(D&D) dragons didn't belong to fixed colour groups and prefer environments based on their colour/abilities but instead metamorphosed to suit the environment around them? A red who settled in a swamp for a short 10-year nap might wake up to find themself a black, a green who foraged in artic waters for a few years might become a white.
One likely consequence is that there have been far fewer dragons than actually recorded in history, due to double/triple/... counting.
One likely consequence is that there have been far fewer dragons than actually recorded in history, due to double/triple/... counting.