Jun-08-2010, 04:21 PM (UTC)
(This post was last modified: Jun-08-2010, 04:36 PM (UTC) by maulkin.)
Farseer - I am quite happy with your terminology. The metamorphosis of a dragon bears far more resemblance to that of a fly, butterfly or wasp than to that of an amphibian or dragonfly because there is a distinct pupal phase (the cocoon). However, the outward migration of serpents from breeding beaches to the open sea resembles that of sea turtles and their return migration upriver resembles that of salmon.
I had assumed that the Others remain trapped in a larval form and so are incapable of breeding. However, I suppose that it depends on how human-like they actually are! If SWR had killed all of the Others then there would have been no more when Fitz and Dutiful arrived. Even if Others are capable of breeding, where would the new ones have come from if all of the parents had been killed? There must at least have been children or eggs hidden away somewhere. Probably safer to assume that only a small proportion of the Others attempted to recapture SWR. One thing that puzzles me is why the dragons tolerate Others lurking at their breeding beach. The fact that they captured SWR means that there must have been Others around when dragons were still laying on Others Island. And who made the bars for SWR's cage? Can the Others work metal or did they have human help?
Thinking about salmon: male salmon can develop into two different forms. Some males migrate to the sea, feed for several years and return upriver as huge fish that compete aggressively for mates. Other male salmon remain within the breeding streams as tiny fish (known as "precocious parr"), wait for the females and large males to return from the sea, then sneak matings with the females. It is hard to imagine Others doing this because dragons mate on the wing and Others are wingless. However, if the others were able to spin cocoons and emerge in a winged form then it might be possible. Do Pecksies have wings?
Finally, we know that a heavily marked Rainwilder can be saved by associating with a dragon and transforming into an elderling. Could an Other be similarly transformed by associating with a dragon, or even with a human? Is this what pecksies are attempting to accomplish by associating with humans?
I had assumed that the Others remain trapped in a larval form and so are incapable of breeding. However, I suppose that it depends on how human-like they actually are! If SWR had killed all of the Others then there would have been no more when Fitz and Dutiful arrived. Even if Others are capable of breeding, where would the new ones have come from if all of the parents had been killed? There must at least have been children or eggs hidden away somewhere. Probably safer to assume that only a small proportion of the Others attempted to recapture SWR. One thing that puzzles me is why the dragons tolerate Others lurking at their breeding beach. The fact that they captured SWR means that there must have been Others around when dragons were still laying on Others Island. And who made the bars for SWR's cage? Can the Others work metal or did they have human help?
Thinking about salmon: male salmon can develop into two different forms. Some males migrate to the sea, feed for several years and return upriver as huge fish that compete aggressively for mates. Other male salmon remain within the breeding streams as tiny fish (known as "precocious parr"), wait for the females and large males to return from the sea, then sneak matings with the females. It is hard to imagine Others doing this because dragons mate on the wing and Others are wingless. However, if the others were able to spin cocoons and emerge in a winged form then it might be possible. Do Pecksies have wings?
Finally, we know that a heavily marked Rainwilder can be saved by associating with a dragon and transforming into an elderling. Could an Other be similarly transformed by associating with a dragon, or even with a human? Is this what pecksies are attempting to accomplish by associating with humans?
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