another question bout eragon in details.?

Question

You guys all read the second book and hopefully paid attention 2 details.... i spent ages searching for an answer. it says that Galbatorix stole shruikan as a hatchling from another rider, and killed Shruikan's rider in the process. it makes no sense though. if a dragon's rider dies, so does the dragon. so howcome shruikan's rider was killed but shruikan survived?

Answer 1

The dragon has to Bond with its rider. If Shruikan's rider was killed before the could become one and they did not bond then only the rider would die.