Its been a long time coming but I couldn't wait for outside opinion anymore. I personally feel that I rushed this chapter. Still I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I don not own any of the material or characters from the wonderful books by Christopher Paolini. The enclosed chapter however was writen by me.

There is some sensual material in this chapter.

Chapter 9

Eragon sat on the edge of the Dragon nesting ground, beneath a twilight sky.

The forest of Du Weldenvarden spread out all around him like a blanket of velvet that covered the land. He and Saphira had been here for over two days now and despite his best efforts, he couldn't stop thinking about Saphira or his own resolution to complete the transformation that he had discovered. He stared at the back of his hand where the single silver scale shone brightly in the twilght. Saphira was out hunting so Eragon felt safe in examining it. He hadn't really considered how hard it would be to finish a transformation when had made the promise to himself. The truth of the matter was he had no Idea what had caused the first change and until he discovered what that catalyst was he would never finish it. It gave him a deeply depressed feeling that he had made a promise that he could not keep, even if it was to himself. He might as well had told Saphira for all the good it would have done. Mentally shaking himself he reminded himself that if Saphira had known and then heard of his inablility of finishing the change would have only caused her pain. He looked up towards the horizon and saw Saphira gliding back towards the nesting grounds. Her scales glittered iridescent sapphire in the light of the setting sun. Eragon felt his heart leap at the sight of her beauty. Though they had been there for two days they had shared nothing more than conversation and planning. He missed the feeling of encompassing love that they had shared before. The feeling of utter contentment and peace that they found in each others hearts, far removed from the troubles of the world.

Eragon looked towards the setting sun and sighed. It was difficult to believe that there would ever be a time when he would look back on the amazing chaos he had reaped and think on it as a normal time for him. Everything then had been certain, Galbatorix wanted him dead, frightened men fought on both sides and he always knew his enemies face. Now he was lost, he had nothing to work towards, nothing to fight against or struggle with. His life had become relatively peaceful over night. He wasn't at all prepared for the peace and quite that after war left him in. He nearly wished that a platoon of soldiers would turn up and attack for some reason or another. He mentally shook himself. Wishing for more death and destruction was not the way to relieving his boredom. Saphira grew closer with each passing moment and he smiled as he thought slyly about screaming for help, simply to see her react. Before he shook the thought out of his head Saphira sharply replied, 'If you do that and your not dying, I'll pick you up by your heels and carry you the lake to cool your head.' Eragon smirked as she sent him a mental image of him flailing like a helpless doll through the air as she dropped him into the lake. He stood and walked back to the campfire to warm up a bit, the nesting grounds were high enough up to cause the air to be slightly frigged. It was then that he noticed something strange. A slight green glint from behind a stone near the nest that lay a few feet from the campfire. Eragon was sure he had seen something and moved to inspect the area when an all too familiar feline voice spoke inside his mind, 'I would hide that scale on your hand if I were you.'

Eragon looked down at his hand and saw that the silver scale still glinted in the fire light. He thought for a moment and it changed back to flesh. Eragon looked up and saw the werecat, Solembum, sitting on a rock a few feet away from Eragon staring at him with his head cocked to the side. Eragon wondered vaguely how he had gotten up here while he stoked the fire, remembering as he did so of the fact that he could assume many forms to suit his need... Eragon snapped up straight and turned to the werecat who had become the small boy with a wide grin on his face and said, 'Yes, Rider?' Eragon didn't know how to ask the question and he was slightly concerned with the approaching dragon behind him but decided that this matter was something that he needed to discuss with someone, and who better to ask than the werecat, one who knew how to change his shape. 'Solembum, I need to talk with you...'
'About shapechanging?'Finished the werecat.
Eragon nodded.
'Well, what would you like to know?' Eragon open his mouth to asked the first question when Saphira landed with a thud on the ground behind him. She eyed Solembum wearily and asked in a cautious way, 'What are you here for Solembum?' He smiled wider as his head turned from Eragon's uncomfortable dispostition and Saphira's cautious curiosity. 'I was just coming to check and see how you two were settling in. Nothing wrong with that.' He gave Eragon a knowing look that Saphira caught and then he turned to leave, sending a picture of a lake to Eragon as he did so. Much to Eragon and Saphira's surprise Solembum became a great eagle and launched himself off the edge, screeching to the sky as he flew away into the distance. Saphira looked after the werecat until he was out of sight then turned to face Eragon with a smile on her face.

The way she looked at him made him slightly uncomfortable. He wondered what she was thinking until he felt a light touch to his mind. He smiled and gently touched her mind. As soon she felt his touch, she enveloped him with her love. The feeling was so great that he felt as though he hadn't been properly alive since the last time he was in this state. 'Eragon... I have a question.' Eragon opened his eyes. Saphira had moved close to him, her wings surrounding him, her sapphire blue eyes level to his own. 'Yes Saphira, anything.' She looked embarrassed as she nuzzled him gently, showing him a vision of him and a woman wrapped in each others arms, kissing gently under the light of a dozen candles. When they stopped the woman opened her eyes and Eragon gasped, pulling away from the vision as Saphira's sapphire blue eyes remained before him. He looked at her, wondering where that had come from, this sudden desire of hers to be human. Hearing his thoughts she said gently, 'Eragon... I have sacrificed much for you, my heart is yours and my love is yours. I ignored the logical path for the sake of my love for you.' She gently licked his face, a dragon's kiss that Eragon loved, regardless of the pain. 'If I can not be with you in body then allow me the luxury being with you in the only way I can...' He gazed into her eyes, seeing in them a deep desire that he saw mirrored in his own. She wanted to share in his love, to be with him as a wife to her husband but knew that she couldn't. The intimate scene in her mind was a dream that she shared with him to make a small portion of her desires a reality, even if it was only a dream.

He glided a hand across her cheek as he came to a decision, 'Saphira, just this once. A dream can't replace reality.' She gave a slight whimper at his compromise but accepted it none the less, he was more than right. A dream could not replace reality. He opened his mind to her and allowed the vision to enter once more. The beautiful woman with sapphire eyes reformed before him, her hair a magnificent mane of gold, shining in the light of the candles like the light of the setting sun, her skin was a creamy pale, and as she stroked his face, it was as soft a silk. He longed to run his fingers through her hair, wanting to test its strength and weight, to see if it was as strong as the precious metal it mirrored. How could a dream be so real? Saphira wore an almost see through with silk gown through which he could see every curve of her feminine body. She slid closer to him, both her hands cupping his face as he looked her over, feeling distinctly confused, the memory of the dragon he had just being looking at still fresh in his mind. She leaned close to him, her eyes glittering like jewels in the candle light, her lips brushed his softly, she spoke softly to him. 'Eragon please, be with me as if this were real. Don't let it remove your passion.' Her voice was soft and sweet, so beautiful so as to make songbirds jealous. Eragon lost himself in the beauty of Saphira. She was so beautiful, so wonderful. In this dream she appeared as a human, not a dragon. She was setting it up so as to make it as natural as possible for him. She had even included a diamond band on her right hand, a mark of just how devoted she was to him. He smiled and bent in closer stopping before their lips met and whispered, 'Saphira, my love, Your are too good for me and yet you deem me worthy.' He kissed her gently, feeling content as she returned the kiss.

He had never expected that he would able to do this, real or not. He glided his hand through her hair, holding her head in his hand as she wrapped her arms around him. They stopped for the briefest of moments and stared in each others eyes. She giggled, he smiled. He moved his hands to her neck and took hold of her gown and pulled it slightly to one side so as to be able to see her seemly neck completely, she blushed and nuzzled his hand. He wanted to expose her form but he was master of this thought and moved closer to her, brushing a slight kiss on her neck cause her to gasp and blush deeper than before. He kissed her neck again stroking her back as he did so. She was lost in the pleasure of his ministrations gliding her hands across his back, wanting to pull him closer. She undid his shirt and pulled it off him, letting fall as she ran a hand across his tight chest muscles. He stopped nuzzling her as a thought came to him and looked into her eyes, loving the soft strokes of her hands as they gazed at each other. He leaned forward brushing her cheek with a kiss and asked, 'Do you trust me?' She laughed softly and whispered back, 'Till the end of time and beyond even that.' Eragon pulled back and stroked her cheek gently and said, 'I have something else in mind.' The vision faded away immediately as Eragon broke the connection. Saphira's hurt dragon face appeared before him. He looked at her and felt no sorrow for her, he had an idea, one that would satisfy both of them. He gazed at her as a single tear ran down her cheek. He brushed it off and smiled. He had come to the decision he should have made a long time ago. 'Saphira, I've been keeping a secret from you.' Saphira looked even more hurt as he quickly explained. He told her everything, the discovering of dragon's scale on his hand and the sound of Brom's voice over the past week.

She listened intently to what he had to say, her sorrow giving way to a mix of emotions. Anger, confusion, hope, and understanding coursed through her in equal measure. When he had finished his tale, she knew why he had broken the connection between them before it went any further. There was the possibility, no matter how faint that Eragon could become a dragon and be with her as she desired, fulfilling her more completely than any dream ever could. She smiled and nudged him gently as she asked, 'Eragon, is it even possible that you could become a dragon, that you could be with me as you could in the dream?' Eragon smiled, the eagerness in her voice was a clear sign that if this failed and he never became a dragon that she would be hurt so badly, far more than when he ended the dream. Saphira took his smile as a 'yes' and backed away from him, asking as she did so, 'What do you think caused the first change?' Eragon shook his head, he had no idea what had caused the first change, any more than he knew how to fly. He told Saphira this and she looked slightly put out until he told her about his future meeting with Solembum. Her spirits lifted again as she crouched down, 'Well, what are we waiting for, lets go and see him.' Eragon smiled and climbed onto her back, 'Before we go anywhere, I want your word that regardless of what he says or what happens, that you won't think any less of me. That you will love me just as you do now.' Saphira stood up and looked at him with one eye and said, 'Regardless of what happens, I will always love you and besides,' She continued in a sly voice, 'If you can't become a dragon, you can still love me, no matter how you do it.' Eragon spluttered as she winked at him and launched herself off the edge.

With a loud crunch Saphira landed on the edge of the lake in front of Solembum. The werecat didn't move as Saphira crouched down to allow Eragon to dismount. Solembum looked at the pair of them, his eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke directly to Eragon, 'I thought you would come alone, or was my image of a deserted beach not enough of a hint.' Eragon looked worriedly at Solembum, it was the first time, at least as far as he knew, that Solembum showed any outward sign of displeasure, well yes he could, the time that Angela threatened him with a bath had been the first time. Solembum stood up and walked away a short distance before turning back to them. 'I assume that you told her.' Eragon shifted sheepishly but Saphira was the one that answered, 'Yes he did, I for one am glad he did.' Solembum shook his head and looked at them carefully judging them as he said, 'You are only glad because of your heat.' Eragon was shocked to see Saphira's scales go a rich purple, smoke furled from her nose as she glared at the werecat. Eragon was so sure she was about to eat him that he quickly intervened by asking, 'What do you mean by that?' 'Have you not noticed the changes in her? Her attitude, and her dreamsharing.' Saphira closed the distance between herself and Solembum in a heartbeat, flames roiling from her mouth as she snarled, 'Take it back, or feel my flame's!' Solembum didn't even flinch as he stared Saphira in the eye and spoke quite calmly, 'Do so, and you will never learn my secrets.' Though it clearly irked her she backed up and struggled to calm herself. 'Rider, you shouldn't have told her, now you shall have a large struggle on your hands. Once a female dragon has chosen her lifemate she will not relinquish him regardless of what he says.' Eragon was looking at Saphira, who was visably shaking with the effort of controlling herself.

He wanted to ask what the problem was but judging by her condition she was in no position to tell him. Solembum was the one that provided the answer. 'Rider, Saphira is going into heat, just like a normal dog or cat would. It is a time of increased desire and want, while sense and judgment decrease. She is not thinking straight or being logical in her decions.' Eragon looked at Saphira. Her whole body visably shaking as she glared evily at the werecat for any number of reasons. He placed a hand on her neck and asked, 'Is it true Saphira?' Saphira slumped to the ground and turned her head slowly to his. The sad look in her eyes was all he needed as a conformation. He looked back at Solembum and asked, 'How often does this occur and how long does it last?' Solembum nodded wisely but Saphira was the one who answered, 'Once every four years Eragon, the coming of age signifies the start of the heat cycle with the first flame of the dragon. After that every four years a dragoness enter into heat to procreate, for it is supposedly, the only time that a dragoness can concieve.'
'And,' Solembum interrupted, 'it only lasts for one week, during which time the dragoness is driven by instinct to mate with any male dragon that is of appropriate age.'
So that was why she tried to get him to make love to her in a dream, her instinct would be appeased and no harm done. He half wished he had for now he had a far greater problem to deal with. Having told her about the potential of becoming a Dragon she would give him til the end of her heat before she drew him back into the dream or took him regardless of his form.

Instinct or not he knew that she would not try to force him to do this but he didn't want to take his chances. But even if he became a dragon and mated with her, it wouldn't be true love, not in his eyes. To him that seemed like he'd be taking advantage of her and that he would never do. He stroked her cheek gently, he knew that she would prefer that he do it rather than anyone else but he simply would not until both of them were of the same accord, both heart and mind alike. Solembum broke his thoughts by asking bluntly, 'Knowing this fact do you still want to know the secret to Shapechanging?' Eragon looked back at the werecat and nodded slowly. Solembum stood and walked slowly around them saying as he did so, 'Shapechanging, or the art of altering ones body through magic to become something else is a magical skill that requires a fair bit of magic. Werecats are all connected partly to the the spirit plane, and therefore are granted near immortality and vast reserves of magic.' Eragon had already guessed that it would require a large ammount of magic to do this but he never knew that it needed that much. Before he could ask anything Solembum continued, 'Only the first change requires the bulk of this power, the remaining changes only require willpower after that. I know a way for that power to be gained.'
He sat down on the edge of the lake eying Eragon and Saphira as he continued, 'The sprit plane has both benevolent spirits and evil ones. There is normally only one way to enter into that plane and that is through death. But with my link to that plane I can use my lifeforce to create a bridge for your spirit to travel to that plane.' Eragon was deeply unsure of this and had dozens of questions to ask but was going to keep them until later. He did ask however, 'What will happen to you if you do this?'

Solembum gave a toothy grin as he stood and stretched, 'Oh I'll be fine, I have a few... friends who will sustain me while I maintain the link that will keep you there.' Eragon looked at Saphira who nodded her agreement to the plan. He wondered whether or not her instinct or her heart told her this but he also wanted to do this. 'What do I do when we get there?' Solembum walked closer to Eragon, his eyes locked onto Eragon's own. Solembum dipped his head in understanding and answered his question, 'First you must sit,' Eragon did so and Solembum continued, 'When you get there, you must a find benevolent spirit who will fill you with the power you need to complete the transformation.' Solembum crawled into Eragon's lap, his tail flicking rythmaticly. His eyes began to glow softly and he said, 'Look into my eye's rider and do not look away.' Eragon stared into his eyes as they glowed brighter and brighter. He felt strange, like he was starting to float, as if he was in water, flowing down a current swift and strong. He felt so peaceful, that is at least until he felt the prick of sharp teeth in his neck. He snapped his eyes open and saw a bleak expance of gray and white stretching for miles in every direction. He felt himself leave the current and looked around. Solembum sat next to him, his teeth tinted red with the blood from his neck.

They sat on a beach of some sort, the fine sand was as white as snow. Eragon looked around and saw nothing but the beach and running water in every direction. At least it looked like water, it was more like fog, but solid
'Where are we?' Eragon's question seemed strangely echoy in the surrounding area. Solembum smiled and answered without needing to communicate mentally, 'We are on one of the Crossroad Isles, The spirit plane is infinte in size, pocessing many areas, many worlds exsit inside each area and all are acessed from here or others like this one. No one has ever attempted to travel to more than two of the areas before seeking eternal peace.' Eragon nodded in understanding, even it was only a faint grasp of what he meant. He took a few steps away from the water and tried to make out anything through the grey and white mist that hovered over everything except the isle they stood on. Solembum walked past Eragon and let out a yowl into the silence. It seemed to echo forever in the strange fog but when it faded he turned and looked at Eragon, 'I have summoned a guide for you, to maintain the link I must stay on this Isle, if I leave it both of our bodies will die and we will have to move on.' Eragon nodded and turned to wait for whatever it was that Solembum had called, that is until he heard a distinct noise behind him. He looked back behind him and saw what looked like a feline creature, roughly Solembum's size but grey and red in color, with six tails that were seemed to be made of roiling flame and deep magenta eyes that glowed eerily in the light of this world. It lazily caressed Solembum's face with three of its tails as it walked around him, Solembum undamaged by the touch. Eragon was on the verge of asking a question when a hand was placed on his shoulder. The hand was calloused and rough, lined with age and scarred from training. Eragon turned his head forward and nearly screamed.
It was Brom.

Brom looked no different than when Eragon had last seen him, other than the fact that he didn't look as though he was in agony. His lined face and silver beard were exactly the same as they had been previously and right now they were lifted in a smile that was more radiant than any Eragon had ever seen him wear. 'My dear boy, When Solembum's messenger told me you might be coming I scarcely could believe it and yet here you are.' After having learned what Brom was to him Eragon had always wondered what he would have done if he still lived. Now that he looked upon him again, talked to him again and now as he remembered what he had lost he did the only thing a lost son could do. He hugged Brom. Even though he had learned Brom's tie to him after death, he still missed the old story teller and longed to see him again. Brom returned the hug and smiled, he had long since wanted to, ever since He had first seen him in Carvahall and now he could, but now was not the time for reunions.
'Eragon, that desire spirit will not be able to sustain Solembum's spirit indefinetly. I know why your here and I am to guide you to the one who has already offered to help you.' Eragon nodded and looked around for any means with which to leave the isle but Brom already had that ready. He brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled loudly. The noise rang in the fog and was immediately answered by an amazing roar that could only be one thing. A large saphire blue dragon came from the fog and landed noiselessly on the ground in front of Brom. He turned to Eragon, who wore a stunned expresion, and said, 'Eragon, this is Saphira, the dragon of my tale that I lost to Morzan.' Eragon nodded blankly. He had always thought that Brom's dragon must have looked similar to Saphira but he never that they would be almost Identical. Brom climbed up onto her back and motioned for Eragon to join him. He did so and they left the Isle, as they flew towards the fog Eragon looked back and saw that it looked like the isle was surrounded by the sea of fog surrounded that. As they flew brief glimpses of the innumerable isles passed them by many of them diverse and as large as the world itself. Before he could do or say anything, they had flown through the fog and come out instantly to another isle. This one resembled a large mountain, a mountain whose peak stretched high into the clouds above. Eragon knew at once that this place was obviously a resting place or something similar for Dragons. The odd thing was, there were no dragons to be seen. The exception was a large red and orange dragon that stood in the middle of a large dais of sorts.

When Brom and his dragon landed, Eragon slid off and walked toward the dragon. The dragon eyed Eragon and spoke clearly to him, his voice carried no friendly tone in it at all. 'So you are Eragon. I must admit that you are not what I expected.' Eragon didn't know whether to be offended or cautious. The dragon huffed as it laid down glaring at Eragon as he continued, 'So rider, you want to gain the power to become a dragon. I already know why so lets get right to it. My daughter is the one whom you want as your life mate. Can you give me one strong reason why I should let you have her as such?' Eragon's stomach lurched, Saphira's father? This dragon was going to give him the power to become a dragon if and only if he could convince him that Eragon was a worthy choice. How do you convince any father of that? Eragon opened his mouth to Say something but the dragon cut him off, 'No. No words. You will be tested in a battle of strength. You will fight me for the right to be her lifemate. Prove to me that you can protect her!'
Saphira's father launched himself at Eragon with a speed and brutality that Eragon had never before seen. The dragon caught him and threw him into the air snapping at him as he did so. Eragon felt himself changing, his body seemed to be writhing and twisting, bulging and growing until he felt the wind catch him. His body had become that of an immense silver dragon, equal in size to Saphira's Father. As he fell towards the dragon's open maw he twisted and slammed his tail against the dragon's face. It staggered as Eragon thudded clumsily to the ground.

Eragon knew that he was at a severe disadvantage. He knew nothing about being a dragon and was battling against a full grown adult with far more experience and skill. A fireball came flying towards Eragon, who ducked to avoid it but he didn't avoid the heavy wing that smacked him, knocking him off balance. The dragon swung a taloned claw at his head, Eragon rolled to avoid it using the momentum to slap the dragon with his wings. He scrambled to his feet as the dragon came at him again, snapping at his neck, attempting to stumble him with it's tail. As Eragon avoided another swipe of the dragons tail he stumbled over his own tail, allowing the dragon time to grab his neck with sharp claws and bite down. Eragon howled in pain but did the smartest thing he could think of, in this position the dragon had the perfect leverage to snap Eragon's neck. Eragon dropped to the ground and struggled against his attacker who was trying visiously to get Eragon to rise again. It was then that he saw his opening. The dragon lifted both front claws to strike and Eragon used his unpinned wing to spin on the ground, pulling the dragon off balance and tripping him as Eragon's tail knocked into him. Using the momentum he lifted himself onto his feet and bit down at the base of the dragon's head, an area he knew had a vital artery. It was well protected but with his hind legs pinning the dragons wings and his front legs gripping the dragon's neck, there was nothing that it could do but surrender. Its body went slack and Eragon knew he had won. He climbed down off of Saphira's father and bowed respectfully at him. He eyed Eragon with a new respect as he said, 'I did not think that you would beat me. Regardless, I can see your will and determination so I will tell you this.' He rose to his feet and dipped his head, 'Rider, I will give you the strength to complete to transformation to dragon form in the mortal world.' He looked back up and said with a far softer look in his eyes, 'I also give you my blessing to become my only daughter's lifemate, I believe you refer to it as marriage. Please make her happy and protect her from those who would do her harm.' Eragon nodded and promised he would before he left the Island to return to the crossroad.

He had done it, securred the power he needed to shapechange into a dragon. Upon landing in front of Solembum, who was alone but looking extremely contented he said, 'I am done here. Let's go back before our bodies rot.' Solembum smiled and said, 'I believe it's more likely we'll be eaten but yes, lets return.' As they turned to leave Eragon heard Brom's voice once more. As his vision faded from the spirit world Brom spoke, 'Eragon, know that I will always be watching you. Be happy in the love you have found.' With that Eragon opened his eyes once more and saw Saphira's staring back. He returned, but now with a purpose.

Well there you are, my next chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and I eagerly look forward to your reviews.