"My name is Roran," said the boy instead, changing the subject. He held out his hand.
Eragon watched the appendage, unknowing what to do with it at first before reaching out and awkwardly flailing the other's hand around. He wasn't sure he did it right because the other boy gave him a startled look.
"Er," he said, slowly pulling his hand back. "What's your name?"
"Eragon."
"That's a weird name."
Eragon huffed at him, lifting his chin haughtily. "It was the name of the first elf to become a Rider."
"Huh?"
"Never mind. You should go."
The boy looked behind him and sighed. "I suppose you're right."
"I know I am."
The boy, Roran, Eragon reminded himself, gave him a weirdly amused look, which was replaced with worry, "Are you sure you'll be okay here?"
"Unlike you, I am quite capable of taking care of myself," Eragon scoffed at him.
"Right. Because you live here."
"That's what I said."
"If you say so…" Roran gave the trees around them one last quick glance before shuddering and taking off, hurrying down the side of the hill that they had stopped on.
The sun was high in the sky, illuminating the house down below. It had been about morning when Eragon decided to go further down the mountainside than he usually did, perhaps drawn by a curiosity he would later deny. He just wanted to learn what animals stayed closer to the foot of the mountains, rather than the ones that made the deeper parts of the Spine their home. That was all.
Eragon watched as the boy went around the side of the house and disappeared from view before he himself turned and went back up the mountain.