Sja Fram [Inheritance Cycle | Eragon Fanfiction]

Chapter V: Death in Yazuac (Unedited)

Chapter V: Death in Yazuac

|| Dream ||

I doubled checked the strap that held the sword to Istal's saddle. Just before I had left the burnt down house, Mother had run out and given me the sword saying that it was important to certain people.

The sword was a dark purple, and once again, I had to stop tears from dropping down my face. Despite it being almost a week after my father and sister's death, I still cried at the thought of my family.

Istal danced beside me and I yanked on the reins without a thought, stuck in memories. A whinny caught my attention and I turned to him as he stood there with his head down. "Sorry Istal," I said gently putting the reins over his head. "I wasn't thinking," I said facing the horse.

Istal snorted and shoved me in the stomach - hard. With nothing to stop me from falling over, my arms windmilled as I tried to regain my balance. I landed in the cold leaves and let out a gasp as the air left my lungs.

As I got up, I looked at Istal who seemed to be laughing at me. "Okay maybe I deserved that," I said brushing myself down.

"C'mon boy we're nearing the next village," I told Istal as we left the outskirts of the forest to go back to the dirt road.

Istal stopped beside me when we reached the road; with his head thrown up and nostrils flaring he looked very much like the stallion I knew he would one day be.

"What is it?" I questioned him taking note that he thought there was danger around.

I turned slowly looking for the culprit of my horse's fear. "I don't see anything," I said as I rubbed Istal's neck before leading him forward. With unsure steps, Istal followed me nervously, hesitating before leaping forward at times.

I frowned at him and decided it might be best if I rode him out of this stretch of the road quickly. I mounted Istal who tossed his head and took off, cantering along the road.

I pulled Istal in as a rabbit hole suddenly appeared in front of us, Istal leaped it awkwardly and landed off balance. Regaining his balance, Istal tried to increase his pace, and I pulled him in, not wanting to accidently get him injured.

Istal suddenly stopped, his head once again flung up in the air. Istal reared and swung around turning to face behind us. I followed his sight, but couldn't see anything. I leant down and rubbed his neck in affection. "There's nothing there," I said turning Istal around and making him walk forward.

Istal tossed his head up and down as I tried to make him walk forward. He danced from side to side and pranced, doing everything he could so he didn't have to go forward. Eventually I let Istal stay still, I looked in front of us searching for anything that could be the cause.

A loud howl came from the forest and Istal took off at a gallop. Something leapt in front of Istal who couldn't stop and ended up jumping before coming to a direct stop and swinging around. I had already lost my balance, and I could feel myself slipping out of the saddle. In one last desperate chance to get myself back in the saddle, I let go of the reins and tried to pull myself back up using Istal's brown mane.

Istal had other ideas as he pigrooted and sent me flying. I fell onto the floor, I laid there for a couple of seconds before a growl made me get up and search for danger. As I looked around, I realised I was surrounded by wolves. There were only four wolves but that was four too many as I had no weapons on me besides my quiver of arrows.

I gulped nervously and hoped that this wasn't my end. I pulled two arrows out of my quiver hoping that I could somehow use them to protect myself. This movement was like a trigger as one of the wolves leapt at me. I ducked down and as the wolf leapt over the top of me, I stabbed it in the belly with an arrow.