This one gets very interesting. I hope it is likable. All except ending is based off of Equinox so all lovers of her will really enjoy this.

Chapter 83: Guardian

The voice came from nowhere, but she somehow felt drawn to it. There was no moon in the sky and all of the villages below were quiet and dark, providing no light as she flew above them. Equinox shook her head and changed her course to the west in search of the mysterious voice.

Where are you? She tried to contact it. No reply came back. She dove lower, thinking that she was too high up for the creature to contact him. Suddenly, she smashed into a tall redwood tree face first. Equinox fell back off of the tree, crashing through the millions of branches that were attached to its trunk before slamming down on the hard soil below. She whimpered at the stinging pain on her face and staggered to her feet.
"Curse this darkness!" she looked up to see that the branches she crashed into had snapped completely and were falling down on top of her. She growled in frustration and quickly leapt out of the way. She could see nothing but black outlines of the trees around her.

Help me, the voice came back. Please. Equinox was getting nervous over this odd voice calling out to her, but she also felt comforted for some awkward reason.

"Hello?" she called out in the dark forest. "Where are you?"

I know not.

"Well that does not help me."

Hurry, I need help.

"How can I hurry if I cannot even see where I am walking?" She heard an annoyed sigh go off inside her mind.

You must be a dragon. The voice frightened the magenta dragoness as she looked throughout the dense forest for any movement. I cannot see you, Equinox.

"How do you know my name?"

I will explain it when you find me. Please, I am hurt. Equinox sighed and began padding through the forest, occasionally walking into several trees and stumps along the way. Watch your step.

"How do you know what I keep tripping over?" Equinox shouted. "Who are you?"

I see you now, the voice called. Turn to your left and walk straight. She sighed again and obeyed the voice. Stop. You are right in front of me.

"I do not see a…oh!" She looked down to see a young wyvern of three months crumpled up at her feet. His left wing was shattered and his right leg was in no better state. "Wyvern!"

Sadly, he replied. I know that we are on no good terms between us, but will you allow me to explain?

"What is there to explain? Your kind tried to kill my family with that foolish 'revolt!'"

No, the wyvern replied with sadness deep in his voice. Recioh wanted the war. I tried to resolve this conflict and ended up like this. Equinox slid to her paws to get a closer look at him. He was just shorter than she was, but he looked even smaller crumpled up on the ground. I got in a battle with that wretched bird and, obviously by my looks, I lost.

"How long have you been like this?"

Two days. Will you help me, or will I be forced to wait for death? Equinox muttered a curse that she heard Eragon exclaim a while back and climbed to her feet.

"How do I know that you can be trusted?" The wyvern sighed.

I took the eggs after they hatched. Believe it or not, the hatchings were born just three weeks ago and I was in charge of watching them while the others searched for food. They hatched and I took them away to kill them…every last one!

"Why?" Equinox scowled. "How could you destroy life like that?"

Those hatchlings were not created out of love, Equinox. They were designed to be weapons! If I did not kill them, then they would have died elsewhere. When Recioh returned, I told him that they had wandered off to explore their new habitat. That was the day that your brother killed him.

"Wait…you are talking too fast! You killed these creatures before 'Recioh' was killed? That makes no sense! He told us that they never hatched."

If you were about to give your last breath, would you tell your enemy that your weapons were still alive? Equinox growled and shook her head. I did not want to do it, but I did not want them to live a life of fighting either.

"What is your name?"

Guardian, the wyvern replied proudly. I already know your name.

"How?"

I am different than these other beasts, Equinox. Unlike them, I have a stronger gift.

"Okay?"

I can sense loneliness. Equinox cocked her head at the creature while he looked up at her. There are many different creatures out here, but you have a stronger emotion…one that has eaten me up for days.

"I do not understand."

You are the only single female dragon, Equinox. I know that it hurts you every time when it enters your mind.

"Are you spying on me?" The wyvern lowered his head and turned away.

No my dear dragon, he said kindly. For some reason, you are the only one I can sense. I feel your exact pain every time you watch your brother or sister embrace their mate, but I can do nothing in the condition I am in. Please, Equinox, could you take me to your father?

"Why?"

He knows the power of the riders, Equinox. He can fix me. Many of the other wyverns have fallen to extinction after the last female was killed, but I do not want that fate. Equinox, I do not want the title of wyvern…I want the title of noble dragon.

"Well you cannot have it," she chuckled. "Look at us! I have four legs and you have two. Where I have scales, you have feathers. It is impossible for you to be considered a dragon."

Thank you for your encouragement, Guardian sighed out. For someone so lonely, you certainly have a good sense of humor.

"Thank you," Equinox said with a bow. "Well Guardian, I suppose I can try to take you back, but it is very dark and I cannot even see five feet in front of me!"

Do not worry, Equinox, he said slyly. The sun will start rising in about an hour or so. Light will be restored shortly.

"Very well." Equinox padded closer to the wyvern and gently scooped him up in her forearms. For his size, the wyvern was very light.

Thank you.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Eragon turned in his sleep, knocking into Saphira as he tossed.

"Sorry," he muttered as she flung her eyes open. "I had a nightmare."

"What about?" Saphira turned to face him and propped her head up with her hand.

"I do not remember." Eragon placed his hand against her hip and leaned in to kiss her. "We are going to be human parents, Saphira!" She smiled; her pearly white teeth lighting up their dark bedroom. "We must discuss a name."

"I do not even know the gender yet. We shall wait until he hatches."

"Hatches?" Saphira chuckled and shook her head.

"I was joking, husband." Eragon laughed and stroked her blonde hair gently, causing her to let out a pleasing moan. "I love you, Eragon." He trembled slightly while she said it. "This child will only make our love grow stronger."

"I hope so, love," he replied casually. "I wonder if it will take nine full months for you to give birth."

"Ugh, I really hope not." Eragon chuckled heartedly as she rubbed her stomach. "It was bad enough waiting to lay the blasted eggs." Eragon smiled and shook his head. He lay back and returned back down to his pillow. Saphira did the same.

"Well," he sighed. "We better prepare for the constant screaming."

"What?"

"Human babies are very loud Saphira."

"Well, why don't we just tie our child's mouth shut when it is time for bed?"

"Oh this is going to be very amusing!" They remained silent as sleep began calling them out again, until the door on the first floor swung open and slammed into the inside part of the house.

"Father!" Eragon and Saphira both leapt out of their bed and dashed down the stairs. They ran into Draken and Lunalese who both looked up at them. The two dragons shook their heads and turned to stare at Equinox, who was holding a greenish blue wyvern in her forearms. "He is hurt!" Eragon glared at his daughter and walked up to inspect the creature.

"A broken wing and a fractured leg," he pointed out.

Well, you are a genius, the creature snickered to Equinox, referring to her father.

"Where did you find him?"

I can speak for myself, the creature relayed into the rider's head. I fell fighting Recioh.

"Who?"

Recioh! The leader of the wyverns.

"Him?" Eragon snapped. "You fought him?"

Yes, he admitted. I also killed the hatchlings.

"I am lost." He turned to look at Saphira, who was resting her hands on her stomach. "I suppose that you will have plenty of time to explain to me after I fix you up, correct?"

I will explain everything. Eragon sighed and made Equinox place him on the kitchen table.

"Let's get to work."

PEACE!