BURTHR (Birth) The Inheritance Cycle

The next morning, Xelena woke up slowly. She was lying against Dwerva, whose massive body could only fit in the small clearing that was near their hut. He was so large, he could barely move through the trees without having to take off and fly above them. During the day, all he could do was lay in the clearing, cramped and curled up, and sleep.

Xelena knew he was miserable here. The only reason they had stayed so long was that she still hung onto the childish notion that her mother, Thaylor would return.

What a silly thought. It had been around eight years if she had been keeping track right.

We need to leave. She thought.

But where could they go? She did not know much about current events of the world, but she knew the King would seek her out. She would be putting both her and Dwerva's lives in danger, no matter where she went.

She looked at her hut. Memories of her mother rushed at her, and she scrunched her eyes shut. She missed her mother with every fiber of her being, but now she had begun to hate her too. She stood up, careful not to wake Dwerva, and crept into the hut.

She grabbed her mother's bow, running her fingers down the smooth side of it. It was beautiful, with perfect craftsmanship. It was the color of birch trees, a pale white, and with it came goose-feather arrows and a quiver.

There was not much else her mother had left, other than clothes and a belt, which Xelena now donned.

She shook away the tears that were threatening to spring from her eyes any moment. She stood, grabbing the bow and its arrows and quiver. She slung them onto her back.

A cold winter breeze drifted through the camp, and she shivered. She picked up a twig. "Brisingr." She said, and the twig lit on fire, like a makeshift torch, so she could keep warm.

While she had no training in magic, her extensive knowledge of the Ancient Language made it easy for her to make up spells. But she was careful. Just because she could speak the Ancient Language did not mean she should be dabbling too deeply with magic, she figured.

Dwerva. Awaken. She thought, very loudly. Dwerva's head popped up, eyes flying open. He blinked at her, waiting for her to explain her reason for intruding on his beauty sleep.

We are leaving this place. She said confidently.

Are you sure that is wise? Where do you think we will go, Little Bird? There is not a village that will let an elf enter it, and now a single man who will not try to bring us to Galbatorix, as I understand it. He said gently.

Well, She shifted her weight. We will go to Du Weldervarden, and we will find Ellesmera.

That is a long journey, Little Bird.

And yet, it is one we must take. We are perhaps the only Dragon and Rider in all of this cursed world. It is not right for us to hide out here.

But we are no use to them if we get ourselves killed. Dwerva pointed out.

How long do you imagine you can live here, Dwerva? You are too large. You cannot even stretch your wings without taking out a couple of trees. We disrespect the forest by staying here. We have outgrown our home.

If you are sure, then I trust you. It is true I am tired of being hungry all the time. The great dragon rose, his wings folded so he could stand in the tiny clearing.

He stretched his legs out one by one, careful not to knock over trees with his tail.

"I will prepare food for our journey. We will leave by nightfall." She declared. Dwerva nodded in agreement before he flopped back down to the ground, shaking the entire forest. Oops.

"Be more careful, Dwerva." She snapped, although she found it a little amusing. I will rest, then. He said, closing his eyes and falling asleep.

Over the next few hours, Xelena busied herself with gathering all the berries, fruits, vegetables, and nuts she could possibly find. To her discomfort, she also gathered up rabbits, killing them with one single word, Jierda, snapping their necks instantly. A rabbit was nothing more than a nut to Dwerva, but it was still something.

She put the food in the makeshift backpack she had woven many years ago, the one she used to use to carry Dwerva's egg on her back.

She was glad Dwerva had agreed to go along with her plan, he was stubborn and rarely this agreeable. Stubborn as he was, she still loved him with all of her heart. She found the link between her and her dragon to be extraordinary – when they focused, they could join their minds, and two become one.

She allowed her mind to be open to Dwerva, all the time, hiding nothing from him, not even the most painful memories of her mother. They were all that the other had.

She walked through the Spine slowly, taking in every last detail, drinking in all the smells she had grown up around. She took steps she had taken all her life, that she would likely never take again. It was bittersweet, but she focused on the positive. She would finally get to see the real world, and she would do it alongside her best friend, her partner, the one who shared her heart and her mind.

Her dragon.