When I returned the crowd was completely dispersed and I wove my way through the tents. I looked up to see Saphira flying high in the sky. I watched for several seconds before I realized I was staring between her legs and hurriedly tore my gaze away. 'Keep it under control, you can't stay in human form to avoid your hormones forever' I told myself as I made my way to Eragon's tent. If I watched a moment longer I might have noticed her do a twirl before checking to see if I was watching. I lay down next to the tent and soon Saphira joined me. We lay there for several seconds before I said "Saphira?" she looked at me. "Do you ever think about...?" I hesitated and she said "about what?" choosing my words carefully I finished "after the war is over." she looked at me and said "yes, quite often." I looked at her from the corner of my eye and said "what do you think will happen?" "Well, the king will be dead so much suffering will end. I guess thorn would have to become my mate" she answered, watching closely for my reaction. I didn't notice her staring at me and let out an involuntary growl of jealousy. "But then there's you, what do you want?" I inhaled sharply giving myself the hiccups. It took several minutes for them to stop and Saphira laughed the whole time. "I didn't know we could get the hiccups" she said, obviously highly amused. "Neither did I" I said, upset at being laughed at, but wanting to hear it again. "You haven't answered my question yet." Without thinking I whispered "you." her eyes lit up as I realized what I said. "I, um what I meant was..." before I could finish her barbed tongue licked my cheek and a warm sensation in the pit of my stomach temporarily removed all thought from my mind. I lay my head down and closed my eyes to bask in this new sensation. Her scent became stronger, as well as mine and I opened my eyes as I grew erect. 'Shit, even on my stomach she'll smell my arousal' I thought, fearing her reaction. What happened next was something I definitely did not expect. She glanced at the surrounding area before slamming into my side pushing me onto my back. "Hey!" I yelled at her as she pinned me down and looked at my length. "What are you doing, someone might see me!" I said in a deeply embarrassed voice as I tried to roll back onto my stomach. A slightly painful tugging sensation was the result and I realized she had one foot on my wing. "Relax, everyone in this part of camp is asleep and the patrol won't return for another two hours" she said as I tried to get her off my wing. She sniffed my tool and her scent increased dramatically. She growled lowly before pressing her snout against the exposed pink flesh. My mind emptied once again and I lay still as she said absentmindedly "it looks weird." She nudged me harder and I groaned in pleasure, followed by a deep purring I had never made before. By its own accord my head moved toward her sacred area and I inhaled deeply before giving it a nudge of my own. The protective scale quivered before sliding back as she began purring as well. By now I had completely forgotten about the possibility of discovery as I looked closely. It was dark, dripping and smelled wonderful. I shuddered in anticipation and tried to get up to engulf myself in her warmth and she stopped before saying "not tonight" as she looked at my face. I snapped out of my trance and nodded, still slightly dazed from the experience as she got off my wing. Remembering where we were I quickly rolled back onto my stomach and looked around before sighing in relief. 'No one saw us' I thought to myself. I began to doze, Saphira nearby before I got up and lay next to her. I draped my wing over her and she hummed happily as we fell asleep.
When I opened my eyes Arya was standing in front of me, arms crossed and a light smile on her face. After several seconds I realized my wing was still over Saphira and I quickly drew it back against me. "I haven't seen her sleep this peacefully in a while" Arya said giving me a strange look and I looked at Saphira. She seemed more relaxed then the other nights I watched her sleep and Arya asked "did you two begin re starting the dragon race?" I hesitated before shaking my head, uncomfortable with the topic. And she said "well, it will happen soon, she's in heat you know." I looked back at Saphira and noticed for the first time she felt warmer than normal, primal excitement welled within me but I quelled it. When I looked back up Arya had disappeared and I shuddered at how she could leave without making a sound. For the first time I wondered how I noticed her hiding in the bush. Saphira groaned in her sleep and I heard a noise in the tent. I considered moving away but decided against it thinking 'the patrols probably saw us. Either way he will find out today.' I draped my wing back over her as Eragon exited the tent. He noticed us as she started rubbing her side against mine in her sleep. He looked at me with suspicion in his eyes but they softened as he saw how relaxed she was. "we need to talk" he said to me and began walking away. I took one look at my newfound love before getting up and following him. we walked for about an hour before we stopped in the wilderness and he looked at me. "you didn't take advantage of her did you?" he asked and I narrowed my eyes before saying "hell no, if anything she took advantage of me!" I said, not bothering to hide my anger at is, as I saw it, accusation. He searched my face as I continued "how dare you imply I would do something like that to her! If I didn't know you had her best interests in mind I would hit you so hard your mother would feel it!" he nodded and said "I believe you would." He sat down on a stump and said "please forgive my rudeness but she's everything to me. She's the only family I have left. The king made sure of that." He said and I saw a single tear fall from his face onto the ground. I suddenly felt sorry for snapping at him and said "you're not the only one. After my father, hell, he wasn't even my real father, was hanged, the crimson blades were the closest thing I had left to family. But real family doesn't follow your orders, or expect you to pay them. Don't tell them this, but if I could save all of their lives, or just hers I'd choose hers without a second thought." He smiled at this and said "would you choose her as a mate?" "I already have. The question is, has she really chosen me or is it just because she's in heat?" he looked at me and said "she hates Thorn and despises Shruikan. But even before her season began she couldn't stop thinking about you. She has liked you more the longer she's known you. She doesn't know this but I caught her thinking you would make a protective father, if a little strict." I was giddy with the hope she would officially choose me as I walked back to camp. I saw a heard of deer in the distance, watching me suspiciously and I took flight. I rocketed towards them and they fled but were no match for a flying dragon and soon I had two in my grasp. I thought about eating mine mid flight but decided to eat with my love and raced back to camp.