Aww... It’s a cute baby dragon. Ever since it hatched, it has been hiding among the tree leaves.

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.

RescuedDuskSparkler is a very lucky Neotropical Dragon hatchling. He was sunbathing on a rock when a landslide happened, and RescuedDuskSparkler was tossed into a river. He thought he would drown, because he was constantly thrown against rocks and his head kept going underwater. Suddenly, the river disappeared in front of him. It was a waterfall! RescuedDuskSparkler thought for sure he would die as he plunged over the edge. He doesn't remember anything after that until he woke up in a Dragon Clinic. A passing dragon had found him washed up on the river bank, barely breathing; and brought him to the healers. RescuedDuskSparkler never even learned his rescuer's name. The healers didn't remember who it was that brought him in; they were so intent upon healing the dying hatchling.