Aww... It’s a cute baby dragon. It can fit right in your palm.

And look! It has grown 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.

This little hatchling is somewhat more aggressive than most of her breed. Having had her tail stepped on and having been kicked by accident a number of times, she ducks out of the way of large feet—but then stalks and tackles them when she thinks it is safe. Some of the largest dragons find her gnawing on their claws amusing, and occasionally tease her by intentionally walking by and pausing so that she attacks.