Gemshard Dragons are small, gregarious, expressive easterns, living in large clans high in the jungle canopy. Their bodies are covered in tiny, gem-like scales that shimmer in direct light, and each dragon has a unique pattern of markings on the forked spade of its tail. Though Gemshard Easterns cannot fly, they often leap from springy branches high into the sky on sunny days and perform acrobatic spins and twirls to entertain themselves. When the weather turns foul, they pile up together on sturdy tree limbs and interlock the forks of their tails with others to keep warm and dry.

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.

Members of Taslima's clan sometimes tell her she does too much thinking, not enough doing. She doesn't know what that's supposed to mean. She enjoys making friends. Her family group is full of great dragons, but they don't seem to be her friends in the same way other people in the Foxtrot Forest and beyond are her friends. And she has made many friends! Her method involves asking somebody if they could be friends, and the answer is usually an affirmative. Simple. Keeping them all is another matter, though. Taslima wonders if the ease of forming a relationship and dissolving the relationship are proportional. If making friends is easy, losing friends is also easy, like she could destroy a friendship by accidentally coughing on it. Unfortunately, she doesn't really know what friends do, and she doesn't want to ask other people if they're still friends in case they tell her they aren't any longer. She'd rather remain in an uncertain limbo than hear a clear "no".