Lemonwing

Lemonwings are feisty little dragons native to Osao. With a well-established reputation, they are one of few dragon species found on the tropical planet. Lemonwings are named after their sour personalities and bright yellow colouration.

Anatomy

Eggy Placeholder by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

Lemonwings rarely grow beyond a foot in length, a perfect size for an annoying house pet. Their slender bodies allow them to squeeze in small crevices and holes. The head of a lemonwing dictates what they can fit through - if their head can fit through a hole, so can their entire body.

Wings of these dragons are small and only allow for short bursts of flight and gliding, but their sharp talons and sticky paw pads help them climb great heights with ease. Their scales come in a variety of shades, most commonly a lemon yellow.

Diet

These dragons stalk their prey, mostly at night. Lemonwings have retractable claws which help them stay quiet when hunting prey. Lemonwings eat prey around the same size as their head, if not a little bigger. Small mammals and birds are common prey, but lemonwings in urban areas will eat disposed foods.

Because of the better access to food, urban lemonwings are significantly larger. Sakaran lemonwings are the largest in the world, reaching almost three feet in length in extreme cases.

Reproduction & Growth

Eggy Placeholder by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

Female lemonwings lay six to ten eggs every two years. Gestation period is five weeks, and both parents will take turns incubating eggs. In the presence of eggs, the dormant oolus organ will activate, warming up the parent dragon's body to the perfect incubating temperature. The organ only works when a dragon is by its own eggs, an excellent method of maternity and paternity testing.

Baby lemonwings learn to hunt within a week of their lives. Instincts quickly set in, and it is best to not have any other pets in the house during this time as these babies will try and kill. Both parents are heavily invested in their offspring, making sure each hatchling makes it to adulthood.

Habitat

Lemonwings are native to Ecela, inhabiting both the Coral Desert and the Ecela Plains. They are comfortable in most environments and can handle a range of humidities and temperatures.

These dragons can also tolerate a dense population of slimes. Lemonwings are one of the most common non-avian species in Sakara, with a theorised population of around six million.

Behaviour

Cats... if cats were dragons

Many note the similarities between lemonwings and cats. While cats are a common species on many planets, they do not exist on Osao, at least not domestic cats. Lemonwings fill this niche; animals, despite not being the most intelligent species by miles, think they rule the world. These dragons can be a nuisance and are considered a pest in some areas, damaging crop fields when brawls set crops alight, or when they break into animal pens and kill the entire population.

Pet lemonwings are known to bring their owners "presents", in the form of dead animals and random items.

Lifespan
10 - 20 years
Average Length
1 foot
Geographic Distribution

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Cover image: Osao Header by Mochi

Comments

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Apr 14, 2024 22:23 by Aster Blackwell

I love them. Are they soft or scaley?

Apr 15, 2024 06:40 by Mochi

I'd say decently soft - they still have scales, but they're small and smooth :)

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Apr 24, 2024 11:30 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

Cat-like dragons <3 <3

Emy x
Explore Etrea
Apr 24, 2024 11:45 by Mochi

I need more cat dragons :D

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May 10, 2024 14:21 by Rin Garnett

I love these sticky, sour babies. 10/10 would seek to domesticate

May 10, 2024 14:24 by Mochi

thank you! when I finally draw these dragons you'll want to adopt them all >:)

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Aug 5, 2024 15:09 by Marjorie Ariel

I want one. Preferably, an enormous, cuddly one.

Aug 6, 2024 20:57 by Mochi

me tooo!

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