Balloon Dragons are so named because they are filled with a gas that makes them almost lighter than air, similar to balloons. However, they are not prone to bursting, as they are covered in tough skin and can deflate themselves if necessary. In addition, they generally are slow moving. They use their gas bladders to float to the tops of trees, where food is more abundant. They can shift their weight from their backs to their fronts, allowing them to reach leaves and fruit.

Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling’s wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.

Henrietta is what they call a high flyer. Very successful in her job as a safari guide, she loves ballooning with a passion and hopes to have hundreds of hatchlings so that she can teach them her skills. She does know she is overweight, and she has difficulty squeezing through doorways—also she gets breathless when she walks a lot. Luckily—she doesn't have to; she bounces around on her bum. But her chubby tummy makes it hard to roll over to get her leaves, so she is starting an exercise programme. Watch this space to see how she does.