Disclaimer: See the first chapter

Chapter 4

Flame had found her way back to their camp by morning, and Eve liked to think the mare looked apologetic. Burying the embers of the fire, Eve hoped on Flame's back with a new found strength and set off for the cliffs. They had to make a detour around the lake because Flame refused to go near the bank after the dragon had frightened her so badly.

They reached the cliff by noon and Eve was in awe of the beauty of it. The cliff showed how the soil had settled over the years with steady detail. Each layer was a different shade of gray or brown. At the top of the two-hundred foot cliff was the true wonder. At the top were four dragons, each in various sizes. The smallest couldn't yet be two years old. The oldest and largest was definitely the one that she'd seen the night before. It was large and blood red. The smallest was a light orange, the second smallest an emerald green, and the second largest, who was not much smaller then the biggest, was a sapphire blue. The blue watched Eve curiously while the other three ignored she was even there.

Eve got off Flame, who dropped her head to much happily at the grass. Eve steeled herself and looked at the cliff face with a thoughtful gaze. For the most part it would be weaving through a maze of deer trails to get to the top, no real cliff climbing. Eve took a drink from her canteen and started up. The blue dragon watched her the whole way, while the others continued to ignore her. She was on the last leg of the trip when the orange noticed her. It watched her for a moment before heading over to meet her at the top.

Sure enough, the orange was directly in front of her when she reached flat ground. It shoved its head at her, sniffing and snorting, clearly mystified by her. The great blue was also near by, and the emerald was watching her from where it sat.

"You're wonderful," Eve breathed in awe

The orange cocked its head at her in surprise before lowering its head so that its (eye) great gold eye was right in front of her. Unable to resist, Eve reached out and touched the dragon. Its scales were hard but the skin covering it was soft. She ran her hands over the dragon's scales above it's eye, causing its eyelid drop and let loose a sigh of pleasure. The blue snorted and dropped its head down, eager for the same treatment. Eve stroked the two dragons and giggled at their reactions. After a while, the orange moved away and picked at the green till it too came over to let Eve pet it. The green seemed intent on not liking to be petted, but soon gave that up and was a puddle of goo enjoying being petted. The red stayed where it was and sent the orange sprawling with a twitch of his tail when it tried to charm the red into joining the others.

After a while Eve approached the huge dragon. "I''m Eve. I really don't mean any harm."

The dragon continued to gaze of into the distance before finally snorting in a way that suggested disinterest and launched itself from the cliff. It dropped down before catching an up draft and spiraling up into the sky. The blue gave a gusty sigh and nudged Eve. Thinking it wanted to be petted, she turned to comply but it pushed her again nearly sending her sprawling to the ground then stepped over her (Eve) and headed off in the direction it had shoved her. Eve watched and finally understood. Drawing her self up she followed the dragon. Realizing she was leaving, the orange bounced over to join her, but the green leapt from the cliff and was off after the red.

They didn't go far till they came to a great cave in the side of the mountain. In it was a dragon as large as the red. It was snow white with gold markings. It lay along the back of the cave, lounging. The blue rubbed against the larger dragon, much like a cat. Eve stumbled in shock when she saw the dragon's eyes. They were clouded white, telling her that the dragon was blind. It sniffed her then seemed to smile.

(Welcome little one,) Eve gasped. She didn't think it was possible for anyone besides dragon Riders to hear a dragon.

(Most of the time that's true, but as you can see, I'm different, and quiet old,) the white yawned.

"Oh, you can hear my thoughts?" Eve asked.

(Of course, my dear. You haven't put your barriers up since you saw my mate last evening,) the white chuckled.

"Your mate is the large red one?" Eve asked with a surprised look on her face

(Yes, he doesn't understand why I let you come here,) the white sighed. (His Rider that he hatched for was top afraid to bond with him so he's always seen humans as inferior.)

Eve gasped. She couldn't imagine why anyone would not want to be bonded with such a beautiful individual.

(You're one of a fair few Eve,) the white sighed

"You know my name?" Eve gasped. She realized she should have expected that since dragons were telepathic and Valandera probably read that from her mind.

(Yes, and I'm Valandera, My mate Verenov. The blue is another stray that showed up is called Gabbosh, the green is my daughter, (is) Esmerelda, and the orange is my son, Yamerren.)

Eve sighed wistfully and grinned at the dragons. "You're all so beautiful, I wish the Riders still existed."

(Yes, my dear we all miss those times,) Valandera sighed.

"So you're the last?" Eve asked sadly

(Oh, no, there's a larger Kyn across the sea in another land. My son Boru went to them some fifty years before now.) Valandera grinned, though how Eve new the dragon was grinning she had no clue.

"Would it (you) bother you if I stayed near here?" Eve asked.

Valandera shook her head. (I know you wish to stay lovely, but it's not possible.)

Eve looked torn. "But I love dragons, I just found you. I can't leave."

(Not right away, hatchling, but in a while, I have something very important I need you to do for me.) Valandera sighed. (What do you know about dragons and how they breed?)

"Oh, I have a book, but dragon breeding isn't in there," Eve blushed. It was like talking about sex with your parents.

(Well, then you should know that a dragon only lays for the first hundred or so years of her life. I'm well over that age now.) Valandera explained. (I laid my first clutch before Galbatorix killed the Riders. I believe that one of the three he has in his possession are mine. It should be a red.)

Eve frowned. "You want me to get your egg back?"

(Oh, goodness no, that would be suicide!) Valandera looked alarmed. (No. You see, I laid a second clutch not long after I came here with Verenov, only four have hatched since; Yamerren, Esmerelda, Boru, and Gywn.)

Eve gasped. "That had to be hundreds of years ago!"

Valandera chuckled. (Well, yes, I suppose, but the other six still haven't hatched. You see, elves can spell eggs to not hatch till there true Rider is presented to them, now I didn't have an elf so I did a variation of the spell, but it's just as effective.)

Eve froze. "And what do you want me to do?" she hoped the dragon would ask her to be a Rider for one but she dare not ask.

Valandera smiled and radiated kindness. (Would you become the Rider for one of my young, and then take a few others back to your lands with you and place them with Riders who will help you win the war?)

Eve gasped and stared at the white dragon. "Of course, you are to kind to me."

Valandera chuckled. (Come here and let's see if we can't get someone to hatch for you.)

Valandera slid back heavily and disturbed the sand gently, displaying six neat eggs. The each shown a different color but all were the same size and all just as radiant. Eve approached the nest and fell to her hands and knees beside the warm nest.

(Go ahead.You're tired, nap,) Valandera urged.

"In the nest?" Eve asked, in awe to be allowed such a privilege

(Yes, it'll help,) Valandera soothed.

Nodding happily, Eve slid into the nest. She slid her hands over the smooth surface of a gleaming silver, then a yellow, a bronze, red, purple, and black. None of them reacted at all to her and she was vaguely disappointed but decided to take Valandera's advice and take a nap.

It was surprisingly easy, what with all the excitement she hadn't even realized how tired she was, and she drifted off to sleep.

Eve was nudged awake by a large nose causing her to bolt up. Yamerren, the orange dragon, was curled around the nest and looking her curiously.

"No, I'm not an egg," Eve grinned.

Yamerren made a rumbling noise deep in his chest. Eve realized it was a laugh.

"Think that's funny do you?" she asked him, but a squeak distracted her though, and she whipped around to see an egg trembling and peeping. She abandoned the older dragon to crouch over the egg. It was too dark for her to see the color, but she could tell it wasn't the yellow or silver, which this one was too dark to be.

The egg gave an almighty shudder and a piece fell away. A head eased out, shook itself, then proceeded to struggle the rest of the way out. Free of the mostly intact egg, the dragonet flopped to the ground found its feet and rose itself, looking around curiously. The dragonet looked black under the light of the waning moon, and only about as long her arm.

"You're just precious," Eve cooed

The tiny wedge shaped head whipped around to look at her, blinking slowly. Holding her hand for the dragonet to sniff, she was not disappointed. The miniature dragon sniffed her hand, then rubbed up under palm.

A pain ripped through her hand and energy prickling like ice ran up her arm, burning her insides like fire. She heard a sharp shriek of shock. The pain receded slowly, leaving behind tingling limbs and sore muscles. She couldn't stop twitching as she sat up to find the dragonet looking at her worriedly. A soft mind brushed up against hers, much like Felix had done when he showed them how to protect their minds, but that had felt wrong and strange, this felt strange, yes, but right. The dragonet curiously touched her mind and she felt its joy at her being there, then she felt the hatchling's hunger gnawing ravenously like it were her own belly demanding food.

Looking up, she found all the dragons, even Verenov, standing or crouching over them. Valandera had her head turned so that she could hear them all the better.

"It's hungry," Eve said, voice full of awe.

(Here. Gabbosh and Verenov brought a few rabbits for you to feed him when I told them what was to happen,) Valandera explained.

Gabbosh arched his neck over the nest and dropped two gutted rabbits behind her where the dragonet could not see.

"Thank you," Eve breathed and grabbed a rabbit and held it as the baby dragon feasted. "How do I name it?"

(He's a male, my dear, and when he's starting to learn to speak, propose different names and he'll let you know which one he likes,) Valandera explained, (When he's done with that, you will both feel very sleepy.)

Valandera was right, the dragonet was halfway through the second rabbit when he decided he'd had enough and curled up in Eve's lap. Tired herself, she adjusted the baby so she could lay on her side with the baby tucked up against her. As tired as she was, Eve didn't even notice when Yamerren removed the rabit carcasses.

AN: I realize that dragons can't do magic at will but I think what with Valandera being well over a hundred and wild she can control it to a point. Besides with the end of the riders she had to be desperate enough to do some magic.

AN: Would people please review! I'd really like to hear some feed back on what you all think about my fic. It would be really grand. Also thank you to Khori for editing the last three chapters.

Thank you maddie for being my first reviewer. I hope you think the rest is good as well.

Randumb thank you for the wonderful reviews! No I'm sorry but there isn't anything speacial about Flame other then being well trained and very patient. I know you were hoping she'd be something more. Thank you once again.

daydreamin' angelNo Weed was kind of just my way of getting the fic started. I doubt you'll see the little kitten again. Sorry about that. No the dragon has nothing to do with Eldest, though I suggest you read thebook before you read my story beyond chapter 6. Till then I don't have any spoilers envolved, so fear not.