Editing Dragon (section)

===Life and death===
[[File:Deaths of Lucerys and Arrax.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Vhagar]] kills [[Arrax]] in the [[fight above Shipbreaker Bay]], by Chase Stone, in ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]'']]
The lifespan of dragons is many times that of a human, though their maximum natural lifespan is difficult to determine: as beasts of war, most of the known examples died in battle.{{Ref|ASOS|8}} Balerion, the largest and oldest Targaryen dragon, was already alive when House Targaryen moved from [[Valyria]] to [[Dragonstone]] in {{Date|-114}},{{Ref|FAB|1}} and died of old age{{Ref|FAB|11}}<ref>[[Not A Blog]]: [https://grrm.livejournal.com/360936.html?thread=18791400#t18791400 The Rogues are Coming (March 12, 2014), Reply to question (March 12, 2014)]</ref> in {{Date|94}}{{Ref|FAB|12}} during the reign of King [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen]]. Balerion was at least two hundred and seven years old when he died,{{Ref|ASOS|8}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|3|1}} but as the only known example of a dragon who died of old age, it is unclear if this should be considered typical. It is possible that the wild dragon [[Cannibal (dragon)|Cannibal]], whose date and cause of death are unknown, was about two hundred and fifty years old during the reign of [[Aegon III Targaryen]], if there is truth to the claim that he was living on [[Dragonstone]] even before the Targaryens arrived there.{{Ref|FAB|15}}

Dragons are not invulnerable. The eyes are where a dragon is most vulnerable, and the brain behind them.{{Ref|ADWD|57}} A [[w:Scorpio (weapon)|scorpion]]'s [[iron]] bolt through the eye killed [[Meraxes]],{{Ref|FAB|2}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|7|9|6}} and three arrows through the eye [[Gift of mercy|mercy killed]] a greatly wounded [[Tessarion]].{{Ref|FAB|17}} Unlike in stories, a dragon's underbelly scales are just as strong as those along their back and flanks.{{Ref|ADWD|57}} Young dragons, with their softer scales, are more vulnerable than older ones; on [[Aegon III Targaryen|his rider]]'s first flight, [[Stormcloud]] was hit by a scorpion bolt through his neck and shot by dozens of arrows into his belly, and died within the hour.{{Ref|FAB|15}} [[Vermax]]'s belly may have been torn by a grapnel, though the dragon definitely died when it became tangled in a sinking ship.{{Ref|FAB|15}} Tales also speak of killing dragons with a spear down the gullet, but this is known to be impossible.{{Ref|ADWD|57}} Still, five dragons were killed in the [[storming of the Dragonpit]], some with axes, spears, and swords, some crushed under stone or by strangulation.{{Ref|FAB|17}}

Though it is rare for a man to be a [[dragonslayer]], dragons have often been known to wound and kill other dragons, both in Westeros and [[Valyria]].{{Ref|FAB|13}} Many dragons killed each other during the [[Dance of the Dragons]] ({{Date|129|131}}), using their teeth and claws. [[Meleys]] half tore off [[Sunfyre]]'s wing,{{Ref|FAB|15}} and Sunfyre was also wounded by [[Moondancer]], though not without blinding the other dragon's eyes with his flame.{{Ref|FAB|17}} In a [[Second Battle of Tumbleton|three-way fight]] between dragons, [[Vermithor]] ripped [[Seasmoke]]'s head off, before he died from the wounds given to him by that dragon and by Tessarion.{{Ref|FAB|17}} Earlier, Balerion crushed [[Quicksilver]]'s neck with his teeth while tearing off her wing with his claws.{{Ref|FAB|4}} When Balerion returned from a possible journey to Valyria with Princess [[Aerea Targaryen]], the dragon had half-healed scars and bloody wounds from an unknown cause, including a nearly nine foot rent down his side.{{Ref|FAB|10}}