Cave Pygmy

Drawn from their subterranean caverns by their curiosity about the humans who’ve arrived in the Dragon Realm, cave pygmy dragons are small, quick, and very inquisitive. These small dragons have padded toes tipped with tiny claws that allow them to climb walls and ceilings much like geckos, and they have large eyes that aid in spotting the movements of other tiny cave dwellers. Cave pygmies are pursuit predators and will stalk and then pounce on their prey when an opportune moment appears. Immediately recognizing humans and their homes as new territory to conquer and explore, cave pygmies spare no effort in getting into every nook and cranny they can. It isn’t uncommon to find them hanging out on the walls or even on the ceiling of Riders’ homes. Cave pygmies seem to enjoy trying to surprise their human companions by hiding somewhere up and out of sight before suddenly dropping down to land on their Rider’s head. They will also sequester themselves away in frequently used cabinets and containers so that they can lunge out and surprise their Rider when the door or top is opened.

Native to solution and talus caves, these dragons are typically dark in color to blend in with shadows and crevices. Like most of the other pygmy species, these dragons have padded toes tipped with tiny claws that allow them to climb walls and ceilings much like geckos. Cave pygmies have large eyes adapted to the dark and lowlight conditions of their subterranean homes to aid in spotting the movements of other tiny cave dwellers, which the dragon will stalk until presented with the opportune moment to pounce. Pygmies have a set of finned ears that come off the backside of their head. Across these sensitive appendages are tiny sensory filaments, not unlike the microscopic hair that covers bat wings. At the base of each minuscule filament is a tactile receptor, and together receptors and filament inform the pygmy of changes in air current around them, aiding them both in hunting and in navigating the dark niches they call home. Along with picking up air fluctuations, these organs also contain lucifern and luciferase molecules that react when oxygen is diffused into the respective cells. This causes the ear fins to bioluminesce, producing a soft glow that is utilized in attracting prey. The cave pygmy’s spines also contain these molecules, which are linked into the bioluminescence system, so they also give off light alongside the fins. Because kollodryn’s wide eyes are accustomed to the low and nearly no light level of the caverns they call home, they have evolved a nictitating membrane to protect their vision when bioluminescing. The membrane covers the visible eye, darkening the entire oculus so as to cause the eyeball to appear completely black. This membrane does not interfere with the pygmy’s vision, and once the kollodryn ceases bioluminescing, the nictitating membrane pulls back from covering the eye.