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To a site dedicated to the mythical beast- the dragon.

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Introduction:

The Hatchling:

The Nest:

KNOWLEDGE & HOARDS

THE MATING FLIGHT

THE WYRMLING

THE GROWING PERIOD

THE GREAT WYRMS

END OF THE LIFE-CYCLE

The length of gestation seems to vary from source to source from 1000 for the chinese dragon to two monthes. The birth of a chinese dragon is usually single by a change in the weather and with a rise in the water which alerts the parents that a hatchling will be born. The male will issue a cry that rises the wind, and the female's cry will abate it. The bursting of the egg in chinese lore is said to amongst thunder and lightning, darkness, and torrential rains. Essentially, the baby dragons emerge from their eggs and each one will have egg-tooth, which is a sharp, pointed bone at the front of their snout. this is used to break out of the shell. When the first dragon starts to emerge and cry out, it urges the other baby dragons to follow suit. The hatchlings are ferociously hungry, and if not immediately fed upon hatching they will eat the yolk and albumen (the white part of the egg). If they are not feed after this point, then they will begin attacking each, and eating each other, so it is important that the parents present the hatchling with a food source. The first feeding bonds the hatchling with their parents, and generally the parents will guard and protect their young.

A dragon's life is a very long one compared to humans. On the average, dragons live 1,200 human years. A dragon's life is not boring by any means. They live to learn, and to gather knowledge, as well as a huge hoard of treasure. Gathering knowledge of every type, from how a sword gets forged, to how insects help the environment, is a high priority in a dragons life, and does take up a good part of a dragon's day. If a person has knowledge the dragon does not have, after it learns it (willingly given from the person), it will give that person a token of gratitude such as a trinket from its own treasure. Gathering treasure is a favorite past-time of Western dragons. Dragons begin at a young age, when they get their own cavernous home, to start their own hoard. All dragons love beautiful things. Western dragons are fickle, and only gather the most beautiful goldsmith work, such as crowns, the best cut jewels, and well minted coins. Some theories say that a dragon's hoard is a symbol of rank in dragon-society, but other theories say that the dragons just like the look and feel of the coins and other sundry items. Some dragons inherit previous treasures from their parents, but most of the time dragons will gather items here and there from around the world, and bring them home. Some dragons are very well organized and will go so far as to separate gold, silver, jewels, etc. in separate piles. To find a dragon abode and steal some treasure is a quest for some thieves and rogues to be ranked in their guilds.

During the growing period which lasts 140+ years, the dragon continues to grow over 6 inches a year until young adult-hood when the growing period slows. The hatchling will eventually loose it's egg-tooth around age 15 when the dragon is now considered a dragonet. The dragonet will gain weight, and muscle strength during this time. Horns will start to grow on it's head, and spines will start to show along the dragonet's back. The wings will become strong enough to lift the dragon, but not for extended flight.

At age 40, the dragon is considered a juvenile. At this age, the juvenile dragon will test its flying abilities, and will make its first flight. The mother and father dragon will teach the dragons on how to take off from a cliff, how to use the thermals, and how to land. There is some natural instincts that the dragons have when first learning to fly, such as how often to flap the wings to stay in the air. The juvenile dragon will revel in the act of flying, and will be in the air most of the time during the next few years to keep gaining wing length and strength in the flight muscles.

At age 60, the dragon is now considered an Young Adult. He has learned all the aspects of flying, including how to take off from flat land which is most difficult for a young dragon, due to the immense force needed to do so. Around age 65 the dragons leave their hatching grounds to find their own caves to take as their own. They prefer to own places that are on sheer cliff faces, with a large entrance, and large living area, with smaller caves and tunnels weaving in and out of the cliff-face.

At age 90, the dragon is almost fully grown and is considered an Adult Dragon. The dragon will search miles around its own territory, and learn every nook and cranny about the area. The adult dragon will mark its territory by secreting a substance, and spitting it on rocks, and trees clearly defining his circular area around his cave. All dragons have an incredible sense of smell and this secretion is a beacon that another dragon is near. During this time, adult dragons will search out an elder dragon to learn magic. An Elder will teach the adult dragon the ways of the past through magic and knowledge.

Around age 100, the dragons will have a hormonal change within their bodies and will get urges to mate. Females will change to a brighter shade of their regular color during the mating season due to this change. The males will notice this change and get riled up so much as to fight with other males that are ready to mate as well. These fights are never fatal, but sometimes do cause some serious damage to the males, especially the wing membrane, which is the most vulnerable part of a dragon's body. The fights usually consist of dragons diving towards each other and butting heads, and swiping with claws on the tough scales of the chest. When the male dragons hear the females mating call, the dragons at once take to the skies to find her, and the chase is on!

At age 150, the dragon is now a Wyrm. This age is a continuing cycle of learning knowledge, learning magic, and raising a few more clutches of young. And of course, hoarding as much treasure as they can find to fill their caves. The pair of dragons will live together for the rest of their lives together even after all matings have finished

Dragons usually lead a solitary life until they meet their life-long mate during their mating flight ritual. A female will mate only 1 to 4 times in her life. It is a grand site to see. When a female dragon is ready to mate. She will sound a resonating "mating-call" to all the mature males around the area. She will then fly as fast, and as high as she possibly can. The female can easily out-fly any male, due to her weight, and wingspan. Only the strongest and fastest of the males will catch her. When a male dragon finally catches the female at the climax of their flight, they will literally hang for a second in mid-air with the male wrapping his tail and wings tightly around the female's, and grasp her with all four claws. The female will follow suit as they begin a free-fall which is the mating session. Falling fast, the mating only lasts a few seconds, and both dragons will break off just before crashing into the ground, and glide together to the female dragon's cave to prepare their nest.

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