…and fell to the ground with a thud. He didn't move for the next few seconds, still waited for the feel of a knife between his ribs or a stab to his heart. Eragon raised a brow. He stepped back to give the boy space.
When he realized that nothing was happening, the boy snapped into a standing position. He swerved as vertigo hit him from being upside down for so long.
Eragon watched him, waiting for him to gather himself before saying, "You shouldn't be here."
"And why is that?" the boy asked as he was able to recover.
"Leave."
"No."
Eragon glared at him, tightening his grasp on his knife. The boy tensed, lifting his arms as if to defend himself. Funny as the boy was larger than him, but Eragon supposed that the boy didn't know what he was capable of.
When nothing else happened, the boy looked at him, determined. "I… I can't leave. I need to get meat for my family."
After a minute, the sound of something falling on the ground made him jump. Eragon gave the boy one last warning glare before turning toward the bushes.