With superhuman ability, Eragon leapt off Saphira. He patted her foreleg. Don't worry, I'll be fine.

Saphira snorted in protest. I don't like it at all.

Eragon ignored her warning and walked to the door of the small wood hut. He knocked, and someone from inside answered.

"Come in," the voice chirped.

Eragon strode inside to find a young girl making a pot of tea over her brick oven. She appeared to be not much older than himself, and slightly shorter. She was human, he could tell that, with a roundish face and wavy brown locks that went past her shoulders. She was doe-eyed and was clothed in a fine silk dress with a floral pattern that Eragon didn't recognize.

"I am Eragon Shadeslayer and I come from the land of Alagaësia. I have journeyed here in search of foreign lands and peoples." Eragon lifted his chin to show his authority. The young girl simply cocked her head with child-like curiosity.

"You act brave," she stated, "but you miss something. Family back home, friends."

Eragon could see that behind her intelligent eyes was an equally intelligent mind. His consciousness reached out to touch hers, which, unsurprisingly, was guarded heavily.

She noticed his focus and smiled. Eragon kept his mind protected most all times when he was around unfamiliar people, but what was about to happen he had no control over. With a sudden change of expression, the girl's consciousness moved-no, danced- through his barriers like it was a field of flowers. Her mind felt as if it was filled to the brim with information; he was right about her being intelligent, but not to this scale. She was studying him, with both her eyes and her mind, and he instantly knew that this being was more powerful than himself and Galbatorix combined. But she wasn't attacking him. She simply waltzed through his memories with wide-eyed intrigue. After her full search, she looked over him with her physical eyes and drew back. Weakness made Eragon's knees tremble and he collapsed.

Eragon was not hurt but he felt threatened by the search. "What are you?" He questioned as he pushed himself up.

"I am River Tam." She smiled again and poured herself a mug of tea.