First and foremost, drake-lings are cold-blooded colonial four-legged oviparous lizards, living in the southern part of the continent. Adults can measure up to two feet while their young start only a few inches long.
Observed average lifespan in the wild is of about two years, but it is unknown how long an individual can live in perfect conditions because drake-lings constitute a major part of a lot of predator diet.
They occupy in the south, the same niche as rats do in the north, but unlike their furry counterparts, they have proven impossible to raise in captivity due to their feral nature.
Just like rats, they are true omnivores, acting as scavengers, carrion, predator or herbivore depending on number and opportunity. Despite their frontal pointy teeth, the arrangement of the jaw is indeed that of an omnivore and they will regrow teeth many times in their short lifespan.
While they can appear as social animals, their behavior is more mindful of insect that rats for example. Individual self-preservation is low and older and weaker specimens will often sacrifice themselves for the colony, assuming they aren’t eaten when food becomes scarce.
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It is a well-known fact that large colonies will often attack bigger animals, but because it has been confirmed that the smell of blood will often drive them in a frenzy, it might be a response rather than a choice.
Then again, considering their habits of getting rid of extraneous members of the colony, it might simply a move offering great reward a little cost for the colony.
The subject of their intelligence is wildly debated, some argue they are a true example of collective intelligence while others say they simply offer a mechanical response to their environment. Sadly, their aggressive nature makes testing their intelligence almost impossible and to this day, no one has been able to establish a testing method.
Drake-lings only truly fears fire, and while they will generally flee behemoths, it’s not a fear response like it is the case with fire, indeed there have been cases of colonies fearlessly throwing themselves at some old and weakened giants.
A warning for those out there who think that their cold-blooded nature makes them easy target at night, just like many species of nomadic ants, drake-lings will gather together to create a living structure, allowing them to keep warm even during the coldest times.