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Chapter 6

A New Friend.

Cherish P.O.V.

I'd stayed awake all night last night, just watching the stars, and praying for a miracle that I'd be included in the twelve percent that completed the change. I slept in the saddle; I don't think anyone noticed, until I started to slip off the back of the mare. It was really embarrassing; I'm normally a good Equestrian. I almost gave everyone, even Brom and Eragon, a heart attack.

They all said that they thought that I'd died riding, and no one had noticed. I assured them that they would hear about it if I started to die on them.

That night we stopped by the entrance of a cave, and were introduced to Saphira, Eragon's dragon. She sniffed around the entrance a little and declared the Cave to be waiting for someone, but not her, so she wouldn't go in, yet. I had a good conversation with her afterwards about flying. She was amazed when I told her about planes.

I was a lot more relaxed tonight than I was last night.

Merlin P.O.V

I couldn't get over the fact that there was a dragon lying not ten feet away from us, and Uther was acting as if there was nothing wrong! This was great! Maybe, while we were here I could 'accidentally' discover that I could do magic.

We were all listening to Brom and Eragon explain about the Ra'zac, creatures wrapped in black cloaks that preyed on humans and could speak our language, but preferred to communicate in clicks and hisses that made up their own language. They had come to Eragon's farm, looking for Saphira's egg, which Eragon had found in the mountain range called The Spine. It had been transported there, and landed right in front of him. When the Ra'zac only found Garrow, Eragon's Uncle, they had killed him and burnt down the house.

I heard a cough and looked around to see Cherish smile at me and mouth 'frog in my throat' at me. I nodded. I turned back to face the fire. Five minutes later, Cherish coughed again, and again.

"Cherish, why are you crying?" Gwen asked.

I looked up and, sure enough, Cherish had tears streaming down her face. "It- cough- it's- cough- started." Cherish coughed into her hands and when she brought them away, I saw that she'd started to cough up blood.

Eragon, who was closest to her, was beside her in a shot. I got to her side, just in time to see her tears turn red.

"I- I don't want to die." She said weakly, her eyes scrunched up in pain. "It hurts." She coughed again.

"Cherish!" Uther said. "Stay calm, there has to be something! Gaius, what about what you know of the old religion?"

"What do you mean Saphira?" Eragon asked. He was quiet for a moment and then he nodded his head. He shifted and quickly moved his one arm around Cherish's shoulders and the other under her legs, and then he picked her up.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked.

"Saphira insists that Cherish needs to be in the cave." With that he took her to the cave, and disappeared inside, we all followed him.

Eragon P.O.V

I didn't really know why Cherish needed to be in the cave, but Saphira insisted, so I did as I was told. I just hoped that this would work. I descended a stone staircase and ended up in a very large chamber. There was a large lake with a small island rising outside of the water in the centre. On the island was a marble pedestal, on which rested a green/blue dragons egg. As I took all this in I was also aware of my blood stained tunic, and Cherishes coughs and breathing getting weaker.

Cherish shifted and moved so that her feet ended up on the floor. On shaking legs she walked away from me and into the water. She started to wade out, to the middle. Halfway there, the egg shook and fell off the pedestal and the small island, and into the water. At that point, Cherish collapsed, and slipped under the water. There were several cries of "Cherish!" and I was pretty sure that one of them came from me.

A minute passed before anything happened.

Cherish P.O.V

I had to get to the egg. It could help. When it fell, I stopped, and then one of my legs gave way. I went under and the current, which was previously non-existent, pulled me further towards the pedestal and deeper. The pain worsened as my oxygen started to run out. As my vision started to dim, I saw the egg crack open, to reveal a young dragon. My vision grew darker, but then I felt something nudge my right hand. There was a flash of white and suddenly the pain changed. It felt right. There was something pulling me up, it was under my arm, and swimming. The pain disappeared as my head broke the surface of the water. I gasped and spluttered, trying to take in as much air as possible. I grabbed onto the stone of the island and pulled myself out of the water.

As I lay on the ground I examined the dragon who'd chosen me to be his rider, and caused me to do the impossible, complete the change, when I'd started to reject it! The dragon was long, and quite well muscled. His scales were a beautiful sea green and his eyes were an emerald colour. Ingothold, said the voice of my goddess.

"Thank you Nyx." I gasped, she'd given me more than I could have ever asked for.