An: Ok this is just details for the Dragon races and some other tidbits that go along with Gaining Freedom Losing Innocence but don't really come up in the story.

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Drakens are not my creation. For information on them look for Rise of the Drakens. There is also a wiki on them done with the author (Starlight Massacre)'s permission. I'm not going to put her info on her species here for fear of stepping on toes. IF you don't like her fic check out the wiki it's pretty well done last time I checked.

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Drake:

In general:

One of the Dragon Kin. Rarely mate with other Drakes. Both dominant and submissives will fiercely protect their mate(s) and any children even if they are not their own. Friends and extended family will also be defended. Drakes by nature are not very aggressive creatures but if threatened are one of the most feared predators in the world.

Have 3 forms, Human, half dragon, and dragon. When in human form it is difficult to tell them apart form a human. The only sure way is to flash a bright light in their eyes. The natural response of humans is to shy away from the light but a drakes pupil will quickly contract into a slim slit and they will not recoil.

Their natural form is the half dragon. They will revert to it if put under enough stress, such as from a wound or magical exhaustion. This is due to the half form being more resistant.

Drakes still look humanoid in their half dragon form. The most noticeable features are the single pair of horns protruding from the forehead which come in various shapes. The most common being corkscrew (like a gazelle or impala), curving back along the top of the skull, or curling like a rams horns. Besides the horns they have a large pair of gargoyle wings. Which they can fly on but are also flexible and fold close to the back like a cape. The Drakes wingspan is twice their height. They also have a row of spines down their backs that begin at the base of the skull and continue to the tip of their tails. The tail is slender and more for maneuverability in the air than as a weapon. Less noticeable is the elongated eye teeth and sharpened canines. Along with sharp claws on both feet and hands. Claws can easily tear through flesh and even score dragon hide.

The least noticeable dragon features are the small flesh colored scales that cover their bodies. The scales are small, 1/4 inch at their longest. They are smooth and slippery if rubbed in one direction but course like sand paper in the other. The scale pattern in like that of a shark skin making it tough. The scales can absorb both magic and heat protecting the drake.

In their dragon form they look like dragons. The dragon form will have the same horn and spine shapes as the halfling form. They will retain the shark skin pattern but the scales will then be about the size of a hand at the largest and a fingernail at the smallest. The only dragon feature they do not have is the ability to breath fire. Other wise they are often mistaken for dragons

Benefits of mating a Drake are numerous. Firstly is a fiercely protective and unflinchingly loyal companion for the rest of your life. There are some magical benefits as well. All mates gain a power boost after they are bonded. The Drake can sense where their mates and children are at all times. These connections are what keep the drakes from going feral. But Dominants only have so much magic to make the connections to their mates. And a secondary magical reserve to make connections with their children. If a Drake mates with a creature who's life span is longer than their own the drake will live as long as the mate. But if the mate has a shorter life span the drakes magic will help extend their life. A normal drake life span is 350 -400 years. Double that of witches and wizards. Unfortunately few of the children are born with the trait, only about 1 in 4.

Dominants:

They have all the features listed above but are different from their submissive counterpart. The dominant has larger and more powerful wings. They are tall, broad, and densely muscled, and many times stronger than the average human. They have been known to lift as much as a giant twice their size when enraged, this is true in human or half human form. They often will bruise people close to them due to not knowing their own strength. They are also much denser than a human making it hard for them to swim without the aid of magic. Most dominant's will not enter deep water unless it's an emergency. Many who live in coastal regions will carry Gilly weed and Gilly goo (the potion to counter act the weeds effect) at all times to prevent drowning.

Dominant drakes require at least one mate to live. But 2 mates are often needed to stabilize their magic. The dominant is designed to protect and with nothing to protect they lose their minds and eventually themselves. They will waste away and die if they lose a mate. Not even the presents of children can hold them in the land of the living for long.

When a dominant goes through their expressed inheritance they will subconsciously form or find the image of the perfect submissive. Over the next months, until their active inheritance, they will eliminate all the people around them that don't fit their ideal. From those that remain the drake will choose a mate, once they are actively mature. After the first is chosen the drake may not feel inclined to find another right away. But eventually they will encounter either someone that fits close to their ideal mate, or covers an obvious flaw in the first mate. They will then try and take that person as a second mate. This process will repeat till the dominant's protective magic is at a low enough level so they retain their sanity. This number is dependent on various factors, including the power of the drake, and the power of the submissive(s). A weak drake with a powerful submissive may only need one. But the most powerful of drakes recorded said they felt the urge to take another mate only a month after consummating the relationship with her first mate. And ended up mated to 5 human submissives.

Average Dominant:

Height: 6'2" (188cm) – 6'9" (206cm)

Weight: 330lb (150Kg) – 410lb (186Kg)

Wing span: 12'5" (378cm) – 13' (396cm)

Mates: 2-3

children: Varies based on the breeding years of the mates.

Average for human mates: 4-7

Submissive:

Many species think of submissives as weaker. With the drakes this is a grave mistake. Though the dominants are large and powerful the submissives are far deadlier, and the more likely to be aggressive. Also unlike the dominant's if a submissive's mate dies they will grieve and grieve hard but will move on and take another eventually, unless the submissive is over 250 years old. After 250 the submissive loses the ability to have children and will no longer feel the need to take another mate.

While the dominant's are strength the submissive's are speed (submissives are more bird like and less dense than a human). They are lightning quick and have been known to just shift their fingernail's into claws in order to strike if they, or their children are threatened. If attacked alone they will run, but if attacked with ANY child near by they will fight viciously to protect it, even if it's not their own.

They are slender and the male submissives are often mistaken for females. They will only ever have one mate at a time and are very jealous. IF the mate is ever found unfaithful, or harms one of the children the submissive will have no issue killing them. Usually this doesn't happen because the submissive releases a pheromone that makes all others seem inferior. They will often choose a mate that is not human, though rarely choose one of the dragon kin. The most common matches are with lycans, elves, and vampires. All whom live long lives and can match the submissive's possessiveness.

Submissive drakes can carry 1-6 fetuses at a time, though the record is 9. Drake submissives are, or were, highly sought after as wives in many magical communities, due to their ability to have large clutches of children and birth them safely. Drakes are also not like some other dragon kin and do not nest or become feral when nearing the time for the birth.

Drake pregnancy's are different from human ones though. A drake will be able to walk and function normally right up to the birth. Morning sickness is a rarity and usually only occurs if the mother has mated a water or ice creature. Within 6 weeks the submissive's body will reabsorb the added weight and they will show no signs of ever having carried a child. Drakes gestate for about 11 months and lactate about 29.

Average Submissive:

Height: 5'4" (163cm) – 6'0" (183cm)

Weight: 85lb (38Kg) -170lb (77Kg)

Wing span: 10'6" (320cm)- 11'9" (358cm)

Children per gestation: 2-4

children total: 30-40

mates in a life time: 1-2

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AN: this is all I have for now. Shark skin is AMAZING! If you haven't heard about or read any of the research going on with it you so should.

If I think of anything else to add to this 'chapter' I will later. If I find any images that fit how I see the drakes I'll add the link at the top of this.

I'm also posting 2 'chapters' of how the families began. They are also going to be short and most likely fleshed out later.