Scientific Name: Draconis insidiae
Owing, no doubt, to its smaller than average size, slow growth and lack of precious metal-hoarding tendencies, numerous attempts have been made over the centuries to tame the Copperwing. All of these efforts have ended in well-publicized deaths, save one: Lord Hepten Bowersworth survived an attack by a female Copperwing he had raised from the egg in 1671, suffering only the loss of his left leg. When confronted about the incident by neighbours, Lord Bowersworth simply said “she doesn’t know her own strength; she just got a tad overexcited.”
Lord Bowersworth’s body was found nine years later, appearing to have been mauled badly and burned nearly beyond recognition. Local authorities believed a dragon was at fault, but the dragon was never found.
The species name “insidiae” and the common name “Faithless” Copperwing were earned on behalf of the dragonlet’s unfortunate habit of mauling those that spend the most time raising it. While Copperwing dames usually survive the attacks of their young, human caretakers or foster mothers are often not so lucky. Most recently, a mature wyvern (species unknown) that had successfully reared a foster clutch of Hawaiian Blackbacks was given a single young Copperwing to bond with; the wyvern survived only three hours. Unlike some other dragons, the D. insidiae is non-venomous.
The Copperwing is indigenous to Western Canada and lives almost exclusively in the Rocky Mountains. Unlike most other species in this genus, D. insidiae prefers to live in trees rather than in caves. The Copperwing’s earthy colours allows it to blend in with bark and dead leaves; consequently, it is rarely seen, even by those specifically looking for it.
D. insidiae's metallic scales were once highly sought for jewelry, resulting in the species being hunted to near-extinction. In the early 1800’s, legislation was enacted to protect Copperwings, their eggs and their young.
This species is a strict carnivore. The diet of the dragonlets is almost exclusively cicadas, expanding to include small rodents like mice and squirrels as the dragons grow.
Adult Size: Females: 3.4m, Males:2.6m
Wingspan: up to 4m
Apoxie Sculpt over a wire and foil armature, hematite eyes. 9 cm tall.
Er...To my knowledge, Lord Bowersworth is an entirely fictional character. If there has been a Lord Bowersworth, my apologies for stealing the name... but I bet he didn't die by dragon.
If he DID die by dragon...I wash my hands of this post :P
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