The old man smiled at Darian, his eyes twinkling brightly in the dark forest. "She's around," he said cryptically, his smile broadening as if at some hidden joke.

Darian's eyes narrowed and she cocked an eyebrow at the man. Can you smell anything? Is the dragon near, or even alive? she asked Lyssand.

Not really... The scent of the trees here is overwhelming. It must have just rained in this part of the forest. All I can smell is cool earth and wet pine needles, he answered, drawing in a deep breath and huffing it out from wherever he was with the other horses.

Darian scuffed her boot lightly against the ground, sending the piebald an affirmative thought when she felt a few drops splash against her leg. "Enough games old man, you've been saying stuff like that ever since Reb called you out for being a Rider!" she growled, stalking over to him and glaring down into his eyes.

The spy glared at the man for a moment, then she felt it. The sixth sense all warriors had that was inexplicable, that urge to duck or run or that foretold trouble on the wind. Without pausing to think, she jumped up and back, twisting in the air until her palms touched the ground, using her backwards motion and speed to spring off of her hands into a crouch. A twitch of her arm and a knife from one of the many sheaths hidden on her body was in her hand.

As she twisted through the air, she watched calmly as a bright orange paw the size of one of the doorways of the huts around them, snatched through the air where she had just been standing. She felt the brush of wind the massive limb grabbed at her, missing by a hairsbreadth. When she landed and pulled her knife, she slashed without thinking, lightly pricking the sparkling hide closing in on her.

The dragoness roared, and the illusion lifted. The man to the left of the old Rider was not a man at all, it had been his dragon the whole time. Darian paled when she thought of the energy it must have taken to sustain an illusion that hid the body, mind, and scent of the dragon, as well as obliterated signs of her passage over the ground. The dragon before her was the orange of coals in a fire, darkening on her wings, belly, and paws to a warm sunset red-orange. Her eyes were ruby red and filled with a protective rage.

From the look on her face, Darian could tell she would have been content to let them talk to her Rider, if only Darian hadn't walked towards him so menacingly. She had attacked out of a desire to protect her bonded partner from a perceived threat.

"Brisinalin! No! She means no harm!" the old man shouted, stepping in front of Darian and throwing his arms out to the sides, shielding her with his body. The dragoness hissed, glaring at her Rider, her head bobbing and weaving as she tried to get around him to Darian. For a few tense moments, the old man's lips moved silently as he spoke with the enraged dragon. At first it looked as if she would ignore her Rider and eat Darian's entrails anyway, but then her head lowered and her tail stopped whipping back and forth so quickly, though she continued to glare suspiciously at the blonde spy.

Darian looked at the dragon warily, water swirling and twisting around her at a furious speed. If the dragon attacked again, she would freeze the water in front of her into a massive spike to impale her paw, or whatever, on. She glanced at her knife, trying to gauge how badly she had wounded her before. There was only a thin line of blood decorating the keen edge. She cursed silently, then looked for Reb and the other man.

The warrior from the village had disappeared, presumably running for cover when Brisinalin had attacked. She couldn't see Reb around the bulk of the orange dragoness, her backwards hand-spring had carried her away from her ally and the dragon was now between them.

"Oh. There she is," she said calmly, standing up and taking a slow step back. She wasn't scared, she just wanted a better look at the dragon before her. The cyclone of water was as high as her waist now that she was standing, and moved with her, it's rotations never slowing.

"Reb, perhaps you would like to talk with her? I'm not a Rider, I doubt she would deign to speak with me," she called to her friend, her voice light and unafraid.

Darian crouched slightly to keep her balance when Star Gazer slapped the ground with her tail, sending tremors through the earth. Just when the ground was almost finished churning, the orange, Brisinalin, spun around, hissing viciously. Darian and the old Rider had to duck hastily to avoid being swatted in the head by her thick, battering ram-like tail.

"Brisinalin! Enough! They do not mean us any harm! What has gotten into you?" the old man cried, stumbling forward to put his hand on her shoulder. The orange wrapped her wing around him protectively, backing away while keeping Darian and the others in her sights. A muffled shout echoed from underneath her wing, and then a gust of air pulled her wing away from her Rider. He staggered forward, then turned to look at her. "Silence you blithering beast!" he yelled, waving his arms in frustration.

Brisinalin's growl cut off with a choking sound and she looked at her Rider with wide eyes. Blithering beast? Is that the best you could come up with? she asked, cocking her head at him in disbelief.

Darian gasped when the orange dragoness spoke. Her voice was both powerful and light, with fiery motes of red and orange flaring within it. It was like someone had given a wildfire a voice. "Brisinalin, I mean your Rider no harm. I was simply frustrated that he would not tell us where you were hiding, or if you were even alive," she said, stepping forward. She slowly twirled her knife in her fingers until the blade was pointing at herself, then slipped it back into it's sheath.

Brisinalin snorted at the movement, then stepped forward to stand by Elazar. You don't need to treat me like I'll turn into a rampaging monster again. My temper may be easily lost, but for the moment, I am in complete control, she said, slightly amused.

Darian had a few ideas about what to say about the dragoness's temper, but restrained herself. She looked at Star Gazer pointedly, indicating it was to her that the orange should be speaking to. The dragoness looked across at Star and a ripple crossed her body as her scales lifted slightly. Even Darian understood the sign of her uneasiness, and the reason. It was obvious that Star was annoyed with her display a few moments ago.

Star Gazer is your name? It sounds familiar, but I can not place it... Brisinalin said, staring right back at the dark purple dragoness.

Indeed. The life of their Rider is the most important thing to a bonded dragon. I would die a thousand times over before I let him be killed, Brisinalin said to Star Gazer. She thought she heard a sense of disdain or maybe excellently restrained anger in the purple's voice, but ignored it. However, now that I am calm, I shall tell you, I mean no harm to any of you, unless your mission here is to attack us. Then I'm afraid I'll have to put an end to all of you, she said calmly, a tight note of battle-readiness entering her voice as she finished speaking.

Darian quietly listened to the exchange between the two dragons, then stepped forward as Brisinalin's last statement reached her. "Then we are all in luck, none of us mean the other harm," she said, her arms loose by her sides. As if to punctuate her statement, the water swirling around her slowed, then dissipated into tiny droplets before sinking back into the ground. She glanced at Star to see what the dragoness thought of her interruption, then turned back to the orange dragoness.

Darian heard Star Gazer moving behind her, but ignored the sounds, at least until she felt something wrap around her chest. She looked down, eyes wide, to see a thick, blackish-purple rope tied around her. It took her a split second to realize it was Star's tail, but before she could ask the dragoness what she was doing, she felt herself flying backwards through the air. She came to rest standing beside Niliki and Reb, then the tail unwrapped itself from around her torso, leaving her to stand on her own two feet.

I guess she was still a little nervous about having any of us so close to Brisinalin, she said to Lyssand. With his ears, she heard him huff in agreement with Star's actions. She smiled at the little horse's reaction.

Beating of the chests? An apt description, Brisinalin said, a smile coloring her thoughts. She cocked her head and stared down at Reb, her earlier amusement gone, replaced by a more serious attitude. Well met Reb, Rider of Star Gazer, she said to Reb, then allowed Elazar to step forward and take control of the meet.

"I'm afraid that in all the noise and disturbance, I forgot what your question was. Perhaps you'd like to remind me," the old man said, resting a hand on his dragon's left foreleg.

Elazar smiled and walked forward, running his hand along Brisinalin's serpentine neck as he went. The orange dragoness purred in response, the sound a huge rumble that reverberated in the ground below. "Well then, let us not stand around here trying to recall it. Come, follow me to my home and we will discuss why you are here. And you don't need that weapon," he said, directing the last statement to Niliki.

Darian followed Elazar and Brisinalin through the trees, ignoring the villagers as they passed by the buildings that made up their homes and shops. She could see faces and the backs of heads as a few of the shier townfolk peeked at them from windows, ducking quickly or turning away when they realized she could see them. "You must not live in town. I didn't see any buildings big enough for Brisinalin when I was here breaking Niliki out," she said to Elazar.

"No, I don't. As you can imagine, the others are hesitant to let Brisinalin near their homes. With just a snort and a tiny jet of flame, she set one of them ablaze last year," he replied, chuckling at the memory. "Don't worry though, she put it out quickly enough with a few flaps of her wings," he added, looking hesitantly as Star Gazer.

I blame it on the two barrels of the elves special faelnirv, the orange said, grinning.

Darian laughed, grinning up at the dragoness. "Well you don't have to worry about fires while I'm around," she said, flicking her wrist. A small ball of water formed in front of her at eye-level. Another twitch of her wrist and it dissipated.

She saw Elazar watching her curiously and she grinned at him, winking secretively. By then they had traveled well beyond the village, but on the opposite side from which Darian had approached earlier. There was a massive stand of trees ahead, each with a girth of at least eighty feet. She looked them over, squinting up at the oddly shaped canopy. The tops of each of the trees were interlocked, sometimes to the point that they looked to be twisted around each other. Then she blinked, and it clicked into focus. They were twisted around each other.

What she was looking at was a house built like one of the elves structures. "That's amazing," she said, awestruck. "Did you do this all by yourself? she asked Elazar, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Yes, except for Brisinalin. What you see is the product of many years. The first three floors are more than big enough for both Brisinalin and Star Gazer. Everything you see above that is for the villagers in times of danger. If you don't mind, please don't go past the third floor. They have some very precious treasures of theirs hidden up there. I would hate for my wards to catch you unawares," he said gravely. He strode forward and brushed his palm against a patch of bark on the foremost tree.

A wooden handle grew out of the bark, which he then used to open the door. "After you. Don't worry about your horses, they'll find plenty of shelter and surprisingly green grass on the forest floor beneath us," he said, standing to the side to allow them to enter.

Darian hesitated a second, then shrugged and walked through the door. She was more than confident that between the four of them, she and her friends would be in no danger.

Darian frowned, taking in Reb's words. "Well if you're that confident he'll be safe, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to let him be. He's not exactly helpless either," she said pensively, thinking about the pros and cons of allowing him to roam around for the time being. She shrugged after a minute and quite worrying about, instead turning her attention to where she was going. There were carvings on the lips of the steps, mostly of dragons and Riders, and the creatures they had dealings with. After a few steps, she noticed that the same Rider and dragon seemed to be present in all of the murals. "Elazar, is that the story of you and Brisinalin?" she asked, gesturing at the carvings.

Her pale eyebrows slid up almost into her hair when she saw a carving of a young Brisinalin facing down a Kull almost twice her size. They must have been a handful when they were younger, slipping away from their masters and getting into trouble like that, she thought to herself.

You have no idea, Brisinalin said, grinning mischievously, her snow-white teeth gleaming in the light.

Darian blinked, then smiled at the dragoness's words, before carefully throwing up barriers around her mind. She hadn't realized the orange dragon was listening to her thoughts. Pardon, Brisinalin-elda. Were you trying to tell me something while my mind was elsewhere? I can think of no reason for you to contact me otherwise, she asked respectfully.

No, no reason. My mind was wandering like your own, except literally. Sometimes the barriers around my mind slip, which allows my consciousness to brush up against others without meaning to. It happens when you get old. You know what they say, the first thing to go is the mind, she said with a chuckle. Forgive me for intruding, she added.

It's alright, you startled me is all, Darian said, smiling back. She turned a corner and came upon the last step of the staircase. This step had one carving, a young man facing an egg, both hands upon it's shell. Next to it, finishing the sequence of the carving, was the same man, but with a proud hatchling facing him, it's wings flared as it reared. "Were you really that big when you hatched?" Darian asked aloud, peering at the carving. If it was true, then it indicated Brisinalin's head was even with Elazar's shoulder when she hatched.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure when she first hatched and reared up like that, her head was even with my own. As you might know, the older a female dragon when impregnated, the larger her eggs will be, and consequently, the babes inside," Elazar said, coming to stand beside her. He knelt and touched the carving, a smile on his face. After a moment, the old Rider stood and opened a door, which Darian hadn't noticed.

"Welcome to my humble abode," he said, stepping aside again to let them through first.

Elazar smiled at Reb when she indicated he should go ahead of her. "As you wish," he said, walking through the door calmly. He walked forward five feet, then turned. "See, I'm not bursting into flames, you can come in," he said wryly, turning to go get a pitcher of water from a back room. When he returned they were still standing outside the door looking suspicious, with the exception of Brisinalin who was now sprawled out in the padded depression that was her bed on this floor.

"Really, now, this is getting ridiculous. Come inside already," he said sharply.

Darian grinned guiltily, she hadn't meant to be rude, she had just been watching Reb, waiting for the top of the volcano to blow. It seemed to be all the Rider could do to not tear this place to the ground trying to escape. From what, Darian couldn't figure out; Elazar had been trustworthy enough so far. She walked through the door and took hold of the cup he was holding out to her.

Good thing it's water, I don't have to worry about any nasty tricks this way, she thought to herself, taking a drink. The water was perfectly cool and refreshing, she smiled and tipped the cup to him. "Good water," she said shortly, before walking to a wall and leaning against it. From where she was standing she could see Reb and Star, she smiled slightly as she waited for them to make their move.

"Thank you Niliki, finally someone among you speaks sense," Darian said wryly, watching Eleazar. The old man just smiled at her words and walked off, disappearing into another room. The spy straightened slightly, ready to leap out of the way if something came flying out of the room. After a moment she heard something shuffling back towards the door, she narrowed her eyes, but still couldn't see what it was.

"Don't attack, I'm coming in with a knife!" Eleazar called sarcastically, walking into the room. His arms were full of bread, cheese, fruits, and vegetables. "I'm not sure if the three of you have eaten anything yet, so I thought I'd offer," he explained, walking over to a table and setting the supplies down. When the food was arranged on platters, he walked over to a cabinet and withdrew four plates and the necessary utensils.

"Actually, we had some soup not long before those warriors from the village showed up. At least, Niliki and I did. Reb might be hungry though," Darian said, knowing full well that the Rider most likely would decline, even if she were collapsing from hunger. She's still jumpier than a jackrabbit on a hot frying pan, and I'm not one to ignore the instincts of a Rider. They can smell trouble a day off, she thought to herself. She couldn't help but wonder what was making her new friend antsy, Brisinalin and Eleazar seemed alright to her.

Darian watched Reb and Star Gazer a moment longer, chuckling when the Rider politely declined Elazar's offer of food. The spy glanced at her own cup and noticed it was almost empty. Rather than risk pouring a beverage from one of the pitchers the old Rider set out, she gathered water from the air around her and sent it into her cup. Taking a sip she wrinkled her nose at it, the water was lukewarm. The blonde spy pressed the tip of her finger to the side of the cup and thought of ice. Almost immediately a thin layer of ice formed over the surface of the liquid, which she broke up with another command.

She paused when Niliki touched her mind and shared his observations with her. So that's what he was doing when he touched Reb, he was sharing her eyesight, she thought to herself when his mind receded. She flicked her bright blue eyes over to Elazar's face to try and determine what he was hiding. After a moment she looked away, fuming on the inside about being unable to discern his motives. Normally I can read a person's body language and tell you almost exactly what they're thinking, but I'm getting nothing off of him, she said to Niliki, sending an image of her frowning warily. Tell Reb, see if she's got any ideas about what's going on, she added. She would have told the Rider herself, but tense as she was, Darian felt it was best to let her feel a familiar mind.

"Why are you all staring at me like that? Come, sit. Let us talk of your travels and whatnot," Elazar said suddenly, gesturing at the table. "You don't have to eat, but that doesn't mean we can't sit and confer like civilized beings."

Darian looked the old man up and down when he spoke, finally detecting a slight note of agitation in his voice and the tightness of his shoulders. "Sure, we can sit," she said, moving to a seat farthest from the fire. She sat down and looked at Reb and Niliki, wondering what they would do. Playing along for now will get us answers quickly and safely, or so I hope. I hope they understand that as well, she thought to herself apprehensively.

Elazar looked from Darian to Reb to Star Gazer, an uneasy look in his eyes. He took a sip of water and reached for an apple, calmly brushing it against his sleeve to polish it. "Simple really, I didn't think I would be much help. Against Galbatorix and his Eldunari, we wouldn't stand a chance, not to mention that beast of a dragon of his," he said, taking a bite.

"Maybe so, but you certainly would stand a better chance than a half-trained teenager and his barely grown dragon. At the very least you could have helped teach him," Darian said, spearing a piece of peach with her knife and dropping it in her mouth. She wrinkled her nose slightly at the too-sweet fruit and took a drink to wash away the taste. A slight growl from behind her indicated Brisinalin's displeasure with her comment, but the orange dragoness said nothing and remained at her seat behind them.

Behind her cup Darian searched for something to use to her advantage in case of a fight. She had plenty of weapons at her disposal, but she didn't particularly want to kill the old Rider and dragon. Mostly she just wanted to distract or hold them until she and the others could get away. The only option that seemed available was dousing the fire and candles with water to rid the room of light, then summon chains of ice around them. I can darken the room and tie them up, but I doubt that will hold them for long, we need something better, she thought to herself, irritated when nothing immediately presented itself.

A light touch at the back of her mind indicated that Lyssand was back from wherever the horses had gone off to. Something's up, be prepared to flee, she said to the piebald.

You do realize I'm not wearing any of my tack? It'll take us five or more minutes to get back to the village and get it all situated, the little horse asked, stomping a hoof against the damp ground below the treehouse.

Yes, I do realize that, and if you're ready when I say go, then it won't take nearly that long. You know how fast you are, Darian said back, ignoring the snippy tone of her mount's voice.

Elazar looked nervously at Reb, licking his lips before he spoke. "Maybe for a Pair as strong as yourselves it was nothing, but we, Brisinalin and myself, we were never very strong. Even in our years among the graduated pairs, we could barely hold our own in mental duels. I barely passed through my apprenticeship, my tutors finally had to let me go because Brisinalin was much bigger and more accomplished than the other apprentice dragons," he said, his speech becoming quicker and higher the more he spoke. The old Rider's eyes shot sideways towards a window before turning back to Reb's stony face.

Darian tensed slightly, she had seen him look behind them. She remembered seeing a window in the general direction he had glanced when they first came in. He's waiting for something, or someone, she said to Lyssand, grimly preparing for a fight. I hope we haven't left it too late to get away. He could have sent for whoever or whatever the moment they saw us approaching the village. There's no telling how much time we've got left, she continued, including the rest of their group in the conversation.

Star Gazer, can you smell or sense anything coming? Lyssand asked the deep purple dragoness. His small black ears twitched to and fro as he listened for any noises that didn't belong to the forest. His sides vibrated slightly as he loosed a low whinny at the other horses beside him, asking if they had noticed anything.

Darian and Lyssand followed the sounds of the two dragons from the ground, occasionally catching a glimpse of orange scales or a void against the night sky that was Star Gazer. You know, times like this, I wish I was a Rider, Darian said dryly as they lost sight of the pairs again.

Aaahhh, but think of all the beautiful scenery you would miss, Lyssand retorted, just as sarcastically as his friend.

Elazar, you must anchor yourself to me with magic, the wind from my flight is about to blow you away, I can feel it! Brisinalin said, increasing the tempo of her flight as she heard Star Gazer's unmistakable wingbeats behind her. You don't have to keep the spell up for long, just long enough for us to-

"I know! You don't have to remind me!" Elazar snapped, breaching the magic barrier in his mind. He spoke the words of power, the twitched when he felt his clothes slithering around him, ropes of cloth reaching out to twine around the spikes in front of him as well as behind. "There's not much more I can do than that my friend, I'll just have to hold on as best I can," he said gently, rubbing one of her scales. He looked over his shoulder and shuddered, Star Gazer was less than a mile behind them, close enough for him to see her Rider and the livid look on her face.

Darian watched the dragons get further and further from herself and Lyssand. Finally the tiny specks that had been them were no longer visible against the dark sky and Lyssand was starting to breathe heavily. "It's no use Lyssand, we can't keep up with them. Slow down before you hurt yourself. I'll cast out with my mind and see if I can't get a feel on them," she said, patting his neck. She grimaced when she felt the thick layer of sweat on him and pulled back on the reins, forcing him to slow down.

I almost had them, the piebald protested, even though he could hear for himself how winded his mental voice sounded.

"Yeah, and I'm a Rider after all," Darian retorted, agilely stepping down from his saddle while he was still trotting. She ran alongside him for a moment, then slowed to a walk with him, casting her mind out as they went. It wasn't hard to tell which direction the dragons were flying, all she had to do was feel for the startled minds of the owls and other night birds they were passing.

Brisinalin heard the whistle of the arrow as it approached and pulled in her wing, narrowly avoiding the flaming missile. She roared in defiance and kept her wing in, executing a tight barrel roll with her tail aimed like a mace for Star Gazer's head. She felt it connect lightly but with plenty of force. She finished her roll and came up on Star Gazer's right side, her serrated fangs parted and brilliant orange flames pouring from between her teeth, aimed straight at Reb. Can't control the flames if you don't have time to prepare, witch! she hissed, breaking off the stream of flames and arrowing straight up into the sky, rapidly gaining height on Star Gazer.

Eleazar laughed mirthlessly, the sound made horrible by the slight gurgling noise that could be heard coming from his throat: it was the blood pooling inside of his throat, which was then trickling down into his lungs. "Who do you think I work for Rider? Your friend there saw everything, and I've no doubt she told you. I sold my allegiance to keep my family safe, now because of me, you stand no chance. He has known of your movements for quite some time, and thought you might come to the forest, to this place. He has positioned some of his mightiest servants and unhealthiest creations in this forest to break you and bring you to him," he said, the demented laughter still pouring from between his teeth. After a moment a massive coughing fit wracked his body, making him scream and cry pitifully at the fresh pain that careened across his burns at the movement.

When the fit had passed, he was bowed over before Reb, glaring up at her with one eye, panting heavily. "Though I suppose if you leave now, you might stand a chance of getting a little distance on them before they catch up," he wheezed, his eyes daring her to run and prove she was a coward like himself.

"Don't take the bait Reb, it's safer if you leave. There's no telling what that idiot king has sent for you," Darian said, steadily battling the fires around them. She tossed a glance over her shoulder, worried the Rider would go charging after danger, just to make a point.

"Stop! Stop! Brisinalin, wake up! I've told you everything I can!" Eleazar screeched, feebly trying to crawl up the orange dragoness's neck to protect her from the flame-wreathed blade. He collapsed halfway up her neck, his arm weakly waving from side to side as if to batter Reb's sword away. His back vibrated slightly as a weak, coughing growl escaped between Brisinalin's serrated teeth.

Back off, Dragon Rider, she hissed weakly, lifting her head. She could sense Star Gazer's presence, but she didn't care, it wouldn't stop her from attacking Reb if she continued to threaten Eleazar. She twisted her neck, ignoring the searing pain as her burned flesh arced and moved with the movements of her muscles. Curling her broken right wing protectively over Eleazar, she looked defiantly at the whole and strong pair before her. Yes, we serve the king, but not because we want to. He tried to protect his family, is that such a bad thing? Begone from my sight, weaklings! You have no idea what we have been through and had to do. Run while you still can! she growled fiercely, flames licking past her teeth.

Darian watched the orange dragoness warily, her massive head bobbing and weaving as she glared at Reb and Star Gazer. "Reb, don't. Leave them to die from their wounds, it's the least they deserve, but we don't have time," she said, walking forward and making as if to grab Reb's sword arm before stopping herself. "If we hurry, I might be able to fix something up to keep myself, Niliki, and the horses safe while we fight, but I'll need time and a quiet place to concentrate. Come on!" she said, speaking hurriedly. She walked over to Lyssand and jumped into the saddle, eyeing the dark trees all around them. She looked back to Niliki and Reb, waiting to see what they would do.