The badgerdrake is a peculiar member of the draconian family. It lives in burrows in forests, particularly the rare grassland woods. It prefers riverbanks, where it knows prey animals will come to drink.

This draconian is small, only about a meter at the shoulder. However, he’s very sturdily built, a body well suited for burrowing through any type of soil. Its strong muscles are aided by fearsome claws, tusks, and horns… however, one of its most powerful burrowing, and offensive abilities it has is the ability to spit a potent acid, though, rather than ‘spit,’ ‘throw up’ would be a better way to put it. In burrowing, the acid can eat away at limestone, and tree roots. In hunting, the badgerdrake aims for the prey’s eyes, blinding it instantly, and marring its face. Then it needs only to get close enough to grab it, which is fairly easy. They usually drag the carcass back to the burrow, either to cache, or to feed to their hatchlings, which lack their parents grey colors, having instead a brown hide.

Badgerdrakes also have peculiar eyes. In the liquid parts of them, live phosphorescent bacteria that glow when exposed to certain hormones. The draconians can thus turn the bacteria ‘on’ and ‘off’ and use the glow as a communication tool, often in aggressive situations, or to communicate long distances in the woods at night.

Because of its primarily subterranean lifestyle, the creature’s wings have nearly vanished. Only remnants of the radius and ulna are left, leaving only the wing digits protruding from the creature’s back. Usually, this structure lies flat, however, they usually flare them out when alarmed, or as a dominance gestuture, in an attempt to look bigger.

They also, however, use them in courting rituals. The white patches on their bodies are highly reflective, and in the moonlight, make them shine like ghosts. During the mating season, the males and females go through an elaborate dance, sizing one another up by the sinuousness of their movements, and by the intensity of the shine off of their hides. Humans who first witnessed this, thought that the forests were home to ‘ghost snakes.’ As legends grew and became more elaborate, it was often said that they would lure wanderers into the woods and eat them alive, somewhat like the willo-whisp.

Jeezus, I'm getting behind on things. The initial sketch for this was done Last year! ::flails:: back to work!