Aww... It’s a cute baby dragon... except for the tangle of dangerous-looking vines surrounding it...

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.

He wants to stand up, he wants to let go. They know, they know—no they don't, they don't. He wants to shine on in the hearts of dragons. He wants to mean it from the back of his broken tail. Another head aches, another heart breaks. He is so much older than he can take, and his affection, well it comes and goes. He needs direction to perfection.

He's got soul, but he's not a soldier.