Yomir is called little bird by duress also called grim hunter by urgaks made to save durza from galbatirix carving stuff line urgaks but sucks at if

Daret was on the banks of the Ninor River—as it had to be to survive. The village was small and wild-looking, without any signs of inhabitants. Eragon, Yomir and Brom approached it with great caution. Saphira hid close to the town this time; if trouble arose, she would be at their sides within seconds. That thought left Yomir a little uncomfortable, her power and ferocity was not tempered with as much humanity as it could be.

They rode into Daret, striving to be silent. Brom gripped his sword with his good hand, eyes flashing kept his bow partially drawn as they passed between the silent houses, glancing at each other with forbidding.

Yomir sniffed the air, the scent of warm bodies and sweat filled the air carried by a dry wind. He could hear scraps and scuffling even in the far distance. " There are people watching us, a lot of them..." He whispered, catching the attention of his comrades. Allowing power to flow to his eyes, he realized there was dozens of people in hiding. " The roofs are lined in men with bows."

Brom stiffened and they stopped a hundred feet from entering. Wind blew through the desolate town, and dust devils swirled sporadically. "We do not have much of a choice, we need supplies. How fast can you react if need be?"

Yomir smirked a little. "Fast enough.

"Then be fast" He spurred Snowfire into a gallop. Eragon followed him, urging Cadoc onward.

They advanced into the town itself only a few meters before wagons toppled out from behind the houses and blocked their way. Cadoc snorted and dug in his hooves, sliding to a stop next to Snowfire. A swarthy man hopped over the wagon and planted himself before them, a broadsword slung at his side and a drawn bow in his hands. Eragon swung his own bow up and pointed it at the stranger almost simultaneously with Yomir, who commanded, "Halt! Put your weapons down. You're surrounded by sixty archers. They'll shoot if you move." As if on cue, a row of men stood up on the roofs of the surrounding houses, just as Yomir had told them just moments before.

"What do you want?" asked Brom calmly.

"Why have you come here?" demanded the man.

"To buy supplies and hear the news. Nothing more. We're on the way to my cousin's house in Dras-Leona."

"You're armed pretty heavily."

"So are you," said Brom. "These are dangerous times."

"True." The man looked at them carefully. "I don't think you mean us ill, but we've had too many encounters with Urgals and bandits for me to trust you only on your word."

"If it doesn't matter what we say, what happens now?" countered Brom. The men on top of the houses had not moved, Yomir could smell their fear. It was sharp and rank, and it excited the predator in his soul. He felt his muscles ache with the desire to feed on them, to gorge himself on their lifeblood.

"You say that you only want supplies. Would you agree to stay here while we bring what you need, then pay us and leave immediately?"

"Yes."

"All right," said the man, lowering his bow, though he kept it ready. He waved at one of the archers, who slid to the ground and ran over. "Tell him what you want."

Brom recited a short list and then added, "Also, if you have a spare pair of gloves that would fit my nephew, I'd like to buy those too." The archer nodded and ran off.

"The name's Trevor," said the man standing in front of them. "Normally I'd shake your hand, but under the circumstances, I think I'll keep my distance. Tell me, where are you from?"

"North," said Brom, "but we haven't lived in anyplace long enough to call it home. Have Urgals forced you to take these measures?"

"Yes," said Trevor, not seeing the pained wince that threatened to wash through Yomir at the reminder of his true actions and purpose as Yazuac. "and worse fiends. Do you have any news from other towns? We receive word from them rarely, but there have been reports that they are also beleaguered."

Brom turned grave. "I wish it wasn't our lot to bring you these tidings. Nearly a fortnight ago we passed through Yazuac and found it pillaged. The villagers had been slaughtered and piled together. We would have tried to give them a decent burial, but two Urgals attacked us."

Shocked, Trevor stepped back and looked down with tears in his eyes. "Alas, this is indeed a dark day. Still, I don't see how two Urgals could have defeated all of Yazuac. The people there were good fighters—some were my friends."

'Not that good, we slaughtered them without effort. We lost not a single Urgal in the attack, I fed to my hearts content...'

"There were signs that a band of Urgals had ravaged the town," stated Brom. "I think the ones we encountered were deserters."

"How large was the company?"

Yomir leaned forward. " I followed their company for some time, before joining this one. There are nearly three hundred of them at my last count. I hunted down as many stragglers as I could, nearly a dozen on my own."

Trevor's eyes were wide. "But your a child?"

"And a more capable warrior then you could comprehend, well trained and more then capable. It wasn't hard, more sport then anything else." He shouldn't have bragged, he knew that, but there was a power in bragging and the fear it brought to Trevor's face. The bloodlust burned in him as he drank in the fear that spread across the many humans looking at him, listening to his tale. "That being said, despite the skill you all seem to have, the discipline, you may want to flee these lands. A band that large of Urgal would prove fatal to your people, no matter your skill."

"I know, but the people here refuse to consider moving. This is their home—as well as mine, though I have only been here a couple years—and they place its worth above their own lives." Trevor looked at him seriously. "We have repulsed individual Urgals, and that has given the townspeople a confidence far beyond their abilities. I fear that we will all wake up one morning with our throats slashed."

The archer hurried out of a house with a pile of goods in his arms. He set them next to the horses, and Brom paid him. As the man left, Brom asked, "Why did they choose you to defend Daret?"

Trevor shrugged. "I was in the king's army for some years."

Brom dug through the items, handed Eragon the pair of gloves, and packed the rest of the supplies into their saddlebags. "Well," said Brom, "as I promised, we will go now."

Trevor nodded. "When you enter Dras-Leona, would you do us this favor? Alert the Empire to our plight and that of the other towns. If word of this hasn't reached the king by now, it's cause for worry. And if it has, but he has chosen to do nothing, that too is cause for worry."

"We will carry your message. May your swords stay sharp," said Brom.

"And yours."

The wagons were pulled out of their way, and they rode from Daret into the trees along the Ninor River.

Brom pulled at his beard. "The Empire is in worse condition than I had imagined. When the traders visited Carvahall, they brought reports of unrest, but I never believed that it was this widespread. With all these Urgals around, it seems that the Empire itself is under attack, yet no troops or soldiers have been sent out. It's as if the king doesn't care to defend his domain." Then he turned to Yomir, frowning. " Why did you reveal your dispatching of the Urgals? All it did was show that you are a threat. You already look like a shade, no one needs know of your powers, great as they are."

Yomir sighed. " I am a predator, I cannot explain it past that. I do what comes naturally, showcasing strength and feeding on fear is what feels natural no matter how foolish it seems. I know it is foolish, I know better but instinct is a hard beast to master."

Brom sighed, then nodded. " I cannot disagree with that, you are not human so to expect you to follow human behavior is foolish. However if you endanger us with that instinct, you will be removed. Am I clear?"

"Without a doubt." He frowned at the old man as he turned away, and allowed his power to flood his muscles. He knew he could kill Brom easily, despite the man's skill there was only so much he could do against a being of Yomir's power.

"It is strange," agreed Eragon.

Brom ducked under a low-hanging branch. "Did you use any of your powers while we were in Daret? Did either of you?"

"There was no reason to." Eragon said, niavely.

Yomir just sighed. " I cannot enter the mind, but I could not smell deceit, only fear... a lot of fear."

With a nod, Brom turned to Eragon. "Your friend may not be able to sense intentions or read the minds of others but you can do that."

"How could I know what Trevor was thinking?" asked Eragon. "Am I supposed to be able to see into people's minds?"

"Come now," chided Brom, "you should know the answer to that. You could have discovered Trevor's purpose in the same way that you communicate with Cadoc or Saphira. The minds of men are not so different from a dragon's or horse's. It's a simple thing to do, but it's a power you must use sparingly and with great caution. A person's mind is his last sanctuary. You must never violate it unless circumstances force you to. The Riders had very strict rules regarding this. If they were broken without due cause, the punishment was severe."

"And you can do this even though you aren't a Rider?" asked Eragon.

"As I said before, with the right instruction anyone can talk with their minds, but with differing amounts of success. Whether it's magic, though, is hard to tell. Magical abilities will certainly trigger the talent—or becoming linked with a dragon—but I've known plenty who learned it on their own. Think about it: you can communicate with any sentient being, though the contact may not be very clear. You could spend the entire day listening to a bird's thoughts or understanding how an earthworm feels during a rainstorm. But I've never found birds very interesting. I suggest starting with a cat; they have unusual personalities."

Eragon twisted Cadoc's reins in his hands, considering the implications of what Brom had said. "But if I can get into someone's head, doesn't that mean that others can do the same to me? How do I know if someone's prying in my mind? Is there a way to stop that?"

"Yes, you can. I am actually very skilled at this, I can teach you a few things if you'd like. Additionally you can practice attempting to enter my thoughts as well, to master this power of yours." Yomir offered, getting a warm smile from his friend.

Brom worked on his bandage for a moment, shifting it higher on his arm. "Only a few people can tell if someone is in their mind, and of those, only a handful could stop you from entering. It's a matter of training and of how you think. Because of your magical power, you'll always know if someone is in your mind. Once you do, blocking them is a simple matter of concentrating on one thing to the exclusion of all else. For instance, if you only think about a brick wall, that's all the enemy will find in your mind. However, it takes a huge amount of energy and discipline to block someone for any length of time. If you're distracted by even the slightest thing, your wall will waver and your opponent will slip in through the weakness. Yomir, what were you taught to mask your thoughts?"

"The sound of my heartbeat. My senses are far greater then a humans so I am more easily distracted, I had to work harder to master this skill but I have done well so far."

"How can I learn to do this?" asked Eragon. "How were you taught when you were not born with or given this power Yomir?"

"My teacher, a witch, entered my mind and hammered away at it until I could fight back. Then she lured me into her mind I could feel the flow of energy and the path to magic. I never did learn that last part, but I did manage to mask my thoughts. The trick however is practice, you need to really hone this skill with sheer effort. There is only so much that power can make it easier."

"He is right."

"I don't need perfection, just safety." Eragon's tone was wary, clearly disturbed by the power he was learning. Not that Yomir could blame him, magic was a terrifying thing.

When they reached Saphira, she startled them by thrusting her head at them. The horses back stepped nervously. Saphira looked Eragon over carefully and gave a low hiss. Her eyes were flinty.

Eragon frowned and got off Cadoc. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Saphira swept his legs out from under him with her tail and pinned him with her talons. "What are you doing?" he yelled, struggling to get up, but she was too strong for him.

Yomir threw his entire body at Saphira, his strength more then enough to knock her off of Eragon. She snapped at him but the moment she clamped her jaws shut, he grasped her head in his hands and threw it down. With a foot, he slammed it down on her head hard, hard enough to crack the dirt and make her whine. With a growl on his lips, he reached down and grabbed her neck, twisting to toss her sideways. It took all of his strength but he actually managed to throw her a good few feet.

Immediately he fell into a low crouch over Eragon, his mind running with one thought that equaled only his bloodlust.

"Hurt him again and I will kill you."

There was no logic to his actions, only a burning possessiveness and a desire to keep Eragon safe that he just didn't understand. He had never felt it before, this feeling, he had never had friends or family as far as he could tell. Was this normal? He had no idea...

Not that it mattered, nothing else mattered but keeping Eragon from the threat he saw before him.

"Yomir, don't hurt her!" Eragon huffed out, struggling to stand. "Saphira, why did you attack me?" There was a moment of silence, a clear mental conversation passing between the two entities before Eragon sighed. "She wants me to ride her tomorrow."

Brom considered it with twinkling eyes. "Well, you have the saddle. I suppose that if the two of you stay out of sight, it won't be a problem." Saphira switched her gaze to him, then returned it to Eragon.

"But what if you're attacked or there's an accident? I won't be able to get there in time and—"

Brom seemed to hide a smile. "It's worth the risk. You need to learn how to ride her anyway. Think about it this way: with you flying ahead and looking at the ground, you'll be able to spot any traps, ambushes, or other unwelcome surprises." He actually laughed a little before turning to Yomir with a sheer seriousness that he barely understood. "How did you do that? Not many beings can go toe to toe with a dragon, even a small one like Saphira. Why did you do it?"

"She attacked him and I... it was worse then bloodlust, I felt... like I had to protect Eragon, like hurting him was hurting me. There was no middle ground here, it didn't matter that she was sentient or stronger then me. I had to protect him, all else ceased to matter."

"Keep that rage for enemies then, not allies."

Saphira, oddly, didn't seem upset with him and in fact looked at him. Then he heard it, her thoughts in his mind. 'You protected Eragon... even if it was from me... Thank you. It is good to see that someone cares for him. I worry about his safety.'

"I care for him too, even though we have only known each other for a few weeks. He is the first human I have bonded with since I escaped Durza... that is important to me."

'You hit hard, you a powerful predator. I am proud to call you my ally.'

"And I you, Saphira."

It was nearly sundown when they made camp. As usual, Eragon dueled with Brom and Yomir both before dinner. In the midst of his fight with Brom, Eragon delivered such a powerful blow that he snapped both of their sticks like twigs. The pieces whistled into the darkness in a cloud of splintered fragments. Brom tossed what remained of his stick into the fire and said, "We're done with these; throw yours in as well. You have learned well, but we've gone as far as we can with branches. There is nothing more you can gain from them. It is time for you to use the blade." He removed Zar'roc from Eragon's bag and gave it to him.

"We'll cut each other to ribbons," protested Eragon.

"Not so. Again you forget magic," said Brom. He held up his sword and turned it so that firelight glinted off the edge. He put a finger on either side of the blade and focused intensely, deepening the lines on his forehead. For a moment nothing happened, then he uttered, "Gëuloth du knífr!" and a small red spark jumped between his fingers. As it flickered back and forth, he ran his fingers down the length of the sword. Then he twirled it and did the same thing on the other side. The spark vanished the moment his fingers left the metal. Brom held his hand out, palm up, and slashed it with the sword.

Eragon jumped forward but was too slow to stop him. He was astonished when Brom raised his unharmed hand with a smile. "What did you do?" asked Eragon.

"Feel the edge," said Brom. Eragon touched it first, then Yomir and he felt an invisible surface under his fingers. The barrier was about a quarter inch wideand very slippery. "Now do the same on Zar'roc," instructed Brom. "Your block will be a bit different than mine, but it should accomplish the same thing."

He told Eragon how to pronounce the words and coached him through the process. It took Eragon a few tries, but he soon had Zar'roc's edge protected. Before they started, Brom admonished, "These swords won't cut us, but they can still break bones. I would prefer to avoid that, so don't flail around like you normally do. A blow to the neck could prove fatal."

Eragon nodded, then struck without warning. Sparks flew off his blade, and the clash of metal filled their campsite as Brom parried. Unable to move Zar'roc fast enough, he received a sharp rap on his knee. They both had large welts when they stopped, Eragon more so than Brom. Taking Brom's blade, Yomir started against Eragon, his speed and strength giving him a serious edge against Eragon but as he had noticed over the last few days, his advantage was thinning considerably as the days passed. Eragon was gaining tremendous skill quite quickly.

Later, they had a final match, only Yomir was allowed to use his axe. Having the same experience Eragon had, only shy by about a week as he learned, he was able to defeat the boy easily, disarming him with a few blows before moving onto the drastically more skilled Brom. That fight lasted a long time before Brom barely managed to squeeze out a victory, at a the cost a few new bruises on his arms.

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

I forgot how long this book was, that was what stopped me from writing... I don't plan on stopping any time soon...
My next chapter will be entirely Original... I think.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.