She the mud under her feet squished under her toes, causing her to slide back into the mud. She desperately grabbed at roots poking through the bank to pull her up with. They snapped and she fell back into the current with a yelp. Two strong hands caught her and pulled her back onto the bank; dragging her through the mud as they pulled.

"Thank you, Dunjok," exclaimed a tall giantess with dark curly hair. She shook her damp curls out of her face and stepped on to the bluff. She joined the two giants on the faint animal trail. They hadn't been traveling for long, a day or three; the time flew for their urgency. Dunjok had found the young giantesses camp abandoned; this in itself was not cuase for alarm but what was that no one could account for her location. So they set out to search for the lost girl hoping to find her well. They were moving quickly along the path, they had packed light and they knew these trails better than most people knew their own hands. It wasn't long before they started to catch up on the girl. It appeared as though she was tracking a pair of horses but all the evidence confused them; this only made them move faster.

Enya felt something flicker at the back her mind, the feeling of being followed. She stopped and turned, casting her eye over her surroundings, however it was not her eyes that were most helpful, she heard the tell tale of giants walking quickly. It was only a moment before three giants appeared from out of the trees. They stared past Enya at the two human's on the horses looking thoroughly confused and slightly apprehensive. One of them, a damp-looking giantess called out to her. She answered back, ignoring the curious looks from Eragon and Murtagh. After initially holding back the other giant's approached Enya. The one on the left-a young skinny male- burst into animated chatter, asking questions faster then she could answer them. They talked for a while; Enya had the look of someone caught in an uncomfortable situation. Eragon saw what she meant when Enya said that she was short for a giant. The three others towered over her, all of them looking rather menacing, especially the soggy giantess.

Murtagh and Eragon weren't exactly sure what happened but they must've come to some agreement. The Giants nodded in agreement, they said something to her in farewell before leaving somewhat reluctantly. The skinny, darker skinned giant stopped halfway back into the trees. He stared back and forth between the human's and Enya distress etched on his face. After hesitating for a long moment he strode back to Enya, He embraced her tightly so that she was lifted from the ground. He held her at arm's length, like a mother examining her child. He said something to her- his face serious except for the smile in his eyes. The giant stared directly at Eragon and Murtagh. Drawing himself up to his full and intimidating height he jabbed a finger at them and growled something in his language. Murtagh had the distinct impression that he had just been threatened.

Eragon wasn't sure what had happened, he had been too busy examining the giant's faces; comparing their features to Enya. All the differences he noticed in Enya were amplified in the giants. The lines of the face were much sharper than that of a human. The heavy brows were at odds with their wide eyes and sharp jaw lines reminded him of watchful animals. They moved differently too; with a careful and unconscious grace; He envied their ability to navigate their size so easily (he was at a stage in his life were his body seemed rather disproportionate and uncooperative). He glanced back at Enya and was surprised to find her looking at him impatiently her arms crossed and her head tilted.

"Come on Eragon, we have to keep going, we're wasting too much time," Called Murtagh from down the path, Eragon hurried to spur on his horse to catch up with Murtagh. Enya had to lengthen her pace to outdistance the trotting animals but not by much, she easily led them down the slope back into the dense mass of evergreen.

Enya picked up on increasingly tense feelings coming from both Eragon and Murtagh. They seemed to be from completely different problems because they did not speak of whatever the problem was, in fact they seemed to be talking less and less each other. She did not bring up the subject for fear of offending either of them and her lack of eloquence in their language and customs. Their intensity increased exponentially over the next few days. Driven onward by the threat at their backs. But Enya could sense fear rolling off Murtagh more thickly then Eragon. Whether it was because he feared more for his life or he had more to worry about she did not now, just that he feared both threats from forward and behind.

She kept her silence on one night she found Murtagh and Eragon arguing over the prone body of Ayra. Saphira lay sprawled out, watching them intently. Eragon sat on

Saphira gnawing on bread. Then the sound of a horn shattered the night. Murtagh Buckled Ayra under a horse deftly before jumping into the saddle. He and Enya took off running down the valley while Eragon and Saphira turned away toward the Urgals.

All Enya knew was running that night. She did not know where the others had gone to, only that they where somewhere overhead. She did not know why getting to the varden was so important or why the Urgals were so intent on chasing them. Only that Arya was gravely ill. She was not nearly as fast as the horse but she knew the terrain much better. Horses were plains and prairies animals; not meant for tangled undergrowth and shifting shale of the mountainous forest. The Naidzeilin had been designed especially for this environment. Enya's instincts and her experiences let her fly over jutting roots and loose rock.

They rushed out of the forest onto and open plain. They saw Saphira and Eragon waiting for them. Murtagh did not slow as they approached them but kept at driving the horses before him. Eragon joined their race stumbling over shale. She did not listen to their words when they spoke to one another. She just ran, she could have easily outstripped either of them with her long legs but she had stayed by Murtagh's side the whole time. This she was quite proud of for she had the tendency leave others behind.

Murtagh swore; startling Enya to attention. "Is there any way out of the mountains from here?" He asked her abruptly, His face knotted with aggravation. She thought through all the different way's he would be able to leave the Boer's. She supposed that if you walked in straight line in any direction he would eventually leave the mountains; the horse would restrain his options as it would be unable to climb the sheer rock faces of the mountains. So really he was left with valleys between them, some of these were only treacherous gulley's or vast and water filled. In this part of range the mountain's packed together. They could only go forward following the paths carved by the giants that led them through a chain of narrow valleys. Or he could go back they way they came.

"Ni, it's a dead end, why do want to go leave? What ab-oo-out 'da varden and Arya?" She asked, concerned for Murtagh. He turned to Eragon; *His next words were deceptively calm, like those of a man concealing terrible passion. "Is there a valley or gorge ahead that I can leave through?"

Apprehensive, Eragon tried to remember if he had seen any breaks in the mountains around them; he had not thought about Murtagh's dilemma for a while. "It's dark," he began evasively, dodging a low branch, "so I might have missed something, but…no."

Murtagh swore explosively and came to an abrupt stop, dragging on the horses' reins until they halted as well." Are you saying that the only place I can go is to the Varden?"

"Yes, but keep running. The Urgals are almost upon us!"

"No!" Said Murtagh angrily. He stabbed finger at Eragon. "I warned you that I wouldn't go to the Varden, but you went ahead and trapped me between a hammer and an anvil! You're the one with the elf's memories. Why didn't you tell me it was dead end?"

Eragon bristled at the barrage and retorted, "All I knew was where we had to go, not what lay in between. Don't blame me for choosing to come."

Murtagh's breath hissed between his teeth as he furiously spun away. All Eragon could see of him was a motionless, bowed figure. His own shoulders were tense, and a vein throbbed on the side of his neck. * Enya watched mutely, confused and frightened at the whole situation. She couldn't understand what was so important that they had to stop and discuss it. She tried to pick out their words and listen for the approaching Urgals at the same time but it was impossible to do both. Instead she watched the two men intently and listened to the surrounding forest.*He put his hands on his hips, his impatience rising.

Why have you stopped? Asked Saphira, alarmed.

Don't distract me. "What's your quarrel with the Varden? It can't be so terrible that you must keep it hidden even now. Would you rather fight the Kull than reveal it? How many times will we go through this before you trust me?"

There was a long silence.

The Urgals! Reminded Saphira urgently.

I know, said Eragon, Pushing back his temper. But we have to resolve this.

Quickly, quickly.

"Murtagh," Said Eragon earnestly, "unless you wish to die, we must go to the Varden. Don't let me walk into their arms without knowing how they will react to you. It's going to be dangerous enough without unnecessary surprises."

Finally Murtagh turned to Eragon. His breathing was and fast like that of a cornered wolf. He paused, then said with a tortured voice, "you have right to know. I…I am the son of Morzan, First and last of the Forsworn."*

Enya was becoming extremely agitated; there were strange creatures chasing them and all they could do was prattle. She was about to drag them off herself when suddenly Murtagh fell silent. She'd only been half listening at the time but she thought he said something about his father. She saw Eragon gape at him and knew that something was…off. Enya watched the gears in Eragon's brain working just before he spoke. She couldn't help but stare when Murtagh tore off his shift to reveal a thick twisting scar that stretched from his right shoulder to the opposite hip along his back. She stared; the strip of broken flesh shone dully in starlight. Quietly, as if not by her will she asked him, "What happened?" She listened in rapt attention as he spoke in low urgent tones. Slowly the story of Murtagh's life came together. His father, his Toulo had lain open his back when he was only a child.

A horn sounded somewhere in the night and they fled. The pace was achingly slow For Enya, but she restrains herself the best she can and matches her pace to the humans. And for the sake of all that's good they're still talking. Don't they know that there are when you just shut your mouth and go? Finally they came to the lake, the Urgals flooded on the shore to encircle them. Then Murtagh shouts and runs towards the hordes slashing with his sword; she and Eragon followed. Enya had no sword; she had never had need of one before now all she had was a hunting knife. But she was taller and a strong as a Kull, she shoved and slashed her way through the Urgals. Terror had sharpened Enya's senses she smelt the strange sort of bloodlust that rolled off the creatures and even her own fear. Every detail was etched in wavering silver. Instead of allowing easier vision it disoriented her. Most of all she was aware of Saphira battling if not for the circumstances she would've stopped and stared at the spectacle.

Saphira leapt out of the lake, There was an onslaught of black arrows shot from the Urgals. Saphira roared in pain, slashing out with her talons at the opposing force. Then just as quickly she plunged back into Kóstha-mérna. She plunged in and out, taking the brunt of the attack. She had managed to hold off the Urgals on the other side of the lake. Eragon was lagging, struggling over the slippery rocks. Enya too was having some trouble but less so. She grabbed his arm and half dragged him to the waterfall. Over the competing roars of the waterfall and Saphira Murtagh and Eragon shouted to one another. Eragon picked up a stone, banging it against the cliff shouted ing the Letrakui-rivoulk. "Aí varden abr du shur'tugalar gata vanta!"

The horses were first to know of trouble; she whirled to see an Urgal charging them. It was the strangest thing, she felt as if she had been frozen, unable to move to defend herself. Her hands stuck out in front of her like she was statue. She tried to move, to breath but nothing came; The Urgal was headed to attack her but she could do nothing, like a deer waiting for death. Then Murtagh lashed out. Faster she would have imagined he stabbed into the creature's chest. It toppled backwards at her feet. She stared at him gratefully, a little stunned by his reflexes.

Eragon was shouting again, this time though something happened, twenty Urgals fell clutching at their broken legs. Arrows flew at them, bouncing off Saphira's scales.

*"What now?" shouted Murtagh. There was still no opening in the cliff. "We can't stay here!"

Eragon heard Saphira snarl as an arrow caught the edge of her wing, tearing the thin membrane. He looked around wildly, trying to understand why Arya's instructions had not worked. "I don't know! This is where we're supposed to be!"

"Why don't you ask the elf to make sure?"Demanded Murtagh. He dropped his sword, snatched his bow from Tornac's saddlebags, and with a swift motion loosed an arrow from between the spike on Saphira's back. A moment later an Urgal toppled into the water.

"Now? She's barley alive! How's she going to find toe energy to say anything?"

"I don't know," shouted Murtagh, "but you'd better think of something because we can't stave off an entire army!"

Eragon, growled Saphira urgently

What!

We're on the wrong side of the lake! I've seen Arya's Memories through you, and I just realized that this isn't the right place. She tucked her head against her breast as another flight of arrows sped towards them. Her tail flicked in pain as they struck her. I can't keep this up! They're tearing me to pieces!*

Suddenly Eragon slammed his sword into the sheath. He and Murtagh spoke in rapid English. Strapping Arya to Saphira's back. Then she watched in shock, the horses jumped into the eater. Then Murtagh, before she could wonder why they were fleeing in suck an inefficient she felt herself being shoved towards the crashing water. She flailed for a moment before slipping off the rocks and landing face first into the water.

AN: This took far longer then it should've. Passages marked with a * are taken from the book.