Come closer to the fire, little one, and pull your blanket tight. You asked me today what a Drakkin truly looks like, under all the tales and the terror. They are not just mindless beasts; they are marvels, beautifully and terribly made. Let me paint one for you.
Have you ever looked closely at the barn cat’s eyes when the sun is bright? A Drakkin’s eyes are like that, with tall, thin slits that can open wide to drink in the moonlight. But their eyes hold the colors of the sunset and the earth: bright golds, deep greens, fiery oranges, and shining silver. And here is a secret: inside that eye is a second eye. It can spin like a compass needle to make a perfect cross. It’s like they have a magic spyglass built right into their head, letting them focus perfectly no matter how dark or bright it is. They even have clear, hidden eyelids that sweep across their eyes, letting them fly through roaring winds or swim underwater without ever blinking. At night, their eyes glow because they have a special mirror inside them that catches the light twice, letting them see the heat of a hidden mouse and colors in the sky that you and I will never know.
You might think you could sneak up on one if you were quiet enough, but you cannot. They don't have floppy ears like our hounds, just small slits on the sides of their heads. But they can hear a leaf fall in the forest, naturally tuning out the rustling wind to focus only on your footsteps. Even if it were pitch black and foggy, they would know you were there just by feeling the way the air moves and the ground hums.
If you are scared, or even if you are coming down with a cold, the Drakkin will know. They have a forked tongue, like a garden snake, that flicks out to taste the breeze. They can literally taste your feelings and your health in the air! And when they open that mouth... oh, my child. They have four great fangs, curved inward like scythes, meant for a quick end to their hunt. They don't chew their food like we do. Their teeth are meant to grip and saw through bone, tearing their meal into chunks they can swallow whole. The strength in those jaws could crush a wagon wheel.
But do not picture them dragging their bellies on the dirt like a common lizard. No, a Drakkin stands tall and proud. Their legs are underneath them, like a great hunting cat or a wolf, and they walk on their toes, always ready to leap. And their hands! You might think they only have clumsy claws. In truth, they have four long fingers and a thumb, just like yours. If a Drakkin wanted to, it could gently wind a tiny pocket watch or write a beautiful letter with those hands. Even their back feet have thumbs, though they use those mostly to grip a crag of rock when they perch.
Their skin is a wonder all its own. Imagine armor tougher than the king's best steel, grown right out of their bodies. Around their neck and belly, the scales are huge, overlapping like the wooden shingles on our roof. When they breathe and move, you can see the edges lift and settle. On the rest of their body, the scales are smaller, locked tightly together like a pebbly mosaic. They never shed their skin like a snake does. Instead, their scales grow with them. As a Drakkin gets very old and wise, its scales might chip and crack at the edges, losing their shine. Sometimes an old dragon loses a scale, and the new one that grows back is thinner and weaker. Because their armor is so thick, the older they get, the less they can feel the gentle touch of the wind.
And we cannot forget their grand tail. It is a long, thick whip of pure muscle. In the sky, they use it to steer through the clouds. In the water, it propels them like a mighty ship. On the ground, it can sweep a man right off his feet. Beneath the base of that tail, where any creature is most vulnerable, they have smooth, hidden slits. All of their delicate parts, even the ways they make new baby Drakkins, are safely tucked away behind their tough, scaly hide, perfectly protected from harm.
But the most magnificent part of a Drakkin, the part that darkens the sun, are the wings. Picture the wings of a bat, but large enough to cast a shadow over our whole farm. The skin is tough, smooth leather stretched tightly across incredibly long, bony fingers. Their chests are thick with muscles stronger than oxen, built just to pull those massive wings down against the air.
So, if you ever see a shadow pass over the moon, remember: it is not just a monster up there. It is a masterpiece of the sky, tasting the wind, seeing the invisible, and wearing armor of steel. Now, close your eyes, little one, and dream of the sky.
