As stated in an earlier post about dragons, I realized that I needed to divide the dragons into races (or clans) when I was writing Out of the Shadows. Today’s post will focus on the Tatsu dragons, and I will focus on the Tatsu in a later posts. (Click the links for the post on my other two dragon races: the Imperial dragons and the Baethir.)

Since two of my dragon races were already based on European dragons, I wanted to include a dragon race that resembled the dragons in Asian myths and legends as well. I discovered that Japanese dragons, called Tatsu, had unique and interesting personalities. I started brainstorming a bit and taking notes about this third race of dragons.

“Tatsu” (needs root)

• Smallest
• Only three claws
• More snake-like with thick, equal length legs
• Moves like snake. Even in air.
• Troublesome, mischievous, yet winning personalities
• Quick litter suckers, so they look like they disappear
• Long, floppy ears
• Floppy folds of skin on back and tail. These raise and become hard when it becomes angry
• Folds of skin under chins, resembling a beard
• Flat snout, (like a shi-tsu) raised nostrils
• 12-15% of total dragon pop
• Kinole is one of these.
• Brighter colors
• Fire streams, slightly thinner than lung, and not as far reaching. Quickness makes it okay. The streams are hotter than any other dragons. Incineratingly hot with blue flame. (This is the dragon the gnomes used to make the [***spoiler protection***].)

A few things about my notes:

• The “needs a root” was a note to myself to not call them Tatsu, but the name stuck. Sometimes it’s just impossible to come up with a new name after something sticks. That’s designate yet-to-be-named characters with a letter and a number. That way I don’t have a name that sticks.
• I can’t remember exactly what I read, but some varieties of Asian dragons disappear. I decided that I would make my Tatsu dragons move so quickly they looked like they were disappearing.
• Because they were so small, I wanted to give them the hottest fire as an equalizer.

Here are a couple excerpts from Out of the Shadows about Kinole, the only Tatsu in the story.

One [dragon], thinner and more serpent-like, wound back and forth beneath the red dragon’s legs. It stood only eight feet tall on all fours. Its snout was flatter than those of the rest, and its long, pointy ears stood straight up. Its teal scales reflected both purple and green with each movement. Its tail swished back and forth as it watched Davian’s every move.
—Out of the Shadows – Chapter 32: Weapons, Swords & Daggers

Gabriella woke up with a cough that sent pain around her chest, especially the left side. She remembered little since Cassadern had brought her to Davian, save a few visions of waking up in the middle of the night and seeing the seraph’s blurry outline or that of a unicorn in the moonlight. She opened her eyes, realizing she lay on a bed in a stone room. Sun poured in through the windows to the right. Behind her, a fire burned and popped, and a warm breeze blew through the room every now and then. She turned her head and saw the source. A teal dragon was lying on the floor with his head resting on her bed, staring at her with half-open eyes. Warm air enveloped her each time he exhaled.

Gabriella screamed and flung herself off the bed, yelping when her hip hit the floor. She pushed herself back to the wall with her legs, looking for something to use as a weapon if the dragon tried to attack her.

The dragon’s ears stood straight. Ridges formed on his back. He jumped in the air and hit his head on the ceiling. He backed up, shaking his head, smoke pouring out of his nostrils. Gabriella ran for the door, but stopped. The dragon had somehow dashed across the room and pushed his backside against the door in less than a second.
–Out of the Shadows – Chapter 33: Rest for the Weary

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Fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason. Weston is also the hose of The Final Cut In Movies radio show that airs on TMV Cafe Monday nights at 8:00 EST. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. To receive notification of M. B. Weston’s book releases click here to subscribe to Dark Oak Press & Media’s e-newsletter.