter. Be loyal, brave, and also there to guide. The future of the Riders rests in the hands and claws of the young. Then. Come, said Saphira. You must understand where we are, where it is safe, and where it is dangerous, before you can begin your real training. Eragon mounted onto Saphira's back, and Akira climbed stiffly onto Unmei.

Saphira seemed to sense their discomfort. You can rest soon, little ones, but first you must know where you are.

The two dragons leapt into the air. They flew nearly straight upward several hundred feet, until they were flying above the bay. Eragon spoke to Akira out loud, while Saphira relayed the information mentally to Unmei.

"There are caves in the mountains where the wild dragons live. They will not harm you should you run across them, but we do not seek them out. Their life is very different. They are free, wild creatures. They are intelligent and can be reasoned with, but they are more quick tempered and fierce. The woods hold nothing more dangerous than wolves and bears. You are free to hunt in them as you wish during hours you are not training. However, keep in mind where you are, and do not fly so far that you lose your way, or cannot make it back by dark. The bay holds fish of all kinds, and is safe to swim in. You may not cross the mountains. It is not a long flight, but the weather is treacherous, there are winds and whirling snow that come up without warning, and will cause you to lose all sense of direction. Also, the lands on the other side have not been explored, and though we have seen nothing of consequence, it would be foolish to assume that this land is without creatures touched by magic of any kind. On the island that separates the bay from the rest of the ocean are the quarters of the bonded dragons and their Riders. On the other side of the island the water is safe to fly over, but not to swim in. There are sharks and we have seen a creature like a sea serpent with huge winglike fins. Some of our spell casters have set a barrier through the water on either side of the island that does not allow these creatures to pass through, only small fish. Those are the important rules about the country in which we live. Undoubtedly we will discover more. It has not yet been a century since Saphira and I first ferried the dragon eggs here."

Akira nodded, acknowledging her understanding. "How many other Riders are there here?" she asked.

" There are a dozen fully trained riders, in addition to myself and Alisarra, the elf who greeted you. There are seven apprentices, you and three more are expected to arrive soon. I oversee the training of all apprentices, but you will have a single mentor who will teach you most of the time. I have decided Alissara will train you. There are fifty-seven riders in Alagaesia, in a all there are eighty-two bonded dragons and riders."

"Oh. When will I begin training?"

"You will always be learning. But you will be with a teacher five hours a day, beginning tomorrow. Now you and I will return to the island. It is nearly time for the evening meal."

Akira looked around and realized he was right. The sun was sinking behind the mountains, turning the snow slightly pink. They landed on the island just as twilight set in. Liights twinkled in the sides of the many cliffs and hills around the island, and in the tops of trees as well, where some of the riders had chosen to construct rooms with magic. In the center of the island was a tall spire of rock, perhaps two hundred feet high. It grew wider as it went toward the ground, and the base was the size of an amphitheater. Good, food smells rose from inside the dome, wafting up towards the tree that grew on the top of the spire. They landed outside of a huge opening in the stone dome. Inside were several long wooden tables. Elves, dwarves, humans, and even an Urgal sat along the sides. At the other end of the room, around two dozen dragons lay, some dozing in the warm evening air, others standing, speaking in raspy growls and chirps. Two younger ones were playing together, rolling over and over, nipping at eachother's tails.

"Take of her saddle and leave it at the door. You can put it away after dinner, when Alisarra shows you where you'll be staying."

She nodded and did as he said. Akira stood just inside the door, feeling more than a little shy. Saphira and Unmei nudged her forward into the light.

"Friends!" Eragon called. All conversation ceased. "Please welcome Rider Akira Nakayama, and Unmei, her bonded dragon."

The assembled Riders looked at her for a moment, then someone began to clap, and the others followed suit. Go on! Saphira encouraged her.

"I—I can't!" Akira whispered, forgetting in her terror that she didn't need to speak out loud. Unmei nudged her again, and somehow she made her legs work, walking forward and sitting down at the far end of one of the tables. Unmei joined the other dragons. One of the dwarf girls walked over and sat down beside her.

"Hi, nice to meet you Akira. My name's Maenni. The silver-gray dragon over there is mine. The one playing and making a fool of herself." The dwarf paused and frowned. As Akira watched, the dragon stopped rolling around and sat up guiltily. Then feigned a yawn and lay down.

"I told her to stop goofing of," Maenni said. "Ilsé never will learn how to behave in public."

"Hey, Rocky, whatcha doin'? Trying to make the new girl be your friend before she realizes what an idiot you are?"

Akira and Maenni turned around. "Leave us alone, Daweth." Maenni said.

"Fine, fine!" The girl spread her hands in an exaggerated gesture of surrender. "I'm just warning you, Akira, hanging with her is like, a big no-no with us. You want to come sit with me?"

"No thanks, Maenni was telling me some about the dragons."

Maenni looked at her gratefully.

"Just saying. It's your funeral."

"Thanks for warning me. I can handle it."

The girl raised an eyebrow. Before she could make any more snarky comments, a horn sounded, signaling the start of dinner. The nasty elf flounced back to her friends. Several servants walked in, carrying platters of mostly vegetables, but there was a platter of roast chickens, Akira noticed. She didnt have time to wonder about it, though. She just dug in, no questions asked, to whatever Maenni said she should try. That ended up being several helpings of a mashed root vegetable, like a potato but not quite, salty, steamed cabbage, and two large slices of savory roasted chicken. When she had finished stuffing herself, she decided to ask Maenni who that girl had been.

"That was Daweth," Maenni said. "She says she only hangs out with 'cool people'. That basically means elves, and humans if they're attractive boys."

"Oh. Yes, I know the type," Akira said.

"Problem is, most of the kids are so afraid of getting bullied, they go along with her. I'm kind of an outcast."

"Don't worry, I'll be your friend. They probably won't like me anyway. I look different." She gestured to her brown skin.

"Thank you," the stockier dwarf girl said.

Just then Eragon walked over. "If you're done eating, I'd like you and Unmei to meet Alisarra and Sarneth."

"Oh, yes. Bye Maenni, it was nice meeting you."

"Bye Akira, see you at breakfast."

Akira stood and followed Eragon outside, calling Unmei as she went. Outside was the tall blonde elf she'd seen earlier in the day, and a beautiful pale green dragon, with scales like polished prehnite. She beckoned to the two, and Eragon gave Akira an encouraging smile. Alisarra led them to a large oak tree growing at the top of a cliff that overlooked the dining hall. There was a huge bump in the trunk up toward the top, and a smaller one lower down. A staircase had been sung into the side of the tree, twisting around the huge trunk.

"Your room is in there," Alisarra said, motioning to the smaller bump. "I'll leave you two to settle in." She climbed aboard her dragon, and flew to the upper bump.

Akira climbed onto Unmei and they flew to the lower bump, and through the hole in its side. There was a membrane that could be pulled across the opening in the event of bad weather, and Akira pulled it to. She left the two round windows open for fresh air. She dumped her saddle on the floor, to tired to worry about it for the moment. She flopped down on the bed. She could tell by Unmei's contented sigh as she settled into the padded dish into the center of the floor that served as a bed, that she had been as tired as Akira was.

This is where I belong, Akira told herself. I am a Rider. But it didn't feel like it, and she couldn't make herself believe it, no matter how she tried. She, tired as she was, could not sleep thinking about it. Finally, she stood up and crawled into the padded dish with her dragon, stretching out against her warm side underneath her leathery, slightly fuzzy wing.

At least I have Unmei.