I'm not dead, and neither is this story. I'll try to update more frequently from now on, so enjoy and review.
After flapping his mighty wings a few times, Thorn was about to meet the ground head first before he raised his wings, bringing them down with force. Through the use of his quick maneuver, Thorn managed to safely pass the barriers where many inexperienced dragons failed. Although his experience and flying skill vastly outmatched that of a hatchling, Thorn struggled intensely whenever he had to take to the skies as the mechanics of balance worked differently while in the air. Relieved that hardest part was finished, Thorn raised his limbs and placed them near his body. Gentle currents of air caressed his scales permanently the moment when he reached a higher altitude. Despite the apparent freedom, however, flying was no longer something which brought joy to the ruby dragon. The constant attention he had to pay to his position while in the sky was quite the nuisance, but it was a necessary pain. Moving on the ground would take too much time, so that option was not a viable one.
Sensing his partner's worries through the Rider bond, Murtagh rubbed Thorn's neck comfortingly, you will not have to fly like this for long, said Murtagh, quickly grabbing a neck spike after a violent twitch of Thorn's body. Galbatorix has practiced magic for over a century and his vast knowledge will surely allow him to mend your tail and return it to its lengthy, majestic form.
Thorn felt a few of his worries vanish under the comforting words of his Rider, but he couldn't get over the feeling of depression that dwelled inside him ever since his tail was reduced its shortened state, ending with that despicable stump instead of the former – yet perfect—tail tip.
Watching the form of Shruikan flying ahead of him unrestrained by any bonds also made Thorn feel slightly envious, an emotion which was quickly replaced by grief… Grief for not being able to glide across the open skies like he used to, grief for not being able to perform the occasional aerial stunts as a display of agility and skill.
These troubling feelings did not cease from slowly eroding Thorn's happiness ever since the battle with Glaedr.
Feeling the comforting rub of his Rider's hand on the back of his neck, Thorn quickly shut his mind from Murtagh to stop channeling his feelings across their bond. Although he was grateful for his support, he did not want Murtagh to feel depressed and blame himself for the misfortune that befell the ruby dragon.
Trying to push the troubling feelings away, Thorn looked at the burned plains which rolled below him.
My worries are my own, and I should not trouble my Rider or Shruikan any more. For the first time, I have to place my hopes in Galbatorix's hands, but I would not falter from denying his offer to heal my tail if the beings I care about would have to pay in my stead, thought Thorn, flapping his wings with increased speed.
The two dragons released a loud roar after they passed through the thick column of smoke that rose in their path. In this portion of land, the fields still retained their golden color… but not for long. After it started with a few flames spewed at the attacking elves, the local fire soon turned into a mighty blaze that burned everything in its path.
The endless plains gave way to large patches of forests and small villages as the two passed over a large branch of the Ramr River, which split from the main stream, flowing towards the west. Wherever there was water, habituations were bound to exist, but the humans that lived in the small settlements couldn't care less about the two dragons that passed overhead, too busy with their usual lives to notice the small shapes of the proud creatures which seemed more like large birds rather than dragons at that altitude.
A pleasant breeze was blowing from the north, chilling the bodies of the dragons as the sun began to set on the horizon, casting its bright orange rays across the sky. It was a marvelous sight for anyone lucky enough to behold, but for the tired dragon it was anything but impressive. Thorn's wings ached and his muscles began to burn with the fatigue that has slowly accumulated ever since he took off.
Shruikan roared loud enough to attract Thorn's attention, This is enough for today, young one. You already reached your limits, and this day has been too costing for you, both physically and mentally, said Shruikan, a tint of worry lacing his thoughts.
I can still fly until we reach the outskirts of Uru'baen. It shouldn't be that far-
A louder roar released by Shruikan interrupted his thoughts, That will not happen, Shruikan said. Flapping his wings with increased force, he increased distance between him and the trailing ruby dragon, I will now go and search for a suitable place to land and recover our energy.
Thorn could do nothing but agree with what Shruikan said. In reality, his tired wings were barely strong enough to hold Thorn in the air, and the prospect of feeling the tough ground under his feet was as delightful as a fresh carcass of a deer.
At Shruikan's instructions, Thorn landed on a large grassy field that was surrounded by trees. Their leaves were the same colors of gold as the plants that rose from the ground, but shades of red and bronze were not uncommon as the touch of the season imprinted its colors upon the vegetation.
Thorn inhaled the pleasant scent of the dry vegetation that surrounded him. His tense wing muscles relaxed after he placed his wings near his body, while his vermilion eyes inspected the surroundings. The area that surrounded him was tranquil and untouched by the activities of the humans, who would rather chop down the trees rather than enjoy the wild, untainted look they gave to a patch of land.
Murtagh dismounted from the saddle, jumping on the ground. His stiff legs almost caused him to fall on the ground face first, but a quick maneuver saved him from the shame.
Thorn growled in amusement, obtaining a slight frown from Murtagh who threw his dragon a quick, slightly menacing look.
Shruikan approached Thorn, his steps sending vibration across the dry soil. Do you want to join me while I hunt, young ones? He asked, his nostrils twitching as he sniffed the air, I caught the scent of several deer while I was searching for a place to land.
Thorn quickly accepted as he was also slightly hungry after the two battles which drained a considerable amount of his strength. Murtagh, on the other hand, was quite reluctant as he took a few steps away from Shruikan's large foreleg, I will remain here, if you don't mind. I'm not as hungry as you two probably are, and I have my own food in case I get hungry.
Shruikan growled in acknowledgement, while Thorn looked at him briefly before turning his attention towards his Rider.
Is there other reason besides your reluctance in joining us? Asked Thorn, moving forward, from what I know, you were quite fond of the red, tasty meat that covers a deer's bones.
It's not because of that, answered Murtagh, taking a quick look at Thorn's saddlebags, I also want to rest for a bit, and this place should suit my needs nicely.
Murtagh took a few steps back as Thorn kept advancing, lowering the distance between them considerably.
You could rest under my wing, little one, said Thorn, bringing his head down to Murtagh's eye level, isn't that what you always do when we are together?
Placing his hand on Thorn's snout, Murtagh began to caress the scales with a slow, irregular move, It is but… he trailed off, breaking the eye contact with the dragon, your loud snoring often wakes me up, and that is unpleasant, he quickly continued as he looked in another direction.
With a quick push of his snout, Thorn had his Rider on the ground, is that what you think, little one? Asked Thorn, baring his teeth slightly, you never complained about my sleeping habits before.
Murtagh smiled sheepishly, turning his head to the right and pointing with his finger towards Shruikan, it's…because of his fault as well.
Thorn cocked his head in confusion, exchanging looks between Murtagh and Shruikan before a fierce snarl was displayed on his face, your complaints are completely unjustified, but you would do well to get used to it, said the ruby dragon, bringing his snout closer to the Rider's face, else you will sleep out in the cold with no protection against the cold wind of the night.
Murtagh remained stunned, with a look of both acceptance and fear on his face, What other options do I have?
Thorn snorted, pleased with the answer he received. Backing off a few feet, Thorn allowed his Rider to get up.
Brushing his clothes off the remains of vegetation mixed with dust, Murtagh rushed towards Thorn's side. You dragons could never allow a human to be right, he snickered, releasing the bags that were strapped on the back of the saddle.
Because that would not be right, little one, Thorn growled playfully as he watched his Rider struggling with the bags.
After a short while, Murtagh succeeded in releasing the bags as he threw them on the ground, a pleased look on his face.
There, you can go and feast on those deer now, he said, reaching into a bag to check its contents.
I will not go with this thing upon my back, Thorn growled and turned his head around, biting at the saddle that was placed on his back. After successfully gripping it with his strong jaws, Thorn violently shook his head.
"N-No don't do that!" screamed Murtagh as he rushed at the dragon's side, but he was too late. After a quick jerk of Thorn's head, the saddle's straps gave away as the object was sent flying through the air, landing in the nearby cluster of trees.
Thorn growled in happiness after the bothersome object was removed from his back. Murtagh simply stood there, dumbstruck by the actions of his dragon.
After taking another look in the direction where the saddle flew, he frowned and looked into Thorn's eyes, was it really needed for you to do that? I was only steps away from-
Thorn released a soft growl, brushing his snout against Murtagh's shoulder with affection, I apologize, little one, but my scales were itching because of it.
The apologetic tone in Thorn's voice made Murtagh chuckle as he gently patted the side of his snout, don't worry about it, I'll find a way to repair it. He said, pausing for a moment, now go, for we kept Shruikan waiting for more than it was necessary.
Growling in acknowledgement, Thorn backed off and turned around so he could face Shruikan. As soon as the ruby dragon joined him, Shruikan took to the skies, shortly followed by Thorn.
Thorn followed Shruikan's lead while he sniffed the air for any potential prey that dwelled in the great forest below.
The scent of several deer that were scattered over a small area entered his nostrils. Driven by the instincts of a predator, Thorn quickly turned in the respective direction, his wings barely moving as not to scare the potential prey.
Shruikan did a sharp turn, flapping his wings with haste. Don't be reckless to hunt on your own, young one. This forest is too thick and the mighty trees could snap your wings to bits if you are not careful, said Shruikan as he got ahead of Thorn.
Thorn growled angrily at the dire prospect of not being able to catch his own prey. Although his tail was troubling him to no end by affecting his flying skills, he could not stomach the idea of a dragon being unable to hunt.
I will find a way to catch my own deer, answered Thorn quickly, scouting the land below with his vermilion eyes.
In time, you will, replied Shruikan calmly, but right now I will hunt for the both of us.
Thorn made no reply as determination clouded his judgement. He needed a boost in his confidence, and catching his own deer was the perfect way to prove to himself that he's not completely crippled. Turning his attention away from Shruikan, Thorn looked below. There were trees everywhere, with little spaces between them for a dragon to swoop down and end the life of a deer. Realizing that there was no possible way in catching something that was shielded by the branches of the trees, Thorn turned into another direction, separating himself from Shruikan.
The ruby dragon flew for a while in search of possible prey, and it was not long before he found the ideal place. In a small grove where the trees were scarce, there was a small herd of deer which grazed on the dry grass. The appetizing scent was irresistible, and Thorn quickly prepared himself for catching the tasty morsels. Flapping his wings steadily, he hovered above the small grove so he could position himself accordingly. Then, quick as an arrow, he pulled his body into a steep dive, folding his wings so he could descend from the sky before the deer would notice.
The air currents whistled past him as the ground was becoming clearer with each passing moment. Fixing his eyes on the deer that would soon lose its life, Thorn focused on the moment at hand, allowing nothing to distract him. However, his damaged tail had its own part to play in the hunt, and soon Thorn lost the perfect balance that allowed him to dive straight towards the deer. Panicking due to the approaching ground, Thorn quickly unfolded his wings and flapped them desperately in trying to gain more altitude before he would crash into the ground.
The deer scattered at the unusual sound of flapping wings which was approaching their location. Thorn managed to exponentially decrease his flying speed, but it was still not enough. Finding it impossible to find the right balance, Thorn struggled to maintain himself into the air before he touched the ground. A loud roar escaped him as the momentum dragged his body forward. His claws raked the ground as the dragon skidded forward, leaving deep gashes into the soil. Thorn growled loudly as he scrambled on his feet to maintain his balance. Ultimately, he failed to do so as he fell onto his belly with a surprised growl, raising a cloud of dust at the impact.
Thorn shook his head and expressed his feelings with a loud growl of frustration. Not only that he wasted a good opportunity to catch a large doe, but all the deer in the vicinity have been alerted by his presence and fled into the woods where they were impossible to reach.
Without anything better to do, Thorn placed his head on his paws, scolding himself for the hasty decisions he made. It would have been better if I just followed Shruikan but…he already did so much for me… Thorn growled softly, sniffing the air for Shruikan's scent, but the dust and the smell of deer that permeated the area made it hard for the ruby dragon to smell the black dragon, I don't want him to see me like a helpless hatchling.
Thorn spent his time alone thinking about how Galbatorix would react when the three of them would return to Uru'baen. The king would probably be in a good mood after his victory over the elder dragon and his Rider, for they were the last of the old Order.
Something which Thorn could find no answer to was Shruikan's presence. He knew that the king had few restrictions concerning Shruikan's freedom, but could he be the one that sent him here?
Questions with no easy answers swarmed around Thorn's head, who quickly dismissed them as he looked around for any signs of Shruikan.
He must have caught a big, juicy deer by now, thought Thorn, lusting for the taste and the juices of the soft meat.
It was only a far away craving, however, for he could barely keep himself into the air in his current state. Thorn looked around once more before he placed his head on his paws, the tranquility and the silence that permeated the glen lulling him to sleep.
The weak, continuous sound of flapping wings seemed to be never ending as Thorn's dulled senses could not make the proper difference between the dream world and the real one. Coiling his body into a comfortable position to preserve the pleasant warmth, Thorn let his mind wander erratically through the never-ending plains that rolled below him.
The freedom he felt was unlike any other feeling, for in the realm of dreams the chains of slavery which constricted him were but a distant, painful memory. The burden of the actions he was forced to commit against his will had also dissipated like frail, crumbling earth, its remnants scattered on the soothing winds.
Flapping his wings slowly as the suave air currents whistled past him, Thorn slowly descended from the sky, his eyes fixed on a familiar, yet undistinguishable shape.
The distance seemed to be nothing more than a puny obstacle as Thorn pulled his body into a dive, reaching an impressive speed. Yet something was wrong. No matter how fast he descended, the shape did not seem to get closer.
Confused by the strange occurrence, Thorn turned his attention towards the ground which was rapidly approaching. Flapping his wings with might to decrease his momentum, Thorn stretched his legs in anticipation of the landing he was about to perform.
The pristine white claws barely scratched when, out of a sudden, everything went black, with only the smell of fresh blood being noticeable amidst the engulfing darkness.
Sniffing the enticing scent instinctively, Thorn slowly came back to his senses as he lazily opened his eyes. The landscape did not change at all, save for the dim specks of light provided by the setting sun. Shaking his head sleepily, Thorn's nostrils twitched as he sniffed the air inquisitively
A soft growl, followed by a gentle touch on his neck roused Thorn from his sleep. Lazily opening his eyes, Thorn blinked a few times to clear his vision. Moments after he did that, the enticing scent of blood entered his nostrils. Turning his head towards the source of the smell, which was the carcass of a large deer, Thorn could not help but wonder how it appeared all of a sudden, and so close to his position.
Lifting his wing instinctively as something brushed against his side, just above his foreleg, Thorn craned his neck to check on the source of the disturbance.
You can pick whichever you want, young one.
Thorn was surprised to hear and even see Shruikan, whose amber eyes stared into Thorn's. The black dragon retracted his snout from Thorn's side, looking at the two deer which were lying on the ground, one close to each other.
How did you find me? Asked Thorn quizzically, licking his snout at the tasty morsels that waited to be devoured.
It was not hard to distinguish your familiar scent out of the others, young one, said Shruikan as he briefly looked at the two deer, although I was careful not to lose the faint trail of scent that would lead me to you, I managed to track down two deer and kill them before they had the chance to retreat into the deeper forest.
Thorn looked down, slightly ashamed of himself, I apologize for ignoring your advice. It was a foolish mistake that offered me nothing in return, said Thorn, poking one deer with his snout, I was about to hunt one on my own, but I could not… he said, releasing a low growl of sadness as he could not contain the suffering he felt every time he thought about his tail.
Be concerned about it no further, Shruikan said gently and tore into his own kill, looking at Thorn expectantly, indicating that he should do the same. It is not going to last forever.
Thorn glanced at Shruikan with hopeful eyes, his blood drenched snout dripping the crimson liquid back into its host. It was not easy to accept the sacrifice of other dragon for their own benefits. While such actions brought them liberation in the end, it also included the same torture, the same agonizing procedure to funnel their own energy before an eldunari finally darkened. They did suffer, but the peace they would attain… it was so similar with his life, only that the peace had yet to come for him.
Lost in his thoughts, he only now realized that he had been staring dumbly at Shruikan's majestic form. Maybe the peace he had in mind—he and Murtagh had in mid—was a different form of peace. It was freedom. He wasn't free, but Shruikan's presence made him feel light and calm. It wasn't only a comforting thought, or the similar fate they shared, but the bond between them. Was it possible for Thorn to achieve peace by relying on the two beings he loved the most? The answer would was obvious, yet his pain, misery and shame for the incomplete tail blocked it.
You'll need every ounce of strength, young one, Shruikan said wisely, lifting onto his fours. Galbatorix's patience runs shorter by the minute, and the prey is scarce on the way to Uru'baen.
Thorn snorted in acknowledgment and tore into his carcass, gulping chunks of meat and severing sinews with his teeth, creating a bloody mess which the lesser fliers would be thankful for. After he finished, they both went searching for Murtagh. Thorn was unusually quiet on his way to him, pondering the meaning of his recent discovery. Peace attained through love while still a captive… maybe it was possible. Perhaps the answer lied in shielding away the misery, the dreadful tasks their received, the innocent lives they had claimed. It almost seemed selfish to forget everything, but at the same time, he never had a choice.
Murtagh's sleeping form soon came into view, an insignificant patch of clothing randomly tossed in a field like a mottled deer. Not even Thorn's footsteps woke him up, and he had to nudge his arm to get his full attention. Murtagh sprung onto his feet in alarm, his eyes big and filled with confusion, typical for one roused suddenly from his slumber.
"Wha-what?" he stuttered dumbly. In the end, he finally regained his composure after thought explained him their decision, and Murtagh accepted it without any objection. The thought of having him on his back was somewhat reassuring, and he could tell by the stupid smirk on his face that Murtagh shared a similar impression.
After Murtagh fastened the saddle on Thorn's back and tied the loose straps, he climbed lazily into the saddle, yawning fiercely.
It's not me who will fall from the sky if I am not careful with tying the saddle, Thorn growled, shifting to get used to the weight on his back.
Think about the bright side, Murtagh said, patting the scales on his neck. At least this thought will keep you awake.
Shruikan, unperturbed by the words shared between the dragon and Rider, took off instantly, beating his wings furiously against the air currents. Thorn followed, but his grace paled in comparison to his onyx partner. Still, he cared not about it anymore. His mind could only think of one thing: Uru'baen, and that's where he and Murtagh were heading: Into the jaws of the beast.