MudWings

MudWings, also known as Swamp Dragons to scavengers (humans), are a strong, thick-scaled, muscular Pyrrhian dragon tribe who live in the Mud Kingdom, the Diamond Spray Delta, marshes near the Sea Kingdom, and the border near the north of the Rainforest Kingdom. They are currently ruled by Queen Moorhen.

The MudWings were allied with Burn and the SkyWings in the War of SandWing Succession and fought against Blister and Blaze. They were originally allied with Blister, but their alliance broke after the assassination of Commander Tempest. Burn forced the MudWings into an alliance with her, threatening to destroy the tribe if they did not help her win, and offered 100 years of peace between their tribes and protection to the MudWings if she became queen of the SandWings.

Description

MudWings have thick, armored scales. They are usually earthy colors, such as browns, greens, ambers, and oranges. They are most known for their flat snouts, brute strength, and size. They may have gold or amber underscales, usually more visible in sunlight. Their nostrils are located on the top of the snouts, allowing them to lay submerged in mud for long periods. They have thick, curved horns and broad, flat heads. Their eyes have been described as brown, gold, and amber, sometimes with brownish-yellow rings around the pupils. Their bodies are muscular and robust, closely resembling alligators, crocodiles, and other prehistoric reptiles. They are typically larger and stronger than dragons of other tribes.

MudWings may also have odd markings, such as dappled scales. 

Diets

They seem willing to eat nearly anything, including both fruit and meat. In the marshes, they eat crocodiles and other swamp-dwelling creatures. They have a bigger appetite than other tribes, possibly because of the energy needed to maintain such a large stature. MudWings may have an interest in agriculture or farming.

Abilities

MudWings can hold their breath for up to an hour. When they are warm enough, they can breathe fire. Thanks to their muscular bodies, MudWings are quite strong. They are capable of camoflauging into mud and dirt, and may rest while partially submerged. Mud can be used to ease pain and help treat wounds on MudWings.

MudWings that hatch from blood-red eggs are immune to fire. This power fully activates after a MudWing's exposure to mud. Though fire will still hurt them, any injuries caused by fire will rapidly heal. If a burn is too deep or large, however, it will not heal all the way. This ability will not heal deep flesh wounds or internal wounds, and is mostly limited to a dragon's scales. Fireproof MudWings may be able to survive in lava for short periods.

There has never been a known animus dragon in the MudWing tribe.

Society

Less wealthy and lowborn MudWings usually live on the outskirts of MudWing territory, near the Diamond Spray Delta , while the rest live closer to the center of the kingdom.

MudWing dwellings from The Dragonet Prophecy (graphic novel), by Mike Holmes

MudWings live in large mud-and-plant-made bunkhouses that house several dragons (usually siblings). MudWings tend to lay around and nap in large mud puddles. MudWings are not percieved as intelligent, though this is a stereotype.

Pairings are not formal, with a breeding night once a month. Neither parent takes part in raising their children, and often the two partners will not know one another or their children in any way. MudWings lay their eggs in well-protected bunkhouses, with mud walls and warm rocks for incubation. Eggs are left mostly alone, and oftentimes no adults are present during hatchings. The first MudWing dragonet to hatch is the largest, known as the bigwings, and will help their siblings out of their eggs.

MudWings live in troops of siblings, with the bigwings as the caretaker and leader. When a sibling is killed or lost, a sib group may take in another dragon who has been orphaned from their own group, known as "unsibs." Several unsibs may gather to form their own troop. These sib groups love and trust one another a great deal, and work well as units of soldiers. They also protect one another and feel the loss of a sibling deeply.

Names

MudWing names generally relate to the earth, swamps, and the things that reside there such as Reed, Crane, Pheasant, Sora, and Cattail, or shades of brown, such as Umber, Sepia, and Ochre. Sometimes they can also be named after types of diamonds or minerals, such as Asha. Synonyms of swamps or swampy areas are also used as names, such as Marsh, Swamp, and Bog.

Click here for a list of known MudWings.

Students at Jade Mountain

• Marsh
• Newt
• Sepia
• Sora (formerly)
• Umber (formerly)

Trivia

• No MudWing queen has ever been challenged by a sister for her throne, due to the way MudWings form sibling bonds. The bigwings of the troop is likely always the queen, due to the hierarchy of these groups.
• When Chameleon is trying to persuade Peril to let him change her during Ruby and Scarlet's battle, he says, "A kingdom without any heirs is in perpetual danger...I think all the queens learned from what happened to the MudWings a couple of centuries ago." This hints that the MudWings had a succession crisis before, (during Darkstalker's time), and could imply that Queen Moorhen isn't related to the original line of MudWing queens (i.e. Queen Crane).
• Hatching from a blood-red egg is not uncommon, and these eggs occur every few years. Clay is the only known MudWing to have hatched from one such egg.
• Tui stated that she imagines MudWings to sleep in a pile together in their sleep house. This is depicted in the graphic novel.
• MudWings and RainWings are the only known tribes where parents are known to not care for their offspring.

Gallery

• 
  A typical MudWing (colored), by Joy Ang
• 
  A typical MudWing (lineart), by Joy Ang
• 
  A typical MudWing from the German publication, by Max Meinzold

References

de:Erdflügler fr:Ailes de Boue pl:Błotoskrzydłe ru:Земляные драконы