The Dragon Manual: Timberjack

What's this? Another non-Pokemon fanart?

Well if you ask me, I'd say that I saw that movie for the fourth time this weekend. As I mentioned before you should definitely watch it, and mind you, it never gets old. I've also heard that they're making a sequel for release in 2013, which isn't surprising since the original movie was so awesome. I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up as a nominee at least for the Oscars' Animated Movie of the Year.
One thing I'd love to see in the sequel, of course, is more dragon species besides the ones from the first movie. This guy here is one of the ones that was only seen in the Dragon Manual: the Timberjack. This gigantic creature was described as having razor-sharp wings that can cut through full-grown trees, and we also saw a stylized pic of it in the book, but that's about it. Since the Timberjack's presumed style of attacking, i.e. cutting down its foes with its wings, reminds me of myself a lot, I figured I'd speculate about what it actually looked like.
This is the first fan-made entry in the updated Dragon Manual, courtesy of Hiccup. I figured that in the new age, the manual will be rewritten in several volumes, one for each class of dragons, complete with biology, evolution, and stats based on the books.

Timberjack
Attribute: Wind
Size: 35 ft
Weight: 4500 pounds
Speed: 20 mph (land), 70 mph (air)
Shot Limit: 4 to 5 shots (Lava Wave)
Class: Strike class, Wyvernid
Danger Level: Medium to High - Approach with caution

Colors: Gold, sometimes silver or bronze
Armed with: Razor-sharp wings, talons, teeth, and tail fin - 17
Defences: Spiky plates down the back, but not much else - 8
Radar: None - 0
Poison: Sticky oil sprayed from mouth is slightly toxic - 3
Hunting ability: Very fast in flight - 14
Speed: See above - 15
Fear and Fight Factor: Fast, lethal, and terrifying - 15

One of the largest of the dragon species, the Timberjack is, quite literally, a beast of legend. An honorary Wyvernid and a close relative of the Monstrous Nightmare, it is said to be able to blot out the sun when it flies, which is not surprising since it 35 feet long and has a wingspan of 40 feet. Like the Nightmare, the Timberjack has two rows of sharp spikes running down its plated back, but it has only two display horns, one thumb claw on each of its wings, and a shorter snout that is laterally narrower. Individuals are distinguishable by their gold and brown color, their bright red and purple wings, and the leaf-shaped fins on their tails.

The Timberjack's most famous feature, and the one that gives it its name, is its razor-sharp wings, which can cut through full-grown trees. These wings are not quite as long as the Nightmares, but they are wide and broad (Fig. A), giving it surprising agility that rivals that of another of its cousins, the Deadly Nadder. An extra flight membrane attached to the hips (Fig. A), similar to that of the Night Fury, provides extra lift in flight, enabling this heavy-bodied dragon to fly at up to 70 mph which, though a far cry from the Night Fury's 150 mph attack dive, is still surprisingly fast for a creature that can weigh at least two tons.
How the Timberjack's wings can maintain such a sharp edge was a rarely studied subject, but analysis has now revealed an evolutionarily ingenious solution. Like most dragons, the leading edge of the wing consists of a bony finger, to go with numerous other fingers that support the brightly colored wing membrane. The difference is that the Timberjack's leading wing finger is covered in special scales, shaped in a similar manner to Sharkworm denticles. These scales have evolved an aerodynamic shape, with a sharp-edged crease on the leading edge, reducing air resistance and enabling the dragon to fly faster. Because the Timberjack's ancestors primarily dwelled and hunted in forests, these scales apparently continued on this evolutionary path and become harder and sharper, transforming into the reinforced cutting edge of today.

The other of the Timberjack's major weapons is the stereotypical dragon weapon, its fire breath. It produces it in a similar manner to other Wyvernids, using a special chemical that it produces in a special gland that ignites upon contact with air. The Timberjack's chemical glands are stored in its head, more like those on the Nadder than the Nigtmare's single throat gland. Specifically it has four glands - two just below its eyes and two in its lower jaws - which secrete two special chemicals (Fig. B, red and green arrows) through special teeth in its palate and mouth floor. These chemicals react violently upon contact with each other, and to shoot forth the resultant flames, the dragon breathes with great force at whatever it is aiming at, using the air (Fig. B, blue arrows) it exhales to shoot forth a fine spray of flaming particles. This "Wave of Lava" forms a white-hot mist in the air, which hangs over the target like a burning fog. Not only does it burn at up to 8,000 degrees Centigrade, but the chemicals that produce it are also as viscous as the Nightmare's, given a high-enough concentration, and will incapacitate a victim long enough for the dragon to finish it off, even after the fire has burned out.

The Timberjack is currently under the threatened species list, as overhunting and destruction of its forest habitat have caused a dwindling in its numbers. However, its size, power, and weaponry have made it a favorable mount among select trainers, and the species has started down the path of domestication, like its Wyvernid relatives. It is likely that in due course, like many other dragon species, this one may soon be mass-bred for training and sport, keeping it a safe distance from the brink of extinction.

-The Dragon Manual, Volume I: Strike Class

I'm really proud of how the design turned out, particularly the wings, talons, and teeth. I am definitely choosing this guy as my partner/steed, because I'd love to see those big wings being put to good use in some way or another.
Notice that this dragon is gold with some brown highlights. None of the dragons in the first movie were gold, so I figured I'd fill that slot with the one I colored here.
I will be making more concept art of other dragons in the future. The next dragon I'm designing will probably be the Thunderdrum, if I can get to him.

The Dragon Manual and How to Train Your Dragon are copyright to Dreamworks and Cressida Crowell. But the Timberjack concept art is mine.

-Fawkes