Ember wandered around the volcano, munching on a few rubies. Her mind wandered about, mostly to Luke.
More specifically, she pondered her feelings toward him. She wasn’t going to lie to herself, she wanted him to stay with her. He was the first male she really liked, and she didn’t want to lose him.
She sighed, throwing a rock with her magic. “Of course, I finally find a guy that’s strong and smart, and he’s an alien. I should just admit that I’m not going to do better than Garble.” Ember shuddered at the thought of it.
She was not looking forward to putting up with him. “Maybe I should just not go to the gathering.”
She hated thinking that. She had been looking forward to the Gathering for several years and didn’t want to have to wait another hundred for the next.
Her thoughts drifted back to what Star said and an idea started to form. Maybe she could go after all.
And maybe she might get at least a taste of what she wanted while she was at it.
Ember turned toward her cave and picked up her pace. She had a plan forming and she wanted to get started on making it a reality.
I let out a loud yawn as I stretched out my muscles.
Ember and I were laid out in a clearing in the forest, the remains of our lunch encased in a block of ice.
As Ember improved, she found she had a particular affinity for fire and ice magic. That came in handy for picnics in the forest so we can relax right after eating without worrying about attracting anything.
We had been growing rather close the past few weeks. We would hang out, practice our abilities, shoot the shit with Star, go hunting, and tell stories.
"Man, that was good," Ember complemented. "You're getting better at cooking."
"Thanks," I replied. "Star actually told me about that weird looking root thing."
"Oh, the all knowing Luke didn't know something?" Ember teased.
"Hey, I'm pretty sure those don't exist on Earth," I replied. "Besides, now I do know about them, so I'm back to being all knowing. "
"I guess you are," Ember chuckled.
We laid there for a while before Ember finally spoke again.
"So... the Gathering is next week."
I peeked an eye open and asked, "And what exactly is the Gathering? I've heard you and Star mention it, but not what it is."
"So much for all knowing," Ember joked. "The Gathering is an old tradition. These days it's just a big party where dragons migrate from all over to get together and compete with other dragons and brag about their hoards. The older dragons share gossip about what's happening in other parts of the world and talk about whatever might affect them."
"Sounds like a big, extended family reunion," I said.
"Yeah, except it started as a means to find a mate," Ember added.
I looked at her and chuckled. "An Arkansas family reunion, then."
"Anyway," Ember said, quickly, cutting off anything else I might have tried to say. "It was started way back when dragons were... well, an endangered species. Because we tend to roam and spread out, the Gathering was started to make sure a dragon could find a mate. Otherwise, it would be nearly impossible.
"Anyway, while that's not the main reason for it anymore, a lot of dragons still go for that reason."
"Okay, so it's a party that people have a tendency to hook up," I summarized.
"Pretty much," Ember confirmed. "Anyway, so there's this guy..."
"Oh, you're sweet on him, huh? Need me to not be around?"
"No!" Ember said in a near panic. "The complete opposite. The guy's a total creep and... well," she started twiddling her thumbs. "I was hoping you would go with me."
I was absolutely floored. I couldn't believe what I heard.
"I figure if you pretend to be my mate, he'll buzz off."
"Oh."
"We don't have to do anything lovey-dovey," she quickly tacked on. "We can just say we're mates, sit close to each other, hang out together, and punch anyone that tries to put the moves on the other."
"I see." I thought about it for a moment. "Are you sure that’s what you want?"
“Of course it is?” Ember said, defensively. “I said that was the reason, didn’t I?”
I gave her a sceptical look before just shrugging and saying, "Sure. Let’s do it."
“Really?” she sat up in mild surprise. “You don’t mind? I mean, I know I said we don’t have to do lovey-dovey stuff, but we’ll still have to pretend to be mates and that involves, you know, being close and maybe being a little touchy-feely.”
I pushed myself up to sit beside her. "Fine by me."
“Thank you!” Ember threw her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug before realizing what she was doing and let go. “I-I mean, thanks. This is pretty cool of you.”
I gave her a shit eating grin. "Aww, you’re so adorable when you blush like that."
She growled and swung a fist at the back of my head.
In the blink of an eye, I moved around her to her opposite side, grinning at her like a madman.
She just blinked in confusion. “Wh-what? How?”
"I learned a new ability," I said smugly. "I’m pretty sure that one’s called ‘quick attack’, but I’m not completely sure seeing as I can use it when not attacking."
“Awesome,” Ember said with a smirk. “I learned a new one, too.”
My smile vanished just before the ground opened up and swollowed my up to my neck.
“Now, what was that you said about me?” she asked wearing a cruel smile.
"Uh... I said you’re awesome and totally not adorable, even when you blush?"
“That’s what I thought.”
"This is going to be awkward."
I decided to go for a little walk to try and clear my head.
I was wrapped up in a sitcom cliche, except instead of a high school reunion, it was an ancient dragon sex party.
Okay, so the sex part isn’t what it’s all about anymore, but that didn’t change that I had to pretend to be Ember’s mate.
“You seem like you’re having a bit of trouble,” came a voice from above. I looked up to see the ancient smiling face of Star.
"Hello, Star," I gretted. "And, yeah, you can say that."
“Ember?”
"Ember."
Star hopped down and laid near me. “So...”
I hopped up on a rock that let me look at her at eye level. "Ember wants us to pretend we’re mates at the Gathering so the males leave her alone."
Star cocked an eyebrow. “That... could work. I fail to see the problem.”
I took a deep breath and sighed. "It’s a problem because... I like her."
Star’s eyes widened in surprise. “You don’t say.”
"And to make it worse, she likes me, too."
Her expression shifted to confusion. “Okay, I say again, I fail to see the problem.”
"The problem is I don’t belong here!" I shouted before wincing at my outburst. "I’m sorry. It’s just, I don’t belong here, not in the dragon lands and not in this world. All this is going to do is make it hurt worse when I have to leave."
Star reached out toward me with a claw.
And flicked me hard in the head.
"What the fuck was that for?!"
“Did it knock any sense into you?” She asked.
"Huh?" I eloquently replied.
“First, who says you don’t belong here?” Star asked. “The dragon lands are for the strong, and you’re strong. You say you don’t belong in this world, yet here you are. Tell me, what did you leave behind?”
I thought about that for a moment. I didn’t really have anything back on Earth. The only relationships I really had was with my neighbors, and even then we weren’t exactly close.
"It doesn’t matter. I’m not from this world. I’m a freaking alien." I said with a dejected slump. "It’s time E.T. went home."
Star sighed. “Fine, say for whatever ridiculous reason you actually did have to go home. Why can’t you spend the time you have here making the most of it? Yes, it will hurt more when you say goodbye, but after it will only make the memories all the sweeter.”
I spent the rest of the day in the forest, thinking about what Star said. It was ridiculous to me. Those kinds of whirlwind romances only happened in cheesy romance stories.
But at the same time, Ember said that when Star gave advice, even her father listened.
“Damn it, why can’t things like this ever be easy?!” I growled out loud.
I wandered aimlessly for another few hours, just trying to get my head together.
“There you are,” came Ember’s voice. “I thought I heard you. You alright? I don’t usually hear you actually speaking. Or... whatever that is.”
I froze. I had apparently wandered back to Ember’s cave without even realizing it. "I... was hunting. And... some bird crapped on me."
“Oh,” Ember snortled. “Yeah, I’d be mad, too.”
I really had intended to hunt while I was out, but I was just too distracted.
“Come on,” Ember waved me on. “I still have some meat from last time I went.”
As Ember walked into her cave, my gaze drifted downward. I could have sworn she was swaying her hips more than usual.
And I knew her tail never moved like that.
Damn it, Ember. Why do you have to make this so hard?
A little Steve Carell spoke up in the back of my mind and I had to force back a groan.
Ember lit the firepit with a puff of her breath and went to the back of the cave where a big stone box sat. She closed her eyes and her hand lit up with her magic. The side of the stone box slid open and she grabbed a large, frozen deer leg. Another glow of magic and the leg thawed.
“Here you go,” she tossed the meat to me so I could get started.
A little over an hour later, and we were sitting by the fire with full bellies.
"So, when do dragons usually start arriving for the Gathering?"
“Most will be coming all at once, in about five days,” Ember said. “But a few will be arriving in a day or two. Maybe even tomorrow.”
"Ah, so I might finally get to meet a normal dragon?" I said with a smirk.
Ember opened her mouth to reply but paused. “Huh... I guess you really haven’t met any normal dragons? Or, typical ones, anyway.”
"Any advice?" I asked.
“Yeah, beat the crap out of the fist one that tries to mess with you,” she stated.
"Really? Yeah, I guess that makes sense. I’m not going to like it, though."
“Yeah, yeah,” Ember said standing up and stretching. “Well, I think I’m going to lay down.”
"That sounds like a good idea," I said, mimicking Ember.
I was making my way toward my bed of furs when Ember stopped me as she climbed into her own bed. “Y-you know, you don’t have to sleep on those if you don’t want to.”
I froze for an instant. "Aren’t you worried I’ll grab you again?"
Ember quickly turned away from me. “Well... I mean, I trust you.”
I felt myself move, as if I wasn't in control. As I climbed onto the soft bed, my mind raced. Warring thoughts clashed for dominance.
“So...” Ember started as I settled in on the side opposite her. “I was wondering. What if the others don’t believe us? That we’re mates, I mean.”
"We tell them to fuck off."
“You do realize I’m probably the least stubborn dragon in the world, right?” she reminded. "Seriously, though. What if they find out we aren't mates?"
"What if we were?"
Ember turned to me, eyes wide. "Wh... what?"
I took a deep breath, trying steel my nerves. "They can't find out we're not mates... if we are."
Ember looked at me like a man dying of thirst being offered a glass of water. "You... you mean... you actually want to be my mate? But... what about when you leave?"
It was then that I sealed my fate. I made the one declaration I knew I couldn't come back from.
I crawled across the bed to sit beside Ember and took her hands in mine.
"I'm not leaving."
Ember gasped. “B-but... what about everything you left behind? What about your home?”
"There’s nothing there that I’ll really miss. As for home... well, this can be my home just as easily as the place I left behind.
“Look, I like you, Ember. And I know you like me. So... Ember... will you be my mate?"
Ember didn’t answer me with words. Instead, she threw her arms around me and tackled me to the bed, pressing her lips to mine. It didn’t take me long reciprocate, my own hands on her sides.
After who knows how long, she pulled away. Biting her lip She reached down, grabbed my hand and slid it down to her rear.
We looked into each other's eyes and saw our desires reflected back at us.
That night, Ember and I became mates.