Dragons are creatures with nearly unlimited life spans. They can survive for long periods of time, and no one has found a dragon that has died of old age. Adolescence 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. Once they hit adolescence, hatchlings change quickly, maturing to their full forms in only 2 years.

Dragons don’t communicate with each other verbally, but they will growl to scare off predators and frighten prey. Young dragons will emit an extremely high-pitched squeal when they are frightened. To communicate, they use telepathy with each other and to speak to other creatures.

This breed of dragon results from eggs or hatchlings that have been neglected. They are usually rebellious, not obeying their masters, sometimes even attacking them. However, their neglect as a hatchling leaves them crippled, and they are weak compared to other breeds, causing them to stay with their masters for protection.

Ravaged by illness, Patience's walk is a slow shuffle, and even sitting up for too long exhausts her. She has borne this affliction for years, and while at first her temper was legendary in the cave, over the long, quiet months she has developed an unshakeable serenity. When she's not feeling too bad, she drags herself out to lie in a nearby meadow and watch the clouds go scudding overhead. Other dragons have spotted her flexing, folding, and unfolding her tattered wings, over and over again. If anyone's foolish enough to ask her about it she snorts and turns away, but silently she cherishes the hope that one day she will be strong enough to fly.