Pygmy Dragon

Pygmy Wyvern
Medium: digital painting

Although small in size, Pygmy Wyverns are not members of the Fairy Dragon family. They are technically wyverns, as they lack forelegs. Their poison-barbed tail gives them the nickname Scorpion Drake or Scorpion Dragon. They live in hot, sandy deserts, and hunt by burrowing beneath the sand and pricking their prey with their barbs. The vemon is deadly and fast-acting, although not exceptionally painful. Even larger dragons give Pygmy Wyverns a large berth.

Pygmy Wyverns have been domesticated and bred by humans to lack their poison barbs. Domesticated Pygmies are about the size of small house cats or large squirrels. They enjoy being up high and will perch on their owners' shoulders if given the chance. They are very playful and intelligent.

Wisp Dragon

Wisp Dragon
Medium: digital painting

Wisp Dragons are tiny dragons native to Asia. They appear in art from China, Japan, and Korea, among others. They come in a variety of colors, but most are shades of white and silver, and all have long antennae with glowing tips. They are named for the misty aura which surrounds them. Many have speculated that his aura is what allows Wisp Dragons to fly, even though they have no wings.

Fey Dragon

Fey Dragon
Medium: digital painting

A member of the Fairy Dragon family, Fey Dragons are tiny, brightly colored little terrors. They are native to Europe and Eurasia. Individually they are fragile and weak, but they rarely travel individually. Fey Dragons travel is massive swarms of several thousand. Swarms of over a million have been reported. These sparrow-sized dragon have voracious appetites, and while they usually prefer to clean up carrion, they won't hesitate to use their swarm numbers to overwhelm live prey should carrion become scarce. They can strip a healthy adult head of cattle down to the bone in less than an hour. A swarm rarely leaves anything but the skeleton behind, and even that is typically gnawed on by tiny dragon teeth. Fey Dragons are particularly loathed by farmers because their small size allows them to fit where larger predators (and other dragons) cannot, and because they are next to impossible to fight off due to the sheer number of dragons in a swarm. If you ever see a swarm of tiny dragons headed your way, run - and don't look back.

Despite their reputation, Fey Dragons have been domesticated and bred for their bright, extravagant wing shapes and patterns. The dragon pictured here is a wild-type Fey Dragon. They are prolific breeders and will lay several clutches of eggs during the year. However, any breeder and seller of Fey Dragons will warn you never to keep more than two at a time, and don't feed them after midnight.

Pack Hunting Dragon

Chaser Dragon

Medium: digital painting

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.