(A/N) So sorry! I'm not going to say much but THANK YOU! For everything! Anyways, I know you're all impatient for the 11th chapter, so here it is! Also, my sequel is going to be going along with Eldest, so it'll make more sense to you guys!

I JUST got Eldest, and so far it's AMAZING! I haven't gotten very far though, so do not even DARE telling me who the Rider of the red dragon is!

SORRY NO NOTES TO REVIEWERS THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE OF NEW RUMOR THAT YOU CAN GET BANNED FROM POSTING NOTES TO REVIEWERS. I HAVE ALL THE NOTES SAVED ON MY COMPUTER, IF THE RUMOR IS NOT TRUE THEN I WILL POST THEM NEXT CHAPTER. I HAVE ALREADY SENT AN EMAIL QUESTIONING IT.

Date Started: September 2, 2005

Date Finished: September 3, 2005

Date Posted: September 3, 2005

Disclaimer- I do not own Eragon.

Chapter 11- Friend or Foe

Karlii didn't know if it was 2 minutes or 2 hours since she had blacked out. All she knew was her shoulder still hurt like mad and people were talking a few feet away from her. Their voices were rushed and filled with anger. She tried opening her eyes, but Kuthian came into her mind.

Don't open your eyes. Just listen to them for a while.

Karlii was confused. Where are you? What happened?

I'm flying right above you. I can see you right now. And, you got shot in the shoulder with an arrow. I can feel your pain.

Is it still in? Karlii pouted.

Yes. Don't move or it'll hurt even more. You've been here only about 5 minutes. When you got shot I flew up…they probably saw me but I thought it would keep you safer.

Well, what do these people want? She retorted. All he said was, Quiet and listen, little one.

Taking her mind away from her conversation with her dragon, she listened in on the conversation.

"Why'd you shoot her?" One person asked. He sounded young…around Karlii's age.

"We didn't know who she was. For all we know, that black dragon could've been the kings dragon!" The other boy sounded older, but not by much.

The first boy scoffed. "You of all people should know that Shruikan would never leave Galbatorix's side. This girl must've found an egg, and it hatched. Simple as that."

"But why a girl? She won't be able to handle the responsibilities of being a Rider! Chances are, she doesn't even know how to wield a sword. If that is her dragon, it wouldn't have fled."

The first one was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Saphira thinks that she is a real Rider. If she is, we should try and find out where she is headed."

Karlii opened the mental link with Kuthian again. So…who is this Saphira? Is there anyone else with them?

Well, I can see an unconscious woman lying by the fire. No one else though.

When should I wake? She asked.

Soon. I'll let you know. So then she went back to listening to the conversation.

Sighing, she shifted slightly. She winced when her shoulder shot with pain across where the arrow was imbedded. The two men stopped talking, and Karlii could feel their eyes burning into her.

Way to go, little one. Kuthian said.

Oh well.

"You!" said the second boy. "Have you woken?"

"Maybe she's just moving in her sleep. Lots of people do that, and she's wincing because of the arrow! I still don't know the exact reason why you shot her. She had no way of defending herself! What if you misaimed? You could've pierced her heart!"

"You of all people would know that my aim would never miss!"

"What if you got pushed right as you let go?"

"But you didn't push me! That's the point!" They both sounded very angry.

"Well," said the first person. "Since you aren't firing any arrows right now, it would be okay for me to push you now, eh?" Karlii heard someone fall to the ground.

"That's it." The second guy said. Karlii squinted her eyes so extremely small slits, so all she could see was light and two silhouettes fighting it out. She closed her eyes again and just listened. She opened her mind to Kuthian.

Where are you now? She asked lazily.

Still right above you. Those two boys both seem pretty tough. They're punching each other and everything.

Okay…this arrow really hurts. Can't you make the pain go away?

All I can do right now is feel your pain with you.

Karlii sighed. She listened to the fight get to it's worst and die down. Finally, they stopped, gulping in air. They didn't talk for a while, until the first boy spoke.

"Should we take the arrow out of her? I completely forgot!"

"Yes, and remember to heal it right away." Karlii heard someone coming over to her.

"Are you sure she's asleep? It'll hurt a lot of she's actually awake…listening in onto every one of our words."

That's weird. Do you think he knows I'm awake?

I don't know, but we'd better prepare ourselves for a lot of pain, because he's just about to pull the arrow out…

It sounded like he was preparing himself to share her pain. She felt someone grasp hold of the arrow shaft.

"I hope you're still asleep," the guy said. Karlii held her breath…and then he tore the arrow from her shoulder. It hurt more then she thought; she sat straight up and screamed as loud as she could, and she felt hot tears streaming down her cheeks. High above her, she heard Kuthian roar in pain.

Her hand went directly to where the skin was torn and ruined form the arrowhead coming out. She had stopped screeching, but the tears kept on coming. She looked up at the bewildered boy standing above her. She couldn't see her clearly through her blurred eyes, but she saw brown hair and deeply tanned skin.

"Murtagh, she was awake!" he told the other person. Karlii looked over at him. He looked as shocked as the boy standing above her. Then the boy said, "Here, I can mend the wound."

Karlii looked up at him and nodded, closing her eyes. Next thing she knew, he whispered Waíse heill, and her shoulder automatically felt better. She opened her eyes and looked down. There was no sign of an arrow ever hitting her, except for a small bruise. She brushed her fingers lightly against it.

"What did you do?" she asked, realizing that these people shot at her then healed her.

The first boy glanced at Murtagh. "I used magic." He finally said.

Karlii was bewildered. She had heard about magic users in ancient times, but she didn't know there were any left, that could do magic right off by hand.

"What is your name, girl?" asked Murtagh, who was leaning against a tree.

Should I answer him?

Yes. Try and find out if they are working for the Empire or not.

Okay.

"Uh…my name's Karlianna Goriest. But I guess you can call me Karlii…everyone does except for my parents who abandoned me because they're poor…who are you two?" Karlii was glad that she kind of didn't ramble. She wasn't the greatest when it came to talking. Except for when she was talking to Kuthian, she was a complete klutz.

The two guys exchanged wary looks, then the first one said, "My name's Eragon, and this is Murtagh."

"Ahh…and who's she?" Karlii asked, referring to the unconscious girl.

"We don't know her name…yet. When Murtagh helped me escaped from prison in Gil'ead, we rescued this elf too." Eragon said very quickly.

Kuthian! Karlii shouted through their mental link.

What? Do you have to shout? I'm still right above you. He sounded irritated.

They have an elf! An ELF! Do you know what this means?

Uhh…no?

Neither do I. We should figure it out soon. The two boys were looking at her strangely…did they know that she was talking to Kuthian?

Good idea! Now, don't call me to come down. I'll just listen to them through you, and I will find a proper time to come down.

All right.

"Are you usually that quiet, girl?" asked Murtagh. Had he already forgotten her name?

"Yes. I'm actually a very shy girl." She lied.

"Are you sure you aren't…talking to someone?" he asked slyly.

"Murtagh!" shouted Eragon, just as Karlii shouted, "No!"

On a different point of topic, Eragon asked, "So, Karlii, where do you come from?"

Karlii flushed red. Remembering about her home brought tears to her eyes. She hung her head and did her best to hide them, but Eragon and Murtagh saw them.

"What's wrong, Karlii?" asked Murtagh sympathetically.

"I come from Narda, a city slightly smaller than Teirm. It is 3 days north of Teirm, walking. I was born and raised there, but a few months ago my parents…they abandoned me, because they are poor merchants."

Karlii! You don't now these people, you just met them! Don't tell them everything about your life.

I know that. Snapped Karlii. I wasn't about to tell them about your egg I found!

I don't trust them. He said.

Not everyone is trustworthy. But if they're in the Beor Mountains, they are either slavers or running from the Empire. I haven't heard of anyone living in these mountains, except for dwarves.

Just keep an eye on them. I'm going to hunt, and I'll be back later.

Bye. She said, looking up. She saw a black dot halt in the air, and then fly off towards the mountains.

When she looked at Eragon and Murtagh, they had followed her gaze.

"What?" she asked, irritated. Why'd they have to be so damned curious?

"Nothing," they mumbled. Karlii examined them. They looked burnt to a crisp, their lips were chapped and they looked so tired that they could be mistaken for one of the living dead.

"Did you guys just come out of the Desert?" she asked. Murtagh laughed and nodded.

"We just traveled 60 leagues in 5 days. We need to get the elf to the Var…" Eragon was cut short by a sharp glare and hiss from Murtagh.

Karlii raised an eyebrow, a trait that she had inherited from her father. It was dark out now, and when Karlii looked up, she could see the stars. When she tried to reach out to Kuthian, she couldn't feel his presence. She felt alone and somewhat vulnerable now. She yawned widely and stretched her arms.

"Why don't you rest? We'll wake you when we're about to leave."

Karlii glared at Eragon. "How do I know you aren't slavers, and when I wake up we'll be halfway to Urû'baen? Or worse, when I wake up I'll be dead? How can I trust you?"

After a few moments silence, Eragon spoke up.

"I have a reason." He said.


(A/N) Aren't I evil? Sorry again about the notes to reviewers thing. I'm hoping that fanfiction will get my email and reply back! Anyways, hope you liked this chapter! I had to re-do like, half of it because I made them meet in the wrong part of the book! (I made them meet just after they left Gil'ead, instead of after the Hadarac Desert! Stupid me!) I hope you guys don't mind the change of penname! Well, it's 11:42 pm right now, and I got to get up for church in the morning, so I'll post this and head off to bed!

Sarinati