Dragon-Bound

Chapter 2 - Sighting

Chapter 2 – Sighting –

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Saphira flew for days. Just as she had flown with Eragon to the vault of souls, she now flew across the ocean, heading south at first before turning more to the west after a few hundred miles. She conserved her energy as much as she could, and thankfully the wind was behind her, allowing her to glide mostly along the air currents that tickled beneath the feathers of her wings. She flew high over the clouds, avoiding the worst of the weather should there be any, and despite the almost freezing temperatures and thin air that made her almost dizzy, the wind was more co-operative as it helped to speed her along. She didn't know what she was looking for, but all she knew was that she had to keep going. It was illogical to think that there were no other lands out there besides Alagaesia, besides, both the human and elven histories tell that they sailed to Alagaesia and settled there from a previous land... the name of which oddly was forgotten. So Saphira knew that there MUST be something out there... the only question now, was where was it and was she headed towards it? She and Eragon had once crossed a river, where he had picked a point at random in which to cross. It was only once they were in the air and half way across that Saphira noticed that they were at the river's bend, where the river was at its widest. Had she made a similar mistake?

It mattered little now, and thinking of even memories of Eragon made her whimper with grief, her heart aching, her mind constantly searching her soul for that connection that was no longer there. It had become a habit now, of searching for him within herself and not finding him, as if this was all some elaborate dream that she would soon wake from. And always she would be reminded of her loss, her heart twisting as a result, and so she pushed herself ahead, banishing the emotions and only allowing logic into her mind. It was now the only thing that kept her sane.

She flew for a whole day, night and then half way into the next day, and even with the wind on her side she was completely exhausted and was beginning to drag in the air. Her breathing became heavy, her wing muscles were screaming for release, but she could spot no land upon which to rest. And so, even though she was incredibly wary, she glided down towards the ocean, circling above the waves as she used her superior vision to see beneath the water to any threats that might lie below. When she could see nothing, she carefully landed on the water, spreading out her wings and letting her belly make her float, her legs dangling beneath her in the waves. She growled as she felt her muscles in her chest and wing-joints give a long shriek as she finally relaxed them. She wanted to sleep, but could not, fearing that some sea predator would attack her from below should she be distracted, and so constantly had her mind scanning for the presence of another in the waters around her.

She sat there for hours, iron will forcing her eyes to remain open and her mind alert as she allowed her body to rest but kept herself painfully awake. The sun was beginning to set when she finally moved, lifting her soaking, water-heavy, rather stiff wings as she used her tail to propel herself forward and she lifted herself up into the air.

On again she flew, but this time she could only go through the night before her body was once again begging for rest, and her mind was ready to fold on her and make her drop into unconsciousness from exhaustion. She desperately began to look for anywhere to land, and was half contemplating landing on the water again and against her better judgement, sleep. But then, by the dawn's first light, she saw a small speck on the water, and grasping at the hope, she shot towards it, to find a small island jutting out of the sea. It was very small indeed: perhaps twice as she was long and half that distance wide, there was no life on the island, only a few oddly shaped trees with long straight trunks, no branches and large triangular leaves. But it didn't matter, all that she cared about was that she had a solid, safe place to rest. She landed on the island, and immediately dropped where she stood, and fell straight to sleep, panting with her tongue lolling out of the side of her mouth as her body shook from exertion.