A Small Dragon Guide Book Vol I

Draco deinortho: The Terrible Bird Dragon

          Draco deinortho... These dragons have earned their nickname, Basilisk, for their ferocity and a few similarities to the mythical snake cryptid. Basilisk (dragons) are dangerous pride dragons. They have the mentality of lions, a single male of a couple of related males rule an empire of their many mates and young. They live in deserts and hunt any creature that enters their territory, but they very rarely kill every living thing that crosses their turf, sometimes taking down bull elephants just to feed their large prides. All dragons are alike in the manor where the females are larger than the males, however these dragons are different. They are the same size, the male's large feathery mane and gauty horns making him the same size of the larger female who lacks a mane and only has small pointed horns. They have a more avian look to themselves, but with long, S-shaped necks and equally long tails. Their heads are like a falcons, but with a longer beak, their body is built like a lion's, however it's forelegs are lacking in that perspective. What their arms lack their wings more than make up for in size and power.

          Male Basilisk (dragons) are like the females in coloration, ranging in a spectrum of sandy tan to gold, light lime to pine green, and copper to burgundy. Males however have pale red manes that brighten as the breeding season comes into full swing. This is due to them rarely having to fear predation by other creatures than themselves. (a common occurrence during a pride takeover.) Only the eggs and young are in such danger. Thus all eggs are a dark sandy color with brown spots.

          Living the pride life, each male may have up to seven or eight females alone to mate with. In "super" prides, a single male may have around eleven females. Multi male prides are usually a father and his sons and his younger brothers, sometimes twin males ruling a large pride. Females on the other hand are sisters and in laws who joined the same pride with their young. After the breeding season, when the ruling males fight for the majority of the female population, driving out the mature males they sired, the fertile female returns to her usual routine. However as the brooding season comes into play and the females near laying, she will chase off the four year old females to make room for the next generation.

     Up to seven eggs are laid in a shady spot in a den. Their coloration aiding them in belding with the shadows and the warm sands incubating them while providing shelter. The female will mark the spot as well as several "decoy" dens to help her find where the nest is and confuse egg thieves. By the time the eggs are laid, it is the beginning of the rainy season, which helps the pride prepare for the months ahead. It only takes a single month for young to hatch, however this is when the true danger starts for the young. Hungry predators keep and eye and ear out for the squirming hatchlings, a few of which are young males desperate to survive after being driven from their own prides, and the young's cries are loud enough to distinguish the real nest from the decoys.

     If the mother was nearby, then she could quickly gather her brood onto her back and leave with no trouble, but if she's far away then it might be too late once she arrives. Normally it is something between, where the females arrives just as a predator zones in on the nest. She will fight and protect as many of her young as she can. Injuries are common then and most who are are left to die. The young that survive the initial hurdle are given greater chances of survival with the pride.

    The young are taken care of by the entire pride, protected by their older sisters, and even get to play with their fathers and uncles and brothers. By two years they are large enough to hunt with the pride, usually small huntings, and are mature by four years. The cycle repeats itself and the males roam together in packs while the females join growing prides or make their own with other young females. Males themselves do not dare create a pride until a year later or then they might try to take over someone else's. When a takeover is successful, the young of two years and younger are killed, all of the males are driven out, and leaving the older females for the next breeding season.

          Basilisk (dragons) have a type of venom with many uses. They can spit a vaporous cloud of this venom to kill small and weak plants. They can also add an additional biochemical to the mix to cause anything flamable to ignite on contact with the venom. They can also bite their enemies to poison them with a mix of neurotoxins, dendrotoxins,  and hemotoxins that cause hallucinations, nerve paralyzation, and making the victim bleed out faster. However this ability takes weeks to "recharge" and is used sparingly at best. An bite that is dry only causes irritation and swelling, but untreated can become infected. Another note is that they have some powerful tail muscles.

          Tips!: These dragons are not afraid of weasels, infact they like to teach their young on how to hunt using these creatures. Their favorite food many be snakes, but these dragons know better than to tackle a Basilisk, even in a large pride. Though powerful and averagely intelligent, these dragons can be evaded by tossing a ball with a bell in it. The unique sound will attract it to the ball and create a diversion for your escape. No matter how many times people do this, it still works.