Melanath Nachenthu as a hatchling, with some unfortunate merchant's purse. He learned thievery as a method of getting by in the world at a very young age. Honest work is hard to come by for a dragon, especially a young one.

Nachenthu dragons mature quickly in comparison to their lifespans; stripes do not begin to appear until around ten years of age and sexually mature, though as their growth past that point slows dramatically it still takes almost a century before they attain their full size. Once fully mature they are biologically immortal, and would endure forever if not for sickness, accident or warfare.

(cross-post from my gallery on FA. Art by Mialythila.)