Avalanche

"That looks like Flame, but it can't be. What's wrong with his face?"

— Avalanche about her son, Flame in The Brightest Night.

Template:Charbox Avalanche is a female SkyWing with red scales. She’s the only known parent to Flame - one of the False Dragonets of Destiny (he was supposed to be the replacement for Glory). Avalanche was a spy for the Talons of Peace, and was stationed at Queen Ruby's Palace during the War of SandWing Succession. She wanted to keep Flame out of the war, so she left him with the Talons of Peace. Her current location is north of the rainforest, and west of Queen Moorhen's Lake. Avalanche appears to detest SandWings, based on her hostile looks towards Qibli in Winter Turning. This is loosely believed to be caused by how Viper (the false SandWing dragonet) slashed Flame with her tail barb, leaving his face horribly scarred. She also directs hatred towards Peril, as she mentioned in Escaping Peril, because she was one of the guards who tried to track her down to have her killed. Avalanche is short tempered and grumpy, and currently the only SkyWing in the Talons of Peace.

Biography

The Brightest Night

When Sunny, Tsunami, and Ochre arrived at the Talons of Peace camp, they were greeted by Nautilus, Avalanche, Riptide, a SandWing (possibly with a relation to Viper, presumed to be her uncle or something similar), and an IceWing (Cirrus).

They asked for the whereabouts of the false dragonets, and Sunny and Tsunami replied that Fatespeaker was fine and that Viper died. This caused mixed reactions from the group, mostly displeasure and annoyance. Then, Flame suddenly appeared in the sky and dove for his mother when she called his name. He buried his head in her neck, wrapped his wings around her, and sobbed, and she stormed about what happened to his face. Sunny curiously observed that the angry SkyWing could be someone else, someone happier, with dragons who cared about him nearby like his mother, Avalanche.

Riptide explained to Tsunami that Avalanche was furious about the fact that Morrowseer took him and the other false Dragonets to the Night Kingdom while she was spying at the SkyWing Palace and that she nearly killed Nautilus in her rage, she or someone else refrained herself from doing so.

Moon Rising

When Flame's thoughts were read by Moonwatcher, he mentioned that a dragon refered to as "she" was forcing him to go to the Jade Mountain Academy. Presumably, the "she" he was talking about  was Avalanche, his own mother, and Flame was bitter toward her for sending him there. He seemed to believe she didn't want to see his scarred face, resentment against her decision. Flame seemed very self-conscious about his scar, and he tried to hide it behind anger and hate, especially towards NightWings and SandWings for sending him to the NightWing island and scarring his face.

The true reason Avalanche sent her son to Jade Mountain is unknown, although it likely isn't because of what happened to his face.

Winter Turning

She appeared briefly in Winter Turning as the Jade Winglet dragonets were looking for a mountain in the Sky Kingdom. She said she did not recognize the mountain the Jade Winglet showed her and glared at Qibli, probably because he was a SandWing. Avalanche seemed to despise SandWings because of what Viper did to Flame's face.

Escaping Peril

Avalanche also appeared in Escaping Peril when she, Cirrus, Nautilus, and some of the other Talons of Peace assaulted Peril, thinking that she was Scarlet. When Avalanche realized who she was, she told the others to stay back, saying that she 'may be worse' than Scarlet, and asked her if she was in league with Scarlet. She revealed that she was one of the guards sent after Kestrel when she tried to escape with Peril. This lead to a lot of bitter squabbling between her and Peril. Then Turtle revealed that they were going to find Scarlet and kill her, and they let them go. Avalanche's words of hate traced through Peril's mind at the very end of Part One in that book, and Avalanche has not been mentioned since then.

Family Tree

Avalanche

Unknown

Flame

Quotes

"Can I go now?" - To Riptide

"Why should I help you?"

"It's true, [...] I recognize her now. Stay back, Cirrus."

"No. This is Peril, who might be worse."

"That is one of the rumors going around, [...] But we all know a dragon can't change her scales." - About Peril

"I've not only heard of you, little monster, [...] I was one of the guards sent after your mother when she tried to escape with you."

"My biggest regret, [...] is that we didn't kill you then. I don't care that Kestrel got away. But if I'd known Scarlet would keep you alive--"

"Yes. What?"

"She was this creature's mother, [...] The one who wouldn't hand her over to be killed."

"Ha. We all wished THAT were true." - When Cirrus says Kestrel never had any dragonets.

"Can I get back to my menacing story now?" - To Peril and Prince Turtle

"One of your alleged friends, in fact."

"I hope you die." - To Peril

Trivia

• An avalanche is the top layer of snow in the snowpack that slides down a steep slope when triggered or disturbed. Most avalanches occur in mountains, which explains why this is a SkyWing name instead of an IceWing one, although it could be suitable for both tribes.
• When Morrowseer exiled Squid, he flew alone into the Sky Kingdom and was later found by a spy from the Talons of Peace. Nautilus didn't name the spy, but it may have been Avalanche, as she happened to be stationed there at the time.
• Avalanche appears to both hate and fear Peril, as she was cautious about trying to attack her, as well as trying to prove that the "monster" inside of Peril still exists. It is likely that she resents Peril because of this fear.
• It appears that Avalanche has a strong love for Flame, as shown in The Brightest Night.
• When Flame was handed over to Morrowseer for the prophecy (without Avalanche's knowledge or consent), she was so angry she "nearly killed Nautilus.”
• Avalanche might have sent Flame to Jade Mountain Academy so Nautilus and the Talons of Peace wouldn't try to drag him into another task or prophecy.
• She, Osprey, and Ex-Queen Scarlet are the only known dragons that went after Kestrel when Peril and Peril's Brother were dragonets. It is unknown if there was anyone else, but in the graphic novel, it shows three guards with Scarlet.
• In Winter Turning, Avalanche is one of the dragons sent by the Talons of Peace to meet with Winter, Qibli, Moon, and Kinkajou. Avalanche is shown glaring at Qibli while he speaks. Winter wonders if Avalanche hates SandWings in general or knows Qibli personally. ("And if she does know him, that explains why she hates him," Winter scoffs to himself.) The first option is more reasonable; Avalanche likely hates all SandWings because of what Viper, a SandWing, did her son Flame's face with her tail barb. She could also hate SandWings due to the war, and that might also be why she joined the Talons of Peace in the first place.

Gallery

• 
  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
• by Destinyfollower2233
  by Destinyfollower2233
• File:Avalanche Skywing Fotor.jpg
• Avalanche from TBN
  Avalanche from TBN
• By Heron
  By Heron
• Avalanche and Flame by ShadowSoarHawkflight
  Avalanche and Flame by ShadowSoarHawkflight
• By Snowflake
  By Snowflake
• Avalanche by HappyFalconQueen
  Avalanche by HappyFalconQueen
• 
  SkyWing Sigil by Platypus the SeaWing
• A real avalanche
  A real avalanche
• Avalanche and Flame
  Avalanche and Flame
• Avalanche by Toenailish
  Avalanche by Toenailish
• Avalanche Ref by QueenClam
  Avalanche Ref by QueenClam

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References

de:Avalanche fr:Bourrasque pl:Lawina ru:Лавина