Kestrel

"I am the way life has made me. Take it or leave it, because I'm leaving. Now."

— Kestrel to Peril in The Dragonet Prophecy.

Template:Charbox Kestrel was a female SkyWing and one of the Guardians of the Dragonets. She taught and "cared" for the Dragonets of Destiny while they were in the hidden cave, having been a member of the Talons of Peace before being killed by Princess Blister in the epilogue of The Dragonet Prophecy. She seemed to be the strongest and harshest of the guardians, though she was quick to come and help when she was told that the dragonets were in danger by Blister and Morrowseer, proving that she might have cared about them, or at least their role in the prophecy. Her mate was Chameleon (in the form of the SkyWing Soar), though according to Chameleon, she didn't know who he was, thinking he was just the dragon assigned to her, and she was the mother of Peril and her dead brother.

Appearance

Kestrel had jewel-hard rust-colored scales (also described as red-gold or orange-red), as well as red wings and red talons. She has been described with yellow, orange, and orange-yellow eyes and was said to be large. She also was said to have a forked tongue. She had burn scars on her palms from an attempt to save her daughter, Peril, from Queen Scarlet. In the graphic novel, she had a burn scar on the side of her face instead.

Personality

Because she had lost both of her dragonets and was exiled from the Sky Kingdom, Kestrel was usually bad-tempered, grumpy, and hot-headed, though only a little more than normal SkyWings. She was initially assumed to be just cruel and mean naturally, but it was later revealed that this was because she was bitter about being lied to and subsequently losing her dragonets. She often bullied and abused Glory, as Glory wasn't a SkyWing, and a SkyWing dragonet was required in the Dragonet Prophecy. She was supposed to be the one to kill Glory on Morrowseer's orders, saying that she would snap Glory's neck while she was sleeping, but she failed because Glory was hidden by her camouflage, and everyone managed to escape. Kestrel seemed to hate all the Dragonets of Destiny, and she thought they were useless, but has shown a certain side of affection towards Peril, offerring the SkyWing to come with her and positively shocked when she was revealed to be alive.

Biography

Pre-Series

Kestrel and her dragonets

Years before the series began, Kestrel was one of Queen Scarlet's most loyal soldiers. Under Queen Scarlet's orders, she entered the SkyWing breeding program and produced one large egg containing twins, a rare occurrence. One of the dragonets, the female, hatched with twice the amount of fire she should have had while her brother had almost none, causing guaranteed death.

Since such dragonets were always killed, Kestrel attempted to escape to save them, but was caught at the Diamond Spray River. Scarlet told her that if Kestrel killed one, she would not be held responsible for her disobedience. In addition, the other dragonet would live. Kestrel killed the dragonet without any fire with her own claws.

Kestrel having to abandon Peril

Scarlet went back on her word and ordered her guards to attack, forcing Kestrel to flee for her life. Kestrel attempted to save her daughter, but burned her palms on the dragonet's scales. She was forced to leave her surviving dragonet behind, and could not return to her, as she knew she would be killed by Scarlet.

The Dragonet Prophecy

In the prologue, Kestrel was the dragon who found Hvitur's dead body and the shattered SkyWing egg at the base of a mountain after he had been murdered by Burn, and had a short, snappy conversation with Webs before the prologue ended, speaking of Webs retrieving an egg from the rainforest. It also included the news of Asha's death, where she got caught in a skirmish and was killed (but not before she got Clay's egg to the Talons of Peace).

Kestrel teaching Clay to fight

She acted as a guardian and fighting instructor for the five dragonets of destiny, a task she loathed because it reminded her of her lost dragonets. She was also fiercely annoyed by Glory because the SkyWing dragonet never made it, and Glory was the replacement for it. She was one of the reasons the dragonets were so desperate to escape the cave, although Sunny wasn't bothered by her constant temper. This is likely because Kestrel was not as cruel to the hybrid, as well as the fact that Sunny was a better spirit than the other dragonets. And perhaps helped make her feel better.

Later captured and imprisoned again by Queen Scarlet, she was set free by Peril, Clay, Tsunami, and Sunny when the dragonets escaped with the aid of Peril. She was seen as Peril hid behind Clay, wondering about the trial she was forbidden from watching, and when her daughter burst from hiding she was stunned by the revelation. Scarlet appeared to find their relationship amusing, and Peril offered to go through the challenge of the Champion's Shield to rescue her mother. She later parted ways with them and her daughter, but Peril believed she'd have time to talk to her mother after making sure that Queen Scarlet was dead.

Blister and Morrowseer disposing of Kestrel's body after killing her

In the epilogue, Blister and Morrowseer betrayed her. First they told her that the dragonets were in danger, to get her to come. Then Morrowseer said that neither the dragonets, Blister, or himself needed the SkyWing; Blister then slashed Kestrel's throat and stabbed her in the chest with her venomous tail barb. Morrowseer proceeded to fling her off the cliff and into the ocean.

The Lost Heir

A SeaWing guard, possibly Urchin, found Kestrel's body upon a boulder at the base of a cliff near the Summer palace. She was murdered violently before the arrival of the dragonets of destiny at the Summer Palace, having her throat slit and her heart stabbed by a SandWings's tail - earlier found to be killed by Blister in the epilogue of The Dragonet Prophecy. At first, only Tsunami and Coral's court knew about the murder, although the other dragonets eventually found out. Sunny was very upset over Kestrel's death, even though Tsunami assured her that Kestrel, with her foul temper, did not deserve Sunny's grief.

The Dark Secret

Kestrel appeared in Starflight's flashback. She barged into the study room and destroyed the scroll about the prophecy that Starflight and Sunny were reading, yelling at Webs for "filling their heads with questions and ideas."

The Brightest Night

Sunny told Peril of Kestrel's death. Peril seemed devastated and deeply shook, even though she had shown distaste towards her mother.

Escaping Peril

Kestrel was mentioned several times in Escaping Peril. She was mentioned when Peril and Turtle talked to Cirrus and the Talons of Peace and several other times after that.

Darkness of Dragons

When Sunny told Qibli to go to history class, Qibli said that the class was "torture". Sunny responded by saying that he was lucky that he didn't have to do battle training with Kestrel.

Family Tree

Kestrel

Soar

Peril

Sky

Relationships

Clay

Clay always was the one to be picked out of all the dragonets to learn how to fight due to him because of his ability to breathe fire and size. She knew that MudWings can only breathe fire when they are warm enough. Unknowingly, he was developing his special fireproof scales, which causes his scales to heal from any burn within a few seconds.

Tsunami

Tsunami appears to dislike Kestrel, and Kestrel feels the same way due to the ancient SkyWing grudge at the SeaWings due to the Royal SeaWing Massacre. She even bit off a scale from her to prevent Kestrel from forcing Clay to fight. Kestrel severely punishes Tsunami to the point of chaining her up when she disobeyed an order in The Dragonet Prophecy.

Glory

Kestrel hates Glory due to the fact that she is a RainWing and not a SkyWing, like the prophecy called for. She often refers to her as lazy and weak. Kestrel physically and verbally abused Glory more than she did the other dragonets. Kestrel was supposed to murder Glory for the prophecy in the first book, but thanks to the aid of the rest of the dragonets, Glory managed to escape.

Starflight

Kestrel would often burn Starflight just like all the other dragonets, especially because he could not fight.

Sunny

Kestrel seems to dislike Sunny the least. The optimistic dragonet was most likely treated better by the guardians, including Kestrel. Sunny noted that she had stopped to grieve for Dune and Kestrel at night sometimes.

Dune

Dune helped Kestrel and Webs raise the Dragonets of Destiny whole hidden in the caves. Kestrel seemed to be neutral with him.

Webs

Webs helped Kestrel and Dune raise the Dragonets of Destiny whole hidden in the caves. Kestrel seemed to be neutral with him, but it was only thanks to her suggestion that Webs managed to escape Queen Scarlet’s attack in the caves.

Peril

It is likely that she cared about her daughter, as she tried to flee with her. When she found out Peril was alive, she told her, "I thought you were dead." In addition to that, after Glory injures Queen Scarlet, she invites Peril to come with her - however, Peril declines, ending their relationship after Kestrel is killed shortly afterwards.

Quotes

• "We await the wings of fire, [...] Not that it'll do us much good now, [...] Hvitur is dead." -To Webs
• "Broken, [...] Gone. It's over, Webs." -About the SkyWing egg.
• "Of all the horrible ideas. RainWings are wretched creatures. Nothing like SkyWings." - About Webs' plan to replace the broken SkyWing egg with a RainWing egg.
• "WHICH LEFT WAS THAT, USELESS? Are all MudWings this stupid? OR ARE YOU JUST DEAF?" - To Clay during battle training.
• "The prophecy calls for a SkyWing! And you bring us a lazy, stupid RainWing?" - To Webs after he brings a RainWing egg instead of a SkyWing egg in The Dragonet Prophecy (Graphic Novel) only.

• "WHAT is going on here?"

• "This doesn't look like studying."

• "You mean play-acting. You are too old for games."

• "Well, there's no surprises with you. Webs stole your egg from the SeaWing queen's own hatchery."

• "I am the way life has made me. Take it or leave it."

• "I-I thought you were dead." 

• "I'm your teacher. Nothing I do is cheating." - To Clay, after he yells at her for stomping on his tail.

• "Where's the violent little dragon I saw in you when you hatched? That's the dragon we need for the prophecy." - To Clay while they were fighting in The Dragonet Prophecy.

• "Hush, you ungrateful lizard!" - To Tsunami

• "The MudWing is hatching." -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "Feel free to explain that to the egg." -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "Webs. That's a RainWing egg. You brainless salamander." -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "The prophecy calls for a SkyWing! And you bring us a lazy, stupid RainWing?" -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "He looks dim. Exactly as I expected." -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "Nothing. He's just what we need. A little monster." -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "Where's the monster I saw when you hatched? That's the dragon we need for the prophecy!" -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "Fight!" -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "I'm your teacher. Nothing I do is cheating." -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "Roll right! Use your fire!" -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "FIGHT!" -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "Are all MudWings this useless, or just you? Find the monster inside you! Let it out!" -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "AAAAAH!" -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "Tsunami. Aren't you sweet? Protecting a dragon who tried to kill you in your egg." -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

• "We're finished anyway. Another unimpressive session, MudWing." -In The Dragonet Prophecy Graphic Novel.

Trivia

• A kestrel is a species of small falcon that hovers with rapidly beating wings while searching for prey on the ground.
• Kestrel is the third named dragon to appear in the series, as well as the first SkyWing.
• She is also the fourth guardian of the Dragonets of Destiny to die in the series
• She is also the second guardian to be killed by one of the three sisters, the first being Hvitur.
• In The Dragonet Prophecy, she reveals that she was part of the breeding program in order to supply the SkyWing army with soldiers.
• Kestrel is the second known dragon to have survived being burned by Peril, with the others being Clay and Prince Winter.
• Kestrel treated the Dragonets of Destiny cruelly due to her bitterness about losing both her dragonets. It is unknown if she would have warmed up sooner if she hadn't died.
• In the graphic novel some of her quotes in chapter one are different from the book. I.e, She asks Clay out loud if "all MudWings are stupid or are you just deaf?" while in the graphic she yells "are all MudWings this useless, or just you?"
• Even though Kestrel says she "wouldn't come running" if the dragonets needed her, she proved herself wrong and was killed by Blister.
• In The Dragonet Prophecy, it is stated that the burn marks from Peril are only on Kestrel's talons. However, in the graphic novel, there is also a burn scar on her face.
• At one point in the Dragonet Prophecy graphic novel, Peril is shown touching Kestrel's back, without Kestrel burning up.

Gallery

Canon

• 
  A typical SkyWing (colored), by Joy Ang
• 
  A typical SkyWing (lineart), by Joy Ang
• A typical SkyWing from the German publication, by Max Meinzold
  A typical SkyWing from the German publication, by Max Meinzold
• Reference by Platypus the SeaWing
  Reference by Platypus the SeaWing
• 
  SkyWing Sigil by Platypus the SeaWing
• Kestrel and Clay in the Wings of Fire Graphic Novel
  Kestrel and Clay in the Wings of Fire Graphic Novel
• Kestrel found dead in TLH GN
  Kestrel found dead in TLH GN

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Fan Art

• Kestrel by Hawkyfootwarrior
  Kestrel by Hawkyfootwarrior
• 
  Wings of Fie Tunes: Faith by stArchaeopteryx
• 
  Kestrel by AlaskatheIceWing
• messy Kestrel by RiftSeaWing
  messy Kestrel by RiftSeaWing
• 
  Kestrel by QueenClam
• 
  SkyWing Sigil by Platypus the SeaWing
• D.a.d Kestrel- day 6 by Vision-Seeker
  D.a.d Kestrel- day 6 by Vision-Seeker
• Kestrel Pose by Vision-Seeker
  Kestrel Pose by Vision-Seeker
• Candle In The Wind by BrokebackBromance
  Candle In The Wind by BrokebackBromance
• Kestrel by Meapyblossom
  Kestrel by Meapyblossom
• WoF H-a-D Day 16 - Kestrel by xTheDragonRebornx
  WoF H-a-D Day 16 - Kestrel by xTheDragonRebornx
• Kestrel by QueenClam
  Kestrel by QueenClam
• Kestrel by strangerwings
  Kestrel by strangerwings
• WoF H-a-D Day 16 - Kestrel by xTheDragonRebornx
  WoF H-a-D Day 16 - Kestrel by xTheDragonRebornx
• Kestrel [Wings of Fire] by eagleclaw6089
  Kestrel [Wings of Fire] by eagleclaw6089
• Kestrel's death by LokiDrawz
  Kestrel's death by LokiDrawz
• Wings of Fire: Kestrel by Sesquipedalian101
  Wings of Fire: Kestrel by Sesquipedalian101
• icons, abstract thee by ASTRONAVAN (was given permission to upload)
  icons, abstract thee by ASTRONAVAN (was given permission to upload)
• Betrayal by Twilight-Tyto
  Betrayal by Twilight-Tyto
• kestrel (Wings of Fire) by GreenDragonBane
  kestrel (Wings of Fire) by GreenDragonBane
• A sketch- Carnelian or Kestrel? by MoonlightFantasy.
  A sketch- Carnelian or Kestrel? by MoonlightFantasy.
• By RandomWeirdoDragon
  By RandomWeirdoDragon
• Kestrel (rip) by Chamops
  Kestrel (rip) by Chamops

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References

de:Kestrel fr:Crécerelle pl:Pustułka ru:Кречет