A breeder is a subspecies of shade; it’s sole function is to reproduce and spread in order to increase its population. Unlike the sentient shade, breeders lack that same kind of intelligent agency that allows some flexibility in its relationship with its host. It is a mutually exclusive parasitism in which the breeders consumes the hosts body, uses it as an incubation vessel, before destroying it in an effort to spread. Whereas sentient shades’ hosts have the ability to survive for several hundred years, a breeder infection is rapid, painful, and horrible. Usually, depending on the dragon and the areas of infection, a dragon can reached stage 4 (pre-burst) within a month. 

This type of infection can be treated by light and fire purifiers, however under very strict conditions. Not only does the host need to be isolated, but any clothes or other items touched by the infected has to be burned. The host should be immediately isolated in a sealed, controlled environment to help prevent worms from escaping into drinking water or into food or animals. This treatment must happen before the dragon enters stage 3, otherwise the infection will be too far spread and the host will enter into the terminal stage. 

So in stage 1: 

There is little visual cues to show evidence of infection, other than some dark rashes and a few black pimples. The few worms inside the spots infected on contact are incubating. If anything, the skin just feels itchy. 

Stage2:

The worms have amassed small, hardened growths the size of large boils on the specific sites. These sites are now slightly painful, very itchy, and the host can definitely feel the worms moving. The itchiness is intentional so that the host will scratch it, pop a few boils, and release a small downpour of worms that will immediately crawl back into the host’s body and incubate. Depending on the location, this can cause blindness, shortness of breath, or difficulty eating and swallowing liquids. 

Stage 3: 

Very bad stage. So bad. Like not good. By this point, the host is terminal. The skin is not only hardened, but the surrounding area is swollen by the amount of worms within the body. The boils that haven’t popped have hardened and grown while smaller ones form in between. The area of infection has spread and the initial point is likely almost stripped down. Depending on the area, this could either lead to a quick death or brain damage. These areas are no longer itchy, but the skin surrounding it is in extreme pain. 

Stage 4: 

This is a horrible stage. By this point, the host is almost ready to explode. The pupation has expanded to more areas, the initial points have been eaten through, there is organ shut down, weakened bone structure, severed limbs, brain damage and the inability to move the jaw, blindness, deafness. It’s not good. It’s just - it’s a feasting frenzy while the host is still alive. Usually, when the host reaches this stage, they are quick to enter stage 5.

Stage 5: