Aaaaand here we go. Onwards!

AnonFanboy: D'awww! You just made my day. :D Hehehe… actually, I was mostly just laughing because I've been really excited to introduce Cora. She's kind of important. YAY BE EXCITED. Nah, I got back from that a while ago, but I've been waking up at three a.m. for the last few days to go all over this desolate end of the country ALL DAY and then get back at, like, midnight, so then I'm exhausted, first off, and second I'm getting maybe two or three hours of sleep. Yeah, I'm already an insomniac, BUT SERIOUSLY. It's a nocturnal thing; you can't make me be awake for twenty-one hours and expect me to be good with it. Anyway… thanks!

So much pain in a world of blind hatred. Ophelia cringed away from the shifting mass of evil thoughts and feelings, searching desperately for an escape route.

A cry drew her attention. Her gaze whipped around to a tiny splotch of red in a vast sea of blank white, wailing. She crept towards it, and as she drew closer the color became a very little red dragon, whimpering in pain. His wings were bent at funny angles, his left foreleg was twisted awkwardly, his tail was crooked, and he was covered in black bruises and streaks of blood that were almost invisible against his crimson scales. Her heart clenched in sympathy and grief as she tenderly curled around him, covering his keening form with a gentle wing.

She touched her snout to his head, whispering to his mind, Rest easy, little one. The pain won't last.

…it…it hurts… I can't… can't bear…

Yes, you can. You can and you will. You are a dragon; nothing can defeat you, not truly.

…my Rider… my soul… it hurts it hurts IT HURTS please make it stop PLEASE WE CAN'T TAKE IT MUCH LONGER—

All Ophelia could do was pull him gently closer. Her snout rested atop his tiny little horns as he screamed in pain, grief, and confusion.

A single tear, glistening with all the colors in the world, rolled from her eye down her nose, landing with a glittering splash on the red dragon's head.

She awoke with a start. It was dark, still. No moon hung in the sky; only the stars, glowing like distant cities, gave light to her surroundings. Their silvered light illuminated Tania beneath her wing, Saphira sleeping nearby, Arya, Eragon and their dwarf guard. After weeks on the road, they were nearing Ceris, the first elven city they would meet.

But something told Ophelia that she was meant to be somewhere else. Slowly and quietly, so as to not wake the others, she lowered her snout until she touched Tania's head and nudged it softly. Her eyes instantly sprang open—she was a light sleeper. Quickly, she took in the time, and the fact that the others weren't awake, and gave her a questioning glance. What is it? she asked.

We need to go.

What? Where? What happened?

I had a dream. Ophelia let the images flash through their connection. And he has a Rider, he said. Any guesses?

A few. Well… mostly one.

At any rate, Ophelia continued, he also said 'we can't take it much longer.' Whoever it is, I think Galbatorix is torturing them, trying to break them, and he hasn't yet—but maybe he's getting close.

Tania understood immediately. Rescue mission?

Yes. Now, hopefully.

Eragon'll think we left him. And if we wake him, he'll either insist on joining or stop us from going—either way, we'd waste time. She started pacing, not even realizing she was doing it. Orik may be the same. Arya might see reason, but… well, I hate to wake her.

But Ophelia was already moving. She tapped the elf gently on the shoulder with her tail-tip.

Tania sighed as Arya sat up, frowning curiously at Ophelia, but beckoned her closer. Quietly she said, "Ophelia had a dream, and we think there's a new Rider in Urû'baen. Galbatorix hasn't broken them yet, but they won't last long."

"So you wish to rescue them," Arya stated. Tania nodded. "But why?" the elf asked. "You didn't see the Rider, did you? Why hold any loyalty to them, when you might not know them?"

"Because that's a hatchling," Tania said simply. "I don't care who the Rider is, although if it's who I think it might be, that would be great. But a hatchling who's done nothing to Galbatorix or the world is being tortured simply so he can be the king's pet. I think it's our obligation as another Rider and dragon to rescue them."

Arya smiled at that. "I'd hoped you would say something along those lines. Go now; I will tell Eragon in the morning. You know the spell he used to collect water when you crossed the Hadarac?"

Tania nodded even as she started strapping her things to Ophelia's saddle. She hadn't unpacked much, and she wanted to travel as lightly as possible; Arya helped her strap in two blankets, her bow and quiver, and a couple of skins. The elf also slipped a list of herbs into her blankets, saying, "You're still learning the Ancient Language; where you don't know the words, try this."

"Thank you," the Rider told her sincerely. "Make sure Eragon doesn't get into too much trouble."

The elf nodded. "I shall guard them as I guarded Saphira's egg. May the wind always be at your backs, and may your mission be successful."

Sorry about the time jump. I got excited. REALLY REALLY excited, because now the story's picking up, and I can FINALLY get my daydreaming down on virtual paper! WOO!

*extraextraextra* So, I wrote this while my mom drove me to the barn. And now I'm REALLY REALLY HAPPY because I made my horse behave… and he looked awesome.

Just a little something extra for horse-lovers like myself. :D

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