SPECIES DESCRIPTION by Peter Fane

It was a long time since I painted serious about some cute little dragons, well I can proudly say that now I have a series booked, something like bestiary of tiny dragons, this one is first of twelve.About once a month I will paint one new different subspecies from previous ones, and they will appear in Peter's series of books, more you can find here www.facebook.com/TheKingdomofR… For progress images you can visit my Instagram: www.instagram.com/milicraft.ps… , you can find about more here and give it some love Brown-tailed tree-sapper

Brown-tailed tree-sapper (“Birch Cutter;” also “Cutter” or “Bore Wyrm”)

The brown-tailed tree-sapper (or “Birch Cutter”) inhabits the temperate, deciduous forests of northern Fellár and central Télledor. Smaller enclaves have been reported in the south-central forests of the Green Mountains and, sometimes, along the northern face of Jorgun Gorge.

Birch Cutters are quite crafty and can only be trained into service if raised in captivity or taken immediately upon birth from a wild nest – a fool-hardy practice best avoided.

Their natural temperament is playful and clever, they take pleasure in group games like hide-and-seek or tag, and they are well-known for their abilities as primitive tool-users. As messenger dragons, Cutters are cunning, dexterous, and loyal. While not the fastest or toughest of Dávanor’s small breeds, they are by far one of the most intelligent. Their instincts and abilities will be best used for clandestine transfers that require stealth, subterfuge, and slyness. When raised from birth, they are loyal and make superb alphas for small to medium-small domestic broods. Under no circumstances should a Birch Cutter be lodged with a yellow-crested bush-booby or any variety of the red-throated blood wyvern.

In the wild, Cutters nest in medium-sized broods. These will consist of two to three males, six to nine females, and their associated young. Foaling always takes place in the very early spring. Nests will almost always be found in leafy, shady trees and are usually made of woven branches – often live. These structures can become quite strong and complex, especially after several decades of growth and occupation. If wild trapping is deemed necessary, precaution must be taken to anesthetize or otherwise incapacitate the brood’s females who are fiercely protective, diabolically clever, and very well-organized. Under no circumstance should trapping ever be considered when two nests are located within five hundred paces of each other: threatened females will call their cousins, who will respond with calculated and lethal force. Males spend most of their time hunting or sleeping. Females give birth to one or two young each season.

Cutters are omnivorous and subsist on a combination of insects, smaller birds, berries, and saps. They are very fond of yellow and orange sugar birch and will often move into tapped forests, wreaking havoc upon syrup producers. When they cannot “borrow” food from an obliging tree farmer, Cutters will often bore small holes of their own using sharp stones and other simple tools. Their front limbs end with two dexterous fingers and a thumb and their tails are prehensile.

Typical colors: brown, dark tan, deep brown, pale to dark beige; undercarriage is often lighter than spine and flanks, especially in males.

Typical wingspan: (f) 7-8 palms [ca. 50-60 cm]; (m) 8-9 palms [ca. 60-70 cm]

Typical length: (f) 8-9 palms [ca. 60-70 cm]; (m) 9-11 palms [ca. 70-85 cm]

Horned? Yes.

Crested? Yes.

Toothed? Yes.

Venomous? No.

This text was adapted from my field notes with some reference made to Katherine II's "The Smaller Dragons of Davanor. A Preliminary Taxonomy" (F.Y. 190)