Feeding: Dragons begin eating once a day this month, and will begin learning to hunt for themselves in hopes they can eventually hunt wild animals to save resources. They will practice catching small animals provided for them, such as poultry. Dragons are told not to hunt wild animals yet, but some may go after pets or other domestic animals around the hold on their own.

General Care: Dragons are bathed once a day and oiled twice, reducing oiling to once a day by the end of the month. Dragon partners must be careful to inspect their dragons for injuries and strained muscles due to their flying exercises.

It�s been five months now since the dragons have hatched as they enter their sixth month of life. The older dragons move into the cliffside �weyrs� at this point, but natural clutches will continue to live at the plateau until they complete their training.

Dragons will continue to work on flying, and will be permitted to experiment with more altitude and sharper turns. Eventually, the dragons will try flying in formation this month. Much like the marching drills, they ease into it with small groups and eventually will join larger formations used in Threadfall. Every dragon has a turn at leading the formation drills.

Size: The length difference is not great between colors yet (just a matter of inches that may over lap between colors), but the browns, bronzes and golds begin to develop a bulkier frame while the greens and blue become leaner and more agile. Dragons are 44 inches tall at the end of this month, coming between a six-foot adult�s naval and ribs in height at the withers. Dragons look sturdy, and holders and anxious partners grow eager for the dragons to be ridden in the coming months. However, the dragons still have a lot of growing to do and the scientists forbid anyone to try riding their dragon yet, believing they don�t have the strength, size, or muscle development to carry a passenger at this point.

General Life With a Dragon: Dragons are more confident and sure of themselves. They fly more often now, pleased to finally use their wings to get around. With flight as an option, young dragons will find even more ways to get into mischief. Some dragons may try to show up one another, especially in the air.

Dragon partners now are finding themselves with more free time. They�re expected to fill it with something productive for the colony, whether it is extra training for their careers as thread-fighters, community service, or spending more time at their pre-Impression careers.