And look! Delicate fins now flank the fervent flames on its back. 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 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 hatchling seems sick. It hasn’t been eating lately and it doesn’t move very much.