Beyond the thick forest lies a colossal winged flightless dragon with a unique distinct feature that is its plated tongue! According to legend it seems to prefer diseased humans and animals that are on death bed soon but would never sink its fangs on a healthy individual, a folksong suggests it may had myopia or even poor eyesight so it has difficulty telling if someone is in good shape or terminal ill. So I am guessing the trick may lies in its plated tongue which could somehow detects potential prey much like how a snake pick up body odour from in the air, one thing is sure that it wouldn't accidentally bite its own tongue because my great grandma told me it can't do tongue twister at all. My question is then how does this dragon with plated tongue hunt for prey?
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$\begingroup$ there's that ambiguity between "it seems to prefer diseased etc" (which indicates a "matter of preference" which, if not met, there could be other choices the dragon may make) and "would never sink it's fangs on a healthy individual". Or is it that, failing to find the preferred diet, the dragon falls into vegetarianism? (or even begins relying on photosynthesis? Or maybe chemosynthesis near a volcanic vent?) Those details matter for the structure and composition of he tongue plate, which will inevitable impact on the capabilities of the said tongue to act itself as the detector. $\endgroup$– Adrian Colomitchi23 hours ago
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$\begingroup$ @Adrian Colomitchi: I'm planning an expedition to find this dragon for study so now all details are eyewitnesses accounts. So we take their words for it until a specimen is found. $\endgroup$– user676023 hours ago
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1$\begingroup$ Well then, maybe the study will reveal something about his detection capabilities, until then all the answers are speculative. $\endgroup$– Adrian Colomitchi22 hours ago
Loreal pit
Snakes have "pits" that work as sensorial organs, helping them detect the temperature and vibrations of things close to them. As the temperature and movement of dying animals are different (most of the time) than healthy ones that may help a creature to figure out what prey is safe to eat.
The dragons with plated tongue don't hunt for their diet anymore.
They just took a paid subscription from the Death, for "ringing that bell" notifications in advance of "bell tolling" events.
In the world today, Death can no longer provide bona fide services, the court decided it needs to be a profitable enterprise and it needs to keep the interest of its shareholders above anything else (and no, this is not speculative).
Remember, kids, once more: "if you're not paying for the product, you are the merchandise".