The girl awoke shortly before sunrise, a sinking feeling in her gut. She could smell the blood nearby. Zidane! A groggy voice replied to Jaden's mental yell, What? The Elf attached her sword to her belt; I'll be back soon. Zidane could only watch as Jaden disappeared into the trees.
She followed the trail and came upon a group of Urgal warriors. Jaden, hidden in the early morning shadows, placed her hand on her sword, ready for battle. An Urgal sniffed the air and grunted, "Elf…" was all he said as Jaden darted forward, swinging her sword. It took a minute for the Urgal's decapitated head to fall to the ground. The fight had begun. The other Urgal's roared in anger and attacked.
Eragon woke to the distressed voices of the dragons. Where is the elf? Asked Saphira, Zidane whined, In the forest, I hear a fight, Eragon! Eragon leapt to his feet grabbing Zar'roc, "Yeah, yeah I'm going!" He ran into the trees, following the Urgal's dying screams. He saw Jaden, surrounded by bodies, duelling with the Urgal's Squadron Leader.
Jaden lunged at the creature. She despised these foul smelling beings, but maybe that's because she was of noble blood. He sidestepped her attack and kicked her in the back. The Urgal turned and drove his sword into her shoulder, "Ahh…" she moaned, looking at the Elven blood running down her arm. Eragon went to step in but was beaten by a cloaked figure that ran the Urgal through. Jaden staggered to her feet, sheathing her sword. "Ow…" she looked at the figure, "You…" she noticed Eragon and walked over, one hand pulling the blade out her limb. Eragon was staring at the other person who lowered his hood. The boy must have been in his year of ten and nine; his blonde brown hair covered his bright eyes. Jaden was brought out of her stupor by Eragon's happy voice, "Murtagh!" He hugged the stranger who, just as enthusiastically, returned the greeting and hug before turning to Jaden, "Who's your companion?" The elf bowed, "Jaden, daughter of Rosh of the Du Weldenvarden Wood elves!" Eragon laughed, "And a Dragon rider!" Murtagh laughed also, "Where are they?" Eragon and Jaden smirked and led him to the dragons.
Zidane looked up at her rider coming back before pinning her down. You stupid girl, you could have been killed! Never run off like that again! She snarled. Jaden winced as the dragon put more pressure on her shoulder; You're on my shoulder Zidane! She moaned, sliding out from under the dragon, ripping off her sleeve and using it to dress her wounds. I'm sorry, was all she say to Zidane, who looked the other way. She looked at Murtagh, "How'd you find us?" He smiled at her. Eragon could tell with amusement and sadness, that Murtagh liked Jaden…a lot. Murtagh shrugged, "I came from Ceris with a message for the child of Rosh", and Jaden looked at the boy, "You mean me then?" A nod was her reply, "Lady Morvana requests an audience with you upon your arrival in Ceris!" A confused look appeared on the elves face, "Who in the name of the Varden is she?" "An old Elven dragon rider, her dragon is the Golden dragon Orlith!" Zidane and Saphira looked up, they knew something she did not and she hated it. As both dragons looked at Jaden, she snapped. "What? Do you know something that you do not want me to know?" she demanded, straightening, the dragon's shook their heads and looked away. Jaden crossed her arms angrily and glared into a puddle.
Again she found herself thinking of Murtagh, similar to the thoughts she'd had of Eragon. She sighed, for almost a century, she'd kept these emotions at bay but now, due to the arrival of these two humans she was experiencing things she never knew existed. It was tearing her apart. She faintly heard something tearing through the air, only acknowledging it completely when an arrow pierced her arm.
It was well shot; she had to admit that, catching her just between the nerve and the muscle. She spun around, alert. Eragon and Murtagh obviously hadn't seen it as they were still talking to each other. She fell to her knees; she was loosing blood, fast. Murtagh ran into the trees, presumably after the attacker as Eragon ripped a rag, tying it around the wound. "Thanks", was all she said before leaping up. Her Elven ears picked up the battle. There were three or four fighting including Murtagh. Another dozen or so were attacking Zidane and Saphira, she thought. She place a hand on the hilt of her sword and ran, darting between trees before leaping up, wrapping her fingers around the branch and somersaulting onto it. Leaping from tree to tree, with Eragon running underneath her, she could see the whole battle from here. Murtagh was finishing off his group of Urgal's so she stopped in the tree above Saphira. There were two Urgal's on her back that she couldn't reach so Jaden leapt down, landing on Saphira's neck, drawing her sword. Saphira at first believed it to be more Urgal's but upon seeing the elf, she calmed. Jaden saw their leader, or whom she assumed was her leader barking orders. She vaulted off the blue dragons back, landing like a cat. She walked over, dodging fighters. The leader was a Shade, he looked no older than nineteen, and the same age as Murtagh. He saw her coming; "Well never did I believe that the Elves would grace the Empire once more with a rider, but two? I am shocked!"
Her eyes narrowed as she lunged, the Shade brought his blade up to meet hers and the impact threw her backwards. The battle went on like this but after what seemed an age, Jaden lunged forward, sliding her blade into his heart. She glared at him, her face in his smiling evilly, "Victims…aren't we all?" Her enemy let out a scream of anger and died. Jaden hobbled over to her friends. Murtagh's face was cut and a slash ran across Eragon's side. A saddened roar came from behind, "Zidane!" "Saphira!" came the rider's voices as they ran to their wounded Dragons. A spear protruded from Zidane's side, Stay still, this will not hurt! The rider said before grasping the wooden pole and yanking. It slid out so fast Zidane toppled backwards and landed on her behind, Liar, came an amused voice. She used some Elven magic to heal the dragons before turning to the humans, "Never before have Urgal's entered our forests", she said sadly, "Come, we are but a day away from Ceris!" She created a fire in the clearing nearby. Eragon lay against Saphira and slept. Zidane curled around Jaden as Murtagh lay in the grass. "You know, my dragon is big enough for two!" Murtagh smiled and lay beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
In the darkness, huddled against Saphira, Eragon wept. He had lost his love, to his best friend.