"Kendra!" Ice yelled in her head, and Kendra popped up, basically doing the same thing Murtagh had done when Kendra yelled at him earlier, slipping clothes on while she thought.

"What's going on? What's wrong!" Kendra asked frantically.

"Murtagh contacted Thorn, he's in trouble!" Ice informed her and Kendra was gone. She pushed through the front door to interrupt Arya and Eragon.

"I'm sorry you two, Murtagh's in trouble. We need to find him!" Kendra snapped at the couple near the front of her house, who, although no longer kissing, were still close to each other, as if to kiss again.

"What?" Eragon asked, turning his attention to her.

"Thorn and Murtagh are hurt!" Kendra snapped again, not even pausing before turning her speed walk into a run as she felt Ice's panic seeping into her mind. She followed the direction Ice was, and then stopped dead in her tracks.

"We can't calm her down." Arya murmured and Eragon was about to ask who, but he had to blink when a flash of dark red suddenly darted passed him, and then darted back just as fast.

"Wha…" Eragon was too exhausted to think about this at the moment.

"Kendra, she's basically speed pacing." Ashlen sighed next to him, rubbing her eyes. He jumped, because he didn't realize she was there. He let out a sigh with her.

"I'm guessing he's not doing well?" Eragon asked, really afraid of the answer. Arya and Ashlen both stared at him with solemn eyes and he got even more frightened. Kendra obviously heard his question on the way ack. She stopped mid-stride and Eragon took one look at her and felt like crying.

Her hair was still wild. Her eyes were red and puffy. Eragon could still see tear streaks on her face. She looked a way he had never seen her before. She looked fragile.

"They told me to say goodbye to him, Eragon." She managed to choke out, "They don't think he'll make it through the rest of the night." Ashlen's hand came to cover her mouth and Eragon stood frozen. Arya on the other seemed livid.

"I can't believe they would say that to you! Stupid…" Arya continued mumbling to herself as she stalked towards the healing tent where Murtagh was, more specifically, to the healers who told the very unstable, fragile Kendra that news.

"Eragon…" Kendra whispered, voice breaking before she could continue, "I-I I can't-" she choked up again, but Eragon already knew what she was going to say. Eragon grabbed her shoulder, pulling her into a hug. Ashlen respectfully looked away, following Arya, mostly to insure she hadn't killed anybody.

"I know." Eragon shook his head, "I know." He repeated. Murtagh was his best friend, nearly a best friend to him. Without him and his comforting advice, his silent assurance that everything was going to be alright, hell! Even his sarcastic remarks Eragon couldn't do without. "He won't leave us." Eragon finally swore.

"I'll kick his ass if he does." Kendra hiccupped out. Eragon let a ghost of a smile cross his face.

Alex was nearly hysterical, tears streaming down her face. Now, while everyone thought it was because she had witnessed the horrible attack on Murtagh, she and Shruikan knew the truth. It was really because she hadn't finished Murtagh off before the other dragon, Ice, arrived on the scene. She had changed Shruikan back to the harmless, frightened, little silver dragon before Ice could see anything and made up a story about this horrible black dragon that had suddenly appeared and attacked Murtagh.

Murtagh did the heroic thing of course, and told her to run, but she didn't get far before Murtagh was otherwise…incapitated. The dragon must have turned away when it sensed Ice was coming. It just must have!

That story would stick, as long as Murtagh stayed basically dead, or better yet, died completely.

"Young mistress, calm down and think of something more…enjoyable." Shruikan simply sounded like he was smirking as he replayed the memory in her head. (A/N: Might want to skip this part if you have a vivid imagination or easy stomach…)

Kendra, running into the forest, not soon after Ice had arrived. Kendra, freezing on sight of Murtagh. Murtagh's bloodied, beaten, and all together battered body lying somewhat curled around a tree…spine bent around the tree. Pieces of bone literally protruding from his skin.

"No…" ghosted across the clearing as Kendra took wobbly steps, like a newborn trying to walk. She could collapse at any moment. And collapse she did the moment she got to Murtagh's side, on to her knees. "Murtagh…" she whimpered, wiping some hair from his face and pointedly ignoring the rest of his body.

Six or seven healing spells later Kendra had to dip into her locket, which Alex took note of. Murtagh wasn't bleeding anymore, but he was still opened up, and still in horrible shape. Others were arriving now, and took Murtagh to the healing tent, Kendra close behind.

Alex let a small smile grace her features, before she spotted Kendra coming her way. She made more crocodile tears. Kendra was trailed by Eragon and Arya, who looked genuinely worried for Kendra's health.

"Kendra!" Alex exclaimed, playing the act well, throwing her arms around Kendra's tiny hips. "I'm so sorry!" she sobbed, "I wanted to help, but I got so scared!" Alex cried, "I-" she wanted to continue with her drama, it was quite fun actually, but Kendra cut her off, shushing her quietly.

"Calm down Alex." Kendra dropped to her knees, down to Alex's level. She leaned to whisper in Alex's ear, keeping her words low enough to where even the elven hearing of Arya and Eragon couldn't hear her. "Alex…" Kendra breathed.

"Kendra…" Alex filled the silence, uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach for some ridiculous reason.

"I want you to know…" Kendra paused again, but it didn't seem threatening, but as if Kendra was choosing the precise words carefully, "I don't trust you as quickly as I could kill you." Kendra hissed, getting back to her feet before Alex could let out anything but a muted gasp. She pat Alex's head and turned around, keeping a charade on for Arya and Eragon.

Only Alex could see the hidden stalk in her walk.

"Shruikan…"Alex started shakily when everyone was out of hearing range, and the little silver dragon looked up at her questionably, "We have a major problem."