“This is your sixth dance.”  The giant dragon told her.  For a moment his dark eyes watched her carefully, but finally tore away when he sensed her stubborn nature rising again.  Aliera often stuck with her decisions, and it seemed she didn’t want to change her mind.

    “Once more you state the obvious.”  she replied with a grim smile.  Holding her own doubts back, she unbraided various strands of her bright red hair.  As it fell around her beautiful face, it was quite easy to see the defiance in her expression.  Sensing it, the giant dragon sighed, exhaling a line of smoke toward her in disapproval.

    “I say this because I care.”  He chided and sat upon his strong, red legs.  Making his point clear, a few flames escaped his nose in anger.  She showed no fear and took a few steps toward him, her own green eyes shimmering with rage.

    “It’s my duty to fine a mate!”  she yelled in fury, “Like all dragons I must have one to be complete.”

    “No!”  he bellowed his strong response.  His sharp teeth shimmering from his mouth indeed added to his intimidation, “You are the last drekan and you will find no one of your kind.”

    Sorrow began to fill her heart and replace her anger.  She sighed deeply and spoke slower, “Please…you know why I must do this.  The other dragons dance tonight, I must dance beside them or feel my heart begin to crumble.”

    Knowing his friend well, he backed down and attempted to control his rage, “I say this, because I care.  I don’t want you to die.”

    “Because we live, we die. It is the cycle of nature.”  She told him after wiping a tear from her cheek.  The sadness caused her eyes to glisten but she took a moment to relax.

    “But it doesn’t have to be so soon.”

    She smiled a bit to try to ease his distress, “Even if I do not find a mate tonight, it is not my time to die.”

    “But when you dance the seventh dance…” said in a pleading voice, obviously still wanting to stop her.

    “Shhh.”  Aliera reached forward to stroke the red scales along his neck.  Her voice and motions calmed him, as she said, “I promise you, I will not die tonight.”

    The creature sighed again but this time began to relax.  Changing the subject, he added, “You look nice.”

    Aliera spent hours in preparation for the dance.  As expected, her hair waved around her face and down her bare shoulders in a perfect style to enhance her appearance.  Adorning her torso was a golden breastplate that covered her chest and sculpted her form into that resembling an hourglass.  Where her slender waist began, a skirt made of red cloth and dragon scales shimmered as she walked, reflecting the light of the giant sun overhead.  This outfit was designed with care, and made only for the dance.

    “Thank you my friend.”  She said as she stroked the creature’s neck again.  “This occasion is, special to me.”

    “As it should be,”  he replied, “But I do not wish you to die of a broken heart.”

    “Neither do I,”  she said and stepped back.  The cliff they stood on was jagged, but easily accessible to those who could fly.  Deep within a cave nearby there was Aliera’s nest.  Made of gold and silken fabrics, it was a small place where she could rest, but always alone.  Looking away from the hovel she watched the sky overhead and saw a few dragons spin and tumble in the air.  As they moved their bodies in spiraling motions, she could tell it was time to go.

    On her command, wings normally hidden behind her long hair began to grow and finally spanned many feed behind her back.  Wide and leathery, they quickly beat so she could push herself into the air.  The large dragon watched her rise and yelled, “Good luck” while she continued her ascent.

    The mountain became smaller to her sharp sight and after finally flying hundreds of feet, she began to spin her body around in the air in an elaborate manner.  Then she recalled the movements of the dance and still spinning, she moved around in a circle, covering a large circumference in the air.

    After moving in the same fashion for several minutes, she stopped spinning and with her wings flapping to a slower beat, she lifted her legs and pranced in an elaborate waltz where she was the only dancer.  The movements continued until she spun around three times and finally screamed, “I call for you.”

    No one answered.

    It wasn’t very uncommon for a true mate not to come at the first call so she concentrated.  Focusing on love and desire, her body grew hot.  After a few more seconds, her fair skin turned bright red and began to hiss with intense heat.  Generating warmth was no problem for the drakens, but the hotter they grew the weaker they could become.  Still, she focused her strength and burning with desire called out, “I call for you!”

    Again no one came forth.  At this time she knew her answer and exhausted from the dance, slowly floated back to the cliffs below.

    Her nest was not nearly as welcoming as before.  A small bed of straw once again greeted her weary form, but it could not soothe a soul longing for companionship.  Sighing for a moment, she moved her fingers along her forehead hoping the gesture would relieve her solemn mood.
 
    Not to much surprise, there was nothing she could do to calm herself.  She even started thinking about some of her favorite dreams and times with the dragons she cherished, but there was no remedy to her sorrowful state.  She began to ponder if her friend was right.  Was she really the last draken?  She shook her head in disbelief until finally another idea entered her mind.

    Yes, the only draken, but maybe not the only draken here. She told herself.  Surely there was a big world beyond the cliffs which would of course lead to a lot of things to explore.  Anticipation filling her senses, she began to stand and looked around for some practical clothing.

    A pair of breeches were found as well as a shirt.  Both crimson, they matched her hair well and she began to remove her ceremonial dress to change into the suit when she head someone slowly entering the nest.  She turned around and not to much surprise, there was her friend.

    "I know something is wrong."  he muttered.  She rolled her eyes and knew she could keep nothing from her friend.  Before she could speak he told her, "I can sense your sadness.  Some of us can smell such negative emotions.  I have been gifted with this ability and when it comes from you, it concerns me."

    Aliera sighed and turned to look at him, "I guess I don't need to explain why I'm upset."

    "No."  the dragon stepped into the area with a slow and careful stride.  Her nest was rather small, but a few of the dragons could fit inside...barley.  "But you know I will ask what's on your mind."
 
    "I'm leaving."  she replied, "Leaving to see what's beyond the cliffs."

    Her friends eyes opened wide in disbelief, "You're..you're going where?  You can't leave here you know, it isn't safe!"

    "Oh, so I have a choice to take my chances on the outside world or die from a broken heart?"

    The dragon stifled a growl and looked back at her.  "The humans hate us you know?  Besides that, they don't know anything about your race.  What in the world would you do if you're discovered."

    Aliera shrugged and tried to lighten the mood, "Heat my body up until I burned the house down?"  she looked at him and merely sighed, "Ok, so you didn't find that funny.  Be regardless you know as well as I, the time will come for me to dance and if I have no lover."

    He was forced to speak the words he hated to hear as she paused from the conversation, "You will die."

    "Yes."  she replied as she looked for a bag to pack somethings in, "I will die."

    He hung his head in sorrow and then looked up at her.  "Listen, I just don't want anything to hapen to you."

    "And neither do I."  she told him as she put some items into her pack.  "But there's got to be someone out there like me, and if not, what did I waste my time for anyway?"

    He had to look away again.  Emotions inside ran deep and he told her, "I know, and you are correct.  But I will miss you."

    She put her back down and tenderly caressed the large creature around his neck, "And I will miss you too."