Chapter One
There weren’t always dragons in the valley. Before dragons, there were drakkides, as evidenced by numerous fossils preserved beneath the valley’s floor. Drakkides appear to be quite close to dragons, having similar necks, hind legs, wing structure, and horn placements. Based on the bone density and skeletal structure, however, it is speculated that drakkides were unable to fly, though many were likely able to leap high distances and glide downwards. The drakkides with the highest jumps and longest glides were most likely to eat better and mate better than the drakkides who could do neither. Eventually, drakkides selected for longer and longer flight, developing wings and legs strong enough to lift themselves off the ground. Physiologically, this meant that bones grew less dense but more importantly that drakkides developed a way of preserving some form of gas. Additionally, their horns, teeth, and claws continued to develop into stronger and stronger methods of attaining fresh meat. This all combined to make a sufficiently different animal: the dragon. From there, it was a long time until dragons appeared as we see them today…
