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Chaser Dragon
Medium: digital painting
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Commonly called "Chasers," these small dragons are expert hunters. Chasers hunt in packs of around five to twenty, headed by an alpha male and female. While not as intelligent as other species of dragons, they are very smart in their own way, and can be domesticated. Many human hunters, especially royalty and nobility, have trained Chasers to assist them on their hunts.
Chasers do not fly. They use their stunted wings to create lift while running, and to frighten off danger. They are swift runners and can run for some distance before tiring. They use their short, sharp claws like cleats to grip the ground and gain traction. Their stripes help to break up their outlines when stalking in tall grass. They use their long, strong tails like rudders so that they can make quick changes in direction while running. They have limited firepower, and prefer to use their flame as a last resort when threatened. Like other dragon species, flame is produced by flammable chemicals secreted by glands in the mouth.
Chasers hunt by splitting the pack into multiple sections. Several sections break off to create ambushes for the prey (usually a deer or a gazelle), while the remaining section rushes the herd. When the animals run, the Chasers either catch an animal on the spot, or if they can't catch up with the animal, they drive it into one of the waiting ambushes. These dragons are very successful hunters; it's estimated that over eighty-five percent of their hunts end in a kill.
Although their social structure is similar to wolves and other wild dogs, Chasers differ in that all members of the pack are free to mate and lay eggs. Chasers typically mate for life. The only major exception to that rule is when another Chaser challenges one of the alpha Chasers. If the original alpha is defeated, the challenger will claim the remaining alpha as its mate. Thus, only the strongest and most intelligent dragons can lead a Chaser pack.
