A Field Guide to Dragons of Hypatia
By Vivian Rosalee
Cloud Dragons
Greater cloud dragons are usually temperamental, going from calm to furious in a matter of seconds. In their passive state, they are rather friendly, and can live in groups (called a "fog" of cloud dragons). Some are quite content to live alone for most of their lives.
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Greater cloud dragons can't create weather patterns themselves. However, they do have the ability to call upon their lesser cloud dragon variants, who can produce rain, snow, hail, and sleet. Without lesser cloud dragons, greater cloud dragons can't exist, and vice versa.
Elements
(hybrid- secondary
with variant)
water
air
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Average Weight
8 pounds
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Average Length
1.5 feet
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Average Wingspan
4 feet
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Average Height (at shoulder)
5 inches
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Appearance
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There are two kinds of cloud dragons- greater and lesser. Both greater and lesser types are nearly the same. This entry will focus mostly on greater cloud dragons. The noticeable differences between greater and lesser types are:
Lesser cloud dragons are smaller (about 1/2 the size of an average greater cloud dragon. They are also noticeably darker in the passive state and temperamental state. Finally, lesser cloud dragons, when summoned by greater cloud dragons can create rain, snow, and other weather occurrences. Greater dragons can't make weather itself, but can summon the lesser variants whenever they want.
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Cloud dragons, both greater and lesser, have luxurious feathery wings. Their bodies are light, helping them glide through the air effortlessly. When passive, dragons are a bright white (grey for lesser variant) or pale pastel color (darker for lesser variant). When angry, both lesser and greater cloud dragons grow dark, sometimes becoming a threatening charcoal black color. An angry cloud dragon, though very dangerous, is an awe inspiring sight.
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The Egg
Cloud dragon eggs are like puffs of air- like tiny little clouds. They are light and airy, so they can float a few miles before getting stuck to something and eventually hatching. On rare occasions, hundreds of cloud dragon eggs can drift together, creating a haze for a few days before dispersing or hatching.
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Hatchlings and Adulthood
When first hatched, cloud dragons are just a wisp of a dragon. They rapidly grow, reaching maturity in just a few weeks. Lesser dragons hatch darker, and grow less, though they reach maturity in the same amount of time.
The feathery wings of cloud dragons
Greater and lesser cloud dragon
Determining the Sex
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The sex of the dragon can be determined fairly reliably based on color, but there are some exceptions to this rule.
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Males
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Passive state: pure white (gray for lesser variant)
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Angry state: darker gray (both lesser and greater)​
Females
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Passive state: pale pastels (darker for lesser variant)
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Angry state: darker, muddier pastel colors (both lesser and greater)
Male and female cloud dragon
cloud dragon eggs
Genetics
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There are two ways a cloud dragon egg can be laid and hatched.
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Two cloud dragons mating and laying cloud dragon eggs. ​
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A female ocean dragon consumes the spores of a sun dragon, causing her next clutch to be laid as cloud dragon eggs.
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Lesser cloud dragons randomly hatch in any clutch of cloud dragon eggs- they are considered the runt of litter, though that doesn't make them any less important!
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Reproduction
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Breeding
Cloud dragons do not mate for life, and do not have a breeding season. However, it is more common for them to mate and lay eggs during a temperamental rainy season, as more gather together than normal.
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The Nest
Since the eggs tend to float away, cloud dragons typically don't bother to build nests. They might half heartedly attach their eggs to a branch or tall grass from time to time, but that's not usually very effective.
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Laying Eggs
Cloud dragons lay eggs only a few days after mating. They will have clutches of 1-25 eggs. Eggs float away shortly after being laid, even faster if they aren't attached to anything.
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A large group of cloud dragon eggs
Cloud dragon chasing a dandelion fluff
Habitat
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Living
Cloud dragons live wherever there is open sky. They are a little bit claustrophobic and won't often be in closed areas. The only exception is to lay eggs- some cloud dragons will lay in a cave or tree cavity, especially when the egg laying becomes difficult. ​
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Collections
They like to collect wispy things, like dandelions after they've bloomed, or pussy willow branches.
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Movement
Cloud dragons will drift from territory to territory, and back again. They follow the wind currents and weather.
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Diet
Since they are both water and air type dragons, they love to eat fish and catch birds in flight.
