Aww... It’s a cute baby dragon. Unlike the other hatchlings, this one hatched with wings.

And look! Its back legs have become a second set of 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.

Having discovered to come from a long line of inbreeders, it was a mutual decision to prevent Aeriliana from becoming old enough to breed. Her eternal small size makes her very agile, but unable to reach the altitudes and speeds of her fully-grown breed, and lacks their endurance for extended flights. Despite this, she is a happy, energetic hatchling, often taking advantage of her small size to stick her nose in places she shouldn't. Fortunately, Sneaky and the nest's older denizens have cleared out most of the dangerous things that might have been laying about. However, it has only served to make Aeri less cautious, meaning an unwary visitor might find a dragon head stuck in their pocket as she searches for treats or treasure.