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| The Snow Serpent of Adu
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| Snow serpents: (subclass-furred) Snow serpents are one of the more intelligent of the dracona species. They travel the snow-covered terrain of Adu at both high and low altitudes. They live in packs, much as wolves do, which are dominated by an alpha serpent, and protect their territory from all threatening intruders. In general, snow snakes are not overly aggressive, but if hungry, with young, or threatened, they attack with deadly determination. Snow serpents are covered entirely in thick white fur. The males have a softer blue thermal under layer of fur, which is believed to assist in attracting mates and displaying strength. Females have a light gray thermal fur layer, which helps them to blend in with their surroundings, possibly to protect their young and potential young. All snakes have tapering heads that narrow at the snout, allowing them to dive into the snow with ease and create tunnels underneath the snow pack. Their jaws are full of dozens of razor-sharp teeth. They are carnivorous, enjoying a place near the top of the food chain on Adu. Adult serpents reach twenty to forty feet in length, and are very muscular, with an insulating layer of fat just under their fur. Their serpentine bodies are flat along the bottom, which gives them greater traction when they cross the snow. They are believed to live up to fifty years. Snow serpents usually mate for life. The females give birth to one or two live young at a time. At the time of birth, the female goes into a stone or snow den. The newborns are two feet in length, and fully capable of crawling, hissing and eating on their own. The adults take turns staying with the young and hunting for food to bring back to the den. The parents rip huge chunks of meat from the carcass, and swallow meat, bone, and hoof. Nothing is wasted. What cannot be digested is regurgitated (often called “bone pods” by the local Tarushi). During the rearing of young, the adults regurgitate digested food for their young to eat, until the young reach about five feet in length, at which time they are ready to leave the den and venture onto the snows. Snow serpents are excellent swimmers, insulated by their fur and fat from extreme temperatures, and finding Aduan fish a delicacy too rich to ignore. They snatch the fish out of the water, or as they swim past, with their snapping jaws. On the surface of the snow, they kill by lunging out with lightning speed at their victims and locking their jaws on their prey. Often, if the prey resists or does not die right away, the snow snakes will coil their bodies around the victim, until all thrashing ceases. Snow snakes communicate through a series of hisses and spitting noises. The sounds of their voices sound closely like the sound of snow as it is blown across an icy landscape, which enables them to communicate while advancing on prey without being detected. Over 250 different variations of hissing and spitting noises have been recorded by Tarushi scholars, supporting the theory that these draconas are highly intelligent, with a complex social structure. |
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