Hello! Not Chrissy P.

When the sun returned, they were pleased to see that the Urgals were far behind. Tania gave each of the horses some of her strength, which Ophelia immediately replenished with her own, while Murtagh and Eragon talked quietly.

They mounted and set off soon after.

Late in the morning, after they circumnavigated an especially broad mountain, Tania saw a narrow valley tucked against its far side. A death trap, she thought. It was so restricted it could be easily overlooked, but if the mountains she could see through the gap were anything to say, there was no other exit. At the sight of it, she saw Eragon smile with relief at the sight of the valley, and felt dread rise in her chest. Then he looked back, and an expression of alarm crossed his features. Tania followed his gaze and was shocked to see that the Urgals were little more than a league away.

Eragon pointed to the valley. "If we can get in there without being seen, it might confuse them."

Murtagh looked skeptical. "It's worth a try. But they've followed us easily enough so far."

"Let Saphira and I take care of that," said Tania. The blue dragoness looked at her, surprised and slightly skeptical. As their companions continued on, Tania directed Saphira to uproot multiple trees, making it seem as if they had fallen with a minor avalanche. That should block them for a while as well as confuse them, she said triumphantly, before wheeling Cadoc around and galloping after her friends.

She reached them as they passed under the knotted branches of the Beor Mountains' forest. The trees were tall, with creviced bark that was almost black, dull needles of the same color, and knobby roots that rose from the soil like bare knees. Cones littered the ground, each the size of a horse's head. Sable squirrels chattered from the treetops, and eyes gleamed from holes in the trunks. Green beards of tangled wolfsbane hung from the branches.

Tania breathed in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest, reveling in the familiarity between here and where she had lived most of her life. You could fly between the trees, I think, she told Ophelia.

I am. The camouflaged dragoness showed the young Rider her view of the three humans, revealing her location to be to the right of them, gliding gently among the enormous boles. These trees are old, and not exactly welcoming.

You simply fail to notice their greetings, Tania replied. They may seem hostile, but they are home and life to many creatures. The forest grew denser the farther they traveled, Ophelia eventually landing softly and padding silently alongside them, and though the lack of space forced Saphira to take off with Arya, she stayed on the ground, snaking between the trees. Without a clear trail to follow, the tough underbrush slowed them down—which is where Tania's woodland expertise took over, saving them time. The Beartooth River wound next to them, filling the air with the sound of gurgling water. A nearby peak obscured the sun, casting them into premature dusk.

At the valley's mouth, Tania realized that the valley was much larger than it looked, it's size having seemed small compared to the sheer mountains around it. Waterfalls dotted the sheer sides like white ribbons, while the sky was reduced to a thin strip overhead, mostly hidden by gray clouds. From the dark, moist ground rose a clinging fog that chilled the air until their breath was visible. Wild strawberries crawled among a carpet of mosses and ferns, fighting for the meager sunlight. Sprouting on piles of rotting wood were red and yellow toadstools.

Tania smiled. This was her element. This was what she called home.

You are far too cheerful, Ophelia commented.

You were far too cheerful in the Hadarac, Tania retorted.

I was home.

And now I'm home. This is my realm.

I'm not arguing with you, Ophelia stated. But I can say I prefer the desert.

We all have opinions, Tania said.

That we do.

All was hushed and quiet, sounds dampened by the heavy air. Saphira landed in a nearby glade, the rush of her wings strangely muted. She took in the view with a swing of her head. After a moment conversing with her Rider, Eragon turned to them and said, "The Varden are hidden at the end of this valley. If we hurry, we might get there before nightfall."

Murtagh grunted, hands on his hips. "How am I going to get out of here? I don't see any valleys joining this one, and the Urgals are going to hem us in pretty soon. I need an escape route."

"Don't worry about it," said Eragon impatiently. "This is a long valley, there's sure to be an exit further in." He released Arya from Saphira and lifted her onto Snowfire. "Watch Arya—I'm going to fly with Saphira. We'll meet you up ahead." He scrambled onto Saphira's back and strapped himself into her saddle.

"Be careful," warned Murtagh, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Don't fly too high," Tania said at the same time.

I can go with them and make sure they don't.

Thank you, Ophelia. Tania could barely hear the whisper of Ophelia's wings as she took off from another clearing close by.

Tania and Murtagh continued at an almost breakneck pace, Murtagh leading Snowfire while Tania kept the elf steady in the saddle. Soon, they reached a small field, galloping through it before Murtagh stopped suddenly.

"What is— oh…" Tania's voice trailed off when she noticed the tracks. Smoothly dismounting from Cadoc, she knelt beside them. Nearly three times the size of her hand, and an inch deep, they were very obviously wolf tracks—but enormous.

In the middle of the field, Saphira settled with a jolt. When her Rider didn't dismount, Tania and Murtagh hurried over, Murtagh inquiring, "What's wrong?" He sounded angry, worried and tired all at once.

"…I made a mistake," said Eragon truthfully. "The Urgals have entered the valley. I tried to confuse them, but I forgot one of the rules of magic, and it cost me a great deal."

Tania frowned. "You were the one berating me not two days ago about using magic without thinking."

"I know."

Scowling, Murtagh jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "We just came across some wolf tracks, but the footprints are as wide as both my hands and an inch deep. There are animals around here that could be dangerous even to you, Saphira." He turned to her. "I know you can't enter the forest, but could you circle above us and the horses? That should keep the beasts away. Otherwise there may only be enough of us to roast in a thimble."

"Humor, Murtagh?" asked Eragon, a quick smile coming to his face.

"Only on the gallows." Murtagh rubbed his eyes. "I can't believe the same Urgals have been following us this whole time. They would have to be birds to catch up to us."

"Saphira said they're larger than any we've seen," Eragon remarked.

Murtagh cursed, clenching the pommel of his sword. "That explains it! Saphira, if you're right, then those are Kull, elite of the Urgals."

"The Urgals have elite?!" Tania exclaimed in alarm.

Murtagh nodded. "I should have guessed that the chieftain had been put in charge of them. They don't ride because horses can't carry their weight—not one of them is under eight feet tall—and they can run for days without sleep and still be ready for battle. It can take five men to kill one. Kull never leave their caves except for war, so they must expect a great slaughter if they are out in such force."

"Can we stay ahead of them?" Eragon inquired worriedly.

"Who knows?" said Murtagh. "They're strong, determined, and large in numbers. It's possible that we may have to face them. If that happens, I only hope the Varden have men posted nearby who'll help us. Despite our skill and Saphira, we can't hold off Kull."

Eragon swayed on the spot. "Could you get me some bread? I need to eat."

And I have to end it there. Good gods above… aggghhhhh… *buries self* Too long! Too long! Aaagggghhhh!

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FF