The Dragon Princess

Day 6 illustration of Inktober 2019. In a hidden alpine village, there's a community of dragonkin. They are born as dragons, grow into their human form until puberty hits at 22 years of age, and then undergo a ritual to transform back into a dragon. This drawing depicts the heirloom headpiece and robe worn during such ceremony. The ritual involves climbing to the Kailash Cliffs, howling into the wind, and taking a leap of faith. The young dragonkin does not fear. She knows it in her blood that her wings will emerge and instinctually catch a gale to the summit of the mountain. There, she must enter a cave and return the headpiece, which belongs to the Mountain God, their ancestor.