AN: Big chapter here. Promo and Amithya have their clutch! Yay! And Saphira stresses over the fact that she has yet to mate. Poor Saphira.

……………………………………………………………………………

Eragon and Saphira had continued their lessons with Oromis and Glaedr back at the Craigs. The elf and gold dragon were very intrigued by the news of Promoneius and Amithya but had decided to leave the new dragons alone after Eragon had assured them that Promoneius is more then ready to defend his mate and brood.

That certainly settles things, Glaedr said. Coming from a personal viewpoint of course the male will gladly do what he feels is best for his family.

Saphira snorted.

Saphira! Glaedr yelled at her to assert his authority in hopes to pacify her of making anymore of a fool of herself.

"Come now Saphira",comforted Eragon stroking Saphira's forepaw she turned her head away from him.

Saphira started stalking back and forth like a lion. More out of agitation then not wanting her rider's attention. The sapphire dragoness wasn't the same after they had encountered the newcomer dragons. She had grown envious of seeing a mated dragon pair. Her desire to mate had become a great obsession and Glaedr's reference to his past paternal stance reminded her. The golden dragon got himself up with his one good front leg.

Saphira, I know you have such a great desire but-

So! Saphira snapped back at him. Why should I put such things away for now? Why must I carry the burden of being the last female of my kind?

"But you are not the last female Saphira. You met Amithya", said Eragon.

I meant the last Alagaessian female. It's obvious that those dragons are not the same species of dragons as I. The first dragon I ever met refused me, Thorn is on the side of the enemy, and the green egg is still in Galbatorix's hands and dare not think of the prospect of Shruikan mating with me. What does that leave me Eragon?

The elder dragon stood snout to snout to the sapphire dragoness.

Saphira we had talked about this. You have your duties to perform before you can have what you want.

You're just saying that because I remind you of your daughter. You don't have the common sense that the only way to save our race is for you to breed with me.

Glaedr lost it. He pounced on her crushing her with double her weight. Eragon rushed to Saphira's side only to be hindered by Oromis who pulled him back down. Saphira lay under her elder's pin realizing that she had insulted him greatly mentioning that he should forget about his past mate and daughter.

Master, I am sorry.

The golden dragon released his grip on her and returned to the side of his rider. Not a word was spoken then Oromis said, "we are done for today, go you two, we will continue our lessons tomorrow. Go you two."

Back at the Tree house Saphira laid in her bowl to depress due to the day's events to speak. Eragon strolled aimlessly around their lodge. He sat himself opposite of her on the bed besides her bowl.

I am so pathetic, Saphira.

"No your not", Eragon said.

Eragon, I am the last female of my kind. The fate of all the alagaesian dragons rest with me. If Glaedr still wont have me or if we can not find a way to free Murtagh and Thorn from Galbatorix's control or if we cannot save the green egg. What hope is there for me, for my kind?

"Remember when I said that dragons had to exist else where in the world? Look at Promoneius and Amithya, they are not from here and that just proves that you're not alone. I will ask our masters for a break to go see them again and when all this is over we will go look for other dragons, even if they are not the same species as you. I promise you Saphira and that's a promise I will honor. "

Eragon stroke her forepaw and sealed the promise in the ancient language.

I would still like to mate with a dragon of my own kind, Saphira said.

"I am sorry Saphira, if only I wish I could help you with that".

…………………………………………………………………………..

Amithya woke up in the middle of the night it was predawn. She felt an excruciating pain in her abdomen feeling like her hide was being pulled tight around her body.

Promo, Promo! She called out to him panicking as shifted in his tight embrace.

What is it? Oh is it time.

Yes it is, Amithya said getting up with an effort as Promoneius released his grip.

She moved about the lair heading to a spot where the earth was the softest she had previously picked out for the event. She used her forepaw to excavate a shallow impression into the earth. Promoneius watched her as she did this. She dug out a hole by four feet by three feet and a foot deep and laid herself over it. Her breath had gone shallow as Prmoneius came up to lay by her side and draped a wing over, entwining his neck and tail around hers. Both of their parents had told them that in giving birth to trust their instincts and now they were letting themselves be guided by them.

Together they hum a melody enticing their eggs to come.

Amithya's tail became erect as a single egg departed her and a few seconds later another one had come. The mother dragon got herself up instantly to check on her first laid clutch. Two porcelain brown speckled eggs lay in the nest. Amithya settled herself around the nest of eggs front paws encircled around them vigilantly pulling the moist eggs close to her chest.

Promoneius sniffed at them. Flicking out his barbed tongue he gingerly brushed them as he slurp up some of the birthing fluid that still coated the egg. The receptors on his tongue permanently identified the eggs belonging to him. Amithya glared at him pulling his head back as she shoved hers towards him pushing him away from the eggs. The natural instinct to brood her eggs became active. Promoneius headed outside and took flight he encircled their home and landed on top of the peak.

Gathering himself he thrust his head and tail upward, wings out spread as he let out a fearsome drawn out roar commemorating the birth of their very fist clutch. Amithya had let out a punitive version of the roar from her station joining her mate's mightier one. The roar reflected off the adjacent peaks. It must have caused terror to all sorts of creatures for miles but Promoneius didn't care he was celebrating; only other dragons would know what the cry really meant. He let another roar but not as strong as the previous one. Amithya did not join him then he let his head fall, he never had roared like that before. He felt ill as if he had lost all the contents of his stomach. The remnants of the roar still echoed of the hills until he regained the energy he had used to produce it.

The father dragon glided back down to his family. Amithya glanced at him with one eye from her brooding position as her mate padded back inside their lair. Promoneius returned to his usual sleeping arrangement though this time he placed his right fore paw over her with his wing pulling himself closer to his family. Amithya had her head encircled around the clutch.

That was the greatest roar I ever heard, Amithya said under him groggily. It was absolutely amazing.

Promoneius licked her ear.

How was the birth? He asked her.

Smoother then I expected. Mother had told us that with our mates beside us it would always be easy.

She flicked out her tongue to lick him on the snout for that was all she could do to show her affection in her situation.

Though I wonder, back home at the colony. Usually birthing females would have another female of their choosing to be with them on the opposite side of their mate. I had watched my mother been with one before that was something I would never forget. My mother surely enjoyed being there for that other female. I like to wonder who I would have picked to be there for me.

Who would you have picked then? Asked Promoneius.

I do not know. I have so many choices from my mother to yours and your sister to one of my. Even though I had always liked them, ever since we have fully bonded I feel closer to your family more then ever

I feel the same way about yours as well my dear. Our bloodlines are now one; our clutch is testimony to that. Our parents would be proud.

Very proud, she corrected.

Aye, jubilant they will be, if only they were here.

So, the brooding has begun. Eight months of just lying here, tending to the eggs, no flying. Amithya said despairingly she sighed.

Not that I am complaining my dear it's just that-

I know, and if I could I would trade with you.

Amithya snorted loudly.

I am sorry dear my instincts are too strong. I have to constantly watch over the eggs for eight months.

My father was able to take watch when my mother was brooding my siblings and I, Promoneius said.

So did my father but a moment of freedom is just that a moment.

Amithya settled down sleep taking her.

We all have our duties dear. Tomorrow I expect you to bring me back the biggest prey beast you could find and I don't mean you going to raid the human town for cattle. They have their territory and we have ours let's respect our neighbors.

As your ever-loyal mate I will, Promoneius said and went to sleep tenaciously coiled around his mate and clutch.

As he lolled off to sleep he thought about what it would've been like if they were back at the home colony with their new family all their relatives there from his caring mother to the sister he loves. Amithya shared in the soothing thought it as well.