A giant horned dragon leaped from rock to rock. His scales shimmered red, yellow, white, black and green; he was a dragon of five colours. The sunlight fought through the trees, dappling rays of warm heat over the other resting dragons. Only the green dragon was awake, pouncing on imaginary birds but careful not to wake the rest. Soft melodic notes filled the cave as Kai hummed to himself. It was a song of time. He stopped moving, suddenly, and looked around as he had felt someone was watching him, although his pack lay motionless, snoring quietly. Kai used a talon to write a word in the dirt, a word that Gu Hong had taught him years ago. In jagged and unsteady strokes, he looked at the word he had just wrote. Ping.

Ping opened her eyes. She smiled as she thought back to her dream, fingering the small jade-green scale that she held in her palm before sleeping. Ping found her wooden chair still rocking and her hand-knitted blanket, half hanging from her feet, sprawled on the floor. Slowly, carefully, she leaned down and picked up her blanket, wincing when her back let out a small crack! . "Ow," she muttered, twisting her neck slightly to glance at the clock. It read 5:27am.

Sighing, she rubbed her wrinkled temple before closing her eyes, her mind gradually wandering off to large meadows, snow crested mountains, endless fields of bright, bright stars...

"I think that's the thousandth time you've fallen asleep in that chair."

Ping's eyes shot open in surprise, her heart beating heavily against her chest.

"Perhaps a more subtle entrance next time, Jun?"

The elderly man chuckled and sat down on the rocking chair next to Ping.

"Now, what would be the fun in that?"

"If I die of a heart attack, who's going to mend all your clothes?" she frowned, fingering the unwinding strips of wool of the hem of his robe sleeve. "If I collected all the loose threads in your clothes I would have more than a hundred woollen balls for Kai to play with."

She looked at the floor as memories of her little dragon washed over her. She smiled sadly.

"But he's probably too big to play with those anymore. He's probably all grown up now..."

"Well, look who's talking! You look like the Grudge gone wrong!"

"Thanks. Really." Jun stroked her cheek.

"But you're my Grudge. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

Ping burst out laughing at his sudden words of affection, but then something went wrong.

Ping doubled over and covered her mouth with her trembling hand before coughing violently, her whole body convulsing with pain. Sprays of blood stained her blanket. Jun whispered words of comfort into her ear rubbed her back. He was all too familiar with this scene playing before his eyes. Ping had been ill for months and so had Jun, but because of her rough and difficult childhood, her immunity system was considerably weaker. Her journey as a dragon keeper had been tough on her.

After her coughing had settled down to heavy wheezing, Jun brought her a cup of warm water. She drunk it hastily. He flipped the blanket so that the half with blood was now on Jun's lap. "You better?" he said softly. Ping simply nodded. Her voice was cracked and barely above a whisper as she spoke.

"Jun, I can't-"

"Ssh. You can. Believe in yourself." he looked her in the eyes. "Believe in me."

Ping gave him a weary smile. A small tear meandered down her wrinkled cheek. Jun chocked down his own.

"Ping-"

"Even if you pick up the fallen petals, it won't turn back into a flower." she interrupted. "You can't go against fate."

"I can." Jun contradicted. Ping looked up at him hopefully. His boldness reminded her of Kai.

"If fate thinks he can part us, he is wrong. Even death can't part us. I'll stay with you forever, Ping. No matter what."

Ping kissed his cheek. Their aged hands gripped each others, as the first rays of their last sunrise begun to shine.