A/N: READERS!!! Please note that I do know Murtagh's dragon's name! I simply didn't like the name thorn, so I changed it to Rahzin. Sorry, but I like it better that way. Also I am working on finding a way to separate the different parts in my chapter I hope this one works.

Ch.5

7 years later, present time

"Let's go!" Roran snapped at Murtagh. He had been ready to go two days before their actual departure; he was finally capable of tracking down Katrina and killing the Ra'zac. They would pay for what they had done to his life. She probably thought he wasn't coming; it had been two cruel years of training everyday scrying her and making sure she was alive. He was strong enough to defend himself and his dragon, Inarkien, now, and he was wise enough to make a smart decision.

Murtagh grumbled though he knew that Roran had a right to be anxious, "Hold on, I am terribly sorry but I find that I need food from time to time." He said sarcastically as he placed bread in his saddle bags.

"Eragon's been packed for an hour!" Roran shot back.

Eragon was sitting on Saphira with a slightly amused look, but not much of one. His latest rejection from Arya in addition to the countless gory battles he had been in while Roran and Murtagh trained had caused his emotions, though sometimes raging within, barely show on the outside. But, only rarely did something really affect him.

"Yes, but Eragon has elf speed, while you are insane, so give the simple human a break."

"Do you think the Ra'zac are giving Katrina a break? Besides if you had gotten up when I told -"

"If you don't get off my case I am gonna-"

"Enough." Eragon spoke for the first time, "Roran the less you argue the more he will get done. That was all he said but that was plenty. Despite the fact that Murtagh was his older brother and Roran his older cousin, it was his leadership they followed. His skill and decisions had earned even their respect.

"Finally Murtagh strapped his bags on Rahzin and with a powerful gust of wind the three dragons took off from Ellesmera. Things like Bajrtsklr were called up to them from the hidden elves in the trees. Rahzin and Inarkien were new enough to enjoy those compliments but Saphira ignored them now, after almost four years of it, it rolled right off her.

"Eragon," Her words echoed through his mind, he blocked the conversation from the others, "Are you frightened?"

"Not really, I faced the Ra'zac alone before, and now there are six of us, and we all have certain gifts." He trailed of not needing to say more.

"I meant not the Ra'zac but rather of what we might find, and what it might do to Roran." She replied

"She is alive; we know that, all that is left is to find her."

"That does not answer my question, you know better than to evade me."

"Yes," He thought with an internal grin, Saphira always got him open himself up. "I'll admit that there is the slightest fear of him changing, but that has already happened. He is not the cousin I knew in Carvahall, nor am I the same as I was. Whatever happens, we shall adjust."

"Indeed you are a changed man." that was the extent of the conversation until that night when they stopped on the western edge of the Hadarac Desert for the night.

"Eragon," Roran asked, "Scry her please." He made his nightly request. He would do it himself but she had been kept in the Ra'zac's home of Helgrind, just outside of the Empire city Dras-Leona. Since Roran had never been there all he saw was Katrina surrounded by white.

"Draumr Kopa," was Eragon's only response as the bowl of water he used transformed showing Katrina…but not in her cell. Eragon's brow furrowed, "She looks to be somewhere in the Beors." He said.

"That is a four day flight across the Hadarac! You scryed her last night how did they get over there so quickly." Roran was livid.

"This morning she was in Dras-Leona, but we assumed she was out of her cell for torture or questioning. That was incorrect; they must have decided to move her."

"Yes, but a four day flight!"

"For us." Rahzin spoke, "Our dragon bulk is slower than their mounts."

"Tomorrow," Inarkien broadcasted through their minds, "we will leave for the Beors?"

"Tomorrow," They all agreed.

A-----------------------------E

"Letsss go." the Ra'zac hissed in unison. Their snake like tone always made Katrina cringe. How they managed speech at all through the beaks on their face was a mystery to her. They picked her up as easily as she might a pillow off of their foul mounts; the smell of those hairless flying horses was enough to make the strongest man gag. They set her on the ground and pulled her along by the chains on her hands until they approached a rugged looking camp, lit up with lanterns throwing relief onto many rows of canvas tents.

As they entered the camp a tall rangy man emerged from the largest tent, as he approached they pushed Katrina down onto her knees before him.

"What do you want here?" the man spoke with authority but there was a trace of fear in his voice. His face showed that this was not his first encounter with the Ra'zac.

"We need thisss girl to be taken off our handssss."

For the first time the man noticed Katrina, "Decent red-haired wench….why do you need to be rid of her?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"We cannot kill her, the man that sseeksss her may ssstill come and we need her for a bargain with him. But ssshe isss tempting usss far too much for usss not to eat her. We will trade you for another."

It dawned upon Katrina that this was a slavers camp, one of the cruel institutions that Galbatorix had let flourish. Fear struck her heart, then it was replaced by hope, she had just realized that the Ra'zac thought Roran still may be coming for her.

The head slaver attempted to look as if he was deciding but the defeat in knowing he had no choice shone through, "Very well." he agreed.

The Ra'zac dragged her through the camp until they came upon a cramped group of far more ragged tents. The leader turned to a short stocky fellow.

"Gather them." He ordered

"Sir," The man nodded, then shouted, "Line up you filth! Get your maggot eaten corpses out here now! The captain demands it! Lets go you sacks of dung!"

Katrina watched as one by one malnourished bodies dragged themselves from their chores. Some were patching or washing clothes, making food, or gathering water. It was a perverse sight, even for Katrina who had witnessed the slaughter of her town.

Some were young men, but most were young women, two of which had children held close to their breasts. They all however were grimy, far dirtier than the slavers themselves. It was as if, though a river was almost directly next to the camp, they were not allowed to bathe.

Then Katrina noticed the blood. If she wasn't scared the Ra'zac might eat her, she might have wanted to stay with them. Katrina almost passed out as they lined up directly in front of her and their injuries fell into sharp relief. There were numerous gashes, some sloppily stitched up, bruises where Katrina had thought there to be dirt. Numerous cuts and welts covered their bodies exposed by ragged tunics and dresses. Next to their raw skin Katrina looked to be in perfect condition.

The Ra'zac began to inspect the scraggly line like a shopper choosing the best cut of steak. "Thesse are sso thin, we will be taking two to sssatissfy ourselvesss." They hissed

"No! one for one, or not at all." The man snapped.

"You argue with usss?" Suddenly the man looked frozen and fear blossomed in his eyes. Katrina looked up and shuddered knowing that the man was now feeling the urge to run but his body was unresponsive. Finally they released him.

"Very well." He said again but this time shakily. The Ra'zac continued their comparison quickly choosing the largest male there. They headed down the line to another male when they stopped at a young girl.

"Thiss one ssmellss different than the othersss." One hissed to the other.

Katrina studied the girl. It looked as if she had pale skin, almost ghost white next to the other slave's skin. She was also the only one in the line who was standing upright and looking straight ahead with her chin up despite the fact that she was in worse condition than most others. Her dress was in tatters, barely clinging to her body and revealing an unfathomable amount of injuries, her raven black hair hung to her waist in knots matted with mud and dried blood, yet she looked very calm.

"Yesss but sshe isss sso ssskinny." The other rejected her and they continued down the line to the male. This one panicked, he jerked out of line trying to run away. The Ra'zac merely stepped in front of him and they each bit a side of his neck. As the man fell limp the screaming began, the slaves and slavers alike scattered as far from the alien beasts as they could get. Only four people stayed still. The first slave held in place by his chains, the leader of the slavers standing in disgust. Katrina stayed still knowing that it was best to just stay out of the way. And, the black haired girl, she looked upon the scene as if she was merely being observant, bored with the whole thing.

The Ra'zac paid no attention to the mayhem, they picked up the now corpse and grabbed the chained man making there way back to their mounts, leaving Katrina in the middle of a foreign camp.

A/n: sorry readers but from updates from here will be coming slower. I will work as hard as I can to get them up as soon as they are written, please review regardless!