Okay, so I posted the first chapter as more of a prologue, but I am updating it so that all of this will hopefully give you guys a reason to read further. Thank you so much for all the helpful advice from those that reviewed! One thing, though, is that I am having trouble describing Middle Earth and the surroundings because it isn't my creation. I'm scared of getting something "wrong", you know? Well, I guess getting past that is just another part of writing~ Again, I own nothing but a few necessary OCs who will have little to no impact on anything.

The sea spray stung Eragon's eyes as a strong gust of wind propelled the Talíta ever further into the great expanse of blue green water that had revealed itself several days into the company's quest. Eragon was shocked to find that another ocean awaited them on the eastern edge of Alagaësia. The world was round, and perhaps there were multiple continents. The peoples currently inhabiting Alagaësia had to come from somewhere, after all, since nearly none were native to the land. He hoped they reached land soon, however, for there was only so far Saphira could fly before exhausting the energy the Eldunarí supplied her with. He grew more concerned, for the food supply he and the elves accompanying him had prepared had significantly diminished during their, as of yet, week-long voyage. The Talíta sailed smoothly onward, for the enchanted elven craft never rocked. Blödhgarm and his spellcasters sat near the prow of the ship, cradling several unhatched dragon eggs and singing ancient lullabies. Eragon once more contented himself to chatting idly with Saphira, even if it was merely a distraction to stop himself from dwelling on his and Arya's rather emotional parting. No, he wasn't going to think about it. There was time for that when his head cooled a little.

The days grew hotter as the tiny ship continued to drift onward. It soon became apparent that they didn't have much time left before Saphira collapsed of exhaustion. Giving her all the energy he had to offer, Eragon lay on the deck to conserve his own strength.

Give me no more of your energy, Little One. I can manage well enough on my own, Saphira protested.

I can lie here safely on this boat, so you need it far more than I. Don't protest anymore and just accept it. Please, Saphira..., Eragon begged. I have more than enough to spare.

She huffed and said no more, for she did in fact need it desperately. Another day passed like this, and Eragon began to despair. Would they survive? It became more and more unlikely every minute. Just when all hope seemed to be lost, one of the elves cried out in excitement.

"Land! Land ahead! Our journey has finally yielded rewards!" Her musical voice was a breath of fresh air after the prolonged silence that had fallen over the group. Clutching his head as a wave of dizziness passed through him, Eragon rushed to his feet and bounded toward the prow of the ship. There was indeed land ahead! Saphira roared in joy and increased her speed ever so slightly so as to reach the sandy beach faster. Eragon couldn't stop the smile that grew on his face as he admired the beauty of the land they had come upon. The beach itself was shallow, but the thin strip of pure white sand was unblemished and majestic. His gaze quickly traveled to the grassy hills that seemed to welcome tired legs with open arms. As the ship traveled ever closer, a line of trees materialized in the distance. They were different from the tall pines of Du Weldenvarden, perhaps oak trees. Small paths led in and out of the forest, most likely animal trails.

They jumped off the ship and into the shallow waters when the party got close enough, pulling the Talíta ashore so as to prevent it from being carried away, for there was no suitable dock in sight and they were desperate to venture on land. Saphira had crashed into one of the grassy hills and could barely keep her eyes open. Blödhgarm sniffed the air, his blue fur rustling in the breeze.

"It would be wise to camp here for now, Shadelslayer. Saphira cannot go on any longer and we must explore the area," he said. Eragon agreed, suggesting they take shifts while others ate and rested. Alüwei, the female elf who first spotted land, suggested that she and Blödhgarm take the first shift. The first priority for everyone was food. As similar as they seemed, the plants on this strange land were different than those of Alagaësia. Combined with the elves' strict vegetarian diet, this made acquiring food slightly difficult. Extending his mind for the first time since their arrival, Eragon touched upon the minds of all the creatures around them. It did not take long for him to locate a herd of deer, or at least he thought they were deer. They were smaller and more slender than the deer he was familiar with, but similar enough that he still felt comfortable classifying them as such. After a few minutes, Saphira raised her mighty head and gazed in their direction. With great effort, she lifted herself and sprung toward them, eating her fill. A mere five minutes later, she dumped a large buck in front of Eragon.

These weaklings were no match for a great hunter such as I, she said. Here, you need your strength.

The elves would frown upon it, He replied.

It did not take her long to respond.Then the elves can stick to their grass. No one is forcing them to be rational.

I suppose so. Besides, no one is asking them to accompany me. It really can't be that bad once in a while, right? Staring at the buck, Eragon's gut growled and any reservations he had instantly dissolved. Making a small fire, he began roasting strips of meat. The two other elves that had stayed in the camp stared at him with loathing. Ignoring the uncomfortable atmosphere, he quickly ate almost everything. It was true that he tried to avoid meat whenever possible, but it was just not always possible.

Saphira was already asleep as the sun began to set, snoring as elegantly as a dragon could. Blödhgarm and Alüwei had returned with food of some sort, and the entire company sat together. The four elves watched the horizon in silence, ears alert for the slightest sound. Eragon sighed and leaned against his partner of heart and mind, settling into a comfortable position. As he reflected on recent events, he hoped that this strange, warm place would provide a good home for the future riders. He couldn't stop the sense of dread that something was off, though. It had taken them far too long to reach this place. Even with the help of the Eldunarí, Saphira had barely made it here. How were younger dragons supposed to survive the distance, and all alone to boot. It was simply impossible. There was no suitable region in Alagaësia for them to settle, though, and the continent had ended far earlier than any had expected. There was no place else to go. Perhaps Solembum was wrong, and he would one day return to his homeland? It would be nice to see Roran and Katrina again. Hopefully Ismira would grow into a beautiful, healthy girl. Again, Eragon quickly dismissed such thoughts. Thinking of family so soon after leaving would bring only grief. Now, the rider needed his rest. Tomorrow was to be an exciting day, for the company would get a chance to really explore the land. Taking comfort in Saphira's warmth, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Eragon enjoyed the smell of the forest. Everything was fresh and untouched, left to its natural state. The elves seemed to value this just as much as he. Saphira could care less, though. She was content to fly above it without a second though.

It has been too long since we have flown together, she thought.

So it has. We are flying together now, though.

As it should be, she replied. Blödhgarm and his elves ran below them as they circled the great expanse of forest. They would have to move more inland until they found a suitable place to raise the dragons, for a forest was too constricted. The air was refreshing, carrying the smells of the land. Eragon's feelings of hope and promise rekindled as the group traveled on, and they didn't have to travel long. After a mere three or so hours, a small mountain range came into view. The mountains surrounded by forest would be the ideal location to call home, if the area proved unpopulated and everything was as it appeared. Luckily, that had been the case thus far. The thoughts of contentment traveled unspoken through the party. They investigated the area a bit more, and found it perfectly deserted of civilization. Everything seemed just too perfect to be true.

No, Eragon reminded himself, it isn't perfect. The distance between here and Alagaësia is far too great. Then the thought struck him, what are we to call this new land? He voiced his question to the elves, only to be met by quizzical expressions.

"What are we to, indeed, Shadeslayer?" asked Alüwei. She tucked her long dark hair behind her ear, and studied the mountains a bit more. Turning to Blödhgarm, she asked if they should consider a name in the ancient language. Blödhgarm shook his head at her.

"This land is surely inhabited, even if we have not found anyone yet. They have their own names for things, I'm sure," he replied.

"Well, have we at least decided that these mountains are a candidate for our homeland?" asked Eragon.

"Perhaps, but we will need to investigate further before making any hasty decisions." At this, Saphira volunteered to scope out the area. She had become quite taken with the scenery of the mountains in the short time they had been there. Everyone thought that would be best, and the two took off. She circled the mountains for quite some time, and Eragon probed them with his mind. He felt no malicious presence, or any at all really, above the levels of larger animals. None of the animals he encountered were any threat in size or nature, either. The location seemed to be truly perfect. It was not until this point, however, that Blödhgarm's comment really sunk in.

This land is surely inhabited, even if we have not found anyone yet.

This was true. If dragons really were to inhabit the mountains here, they would have to pose no threat to local inhabitants. There had to be people of some kind, whether elf, human, dwarf, urgal, or some other race never seen before in Alagaësia. They had to find out exactly how far away civilization was before any final decisions could be made. Reporting back to the elves, Eragon explained this necessity.

"Yes, I was thinking much along the same lines. Just as it was faster for you and Saphira to explore the mountains, so should it be for you to fly several days around them," replied Blödhgarm. Then, turning to Saphira, he asked, "Would it be too much to ask of one so great as yourself, Brightscales?"

No, elf. I would be more than glad to. Every precaution must be taken for the eggs, she agreed. By then, the sun was setting once more, and Eragon thought it wise to camp for the night before exploring more uncharted territory. It was so that the party's second day in this mysterious land ended.

Eragon awoke to the grey mists of dawn, for the sun had not yet climbed into view. The blue-grey light was peaceful, yet somehow unsettling in its beauty. Saphira raised her head, and Eragon noticed that the elves were already awake. Nodding in silence, he ate some of the food they had prepared the night before and leapt up onto Saphira's back. After strapping himself in, he barely had time to grab the neck spike in front of him before she took off. They knew that there was nothing but ocean to the west, so they decided to head north and circle back around in the east. The trip was fairly uneventful, and the two enjoyed their alone time together. At around noon, they saw a roaring river in the distance. Deciding that the wide natural barrier would be enough to stop contact, thy began to turn toward the east. Leaving the mountains, the two enjoyed hours of unchanging grassy plains. The third day was fading fast as Saphira expressed sudden surprise.

Ahead, Eragon! Do you see it? she asked. It took him a moment before he gasped as well.

Is that a farm? he exclaimed. Excitement welled up in him, and, as much as he wouldn't admit it, joy to see someone (hopefully) other than the elves. The farm was small, about the size Garrow's had been in Carvahall.

Should we talk to them? asked Eragon, wanting confirmation from Saphira.

Of course!

Wait... what if they have never seen a dragon before? It would be shocking.

Let it shock them, then, she replied.

Can I talk to them first? Just in case? It took a while for Saphira to grudgingly acknowledge the suggestion.

You can still experience everything through my mind later, Eragon added.

Fine, little one, but if they try to kill you, I am not responsible. They both laughed at this. It was Saphira's theory that Eragon fell into some life threatening situation whenever they were apart, which was true. Then again, though, when were they not in a life-threatening situation? Saphira landed on the outskirts of the farm, leaving Eragon alone while she headed back toward a large hill in the distance. It didn't take long for Eragon to notice that everything on the farm seemed to be smaller than it should.

Perhaps dwarves farm in this strange land, he mused, then quickly dismissed the thought. The mental image of Orik in overalls was enough to bring any similar idea to a swift death. Due to the smaller scale of things, it took him less time than he had originally anticipated to reach the center of the farm. Eragon was puzzled when he couldn't seem to locate a house of any kind. After a while, he realized that the small hill a few meters away had a door in it. The door was perfectly round, painted green, and had the most intricate designs carved into it. There were two small round windows on either side, illuminated by flickering candlelight. Without giving himself time to speculate on the oddity, he approached and knocked on the door. Eragon was hesitant to mentally probe the inhabitants, for who knows what they were. He kept his mind carefully guarded, though. He heard the sound of a chair sliding against wood flooring, a few light footsteps, and then braced himself for his first encounter with civilized life. The door swung inward, revealing a very small person. This person was perhaps the size of a medium-short dwarf, but significantly less stocky. He, for he appeared male, had curly brown hair and freckles that covered his entire face. He wore simple clothes, as expected of a farmer, but no shoes. The most noticeable aspect of the person were his large, bare, hairy feet that looked rather dirty.

"Erm, and who might you be?" asked the person, after a few moments of simply taking each other in had passed.

"Ah, pardon my rudeness," said Eragon, "I am Eragon Bromsson. I was wondering, well... where exactly this is?"

"Where? You don't even know where you are?" the person asked, shocked. "This be the outskirts of Far Downs! Even a Big Person such as yourself ought to know something so simple!"

Well, that was the first chapter. I am really inspired by reviews, so if you want a continuation, please let me know!