BURTHR (Birth) The Inheritance Cycle

Chapter 4

If Xelena had not been so desperate for companionship, she would have been more cautious of the young dragon. But Xelena had been desperately lonely, and she was overjoyed to have someone to talk to, even if it was a newborn firebreathing beast.

Now, as she walked through the Spine, just as she did every day, the dragon would walk behind her, or it would lay on her shoulders.

She no longer felt alone, she was excited to have someone walking alongside her.

She talked and talked to the dragon, retelling every story she could remember. She told it of the Menoa Tree, of the twisted King Galbatorix, of the great Dragon Riders.

Though it seemed crazy, sometimes she even felt as if the dragon was listening to her.

The little dragon seemed to be developing a personality after a few weeks. It would turn its nose up at the berries she brought it with quite the attitude, and it liked to play little games with her, like keep-away and hide-and-seek.

Not only that, but it grew rapidly. When it was born, it stood at her knees, but it was already shooting up past her knees now.

And so, she decided, the little dragon should have a name.

"Everybody deserves a name." She told it thoughtfully one evening, while the little dragon pecked at a mouse. "I'm thinking maybe something like Fëon." (Translation: Flower). The dragon narrowed its eyes, displeased.

"Stjarna?" (Translation: Star). The dragon kept its eyes narrowed, tail swishing in annoyance. 

"It's not my fault I don't know any dragon names. Maybe Nuanen?" (Translation: Beautiful). The dragon's annoyance grew as it snorted at her. Xelena's eyes widened in realization.

"All this time, I was thinking of girlish names, but you're not a girl, are you?" The dragon's eyes seemed to laugh at her for not realizing sooner.

After some more thinking, she came up with a final idea. "Your scales, they are as black as night itself. Dwerva - Night in the ancient language. How about Dwerva?"

The dragon paused, considering the idea, before perking up, appearing pleased.

Xelena couldn't help but smile. She crawled into the hut, lying beside the rest of her mother's things. Dwerva followed her, curling up against her. Xelena fell asleep to the soft, gentle snores of the baby dragon she had come to care for greatly.

~

The next few weeks, the dragon grew and grew. Dwerva was now no longer interested in mice, he preferred rabbits and birds. Not only physically, but he grew emotionally and cognitively. When she spoke to him, he seemed to be listening intently now. When Xelena focused her attention on the Dragon, she could feel the dragon's emotions.

Her mother had told her about communicating with others without speaking, by communicating by brushing your mind against someone's else's. But she had never really tried, considering she was only six when her mother left.

She knew how to sense the minds of the animals around her, but she had never figured out how to talk to them.

These days, she tried her best not to think about her mother.

Today, she had decided to take Dwerva to the mountain range that separated the Spine from the rest of the world. She figured his wings were strong enough to support him now, and she wanted to find a good place with altitude to help him learn to fly.

She jogged lightly, Dwerva trotting happily at her side. It was a particularly pleasant day in the spine; the sun had come out just enough to keep them warm, and the air was crisp and clear.

It was quite a trek to get to the mountain range, as she had to make sure there was no chance of running into any villages. This was not too hard, however, considering humans disliked the Spine greatly.

The real threat was the Urgals who had made their home in the spine. For some reason, she had noticed the Urgals always seeming to be busy, marching out of the Spine, battle-ready.

She tried not to concern herself too much with the Urgals, and as long as she managed to avoid them, she'd be fine. If she did run into them, though ... she shuddered at the thought. She doubted she'd be able to hold off more than two Urgals. She was quick, agile, but she had left her only weapon – her mother's bow – at the hut.

The pair walked for hours before they reached the foot of one of the smaller mountains. Boulders covered the land around the mountain. She smiled as she climbed gracefully up a boulder. Dwerva watched her curiously before he followed, with much less grace. He clambered up the rock, struggling to grip the stone with his claws. Xelena laughed at his clumsiness, which did not seem to lighten the little dragon's mood.

Once they stood at each other's side, at the apex of the rock, Xelena's muscles tensed as she got ready to leap down from the rock. At about two months, Dwerva was at least five feet long and about four feet tall, but his wings were already at least six feet long each. Xelena leapt down, so Dwerva had room to spread his wings.

Xelena couldn't help but feel awe-struck as she watched the little dragon become mighty as he opened his wings, stretching them as wide as he could. He began to move them around, observing the way the wind hit them, and how it seemed to affect his body.

Without warning, he sprang into the air, his great wings flapping, churning against the air to keep him up. A stronger breeze hit him and he lost balance, tumbling to the ground. But he would not be deterred. He ran back to the rock, hopping back up it with determination, and flung himself off the boulder.

He shot into the air, this time with confidence. He flapped his wings more powerfully now and moved through the air with a grace he had never had on land.

Xelena smiled at Dwerva. Dwerva continued to soar through the sky before eventually he tired and landed on the ground beside her.

"How did it feel?" She asked, even though she knew he would not respond.

But then she heard a voice in her head that she knew was not her own.

Like freedom. It spoke.

She gasped, but she knew immediately what it was. She never shook the sense that Dwerva listened to her every word, and now she knew she was right. Dwerva could speak with her. She recalled her mother's stories, which claimed dragons were just as intelligent as every elf, if not more intelligent.

She grinned, elated. "Let's go home now, Dwerva."

There was a pause and Dwerva appeared thoughtful. Xelena. The voice said hesitantly.

Yes, I am Xelena. She thought, focusing on Dwerva, trying to push her thoughts forward, to reach his mind the way he could reach hers.

Xelena. The voice repeated. But this time it was soft, affectionate.

She smiled again before they began the journey home, dragon and girl. Girl and dragon. Dragon and Rider.