The Last Dragon

The dragon was old and wise, but he was also lonely. He was the last of his kind. The dragon had spent centuries searching for others, but he had never found any trace of them. However, he had seen many wonders and horrors in his long life. He had witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations, the birth and death of stars, and the creation and destruction of worlds. He had also seen the extinction of countless species, some by natural causes, some by human greed and cruelty.

The dragon had found some solace by saving many of these animals from extinction, by bringing them to his secret monastery in the mountains of Tibet. There, he had gathered creatures that the world thought were extinct or never existed, like the Tasmanian tiger, the woolly mammoth, and the mermaid. He cared for them with love and compassion, taught them the ways of peace and harmony, and gave them a magical gift: immortality.

The animals that lived there were grateful to their protector and friend, and they often accompanied him on his adventures to find more endangered species. The dragon had a special bond with each creature, but still he longed for another dragon.

One day, he heard a rumor that made his heart beat faster. It came from a raven who had traveled far and wide across the world, often gathering news and secrets for him. The raven told him that there were poachers in Madagascar who bragged of special cargo, of a creature that was the last of its kind and had not been seen before by any human still alive. The raven could not see into the covered crate, but when he had peered into a tiny crack near the bottom, he had caught a peek of taloned feet, along with the faint whisper of fluttering wings.

The dragon knew what he had to do.

He asked a few of his oldest friends to join him on this journey: a saber-toothed tiger named Fang who was brave and loyal; a woolly mammoth named Tusk who was strong and gentle; and a passenger pigeon named Wing who was fast and agile. They agreed without hesitation, and gathered to fly on the dragon's back across the ocean. The monastery would be left in the care of Sleepy, the wise and patient giant sloth, and Spike, the bright and energetic unicorn.

They arrived in Madagascar after weeks of flying over forests, deserts, mountains, and seas. They faced many dangers such as storms, wildfires, predators, and traps, but they also saw many wonders such as rainbows, waterfalls, flowers, and stars. They helped each other overcome every obstacle with courage, kindness, wisdom, and humor. They became closer friends than ever before.

Once there, they followed the raven's directions and made their way along an overgrown path near the coast, and found the camp hidden in the dense forest. There were several tents, vehicles, and cages, filled to the brim with exotic animals waiting to be sold or killed. They all looked sad, scared, or angry.

The dragon became angry, too.

With a great flap of his mighty wings, he landed at the entrance and used his fiery breath to burn down the fences. He wielded his ancient magic to unlock the cages that held the animals. He roared loudly, scaring away the poachers who ran for their lives.

At last, near the back where specially armed guards had quickly fled, the dragon and his friends found a covered crate. It was smaller than the dragon had expected, and not as heavily armored as necessary to hold a fellow dragon. Nevertheless, the dragon eagerly removed the tarp.

What he found was a pair of round eyes looking back at him warily. It was a large, brown-gray bird, with white feathers on its chest, a large hooked beak, and short stubby wings. It looked nothing like the majestic creature he had been expecting to save, but it was still beautiful in its own way.

The dragon felt a twinge of disappointment, but it quickly turned to excitement. This was a dodo bird. He had heard stories about them from his ancestors long ago. But by the time he learned about their plight in the 17th century, it was too late. The last dodo bird had been killed…or so he thought.

It looked just like he imagined it would, with short legs ending in yellow feet with black claws, and a long neck supporting a large head. It looked at him now with curiosity and hope.

The dragon smiled warmly at it and said:

"Hello there little one."

The dodo bird tilted its head slightly and said:

"Hello big one."

The dragon felt tears well up in his eyes as he heard its voice for the first time.

The dragon lifted the dodo's cage carefully and carried it in his claws. He flew into the air with Wing, Fang, and Tusk on his back. They rejoiced at their success and thanked each other for their help. They continued their journey back to Tibet with the dodo in tow.

Along the way they told the dodo about their lives at the monastery and how they were all saved by the dragon from extinction.

They flew for many days, until they finally saw the monastery hidden among the mountains.

There, they were greeted by the other creatures, who welcomed them with joy and curiosity. The dragon introduced them to his new friend, the dodo bird.

The dodo was amazed by everything she saw: creatures of all shapes and sizes, living together in harmony; trees and flowers of all colors, growing in abundance; a lake of clear water, reflecting the sky; a temple of stone, carved with ancient symbols. Everyone greeted her kindly with words or sounds or gestures.

The dodo felt a warmth in her heart that she had never experienced before: she felt at home.

And the dragon was a little less lonely.