Drakkhani Reproduction
Drakkhani start sexual maturity at age 13 roughly. Their fire sacs are now fully mature and their body are now producing the right pheromones for mating and reproduction. Drakkhani men start their version of musth around this time and females go in to estrus as well. Twice a year around mid spring and mid autumn drakkhani are more sexual active and being what is often called "the Itch." Males will be more aggressive and horny and compete for mates often around this time. Once a female chooses the right male they will mate. During marriage rights and courting, the female will of course test to see if the male is worthy by spending time with it. This goes around Winter or Summer before estrus. If the male is worthy she will ask the elders to preform the marriage rights and the male becomes her mate (U'khayi). Once estrus begins the male will begin the task of mating.
Sex is done often in the air as it's often very pleasurable, but on the ground is common too. Male will mount the female mostly from the front (as the tail makes mounting from behind difficult) eye contact as well as mutual grooming acts as foreplay simulating them both. The act of mating last from anywhere twenty minutes to an hour depending on how much foreplay involved. Oral sex is common during mating and males often preform this after intercourse. Afterplay usually comes after intercourse which is usually body rubbing and tail wrapping.
Same sex pairs are common in drakkhani culture. Male crehs are established in traditional dias (clan families) these are normally sexually mature males that ban together and living among the clan. During the “Itch” it is not unheard of to see young males mating with each other “Scratching the itch” is their word for homosexuality in crehs. To lower testosterone levels. Females in their own crehs do the same thing during estrus. It's also not uncommon for males and females to pair bond instead of the opposite sex. Because of the communal raising of young, same sex pair bonds are not left out of raising of children. Adoption is also considered a cultural norm.
Fetal Development
Drakkhani have a two part gestation. First part the female carries the unborn hatching while consuming large quantities of calcium rich foods to produce the shell (which takes about three to four months to grow and surround the emybro) once the shell is formed the female lays the egg which will continue incubate in a massive nest filled with other eggs laid around summer or winter (winter laid eggs are guarded by a creh for young females and males who watch the eggs until spring as many clans migrate during the winter)
Conception-2wks: The sperm and egg join inside the female and start genetic replication. A blasocyte is formed and continues to divide and divide. It travels down fallopian tube and embeds in the uterus. The little clusters of cells began to divide into two halves. One becoming the embryo the other the yolk/placenta.
3-4wks: At this time the embryo is forming. The heart is forming as well as the head case. The cord is also formed connecting to the yolk sac. At this time the female's pH level will start to change and emit an odor signaling that she is pregnant. She will start having cravings for milk and food heavy in calcium.
5-7wks: The embryo is now forming leg and arm buds, the wing bud does not form until the tenth week. A black spot on it's face is the eye. It will often have something like a muzzle a throw back to drakkhani's ancestor to dragons. This muzzle with flatten into a human like face. The heart is still being formed as well as the spinal cord.
9-12wks: The body is still taking shape. It's roughly the size of a small peanut. Around this time the heart will start beating. The wing bud is forming and the calcium that the mother is ingesting will continue to form the shell.
4th mth: At this point in the game the embryo is still inside the mother. The yolk sac is fully developed and will be it's food source from the time it's laid until hatching. Shell is around the embryo providing a spacious cocoon around it until it become too small around hatching. An air bubble would be at the top of the egg during laying which will be it's oxygen source once its lungs are developed. The female will start to lay the egg going into labor. The laying process is around an hour to two hours long. The egg is soft and reptilian looking with tendrils at the end that will hook onto rock surfaces and anchor it preventing the egg from being moved around.
5th mth: Now the process of incubation begins. The egg is among other eggs in very warm and dry area. Females must keep the temperature constant. They will not gender the eggs until the sixth month. Hot temperatures often form female drakkhani cooler temperatures produce males. Much like crocodiles. This is not always a rule. There have been females born in male gender egg clutches. Inside the egg the embryo is developing legs and talons it's hands are forming the wings are also forming. The tail is long and formed as well. Most of the organs are still being formed.
6thmth: At this time the females will gender eggs. Females will get higher heat around this month and male eggs around this time will be left alone. The fire sac is being formed and will not mature until adolescence. The embryo is now starting to look more like a mini-drakkhani now growing into the size of a small bell pepper. Quicking will happen, and the nervous system is now starting to cause reactions. Including tail twitching and grasping with talons.
7th:mth: The brain is developing as the skull is already forming around it. It's senses are also developing. Eyes are now developed. As are the hands and talons. Wings are still growing. The now fetus will start moving around the egg. Turning it's face to the sounds of it's clan mates. It will yawn and grasp it's cord and tail.
8th: There has been dramatic change. The fetus's hand talons are formed. So are it's major organs. The lungs are still growing and will be complete once the fetus's head and mouth reach the air packet in the egg. The wings are now formed. Skin color will be apparent. The fetus will press it' hand against the shell and slap it's tail on it. The shell is starting to be more transparent. The fetus will be seen around the tenth month.
9th mth: The fetus is now growing rapidly. The yolk is getting smaller smaller and the fetus is almost ready to be hatched. The horn buds are forming and it's body looks more like a drakkhani now.
10th -11th mths: At this stage of the game. The fetus is almost complete with it's lungs. It's little face is in the air pocket and breathes the air for the first time. It's lungs are formed. Flight bladders are formed and so is the brain. It's canards are still small.
12th mth: Finally the fetus starts to hatch. The shell is weak and the yolk is gone. The fetus will start tearing open the shell skin with it's back talons. It's a long process. This is observed the clan as the cord disintegrates once the fetus plops out of the egg. It's a very long and exhausting process. Most hatchings take up to two to four hours during hatching.
Twining
Twining is very rare in Drakkhani biology. Many double yolked eggs do not survive pass the first month of incubation. Double layings are also rare however those survive often. Double layings are almost always fraternal however double yolked eggs are mostly identical. Those that survive are regarded as a sacred and the twins that hatch are often raised to be priests. Fraternal hatchings that are different genders are also respected being the living principle of the God/Goddess dichotomy. The problems concern twining mostly fall under one of the twins dying or being reabsorbed. More often than not, one twin will end up with a developmental delay of some kind. Most common are “Turner-Ackman's Syndrome” which has many symptoms that are similar to human's Down's Syndrome. Including mental retardation and low muscle tone. They also would have a flatter scalp and rounder ears. They are often born with small or no fire sac. They will be able to fly but not produce the gas necessary for fire breath and are prone to weight issues and a poor thyroid. Low Oxygen Syndrome or LOS is also a common disorder in double yolked eggs. One twin would not be able to receive enough oxygen during the last leg of incubation. Because of this it will have several delays and neurological impairment. Many will not be able to fly because of sensory processing issues and many will spend their lives on all fours. They will have cognitive delays and will need the care of their clan for the rest of their lives. Many LOS drakkhani are prone to seizures. LOS is almost a 78% in double yolked eggs, Turner-Ackman's is around 67% in happening. About 89% of double yolked eggs will end up being dead.
Double layings will have less chances on having complications. However their have been reports of LOS happening on one of the eggs that have a weaker shell. Weak Shell Disorder also is common with double layings, one of the shells of the eggs will be weaker and prone to collapsing. Females that are expected to gestate two eggs are suggested to double their calcium and iron intake. Conjoined twins are highly rare, those never survive incubation. Dr. Travis Yoland, xenobiologist has the only specimen of a drakkhani conjoined fetus. The fetus died in incubation and was extracted. The fetus has no gender and is joined at the buttocks. There have been only 5 reports of conjoined twins in drakkhani society. Neither have survived.
Notes taken by Dr. Episolon Jadeclaw
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