"I wish I could have your enthusiasm, but I've given and lost so much over the years. The council was the last thing I had left, and now even that is taken from me. I've outlived my use here," he said, walking to a door at the back of the room, "I'm too old to start another family, but my body still has several decades before it gives out. I might as well lock myself away and be forgotten."

"What if I came and visited you?  Would you stay connected with the world that way?" she asked, hoping she could get him to change his mind.

"It would be nice, but no I don't want to be a burden on anyone. It would be better for everyone in the cave if I just disappeared. No one will miss me," he said opening the door, show a dark room only lit by a single candle, "Not anymore."

"Yes, people will miss you.  I'd for sure miss you since you were one of the first dragons I hasd ever met.  I bet there are others that would miss you as well." she said.  She sat on the floor, running out of ideas on how she could make him cha he his mind.

"I've hurt too many for that to be true. Any friends I had are either dead or have left the cave. You've been the only company I've had in a long time. The only company I've had are the statues and the graves, but they only remind me of those only remind me of those I held dear," he said, "With nothing left to pull me away, I live in a world of pain. This pain is all I have left."

"And pain is nothing to live by..." she said quietly, remembering her own.

"I'll wait till after the festival to disappear. I might as well have a little joy before I go," he said, "If you really don't want me to go, the the festival will be a good time to help me find a reason to stay."

"I've never been to a festival before, so I don't know how well I'd do then..." she said quietly.  This was going to be hard, but not impossible.

"A festival is basically a party held by an entire community. I'm not asking you to find a reason in the festival, I'm asking for any good reason at all from any source," he said, blowing out the candel in the dark room before returning to the main room, "I guess i should tell you my name.My name is Kokkorok, but people used to call me Kor for short."

"Kokkorok, sounds close to Konoki." she said with a smile.

"I used to know a gryphon by that name. It's been a long time since I've even heard that name," he said with a faint smile, "I always wondered what happened to him. He just stopped showing up one day some seventeen years ago."

"I know Konoki, he became my Gryphon father.  He's the leader of a tribe of Gryphons.  If thou want I can call him." she said happily, bouncing around the room.

"Seeing as I'm no longer forced to stay in the cave due to having to work, why don't you lead me there," he asked, a bit surprised, "I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't recognise me though, it has been a long time."

"Alright." she said, taking his hand and leading him out the door towards Konoki like a child would lead their grandfather.