Shared Bond: The very first thing to take into consideration is that the moment anyone bonds/imprints their life has completely changed. No longer are you just one soul, but seeming to be two both feeling who and what you are but at the very same time feeling as one. It is rare that a pair can talk mentally to each other, but it has been known to happen. What is expected and so common no one questions it, is that once bonded the pair can feel to a degree each other's pain and emotions. As the pair grow together they begin to learn each other both physically and spiritually. There is only a dependency between a pair that makes them care, love, and need each other. Otherwise they are independent beings who can make their own choices, argue, disagree, agree, like, or dislike, even become jealous for a time just like anyone else. It is expected to drill into the minds of every hopeful who signs up as a Candidate that for a while they will be playing mommy for bonding and imprinting happen at such a young age that the dragonet or chick will need care from their Rider as a surrogate parent. It is also expected for all to understand that it is no longer about themselves, they have someone who cares for them, willing to do almost anything for them, and you will in turn feel a mutual needs to respond the exact same way.

Some say it is like finding a missing piece within yourself once you bond/imprint. A piece you cherish but also can not live without. This is very very true, if a Rider's Companion passes one it can have semi-major to major effects. Everyone is different so it is expected everyone will react differently. For example depending on how long the pair have been together can affect how one of the other will take the death of another. If a Companion dies in a traumatizing way it can lead the Rider to be mentally damage. How much the damage is done is random, one could easily not be able to look or think about something that would remind them of their Companion without causing them to become depressed with high anxiety. Some may twitch constantly, or talk funny, some may seem not to be all there, or even stunted to act like a child in a full grown body. The worse case is that it causes the Rider to become uncontrollable and very aggressive, thinking of nothing else but to do harm like a wild and crazed animal.

On the other hand if a Companion dies in such a way as old age, or nothing so painful to be traumatic the Rider can easily move on and live the rest of their life normally though feeling a bit broken in side that nothing will replace or fix. As for their Companion it seems to be a bit more stressful and much more damaging. As with the Rider if it's traumatic, the Companion will respond in two ways that anyone has taken note of. The first being that they will become so distressed that they will just leave, fly off and become a wild animal. Losing quickly all the intelligence and knowledge they once had. The second response is one that no one, especially another Rider would ever want to see, is when the Companion goes berserk becoming an uncontrollable being that needs to be taken down quickly. The second respond is few thankfully to the Riders who have seen that Companion as a baby grown into an adult or if not known them for so long for it to be painful.

For something that is not so pain or traumatic, such as passing with old age or pain free. There is still two responses that a Companion will give to such an event. Just like it was mentioned they will become distressed enough to fly off and become a wild creature. Or which is common for most whom have grown old together the Companion will pass on in their sleep soon after or within a handful of days. Showing just how strong the bond is between a pair, that Riders take very seriously. Such that those who are not bonded do not understand the relationship between Rider and Companion. The stereotyical thought to Riders and their Companions is of a person who has grown attach to their beast like one who raised a pet dog or cat. Not realizing really that Dragons and Gryphons are intelligent beings even in the wild and even more so bonded/imprinted to be on pare or above that of a person's.

What has been seen and known quite easily is that Dragons and Gryphons live much longer lives than that of any other creature presently known. When one bonds with them they do not only share emotions, feelings, and soul, but they also share their Companion's life span. This causing a person to age much slower than normal, of course if a Rider survives the death of their Companion their aging will return to normal. For example, if a person lives for 175 years and their companion dies, they will not just die or age so rapidly to die within a couple of days. No they will look and feel the age that would be their Companions which depending on if it was a Dragon or Gryphon could be in their prime or middle age, after that they will begin to age as they normally would living for however many more years.

NOTE: If a Companion dies there is no re-bonding. A dragonet or chick will feel something odd or even making them avoid that person just because. Nor will a Companion re-bond to another Rider.

Mating Flights: A mating flight can signal the time a female has hit maturity or her heat cycle. Whenever a female goes into heat, it is sure to send a reaction to the males and those bonded to the males within a range area. As she makes herself ready to mate the female has an aura of lust that attracts only those not related to her or far enough in relation to not cause inbreeding. Those males will not react at all, seeming to be oblivious as will their Rider. Those who are not bonded or are not bonded to the same creature will also be oblivious to a mating flight taking part. Now the riders of these males that chase are in what is known as “mating lust” they are as consumed by sexual need and tension as their partner. It is this that makes mating flights hard for those not Riders to understand. Some who find themselves in another Rider's bed have a lover, and as such many would think this cheating, but because the Rider was literally not in control of themselves it isn't. Sometimes it can even end with two of the same gender having sex, even if one does not like the same gender. Rape has been known to happen, but it is very very rare.

As the female leads the chase the males will compete against each other to show health, vigor, and strength. Many males will drop out and as such leaving the strongest and most ambitious males to try and catch the female. Dragons are more aggressive than Gryphons and have been known to hurt another male in an attempt to seduce the female or intimidate the other male. Gryphons are more in the act of tiring the others enough to drop out living them the victor to mate with the female. It is common among the younger females to have no pick in a male, having yet to figure who is a perfect mate for her or not. Those who do have a mate will refuse the winner simply because they are not her mate, sometimes some males know that a pair are together enough to not even try leaving the two in peace. This is uncommon because those who will not join are generally those much older while those who are younger have only the need to mate and win. Explained earlier the lust is very overpowering for a Rider. In all technical terms they no longer are themselves, no longer human with logic, becoming a wild creature that is still burning brightly within their Companion. For when a female rises she becomes what she is, one who want to pass on her genes and mate with only the best. The males willing to please the female in this to try and prove they are the best to help pass on not only her genes but his. Making both just feral and primitive beings, they feel no jealousy, no envy, no concern of what is right or wrong. All they want is to mate.

This is reflected on by their Rider who will search out for the Rider of the female and try to intimidate the other Riders of males to back off just like their Companions in the sky. Now, it has happen were sex between two of the same gender ends in a mating flight. This is accepted, what is also accepted though many understand not everyone is happy to do so, is that sex between two of the same gender who are completely heterosexual can and has happen. Does not mean anything more than their Companion was reacting to a mating flight. Same for those in a relationship or even married, if someone is in a relationship or marriage before signing up as a Candidate this is very very strongly and heavily explained. No one wants to deal with drama that could easily have been avoided.

Sometimes more than one female will rise. This happens, and luckily females are too distracted to mate to feel any aggression or possessiveness when there is another female in the air. Mutually the two will just fly off in different directions with which ever male wishes to follow. Yes, this does mean both Dragons and Gryphon females. Fights have happen but are very very rare, normally this happens with younger more temperamental females. When this does happen other females will break the two apart as quickly as possible. Another effect or lack of a response is female Riders who are pregnant. No matter the gender of their Companion if the Rider is pregnant they will become temporarily asexual. In the end a mating flight is important and only happens once a year for many Riders to expect when their female Companion will rise.

Reaction to those Bonded: It goes without saying that it is wondered if a Rider or Companion can tell if another is Bonded. Simple, no they can not. It is just like meeting a stranger, you know nothing about them. So of course you will not know if they are bonded or not. Of course there are the signs, the uniform, the Companion, or the way they seem to act when feeling the emotion of their Rider or Companion. The only thing that a Companion will know is if another of their species is of their same element. A Fire Gryphon will feel another is of fire. A Wind Dragon will feel another is of wing.

Neutral & Feral: Not all Dragons or Gryphons will bond/imprint. For Dragons they are feral at birth and will either react to those around them turning from a wild creature to something a little more civil and intelligent. Or continue to be a wild and very dangerous creature. Gryphons on the other hand are much more tamed, having been the ones who bonded with humans for so long and bred around them. A chick will either imprint or just stay in the nest with their mother. For both it always ends the same, they are smart but they are pretty much an animal. For they will never posses any ability to speak like the others do, have higher intelligence, or even manipulate an element. Feral dragonets are herded away and made sure they fly off to live in the wild. Neutral as it's been titled for Gryphon chicks, are those who stay with their parents, being nothing more than odd versions of a dog. They can be handled, they can be taught some things, but they are pretty much kept around to keep the gene pool wide for future litters.