Chapter Nine: Snow Flurry

She stared across the clearing at the blood dripping from the blue animal's jaws. Her own dragon pounced in front of her, crouched down, teeth barred as a low growl emitted from his throat. Another snarl started quietly and steadily grew louder before shredding upward in pitch as the blue dragon launched itself at him. His tail lashed fiercely and Mariah scrambled out of the way, trying not to get hit by the scrapping dragons.

Mariah snapped her gaze upward upon hearing the sound of snow crunching under foot. Someone was coming. If they saw her, she would surely be in trouble with the entire town. Thankfully, the blue dragon pulled away upon hearing the din. Her red dragon rushed back to stand in front of Mariah, his tail lashing, still emitting a rumbling growl. She looked down at him, his teeth still barred. You're bleeding.

No, it is from her kill, she did not harm. He was still staring down the dragon in front of them. Mariah looked back up at it.

"Her?"

"Saphira!"

She blinked, "Eragon?" After a clamor in the woods, a thin blonde boy stumbled from the tree line, covered in snow as he ran to the blue dragoness. Mariah stared at him as he looked her over, clear signs of relief coming over his facial expressions. "Eragon?"

His head snapped up and he stared at her. "Mariah."

She stared back at him for the longest moment, the only sounds coming from the two arguing dragons and the winter wind whipping through the clearing.

"Saphira, stop growling." He insisted finally, looking over at her. She pulled her teeth back, lifting her head regally and sniffing, her breath clouding up in front of her muzzle.

"Saphira…"

"Yes, her name is Saphira."

"…is she yours?"

Eragon stared at her for a moment before finally nodding, "Yes… Uh!" He lost his breath as she tackled him to the ground, hugging him tightly.

"That's fantastic! Do you know what this means!" She grabbed his collar, sitting on him in the snow, shaking him slightly in her excitement. "Do you!"

"N-no…" he said, blinking away his dizzy spell as Saphira growled at the girl.

"It means," she said, ignoring the dragoness, "That you and I are both Riders, Eragon."

He looked up at her, "Oh."

"Oh?"

Eragon took another minute before looking off to the side at the red dragon, "Wait. That one's yours?"

She stared at him, twitching slightly, popping him on the head with her fist before getting up and brushing the snow off of herself, "Moron." The red dragon swished his tail, no longer growling as he padded over to his Rider, staring at the boy. "This is Eragon," she said, looking at him. "Eragon, this is my dragon…"

He raised his eyebrows at her, waiting.

"What?"

"It doesn't have a name?"

"He… doesn't… no."

Eragon looked at her strangely for a moment before breaking into laughter.

"It's not funny…" she mumbled, folding her arms.

"Is too," he insisted, clutching his stomach. "You're always so intrigued by those dragon stories Brom tells you, and you have a dragon of your own and he doesn't even have a name!"

She punched him hard in the shoulder, "Shut up moron."

"Still funny," he said, rubbing his arm. "Saphira… this is Mariah. I would appreciate it if you were nice to her… yes, I know she hurt me." He paused, "Yes… she did… yes… but… hey, wait, no!" Mariah watched as the dragoness trotted off into the woods, dragging her tail behind her.

Mariah stifled her snickering with her gloved hands.

"Not funny."

"It is too…" she said, smirking at him.

He looked over at her and smiled, "Mariah."

"Yes, Eragon?"

"Why did we get chosen to be Dragon Riders?"

She thought for a moment, watching him carefully. Finally, she answered with a question of her own, "Why did our parents have to die?" Her red dragon pressed his nose up under her hand, rumbling a purr in his chest. "I couldn't tell you Eragon… I don't know if anyone could."

He nodded, shivering a bit from the cold. "We should get inside… c'mon… Roran's gone in to town with Garrow... the house should be empty for a while longer, we can talk there." Mariah nodded, taking his hand and walking with him through the snow. "Maybe we'll even come up with a name for your dragon," he said. She shook her head, knowing from the tone in his voice that he was smirking at her on the inside.

I recently got a new fave. sent to my e-mail account, I thank you for reminding me of this open-ended mess. If anyone wants to continue reading who started doing so a long time ago, then they are welcome to do so, by all means. I will try my hardest to finish this story... Love as always, Mariah