Nightfall came and I could see the full moon in the sky, my kind always called it the Hunter's Moon. Of course me being a dragon, I'm the hunter trying to search for food.

I flew over the forest, trying to find something to eat, I haven't ate anything since this morning. My wings beating against the wind.

That's when I could see a bunch of cows in the distance down below. I smiled and licked my chops. Meat...Perfect.

I dove down to the cows and landed hard on my feet. The cows were scared of my presence, they mooed and tried to run away from me. But I was faster than them, I used my hind legs and jumped high over them and landed in front of them.

Then I whirled around and opened my jaws and lowered my head real fast like and drag one cow by the front leg to me, the cow mooing in pain. When I dragged the cow closer to me, I used one of my paws to stop it from escaping me. That's when I opened my mouth again, this time driving my teeth and my claws into the cow. Finally the cow stopped moving and died.

The other cows ran away after I killed one of them. I let the cow fall into a heap after I bit down on it hard. A lot of blood on my mouth and claws. I smiled when I finally got something that I wanted to eat.

I picked up the cow with my claws and then I took to the skies with the dead cow. I flew far away from that spot, cause I'm sure that those cows belong to a human someplace, don't want to eat it in that spot and take the risk of getting spotted.

I finally flew to where I belonged in the forest and flew around in circles over the forest, trying to get myself ready for a landing. I lowered myself to the ground after I circled around and landed on my hind feet first and then I landed on my front feet. I shook my wings after a long flight. I still had the dead cow in my claws and then I decided to let it go.

I backed away from the cow and then I got ready to breathe fire out of my mouth. I took a deep breath and then I let it out as a blast of flame came out of my mouth. The flames engulfing the dead cow. Now it just became dinner.

I stopped blowing fire on it and then I flapped my wings hard to put the fire out. The fire went out and now I was ready to dig in. I laid down on my belly and I dug my jaws into the leg of the cow and tore it right off. I started to chew the meat off the leg until I could feel the bone.

I ate the cow for a long time until I've had enough food for the night. All that was left were bones, haven't had cow in a while.

I looked at my claws and realized that they were still dirty, and I could imagine that my face is dirty with blood as well. I got on four feet and walked to a nearby lake to wash it all off. When I became close to the lake, I looked at my reflection and saw that I was right, I looked like a mess. A bloody mess. I sighed to myself, I hate it when that happens. When I'm eating something, there's always blood on me afterwards.

I began to waltz in the lake to wash myself off. I swam in the lake and lowered my head into the water until it was completely submerged. I raised my head out of the water and used my feet to wash the blood off. Then I put my claws into the water and began to wash the blood off of them.

When I was sure that all the blood was off, I just stood in the water. Just enjoying a well deserved break from all the flying and hunting. I looked at my reflection again and just stared at it.

I am a dragon after all. Basically I'm a female. The moonlight shining off of my scales and off the lake. My scales are bright blue, I have two straight horns sticking out of the top of my head. Two frills near my ears. I also have a yellow underbelly. I smiled at my reflection, I didn't look too bad under the moonlight.

When I thought that I had enough waddling in the water. I walked back to the edge of the lake and got out of the water. I shook myself, including my wings until I was dry. I sighed to myself, what a night.

Just another night for a lonely dragon, after all I do live here alone. For all I know things are probably still going to be the same, for another day.

*****

I felt someone's hand on my shoulder, trying to rouse me awake from my nap. I woke up and stared into my mother's face. She smiled and said, "C'mon Wayne, time to wake up."

I yawned when I opened my eyes. Guess I fell asleep during the car ride here. I looked outside the door and looked up at the sky, it's probably almost late afternoon by now. When I was done looking up at the sky, I slowly got out of the car and stretched my arms over my head. When I was done I asked my mother, "How long was I sleeping?"

She answered, "About an hour, I think. Talk about it being a long trip."

That's when dad came up behind her and said to me, "Well there you are Wayne. You're finally awake! Look bud, we're finally at our new home, so come on slow poke." He giggled and then he and mom went to the new house we're moving into.

I yawned again and saw the house. It's a two story house in the middle of a forest. A vast forest, judging by the trees.

Oh sorry I forgot to introduce myself, my name's Wayne Madigan and I used to live in Denver, Colorado. Until last month dad found this house in the ad on the paper and contacted the real estate dude and then about a month later, he bought the house.

You see the only reason me and my parents have decided to move to this house in this forest of all places, is because we all wanted to get away from city life. After all from what I've heard the country life is better than the city life...I think. Of course I was the city boy for all my life, so I don't know that much about it. Now it's my first time, living in the woods.

I heard dad call out, "Wayne! Come on, we're looking around the house!" I shook my head and ran to the big house. My parents already went inside and left the front door open. I went inside and saw that the living room looks bigger than the last one. A big long sofa was sitting in the room gathering dust, I could even see a deer trophy sticking on the wall nearby. I looked in the kitchen, it was small kitchen but looks decent enough. A lot of cabinet space.

I could hear my mom and dad talking upstairs and found the stairway to the second floor. I took one step at a time and made to the second floor. There are two bedrooms up here. One's a master bedroom and the other one is a bedroom for me. There's also a spare bedroom in case someone decided to live with us. I smiled to myself, pretty nice place.

I went to my bedroom and looked around. Whew a big bedroom for me! I saw a closet and it's big as well. Enough for all my shirts to fit in there. Pretty nice indeed.

I heard mom and dad's footsteps in the hallway and they walked in here seeing me in my new bedroom. They smiled and mom asked, "You like it?"

I nodded and gave her a little smile, "Yeah, this place is great."

Dad patted me on the back, "Thought you would, well come on lets get our stuff unpacked, we've had a long journey coming here."

I nodded and said, "Sounds good to me." Then I walked out of the bedroom to help my parents unpack our belongings.

*****

I laid on my bed in my new bedroom. At least it didn't take long to get all our stuff into this new house. Dad even hired some movers to help get our heavy stuff in here. Including my very own bed.

It became night now, I could hear the crickets outside and I could also see the fireflies outside my window too. I yawned and then I got off of the bed and changed my clothes into my pajama pants. After I was done, I went to my suitcase to unpack more of my clothes and put them in my drawers. While I was looking through my stuff I saw a photo of someone in the suitcase.

I picked it up and I just forgot that this photo that I put in there. No wonder I couldn't find this one anywhere. It's a photo of me when I was sixteen, along with a woman beside me, about the same age as my mother, only she's fifty-six. Her name's Joanna and she's my best friend. Well....Was my best friend, but it's a long story. I sighed when I looked at her, I could feel tears starting to form in my eyes. I don't want to think about her now. I have to move on.

I walked to the bedside drawer and opened the drawer and put the photo in there and I closed it.

I was about to do something else when I heard someone knocking on my door, I whirled around and said, "Come in."

The door opened and it was mom who came in, she walked in here and smiled, "Hey there, how're you liking this house?"

I shrugged, "Well it's okay, so far. I mean it's our first night here."

She giggled, "I know that. But hey soon we'll get used to this place and it will feel like home."

I looked down at the ground and rubbed my neck, and simply said, "Yeah."

Mom had a concerned look on her face and asked, "You alright, Wayne?"

I didn't look at her and I just sat down on my bed, "Yeah, I'm okay."

Obviously she didn't believe me and she sat down beside me, "Wayne, tell me what's wrong. You know you can tell me anything."

I sighed, but I only stared at the wall ahead of me, "I miss her."

Mom nodded and she rubbed her hand against my shoulder, trying to make me feel better, "I know you miss her Wayne. I knew that you and Joanna were close."

I looked at her and said, "Well we were more than close, mom. I mean, I...I didn't want her to go, you know. I mean, I just don't think it's fair for her to go out like this. I mean, how could she just leave me?"

Mom shook her head and said, "Wayne, I know you cared about her, like she was your mother. I mean you always treated her like she was your second mother."

I giggled, "Well I guess somewhere along the line, that sums it all up." Then I looked away from her to my right.

She sighed and while she was continuing to rub my shoulder she said, "Wayne I know it's hard. But sometimes these things happen. There are some things that are way beyond our control. You shouldn't think that it was your fault."

I looked at her again with a guilty look on my face, "But it is MY FAULT. I mean...I didn't do anything to save her."

She shook her head again and cooed, "No Wayne, it wasn't your fault." I sighed again, still don't want to believe her and she said, "Look Wayne, it has been two years since she died, don't you think you should move on now? I mean, that's the whole reason why we're living here, to get away from Denver, from EVERYTHING. To help you move on your life and help you out."

I sighed again and said, "Mom, I tried therapy. I tried to find closure, and none of that seems to be working. I mean she's not the kind of person you can just let go."

She nodded and said, "I never said you would forget her, but...I think she would want you to move on. I think she would want you to be happy."

I said, "Pfff, yeah and lets not forget whose fault is it that she died." Then I raised my hand and pointed at myself.

She shook her head again and wrapped her arms around me to give me a hug, "Just think about all the good times you've had with her. Don't ever forget them, they would always make you happy." Then she kissed me on the forehead and got up from bed. She walked to the bedroom door and went out in the hallway.

She was about to close the door when she said to me, "I love you."

I looked at her and gave her a little smile, "I love you too, mom."

Before she left, she said this to me, "Just think about what I said, Wayne. Just think about it. She would want you to be happy and that's what matters." Then she closed the door tight.

I sighed and then I opened up the beside drawer and pulled the photo of me and Joanna out of there. I looked at it, not taking my eyes off of Joanna. Her smile still haunts me. I closed my eyes real tight, trying to not let the tears fall.

I'm sorry, Joanna. I'm so sorry....

*****

"Sierra, help me! Don't let me die, Sierra! Save me!!"

When I heard the voice, I woke up with a gasp. I rose my head up and started breathing heavily.

I looked around the cave making sure if there was someone else in the cave with me, but there wasn't anybody here. I let out a sigh when I realized that it was just a dream and that voice came from it.

I closed my eyes, trying to get the voice out of my head. It's been a long time since I had that dream. I wish I could just let go of the past already.

I sighed once again and then I got up from my bed slowly and let out a big long stretch. My claws digging into the cave floor. I ruffled my wings and then I let out a yawn, my tongue curling. When I was done yawning, I looked down at my bed, which was consisted of a lot of furs that I've collected for years, and they're still soft. I haven't been collecting furs lately, I need to do that sometime.

I walked away from the bed, taking slow strides in my cave home. While I was walking I accidentally stepped on something in the floor. "Ouch!" I pulled my paw away immediately, whatever it was it felt like it was made of something sharp. I lowered my head to the floor, trying to see what it was I stepped on. It was a pendant. A pointy crystal pendant.

I gasped when I realized what I've stepped on. That item is my most precious possession. Someone that I've used to know gave it to me. It was...Special to me. And that was...I don't even remember when he gave it to me.

I closed my eyes and sighed. I still think about him. Day after day, season after season, I still think about him up to this day. My throat was tightening just thinking about him. I shook my head, I don't want to think about him now.

My stomach growled and I rubbed my paw under my belly. I giggled to myself, I'm pretty hungry this morning. Guess the cow that I've ate last night, finally lost its touch.

I picked up the pendant and then I took it to the spot where I lay the other stuff that I've collected. You see years ago I've stolen a shelf from a human. He was travelling and honestly enough I took the damn thing. It wasn't easy getting it here though, but it was worth it. When I put the pendant on the shelf, I also saw some other things that I've collected through the years.

Several books that belonged to humans were on there. A golden chalice that used to belong to some human king years ago, but he's dead now so he won't be needing it. A knights helmet was also sitting on there. There's a sword as well with some blood on there, dried blood that's still on the blade from years ago.

I winced when I remember the time when someone used that sword on me. I was lucky that no one killed me with it, it was too close of a call. I would have died if it wasn't for...Him.

I shook my head furiously again. Stop thinking about him! He's gone now and you should have moved on by now! You can't change the past.

I sighed. I wish I could, then maybe I wouldn't have to dream about him a lot. Especially dreaming about that day. That horrible day that completely changed me. That turned me into a loner.

I put up a glare. I won't let it happen to me again! I whirled around immediately trying not to let my big long tail hit the shelf. I didn't want to knock that thing down. That shelf is old enough as it is.

I walked fast to the mouth of the cave. The sun shining through the entrance. I walked outside enjoying the bright sun shining down on my blue scales. I smiled up at the sun.

Well might as well hunt and forget about my damn past. It's not worth it.

Then I made a running start, my wings flapped and they took me to the skies. Time for me to do some hunting today.

*****

I woke up in bed, I sat up trying to rub the sleep out of my eyes. I let out a yawn as well. Boy what time is it? I looked at the clock and my eyes went wide. Jesus, I must have slept for a long time. It's already noon!

I looked down at my bed with a sad look. I think I know why I've slept for so long. It's because I couldn't sleep last night, I was thinking about Joanna the whole night.

I sighed and got out of bed. I went to one of my drawers and got me some clothes on for today. I went out of my bedroom and went downstairs to the kitchen, trying to find mom and dad. No one here.

I tilted my head. They still asleep? I wonder what happened to them? Then I saw a note stuck to the refrigerator door and I took it off and read it:

Dear Wayne,

Your father and I knew you were still asleep and we didn't want to wake you. We have decided to go to the town to get some groceries. And since town is about a twenty minute drive, we'll be gone a while. There's some bacon and sausage that I've made for you in case you wake up and you're hungry. Sorry we didn't wake you up, but you've slept most of time yesterday because of our long trip to get here. Plus you unpacked a lot of things from our other house. So you really needed a break! Hope you have all the alone time you need!

Mom

I looked at the note for another second and then I threw it away in the trash can. I sighed and then I looked out the window. Mom's probably right, maybe I do need a break. At least have time to myself. I opened up the fridge and got the bacon and sausage out of there.

*****

After I had something to eat, I decided to venture in the woods for a walk. They look beautiful. The trees were taller than me and the flowers were beautiful too, on a spring day.

I had a portable cd player in my hand and a pair of headphones for me to listen to the music. You see when I'm walking, I usually listen to music. It just helps me take my mind off of everything. I sometimes sing along with the song that plays.

The music that I listen to is usually rock music, mostly Journey. In fact I listen to Journey a lot, especially when Steve Perry's singing. For those who don't know who Steve Perry is, he was the lead singer in Journey for years. I like his voice! In fact my most favorite song by Journey is 'Don't Stop Believin''. But he left the band years ago and now there's a new lead singer who took his place. Someone by the name of Arnel Pineda.

But I don't listen to that guy, no one can replace Steve Perry. I know Arnel's good, but I think in my opinion Steve's better.

Truth is before I moved here, when I was in high school, I used to have a band and I was the lead singer. Trust me I have a damn good voice, not as good as Steve Perry, but good nevertheless.

I was walking on a trail in the woods. And I knew now it was the perfect time to turn on the music. I turned the portable cd player on and pressed play. One of Journeys songs, 'Lights' was playing. The intro music blaring into the headphones.

When the time for me to sing along with that song came, I sang the lyrics when the time came.

I sang while I was walking, "When the lights go down in the city! And the sun shines on the bay! I want to be there in my city! Ooooh, Ooooh."

*****

After I caught a deer today, I dug my jaws into its leg and started tearing the meat off of it. Well I don't know which is good, the cow or the deer, I guess cow is better. But I don't want to hunt out in the same spot as last night. The human who owns the cows might see me. Who knows really, but I'm not taking any chances.

While I was eating, I could hear a voice in the distance, it sounds like someone's singing.

"When the lights go down in the city! And the sun shines on the bay! I want to be there in my city! Ooooh. Ooooh."

I got up on my four feet and followed the voice. Where is that coming from? And who's singing in my woods? The voice didn't sound very far away.

I walked to the source for a few minutes and in the cover of the trees I saw the source of the voice. My eyes went wide. A human?!

I saw this human walking on the trail without seeing me, which is thank the ancestors he didn't see me. The human looks male, no doubt about it. He also looks young as well, compared to me and I think I've lived for a long time! The human was still singing and I don't know what he's singing.

"So you think you're lonely! Well my friend I'm lonely too! I want to get back to my city by the bay! Ooooh. Ooooh."

I watched the human keep walking away until he was out of my sight. I cocked my head. Who is he? I haven't seen a human in years.

I shook my head and said to myself, "No use getting involved in whatever crap he's into. Just stay out of it girl." Then I walked away from the trail, back to my food.

*****

It was getting late, the sun was about to set. Somehow I've got myself lost in the woods, while I was walking. I should have payed attention to where I was going.

I groaned. Damn it. Now which way am I going? I can't think of where I came from. Mom and dad are probably home by now, but I don't hear them calling for me. I would have called them but the problem is, I don't have my cell phone with me.

I could hear all the animals in the woods, a lot of birds chirping. I kept on walking, thinking I'll find my way back to the house eventually.

I walked while my cd player was still in my hand. But then my foot caught on something and I tripped and felled to the ground. I landed on my stomach with a grunt. I cursed to myself, "Shit." Then I got up slowly, hopefully I didn't break my knee or something. I finally got up on my feet, dusted the dirt on my clothes, and saw something on the ground that made me gasp.

It was a paw print. Not just any paw print, but it looked big! I walked to the paw print and I bent down to examine it. Strange? What kind of creature would leave a paw print that big? I straightened myself up and went back to walking, I better get out of here.

I kept walking for a few more minutes and soon I came across a cave. A cave? Hmmm. I walked to the entrance to the cave and just tried to look inside it from outside. It was kinda dark in there, but the cave didn't stop at where the sunlight had ended.

I had a sudden urge to go in there and look around. Now wait a minute Wayne. That creature could be in there. It could be dangerous!

Suddenly, I hear some rustling in the trees and I saw some birds flying away. I whirled around and saw that something was coming and it's BIG! I ran to a bush and hid behind it. I peeked a bit over it and my face went wide. I couldn't believe it. What the hell is that?!

I saw a very tall creature with bright blue scales, on four legs, has horns on top of its head, and wings on its back! I sucked in a small breath when I realized what that thing was.

A dragon? It's a freakin dragon!

The dragon didn't see me and kept walking until it disappeared into the cave. I let out a whoosh of air, that was close! Now that that thing's in there, I can get the hell out of here!

I got up from my hiding spot and ran into the woods, hopefully I can find my way home.

*****

When I got back home, I didn't tell mom and dad about the dragon. I mean, how can I tell them that? If I did, they wouldn't believe me. They would just say that it was just my imagination! So now here I am in my bedroom, looking up at the ceiling, thinking about that thing. A dragon!

But I wasn't imagining it, it was real. I could feel it! Of course I didn't touch the freakin thing, but I can tell that it's REAL.

So what am I supposed to do? I mean, if that thing's dangerous then I have to warn them. Or someone. But how? And would anyone believe me?

I shook my head, well obviously it doesn't know that humans are living nearby. I mean that cave doesn't seem to be too far away, I don't think.

Suddenly a idea popped into my head and I sat up in my bed. That's it! I have a camera in my room. All that I have to do is go to the cave, use the camera, take a picture of that dragon, and run like hell before it sees me! That's a...Sorta perfect plan. But hey it's all I've got.

I'll just have to wait till tomorrow night to put plans into motion.

I really hope I know what I'm doing.