A/N: Woot! Finally! I took a few days off from writing, and now I'm back! Hee hee! I'm ecstatic. I love writing. Anyhoo...

DISCLAIMERS: I. AM. NOT. CHRISSY. P. IS THAT CLEAR? In short, I have no claim over the following: Roran, Katrina, King Orik, Murtagh, Thorn, Nasuada, Glaedr (Eldunarí), Umaroth (Eldunarí), Eragon, Saphira, Arya and Firnen.

CLAIMERS: I. AM. FALCONFATE. IS THAT ALSO CLEAR? I have claim over Ravenna, Shadefire, Maelstrom, Storm, the four Eggs, Glaedr (II), Mi'kru, Cynalia, Trezvog, Kilsgar, and Zanü. Oh, and I can't forget Queen Zalira.

HALF-AND-HALF: I have a half-claim over the following: Ismira, Eragon I, Biddy, aand I think that's it. Hehe.

Secrets of Life

Chapter Eight

Political Pentagons

"So, you're saying, that you were up in the North for over twenty years?!" asked Cynalia, a young Rider. Cynalia, at sixteen, was a graceful beauty of her age. Short-cropped red hair, azure blue eyes, a lean form, and enough courage for two armies. Her dragon, Mi'kru was only six years old, but had strength equal to that of his Rider. He had pale, silvery blue-green scales, eyes that were a darker shade of turquoise than the rest of his body, and was Saphira and Firnen's youngest.

The best from the Rider's schooling, they had completed training earlier than most. Excellent fighters and flyers, they had raced and dueled with Raven and Shadefire, and though neither won, they had a large, copious amount of mettle. Thorn had particularly enjoyed watching his mate practice against a new opponent, for he knew she had gotten used to—and bored of—his own and Bid'daum's techniques. He also knew Murtagh's thought-line was much the same.

Shaking himself back to the present, Thorn watched silvery-scales-Mi'kru's-Rider-Cynalia pester and demand detail from the two older Riders. His partner-of-soul-and-mind-Murtagh and Shadefire's-partner-of-soul-and-mind-Raven gave her stories of the North-wolf-pack, and experiences of their own, not yet mentioning the Ebrithils, Eragon-Elda and Bid'daum-Elda.

Silvery-scales-Mi'kru had just as many, if not more, questions as his Rider, especially for Shadefire: It it very cold up north? Was the hunting plentiful? How did you train so well? Are there Lethrblaka up north? Did you have Ebrithils like Eragon-Elda and Saphira-Elda? The last was answered deliberately with My mentor was my blood-instinct, my Rider's was the stars. Silvery-scales-Mi'kru was confused by this answer, but soon forgot about it in the torrent of new questions – not all from himself.

Murtagh's-love-dark-skin-Nasuada and sun-scales-Glaedr had gone off to send word to the other Dragon Riders that Murtagh-partner-of-his-soul-and-mind and himself had returned, with another Rider and dragon who had remained hidden throughout the war. Thorn wondered vaguely what kind of reaction this would get, though judging by Mi'kru and Cynalia's eager questions, awed reverence, and lack of running-in-mortal-terroring, it wouldn't be that bad.

After about two hours (and no respite of questions from the younger dragon and Rider), Raven announced that soul-mate-shadow-scales-Shadefire had fallen asleep, and that she was liable to do the same soon, and they – finally – went to bed. Thorn fell asleep immediately, dreaming of flying and play-fighting with his soul-mate-shadow-scales-Shadefire.

The dream was broken all too soon by an earth-mighty roar.

(linebreak)

Shadefire's head snapped up. Whipping her snout around, she saw that silvery-blue-scales-annoying-loudmouth-Mi'kru had also awakened, and was crouching over his Rider in an attempt to shield her from falling rocks (courtesy of idiot dragons who roared too loud, she thought). Said dragon roared again, and she immediately detected the slight sound differences that came only from a female dragon. As well as pure, red-hot anger.

She checked to make sure her partner-of-soul-and-mind-Raven was secured, then got up and peered out of the window. The roar sounded again, and she pinpointed the noisemaker. Sapphire-blue scales, a bit smaller than soul-mate-Thorn: it could only be Saphira. Rolling her eyes, Shadefire leapt out the window and rose up on an updraft, roaring in return, and ensuring that a message was derived from it: touch him and you die, world-savior or no.

The blue dragoness back-pedaled a moment, obviously surprised at Shadefire's sudden appearance. The black dragon snorted in satisfaction, rising higher, until she was high enough to perch atop the stout tower. She snorted silver flames, making it clear she was issuing a challenge, to which her partner-of-soul-and-mind warned of caution.

Saphira snarled at this show of superiority, but didn't rise for the challenge (to which Shadefire raised a mental eye-ridge in admiration), instead coming up gracefully to land on one of the lower levels.

Saphira made mental contact then.

Why is it that a Dragon and a Rider, experienced and trained, never lifted a claw to help those in need in the war with Galbatorix?

Shadefire frowned indignantly, before replying You won. Do you really think we were needed? And, before you say some half-thought falsity that you needed every sword and claw you could get, how could we have known?! We never had contact with the rest of this world. And, truly, we were all safer because of it.

That does not mean you couldn't have helped in some small way or another, argued Saphira.

No, but we were there to protect those we cared about. Can you really argue with that?

The other thought for a moment, before conceding. All right, but… why were you protecting blood-scales-and-claws-Thorn and his Rider?

Shadefire reared back and snarled as if struck. JUST WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY WHY?! she roared mentally (and physically), causing Saphira to actually wince.

The blue dragoness reeled a moment, before recovering and sending waves of apologetic-ness through the temporary mental connection. Excuse my wording, she intoned, a bit sarcastically, but many would have attacked them or turned them away or both. Don't tell me those thoughts didn't even cross your mind for a moment?

Shadefire glared at the sapphire-scaled-sassy-toungued-winged-lizard, until said lizard looked away. If we had turned them away, she intoned dangerously, we wouldn't have come bearing the blessing of four eggs. They are our gift to the Order of Dragons and Riders, and we do not give it lightly.

The blue dragon's eyes widened, and quickly cut off the connection. After a minute, she opened it again, saying Are you ready to travel a fair distance?

Always, replied the onyx-scaled dragoness. However, I must ask… where in the four corners of this world is your Rider?

Eragon is at home, in Du Edoc'sil Ristvarden Shur'tugal. He has not left since arriving at the foothills of the great mountains. Saphira waved her tail lazily. Do you think you could bring fire-heart-Thorn up here?

Shadefire cocked her head at this, approving of the new title, then shouted mentally to her soul-mate-Thorn. Hello there, sleepy-snout, get up here!

Why?

Someone wants to talk to you.

There was muted grumbling on soul-mate-Thorn's side, before a tentative question was asked. Do they want to kill us, flay us alive or skin us?

She, corrected Shadefire, just wants to talk. To you, and you alone. Raven will be joining the others in a moment, she just has to 'exchange pleasantries,' so that we may move on in the conversation.

There was a muted mental chuckle, before a rustling of wings could be heard and her soul-mate-fire-heart-Thorn perched next to her, nuzzling the side of her face affectionately. She closed her eyes and rested her chin on his brow a moment, before gesturing with her snout to Saphira, who was watching them with warm blue eyes. As Raven dismounted, Shadefire watched soul-mate-fire-heart-Thorn partake in lengthy conversation with sapphire-scales-justice-reasoned-Saphira. It was several minutes before they decided whatever they decided.

(linebreak).

Thorn watched the graceful contours of his soul-mate-onyx-scales-Shadefire, her long tail steering her and long neck outstretched, emerald eyes closed, nostrils and wings flared, and savored the image in his mind, making a mental note to ask his partner-of-soul-and-mind-Murtagh to make a fairth of the image later, so that he could have an image of her forever etched in stone in his cave. He smiled wistfully at the thought.

Soul-mate-silver-heart-Shadefire noticed his smile, and smiled back, asking What is on your mind, Fireheart?

He raised an eye-ridge at the name. What did you call me?

Fireheart. Because of your courage to stand up to the scumbag-egg-breaker-heart-thief-false-king.

Ah. As to what is on my mind… he sighed, and soul-mate-shadow-scales-Shadefire nodded in understanding.

I think we both know what will happen if they don't accept us. But, if they lay so much as a harmful breath of air on you, your Rider or the eggs, then they shall feel the might of shadows and light.

Thorn cocked his head slightly. he mused. Ah, now that is truly poetic, he told the other.

Thank you, she replied.

A/N: aaaand that's it this week! Please, PLEASE review! This one was a bit of a burr in my side. L-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-n-g. I think I'll just stick to short chapters from now on. *nods* Anyways… oh, yeah!

Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou to Restrained Freedom. You, sir, are AWESOME and AMAZING. Take it to heart, you're awesome.

Falcon