Riptide

"Please listen. I joined them because I wanted to find out more about my father, but they wouldn't tell my anything except that he was safe. I've been working with them for a few years now, passing them information about the SeaWings."

— Riptide to Tsunami about being in the Talons of Peace.

Riptide is a young male SeaWing who was first introduced in The Lost Heir as a member of the Talons of Peace and a patrol guard for Queen Coral. Riptide is often looked down upon, especially by the royal family, for being the son of Webs, who fled during a battle and later returned to the Kingdom of the Sea in order to steal Tsunami's egg. After Nautilus abdicated his position as the leader of the Talons of Peace, Riptide took charge as its new leader. Riptide is currently in a relationship with Tsunami.

Appearance

Riptide has sky blue scales, dark blue horns, a pale underbelly, and dark blue eyes that are nearly black in appearance. He is large in size, with sharp, hooked claws and a massive tail. He also has several scars: an old bite mark on his tail, claw scars across his underbelly, and slashes across his snout. According to Tsunami, he has a friendly-looking face and is quite handsome, although she thinks that the scars on his face somewhat ruin his good snout.

Personality

Riptide is kind-hearted, charming, and humorous. He dislikes his reputation as a lowly traitor because of his father's crimes, but respects the royal family's authority and often does not argue with them. He is intelligent and observant, as he noticed that Tsunami looked sad instead of guilty during a misunderstanding in The Lost Heir and concluded that she probably wasn't lying. Riptide is protective and loyal towards those he loves, although simultaneously respectful of their independence. He doesn't want to be a cunning or manipulative dragon, but is a good liar, and will use this skill when he feels it is necessary. He is often willing to help, and gave Tsunami sufficient Aquatic lessons in The Lost Heir. Riptide doesn't seem to take life very seriously, as has demonstrated being light-hearted, calm, and open-minded on numerous occasions, such as when he accepted the Dragonets of Destiny as allies after Tsunami explained that they weren't trying to harm the SeaWings. He is courageous and selfless, as he fought against an enemy SkyWing group in order to help his tribe despite being imprisoned by Queen Coral only hours earlier. He is empathetic and doesn't seem to hold grudges very easily.

Biography

Pre-Series

Riptide hatched two years before Webs fled in the middle of a battle. Webs later came back and stole Tsunami's egg from Queen Coral's Royal Hatchery so that he could fulfill the prophecy. Because of this, Webs became his tribe's most notorious traitor and condemned his son to a life of hate from the rest of the tribe. Queen Coral despised Webs for fleeing for what he had done, and she strongly distrusted Riptide, saying that "betrayal ran in his family". She assigned Riptide the lowest of duties, guarding the border SeaWing territory, as far away from the palaces as possible. Riptide had been interested in knowing more about his father ever since. Because of this, he joined the Talons of Peace to find out about his father, though they told him nothing about Webs except that he was safe. He secretly passed confidential SeaWing information to the Talons for years.

The Lost Heir

Riptide first appeared on patrol duty in the Kingdom of the Sea. After he briefly spoke with Nautilus in Aquatic, Tsunami revealed herself to Riptide and he fled, but accidentally smacked into the side of a passing whale. Tsunami pinned him, and because of her lack of knowledge on Aquatic, Tsunami thought that Riptide was trying to attack her and swam to the surface to escape. Clay came to help her, but they both realized that Riptide wasn't trying to hurt Tsunami. After learning about her inability to understand Aquatic, he became suspicious, but noticed Tsunami's sad expression and assumed that she wasn't lying about being a real SeaWing. After seeing Clay, he tried to injure him (as MudWings and SeaWings were enemies during the War), but Tsunami explained that he was a Dragonet of Destiny and Riptide ceased his efforts.

After blindfolding Clay and Sunny, Riptide agreed to take Tsunami and her friends to the Summer Palace. They were confronted by the advance guard, although Tsunami eventually convinced Shark to let them through. After they entered the tunnel that lead to the palace, Riptide removed Clay and Sunny's blindfolds and led them forward with his glowing scales. After their arrival at the palace, Riptide told Tsunami about its architecture and history and took the Dragonets of Destiny to the top pavilion, where they could wait for Queen Coral to return from the Deep Palace.

Riptide had been reporting information to the Talons Of Peace when he met Tsunami. Since she hadn't been taught Aquatic, they had a misunderstanding and Tsunami thought that Riptide was attacking her. She led him to the island where he discovered the dragonets of destiny in SeaWing territory and brought them to the Summer Palace. After being questioned by the queen's brother, Shark. Queen Coral finally came back from the Deep Palace to meet her long-lost daughter, Tsunami, and revealed to her that Webs was his father; because of this, Riptide could not be trusted. Tsunami, however, felt it was unfair to punish Riptide for what his father had done.

Riptide followed Tsunami from a distance afterward and helped her repeatedly at sea. He wanted to protect the dragonets of destiny and is shown to seem to be very fond of Tsunami. After Tsunami's first lesson of Aquatic with Whirlpool, which taught her nothing, she went to Riptide. Riptide taught Tsunami some basic Aquatic, and they became friends. Later, when Tsunami takes on the role of protecting Queen Coral's last female egg, Riptide shows her the way to the Summer Palace. When Tsunami returned to the Summer Palace and went to see her friends, Riptide left before he could be noticed away from his guard post. After he left, Glory accused Tsunami of liking Riptide, and Tsunami immediately denied it, although she really does like him.

The following day, Webs had been found at the Summer Palace and Coral decided to later execute him for his crimes. Soon after, Riptide was found sneaking around outside the palace as well. Coral accused Riptide of working with his father and threw them both in prison, despite Tsunami's protests. Coral was convinced that Webs was the assassin that had been killing off her heirs for years, and she wanted her last egg (which was being guarded by Tsunami) to be put back into the royal hatchery. However, Tsunami knew that Webs was not the assassin and the egg was still in danger. She made a deal that if she caught the assassin, she had to let Riptide go. Queen Coral, thinking that she already had the assassin, agreed.

That night, Tsunami stayed in the hatchery with the last female egg. The assassin turned out to be a statue of Orca, placed inside the hatchery. The statue remained there after her death, killing all of Coral's daughters. Tsunami survived its attack and saved Queen Coral's last daughter. The statue was later destroyed by Coral.

Coral agreed to release Riptide but said he could not stay with the SeaWings. The dragonets had decided to leave the Kingdom of the Sea, and Tsunami suggested he could come with them. Blister, however, who was at the palace at the time, didn't want the dragonets to leave. To keep them all from leaving, Blister tricked Queen Coral into putting the dragonets in her prison. Anemone, Tsunami's younger sister, slipped away from her mother and freed the dragonets. The dragonets then released Riptide and Webs from their cage and then prepared to leave. Riptide then revealed to Tsunami that he had joined the Talons of Peace in order to learn more about his father, though they told him nothing. Tsunami was mad at Riptide for lying to her, but at the same moment, the SeaWing palace was attacked by the SkyWings and the MudWings, who had followed Webs to the Summer Palace. The dragonets and Webs escaped, but Riptide stayed to fight against Burn's alliance. Tsunami wasn't sure she had forgiven Riptide for lying to her, but she did hope to see him again.

The Brightest Night

Riptide was seen when Sunny, Tsunami, and Ochre go to the Talons of Peace's camp. There, he explained a few of the significant members of the Talons of Peace, such as Flame's mother, Avalanche. He is also present at Burn's stronghold near the end of the book and helps to hold Clay down while Peril burns the venom from the dragonbite viper out of Clay's leg.

Moon Rising

Riptide is mentioned by Webs in the Jade and Gold Winglets' history class as 'the leader of whatever the Talons of Peace are becoming'.

Winter Turning

Riptide was seen in the book when Qibli, Winter, Kinkajou, and Moonwatcher were looking for somebody in the Talons of Peace who could point them to a spot in the Sky Kingdom, as he was the leader of the Talons of Peace ever since Nautilus stepped down. Moonwatcher sees the mysterious place where Icicle was dreamvisited by Scarlet and sketches it. He gets Avalanche and Pyrite, two Talons, to help them to look for it. He then asks if Tsunami had a message for him, and is happy to find out that she thinks about him a lot from Moon, but he doesn't want to contact her until she contacts him first.

Escaping Peril

When Peril and Turtle are found by the Talons of Peace, Turtle asks where Tsunami is. Nautilus says she went with Riptide and his group.

Relationships

Webs

Webs is Riptide’s father. Neither are close to the other, but Webs attempted to protect Riptide during The Lost Heir (Book) when he was captured by Queen Coral saying “NO! He’s never had any contact with me!”

Princess Tsunami

It is well known that the two of them (Riptide and Princess Tsunami) like each other. For a while Tsunami wasn’t sure what to think of him as she doesn’t like being lied to. After some time she decides that she likes him. It is confirmed by Tui T. Sutherland that the two are in a long-distance relationship. Riptide seems to care about Tsunami, as shown in Winter Turning when he asks how Tsunami is.

Family Tree

Webs

Unknown

Riptide

Quotes

"I said, 'What are you doing all the way out here?' and you said - you said, 'Hey, sparkling teeth, I totally love three of your claws but not the others, and I wish your nose was a herring so I could eat it, and also your wings sound like sharks snoring." - Riptide to Tsunami ^{The Lost Heir, page 35}

"You don't look guilty. You look sad. And I imagine it would be hard to fake [your webs]. So where did you come from, and what's wrong with you?" - Riptide to Tsunami ^{The Lost Heir, page 37}

"Oh, Whirlpool. Queen Coral's favorite instrument of torture." - Riptide to Tsunami ^{The Lost Heir, page 127}

"A squid-brain. My new favorite insult, thanks to you." - Riptide to Tsunami ^{The Lost Heir, page 130}

"I stayed close to make sure you and the other dragonets were safe. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you the truth. I didn't think you'd trust me if you knew." - Riptide to Tsunami ^{The Lost Heir, page 278}

Trivia

• A riptide is a dangerous current that can sweep you out to sea.
  • His name is ironic, due to the fact that Riptide never posed as much of a threat to the Kingdom of the Sea.

• Riptide is afraid of Shark.

• Tsunami thinks that Riptide's name is fierce and scary.
• Riptide's mother was killed in battle after Coral changed her occupation from chef to soldier.
• His father is Webs, the only surviving guardian to the Dragonets of Destiny, as well as a member of the Talons of Peace.
• Riptide is a good liar as well as a good actor.
• It is a highly probable theory that the blue dragonet in one of Moonwatcher's visions of a peaceful future was Riptide and Tsunami's dragonet.
• Riptide's favorite insult became "squid-brain" after Tsunami used it on Shark in The Lost Heir. He also taught Tsunami how to say the phrase in Aquatic.

Gallery

• 
  A typical SeaWing (colored), by Joy Ang
• 
  A typical SeaWing (lineart), by Joy Ang
• A typical SeaWing from the German publication, by Max Meinzold
  A typical SeaWing from the German publication, by Max Meinzold
• Reference by Platypus the SeaWing
  Reference by Platypus the SeaWing
• 
  SeaWing Sigil by Platypus the SeaWing
• Tsunami x Riptide by RhynoBullraq
  Tsunami x Riptide by RhynoBullraq
• Riptide by RyhnoBullraq
  Riptide by RyhnoBullraq
• Riptide x Tsunami by xTheDragonRebornx
  Riptide x Tsunami by xTheDragonRebornx
• 
  Riptide and Tsunami stargazing by Soulseeker
• Ripnami by Evocorrosion (posted with permission)
  Ripnami by Evocorrosion (posted with permission)
• Riptide by Ribbon-Wren
  Riptide by Ribbon-Wren
• 
  Ripnami by Redtail1472
• hundred waters by RealTense
  hundred waters by RealTense
• WoF H-a-D Day 26 - Riptide by xTheDragonRebornx
  WoF H-a-D Day 26 - Riptide by xTheDragonRebornx
• Riptide and Nautilus on the cover of The Lost Heir (Riptide is on the right)
  Riptide and Nautilus on the cover of The Lost Heir (Riptide is on the right)
• Riptide by VVisemanS
  Riptide by VVisemanS
• Three important words... by VVisemanS
  Three important words... by VVisemanS
• [WINGS OF FIRE FANART] A Silly Teacher by TavusaWarrior
  [WINGS OF FIRE FANART] A Silly Teacher by TavusaWarrior
• When the Riptide Comes in by dragonspirit20
  When the Riptide Comes in by dragonspirit20
• 
  Riptide with Tsunami

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