Shruikan was so excited about going hunting for the first time. Though it took him a while to catch anything. Alys watched him for a little while from her room in the castle, with the aid of a spyglass, and eventually paid him a visit, finding him gnawing on a bone like an adolescent dragon and purring proudly to himself—the purring cleared any nearby wildlife away, shaking the trees and ground, and Alys' bones.

"Good first hunt?" Alys asked, stepping closer.

Shruikan nodded, almost grinning. Very successful, if you ask me. He puffed out some smoke and continued to purr.

Alys coughed and smiled. "Good. You did very well. I was watching." He scratched his jaw. She quickly learned that Shruikan responded well to positive reinforcement, though he found it very strange at first for the sole reason that he'd never had a positive thing said to him. Figuring that out made her think of Ugauc, who was always handing out compliments to others.

He purred at her touch, warm happiness passing from him to her, then a trickle of embarrassment. You better not have been judging! He turned his head away defensively.

She shook her head. "Of course, I wouldn't, Shruikan. You did absolutely wonderful."

That was a week ago when he could comfortably slip out of the cave. Alys had removed his sustainability spell, so he'd grow hungry and thirsty—for the first time. At first, Shruikan found it quite disorientating, but became accustomed to it soon enough. Alys thought he liked feeling it, that he enjoyed feeling normal. Removing the enchantments on him that hindered his natural being had altered his personality too, at least slightly.

He was calmer, better tempered, and all round, seemed happier. Though he was clingy and quite juvenile, having not had the chance to mentally, emotionally and psychologically mature.

Alys pitied him for it and did her best to be patient with his childlike behaviour. She'd taken care of so many hatchlings she hoped it'd get her through.

With Shruikan starting to hunt, he found it hard to do it with one eye, so next came healing that.

Alys moved her glowing wrist away from Shruikan. The flameless lanterns she'd brought to his lair lit up the cave and, most importantly, him.

He held his eye shut, his large eyelid twitching as the Alys' spell took its course. She watched silently, desperate to make sure he wasn't in much discomfort.

Alys looked at the rest of him. Compared to the cavern, he only took up a small amount of space—very different from his original cave-breaking size. He was about the same size as a dragon seven centuries old, about three times the size of Ugauc, and most of the new dragons were. His scales were still in an awful state, though; brittle and damaged. Though a little better with actual nutrients going into his body.

Shruikan opened his eye after a few moments and looked around. This is... different. He blinked several times and stood up slowly, getting used to his new vision. He looked over himself, then the cave.

Alys got to her feet, dusting off her leggings. "I'm hoping a good different."

Of course. He huffed amusingly. Anything you do is impossible to be bad.

She blinked for a moment. "Thank you." She looked away, getting bashful.

Shruikan watched her for a moment. I see why they trust you with hatchlings. You have the best intentions for everyone, don't you?

Alys hesitated; her mind drawn to Ugauc. "Having good intentions isn't all it takes... there's perseverance and effort involved as well."

He hummed. I suppose so. You have enough experience for that.

Alys smiled a little. "I guess so." She stretched and then heard a wicked wind whistle past the cave and a fierce chill hit her. "Things have really gotten rough out there." She looked out at the mouth of the cave.

Shruikan followed her gaze. Rain lashed outside and the wind was treacherous. The first storm of the autumn.

She shuddered. "That looks... messy." As if to add to her statement, lightning sparked from the clouds and struck out in the sky. A deep rumble of thunder followed a few moments later.

Shruikan growled softly, agreeing with her. You better not be planning on going back in that.

Alys shook her head. "No. I'd be insane to do that. I'll get in contact with someone in Ilirea, let them know I'm staying." She went to her back and crouched beside it to find her scrying mirror.

He continued to watch the rain spill and stepped towards it. Extending his neck at the entrance, Shruikan felt raindrops slap against his muzzle. He snorted and shook his head, backing up.

Alys tried not to laugh and walked to him with her mirror in hand. "What do you think of it?"

Wet! He grumbled. And cold and sore! Is all rain like this? Why do you like it?

Alys shook her head. "No. not all rain is like this. It's just really heavy because of the warm summer weather. It's usually lighter, calmer, and soothing to listen to."

Shruikan hummed and dried his snout on his foreleg, water droplets and scales falling to the floor. I'll take your word for it. He turned away to go back to his bed of animal hides that Alys had helped to skin and gather.

She smiled softly and used her mirror to contact Eragon, one of the handful of Riders still at Ilirea. At first, a blur of his figure formed, then the mirror came into focus.

"How goes your aiding?" he asked, taking a seat with his mirror.

Alys nodded. "Pretty well. I'll be staying here until the storm passes." Lightning lit up the woodland in front of her.

Eragon nodded. "Understood. Stay safe, Alys."

She inclined her head. "I will." She waved her hand over the glass to clear his image and turned back towards Shruikan.

He stared at one of the flameless lanterns with wide eyes, tapping it with one of his talons. Alys had to watch for a few moments before clearing her throat. "It's very dangerous is an Erisdar breaks, Shruikan."

He immediately straightened himself and stepped away. I understand. They're quite fascinating, though.

Alys nodded in agreement. "They are. A very ancient form of light, made by an elf who taught the dwarves. Very useful underground."

Shruikan hummed deep in his throat and looked at her. I take it your master is content with you staying here.

Alys nodded. "He'd be insane to not be."

He curled up on his new bed of hides and nodded. Good. I'd personally deal with it for you.

She shook her head. "That's not how things work, Shruikan. And that'd create more trouble for me than an angry headmaster."

Shruikan huffed, smoke puffing out of his nostrils. He thumped his tail on the stone floor. I'm just saying he should appreciate you more. You do a lot for them. He has no reason to be upset with you. And if he was going to be, I'd make sure he knew how valuable you are.

Alys blinked, having heard something similar from Ugauc once. "O-oh. Well... thank you." That was a similar response to what she'd said then, too. A trickle of sadness and pride flowed through her, and apparently on to Shruikan.

Is it hard? Knowing how he's doing?

Alys shrugged. "Truth be told, I don't know exactly how he's doing." She looked away. "I know a bit," she paused. "That he's in pain, but that's it." She glanced down, pausing again. "And that he's dying." Her gaze fell downward. She hated admitting that as much as she knew it.

Shruikan's lip lifted in a snarl and twitched. And they're still forcing you to stay away?

She looked at him and nodded. "They said they'd inform me when it was best to come."

He growled, the terrifying sound echoing through the cave. That's an excellent way to turn a Rider against the rest.

She looked down again. She wanted to agree, but part of her knew they thought her being there would cause the same. She hugged herself. "I don't care if I don't have a dragon. I just want Ugauc to be okay. To not be in pain anymore. I'd make sure of it myself." She slid down, sitting with her face in her knees, sniffing softly. She didn't want to cry again.

Shruikan stopped his display and came closer to her, sniffing her face. He'd never seen a human like this. He touched his snout to her head. I'll help you, Alys.

Alys looked up and frowned. "H-how?" she couldn't help but stammer.

I'll bring you to him. He hummed and moved to curl around her. I'll help you.

*~*~*~*

It wasn't long after dawn when Shruikan nudged Alys awake. She blinked, her body sore all over from her connection with Ugauc. She looked at him, her vision blurry.

Are you okay? You sounded in pain? And you were talking, and your eyes were leaking.

Alys wiped her face, noticing it was wet. "Crying." She corrected. "I connect with him at night, its pretty painful." She thought she heard Shruikan whine.

That's it. He stood up quickly and stretched his wings. I'm not waiting any longer.

Before she could say anything, he grabbed Alys in his talon and left the cave with a swift beating of his wings.

Alys struggled to breathe with the pace of the wind passing her. "Shru—Shruikan!" she protested, hitting his strong, scaled finger. "At least let me pick up my stuff!"

Shruikan didn't respond verbally, but altered his course towards Ilirea.

She stared at him from between his fingers and tried to get into his mind. He was angry and fearful. Some images of Ugauc that she'd shared with him were on his mind. She stroked his scales, trying to calm him. His anger cooled a little, but he kept his pace, determined. It wasn't long before he passed over Ilirea's walls and slammed down into the courtyard of its castle.

Alys grunted when he landed roughly, and he let her go. She heard shouts and roars from within from Riders, dragons and soldiers.

Shruikan crouched down, opening his maw and flaring wings in threat. He hid Alys behind his leg, not willing to let her get hurt.

Out of the keep ran Eragon, Murtagh and Arya—with the rest of the handful of riders in Ilirea—with Nasuada trailing behind. All seemed equalling fierce, confused and scared, not that they'd admit the latter. Shruikan watched them, growling.

Alys drew in a breath and touched his leg. "It's okay. Ill handle this." She summoned her strength and walked out from behind his leg, looking at the Riders and her cousin.