Aww... It’s a cute baby dragon. It loves watching the reflection of stars in the water.

And look! It has grown wings! It must be close to maturing.

Young dragons are relatively defenseless. They are born with relatively soft scales, which are shed and replaced with harder ones as the hatchling matures. Once a hatchling’s wings grow in, it typically marks the beginning of maturation. At this point they are often capable of hunting on their own and are usually left alone by their mother.

Hoq is missing. He is missing on purpose because he was tired of studying difficult spells and doing math and being assigned all this work. No one tells him to do anything, now, especially bossy parents and instructors who pretend to care about his future. He wants to be an adventurer, and he is now. He has traversed deserts and plains and jungles in the name of adventure. He has met many dragons and humans and has become a more interesting person with every experience. Hoq is missing from his clan and has been for the last two years. Now he misses them. He wants to see his mother again and tell her about his adventures. The adults aren't that bossy, really, and he is certain is favourite teachers and his old friends still wonder where he is. But they must be livid. Maybe they won't ever forgive him for running away, so he isn't certain if he should return.