"Ow ow ow." Eragon winced as he climbed off of Saphira's back, their first attempt at flying was harder than he expected, especially the friction of her scales.

I'm sorry. She nudged at his shoulder, I didn't mean to hurt you.

It's okay. I didn't realize it would hurt. He hobbled his way towards the tent Brom had pitched, in an attempt to save them money, and to allow Saphira to spend the night in her natural form.

Are you going to be okay, little one? She grinned in the only way dragons could, teasing him.

Little? I am not little!

She chuckled, I will leave you. With that Saphira took off into the sky again, this time stretching her wings solo.

Eragon sighed as he sat on the cot, cringing. His legs were spread again, and even in the dark he could see blood tricking from his thighs. He took two very deep breaths before unbuttoning his jeans, peeling them off. His pained gasp did not go unheard.

"Eragon? Is that you?" Tarja's voice came from the outside of the tent, sending Eragon's heart racing.

"Don't come in!" He scrambled to grab a blanket to cover himself. It was not like he was naked, he was wearing a pair of very flattering red boxer briefs, but he did not wish to be so... exposed to her.

"What's wrong?" Despite his plea, she entered anyway, finding a startled boy desperately trying to hid behind a blanket.

"Nothing. I'm okay, you can leave now." She raised her brow, almost able to see his pulse racing.

"Why did you gasp?"

"I didn't."

"Riiiiight." She took another step in, watching his eyes fill with horror.

"I really am ok."

"Um.. Eragon. Your blanket is bleeding." She pointed to the red stains that were starting to show.

"Fuck."

"Come on, let me see." His face turned a bright red. "Don't be so bashful, I won't look at you, Let me see the wound." She reached out and grabbed the blanket, pulling it away from him. She however, lied to him. Her eyes traveled first from the wounds on his thighs, to the bulge of red.

"You need to clean the wound." She stated, trying to pretend her ears weren't red. Eragon couldn't say anything, as Tarja rose, and exited, returning with a bottle of water, and a towel.

"Spread your legs farther." She ordered, sitting down beside him.

"Wha-?!"

"I can't get at the damage you've done."

"Oh." Hesitating he followed her order, bitting down on his bottom lip.

Dead puppies, children's blood, black death he chanted in his head, trying to pretend her hands were not pressed down on his flesh. Even with the pain of his wound, there was something arousing about her action.

Tarja only grinned when her eyes strayed. She knew he always had a way of effecting men, and even though she did not like the simple country boy, something in her stirred... seeing him do the same.

"Does this hurt?" She found herself asking, trying to be gentle.

"No. Not really." He winced, trying to smile.

"Liar. Lay down completely." His eyes widened again.

"You need to be relaxed." Because I need to relax, she thought.

The last thing I can do is relax. He thought, doing as she said.

"What are you doing?" She placed the palms of her hand on the insides of his thighs, dangerously close.

"Waise heil," she spoke quietly, the marks on his skin healing, leaving only faint scares.

"Thanks." He propped himself up on his elbows, her hands still in place. She grinned up at him, before bringing her body to straddle him, letting her lips press against his.

On the other side of camp, Kamell and Murtagh found themselves lost in a kiss.

"Kamell!" Brom's voice interrupted them, causing her to pull away quickly, her face beat red. "We need more firewood." His rough voice carried to them, as he walked passed, his eyes never lifting from the ground to look at them.

"I... I need to be going." She blushed heavily, getting up from the log and headed into the wood.

"Why am I stuck with the raging hormones?" Brom asked himself, was he passed the tent they were supposed to be sharing, but seemed rather occupied by Tarja and Eragon.

Tarja pulled away from Eragon, her mind beginning to realize what she had done. But before she could break away Eragon's hand worked its way behind her head as their lips clashed again as the other slammed her hips down on his. He couldn't refrain from pressing against her as they kissed. Without warning he flipped them over, grinding his hips against hers. Quickly his hands worked their way under her shirt as she clutched his hair. They broke apart to breathe but that was all it took to break the magic.
As soon as it started they stopped, Tarja practically shoving him off of her.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"What am I doing? Your the one who seduced me," Eragon countered.
"Why would I seduce you? God, you can't tell the difference between a woman and a cow."
"Too bad you look like a cow." Tarja stormed out of the tent. Night was falling around them.
"I hate you," she screamed. The noise attracted Kamell, Brom and Murtagh.
"I hate you more. In fact, I loathe you!"
"Thats a big word for an inbred hick like yourself!" Eragon was boiling with rage. He was not sure what he would have done - killed her, or slept with her - if Saphira had not landed and pinned him to the ground under a large claw.
"I'm sleeping in the car. Away from that pervert," She announced storming away. Kamell and Murtagh were speechless.
Brom, on the other hand was not.
"Well, I hope your proud of yourself, Eragon."
"How is this my fault?" He asked when Saphira let him up. Brom sighed.
"It's always the man's fault." Kamell blushed, reflecting on what had just transpired between herself and Murtagh. Was that his fault?

Tarja and Eragon sat on opposite sides of the car on the drive to their next destination. Neither spoke, as did Kamell and Murtagh. Kamell was too afraid that she had dreamed kissing Murtagh, and Murtagh was busy wondering if it was too soon to try and sleep with her.
Snow was falling out side the window when they arrived. It had already been over a week since they left the Carvahall. It was somewhat disheartening that Christmas was in over a week and they would be spending it away from society, in hiding, and for many of them, with people they hated.
"We're here," Brom announced as they entered Boston. "Now to find Jeod," he said allowed.
"Three guesses how this is going to turn out," Eragon murmured.
"Just because you have no sense of direction, even on the back of a dragon, doesn't me we all have."
"CUT IT OUT!" Brom bellowed. "If I have to hear another word from either of you, your walking the rest of the way."
"Fine," Eragon exclaimed, getting out of the car even though it was still going at least 15 MPH. Angrily he walked beside the car, not bothering to answer them as Kamell begged him to get back in the car.

"Eragon, get your ass in here now!" Kamell's anger was beginning to boil her blood, the last thing she wanted to deal with was a tantrum. He kept walking beside the car. "You're going to get us killed, because you have to act like a two year old." He turned his nose up, and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Fine have it your way." She rolled up the in of the car, and sat back in her seat. "Drive." Brom, and Murtagh looked at each other with a "what now?" look hanging on both of their faces.
"We can't leave him." Murtagh pointed out. "If the Razac catch up to him..."
"Don Juan here is right." Brom Sighed,
"Hey! Don Juan!?"
"Shut up both of you." Kamell snapped. Tarja only looked at the pissed off elf with concern. She knew of elves, although very few resided in the country working for her father. If there were any that did not work for her father, they were in hiding. Average people, Tarja knew, did not know of such things, like dragons. They were fantasies, made up by children, and fifteen year old geeks. The one thing she could recall above anything about elves, is they are calm gentle people, anger is not something known to them. That simple fact, scared her.
"Pull over now." Kamell's death glare towards Brom sent a chill down Tarja's spine. Despite his seniority, Brom did as she wished, noticing the look of fright in Tarja's eyes. She Pushed the door open, and stormed from the vehicle, towards her best friend.
"Last chance. Get. In. The. Car." Eragon stood his ground. After knowing Kamell for fourteen years, he knew her threats to be empty.
"No."
"You... You stupid twit!" She grabbed his arm as he tried to walk past her, wrentching him from his pace. "You ignorant little brat. You ass hole! There are scary assasins out for you, for your dragon, and you have the nerve to put your life, and Saphira's might I add on the line because you're stubborn!?"
"Yes." His voice wavered slightly, even if she was all bark and no bite, she was a scary thing when she was upset.
"You might not care about your life, or Saphira's, but I fucking do, now get in that car." She shoved him forward, before he ripped his arm away.
"NOW!"
"No." As he spoke, Eragon felt his feet drag forward in the dirt and gravel that made up the side of the road. "What the fuck?"
"You are getting in that car." She crossed her arms over her chest in triumph, as he got back in the car, against his will. She got in beside him, sandwiching him between herself and Murtagh, imprisoning him.
"We're all good back here, Brom." She smiled sweetly at him.
"Okay..." He started the car once more, traveling back at a normal speed. Murtagh and Tarja simply looked at each other, stunned.
"Still think she's hot?" She whispered to him through the seat. Murtagh looked over at her, she had his ipod, and was lost in the music.
"Actually, she's really sexy when she's mad. I'm kind of turned on."
"Ew?" Saphira half turned from her seat next to Tarja.
"What? She asked."
"Human boys." She sighed, turning back to face the open road before them. "I've eaten rabbits that can't even match you're horny-ness."
"Is that even a real word?" Eragon jumped in the conversation, before realizing he was mad at Tarja, and returned to his sulking silence.
"Could you all just stop talking?" Brom threw his glance over that them for a second, "Does anyone here even care that Kamell is like a daughter to me? And you are discussing now "turned-on" she makes you?"
That silenced the group, all feeling awkward.

"Civilization!" Murtagh exclaimed when the troop pulled into the city. The sight of a city was enough to brighten even the darkest mood. "I know where I'm going."
"Your staying with us," Brom ordered. Murtagh pouted, glancing to see what Kamell was doing. She had since run his ipod battery dead, not really understand this novel piece of technology. Murtagh had entertained himself reading Tarja's handy copy of 'The Lord of the Rings'. She had long since fallen asleep beside Saphira. From the corner of his eye he saw Eragon glancing at the book.
'Thats not English," he commented.
"So glad you can read," Tarja called from the front seat as Murtagh's whoop had just woken her. Eragon chose to ignore her.
"Its Finish," Murtagh said matter-o-factly.
"And you can read it?"
"A little...enough to vaguely understand. Tarja is the one who knows how to speak it."
"I'm right here you know," she piped in.
"Oh, what a pity."
"Cut it out." Brom said, parking the car. "This may not be a very smart idea but I'm going to leave you runts here while I look for Jeod. I will be back to pick you up here, in exactly one hour." They nodded. Saphira got our first, no longer in pain after the time she had spent in her natural form.
"So, what do we want to do," Murtagh asked as Brom drove away.
"We could -,"
"Look for food," Saphira piped in.
"Are you always hungry," Kamell asked, as the other four laughed. Eragon and Tarja a stopped at once, still glaring.
"A cafe sounds nice though," Tarja chimed in. "I haven't had internet since we left home." They all agreed. They all started towards the corner cafe when a large group of people bumped into them, splitting up the group.
"Shit," Tarja swore as her bag was knocked off her shoulder. Saphira and Eragon knelt to help her.
"Where did they go," Saphira asked as they stood. She was now around twenty, and so far not aging much.
"Whats this," Eragon asked, pointing to the darkened store next to them.
"Its a magic shop," Tarja answered. they had completely forgotten that they were fighting. Hopelessly they were drawn in.
"Would you like your futures read?" A woman asked once they entered.
"We really don't have the money," Eragon said.
"I did not ask for a payment. I am Angela. Come sit."
They did, and watched her with draw a bag of dragon bones.
"Hmmm..." She told eragon. "Your future is hard. I see...a death rappidly approching. A romance with a woman of noble birth." Tarja tried very hard not to look at him, but knew he was looking at her. The woman drew back, as though she had been hurt. "I cannot read you," she told Saphira. "Never has that happened before. but you, you are conflicted." She said. "The one you seek is close at hand, do not let your bitterness blind you. When all seems lost, they will heed your call."

"I can't believe we lost them," Kamell ranted.
"They know where were going. They'll be ok."
"What if they aren't."
"Relax, Kamell," Murtagh crooned. "I don't mind being alone with you." She blushed. "But I have to warn you - I bite." Grinning he leaned down to kiss her, parting her lips for the first time. He smirked when she moaned as his tongue grazed hers. Still smiling he moved his lips lower, beginning to caress her neck.

When Murtagh's lips traveled to her collar bone, and his hand found its way into the back of her jeans, Kamell pushed him away.
"We... can't do this!" He looked at her confused, rejection was something he only got from Tarja. "We're in the middle of the street, People are staring!" Kamell was right, people were snickering as they walked passed, one boy, who looked about sixteen, whistled.
"Lets get out of here then." He grinned seductively, reaching for her arm, but she just pulled away.
"No."
"But. I thought you liked me?"
" I do."
"Then whats the problem?"
"You... You're one of those sex addicts, aren't you!?"
"I wouldn't say that."
"Right."
"I am not!"
"But you do want to have sex with me?"
"Well, yes."
"Why?"
"You're beautiful."
"And what else?" Murtagh looked at her, his mouth open and a confused look on her face.
"What else is there?" Kamell, bit her lip, trying to keep the tears away from her eyes.
"Brom is probably waiting." She turned from him, and started to walk away quickly, keeping her eyes on the ground.
"Kamell?" He started to follow her, but the sound of his name stopped him.
"Murtagh!" Tarja called again, seeing him over the top of the people on the street. "Hey... where's Kamell... what's wrong with you?" Eragon was right behind Tarja, and Saphira as well. Murtagh pointed in the direction Kamell had walked off in.
"Where have you been?" The three exchanged glances.
"We were looking for you." Eragon spoke up, not sure if the others were as willing to share the things they heard from the fortune teller.
"Well, you found me." Murtagh grumbled, wishing he was back only a few minutes before.
"We should be getting back to the car." Saphira pointed out, "It's been about an hour."

When they returned to where Brom had dropped them off, the indeed found the car waiting for them, Brom behind the wheel, and Kamell sitting next to him.
"Come on now get in, we have business to attend to." Brom eyed up Murtagh, making the teenagers skin crawl.

What if she told him? He thought trying to hide any facial expression.
"Saphira, come sit up here with me." Kamell spoke, pleading with her eyes.
"Alright." Is something wrong? She tilted her head with her silent question letting her gaze jump quickly to Murtagh. Did something happen?

I will tell you later.
What? Are you afraid someone will eavesdrop into our conversation? Saphira teased, a smile playing on her face.
No... I just need to process it for a little bit. Kamell snuck a look at the back seat, trying to focus on Eragon, he seemed vexed himself, but her eyes lead her to Murtagh.

"Tag... what exactly were you doing with Kamell?" Tarja whispered into his ear, trying to keep a straight face.
"Nothing."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Uh-huh."
"What?"
"You're pants look a little to small." Tarja nodded towards them, causing Murtagh's gaze to bulge, and his hands to suddenly feel the urge to rest in his lap.
"Yeah well if we were doing something she would have gotten rid of that now wouldn't she?" Luckily, Saphira had left the need to turn the radio on when they began to drive, so their conversation was masked.
"Ohhh. So she's a tease?"
"I didn't say that."
"But she is." Murtagh glared at her. "Good for her."
"Tarja-" At that moment, Brom turned the radio off, in an attempt to gather all of their attention, it worked.
"I have business I must attend to with an old friend, who is kindly lending up his pent house to stay in. I'm going to drop the four of you off there, I expect you to behave yourselves, and don't draw any attention, you never know who is larking on these streets."
"Four?" Saphira looked around, counting the six of them in the car.
"Yes four, Eragon is coming with me."
"Why?" It was Kamell's turn to speak up.
"That is none of your concern."
"But-" Brom turned his head slightly and gave Kamell a look she had not seen since she was a child, asking why she didn't have a mom and dad like all the other kids. He was not to be questioned.
"Who is this old friend?" Eragon gathered the courage to ask.

"His name is Jeod."