FIRE DRAGONS by Wendy Yukihiro

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

The Fire Dragon is the rarest of the three species. Draco flameus. It is extremely difficult to observe and study these dragons, since their habitat is inaccessible to human beings. These virtually unknown dragons live inside active volcanoes, and their natural surrounding are the great rivers of lava and fiery caverns in the belly of the Earth. In this world of fire and incandescent molten rock dwells the Dragon Father. This is where courtship and mating takes place. Here, too, rituals that no human being has ever witnessed are performed. Fire Dragons spend their infancies in these suffocating surroundings, only venturing outside when reaching maturity and only for brief hunting expeditions. Nocturnal creatures, Fire Dragons usually sally forth enveloped in flames when darkness reigns, but only if the weather is very dry and the sky clear. Water and humidity are a great threat to threat to these creatures since they can cause scale corrosion a fatal, painful disease for Draco flameus. This most horrible disease causes the scales to flake off from the body, leaving the dragon's sensitive skin exposed and vulnerable. This exposure not only causes dreadful burns produced by red-hot lava, but also total dehydration. On their excursions into the outsid world. Fire Dragons set vast expanses of land aflame. Scorching everything in their path, they avidly devour the charred remains of any animals left in the ashes. The dragon's mouth breathes fire, which is formed from a mixture of phosphorus and methane produced and stored in a second stomach. The mixture ignites on contact with oxygen immediately after it leaves the dragon's mouth. The Fire Dragon's favorite food is composed of hydrocarbons such as oil and bitumen which it consumes in huge quantities. They also use these substances to clean and shine their scaly armor an occupation to which Fire Dragons devote many hours, They take great care of every single scale and are always on the lookout for any suspicious looking blemishes.This is not a question of vanity, even though dragons are very conceited creatures. This is because they need to guard against their most deadly enemy: the dreaded scale corrosion, mentioned earlier.The scales, which cover the dragon's entire body, are made up of a type of metal and asbestos alloy. They are varicolored, ranging from bright golden yellow to red, copper, and black. These iridescent scales are the dragon's only protection against fire, Without this armor, the dragon is as susceptible to heat as any other living creature. It has been reported that dragons of this species used to be abundant in the volcanoes of Iceland. They venture as far as Ireland and the North of Britain. In Italy a small colony of this charming species has survived in Sicily. Curiously, however, in Vesuvius there is no evidence whatsoever of the existence of the fire dragon. These mysterious but fascinating beasts  have large families of servants made up mainly of salamnders, wil-o'the-wisps, and other igneous creatures.