Horse Dragons have equine-shaped bodies and hooves instead of claws, which allow them to be fast runners. They specialize in running takeoffs, which are quicker than taking off from a stand-still. Horse dragons are able to stalk their prey from the ground then quickly execute an aerial attack for the kill.

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.

Theersha Altaria, named for her mother and father, was sent to the herd as soon as she reached maturity. Life in the forest was not for a horse dragon like herself, who longed the company of others, and her mother decided it would be best to let her go.

The life Altaria expected was not the one she was to encounter. Traya and Tareen, the pack leaders, soon saw the subtle differences in her coat, even although she had tried to keep her heritage in secret. The feeble, darker stripes, the green eyes. Altaria was a mutt, a disgrace to the honorable and proud horse dragons from the reserve, the product of betrayal. Altaria was soon given the most tedious tasks, like taking care for the colts. Even although she was an adult, finding a mate had been forbidden for her. Altaria was miserable, but she was too frightened of solitude to leave the herd and return to the woodlands.