HiveWings

File:Hive Transparent.png

Hive'Wings are one of the three tribes that live on Pantala. Hive'Wings are currently the dominant tribe of Pantala, as they killed off almost all the Leaf'Wings in the Tree Wars and slaved the Silk'Wings. Their colours primarily include shades of red, yellow, orange, and always scales of black, but some may have variations such as dark green, as seen in Treehopper a hive'wing. They are ruled by Queen Wasp, and are primarily based on wasps, but are possibly partly inspired by bees and some varieties of beetles and insects. They are descended from Beetle'Wings with NightWing blood/genes from Clearsight.

Description

Hive'Wings have slender, incredibly strong, and muscular bodies, with four thin and clear segmented wings that are similar to that of dragonflies and other insects. According to the description in the A Guide to the Dragons of Pantala, HiveWings can be red, yellow, and/or orange, but always have some black scales (in stripes or splotches or anything really) due to their shared common ancestor, Clearsight. HiveWings have a slightly compact face, with a smaller axe-like ridge on the tip of their snout, and a larger curved ridge on their forehead. Some Hive'Wings, such as Katydid, Sandfly, and Scarab have freckle-like scales. Confirmed eye colors include black, brown, red, amber, and green. The "yellow-orange-green glow" of Hive'Wings' eyes is mentioned by Blue. They have a pair of long, curved, and smooth-looking horns that raise slightly above their head, the tips curving slightly forward, giving them an almost regal appearance. Long, thin spikes go down their spines, to the tip of their tails, which have a slightly larger spine. They may also have wrist spikes. Some are hatched with stingers in their wrists or tails. HiveWing eggs are white.

Society

Hive'Wings are first-class citizens in their society. They live in Hives ruled by Queen Wasp and her female relatives. Unlike other dragon tribes in both Pantala and Pyrrhia, Wasp's relatives who rule the other Hives aren't titled as Princess, but Lady. However, the Queen still outranks the Ladies. Despite this, she still allows others to rule the Hives, so they feel like they have at least some power. It's also difficult for HiveWings to get a divorce because they need permission from Queen Wasp in order to do so. If Wasp allows a HiveWing couple to get divorced, they have to go through a whole separation request process. It's unknown what kind of work Hive'Wings need to do in order to become divorced but the process is difficult. HiveWings who become mates without the queen's approval are severely punished.^{[citation needed]}

Diets

Hive'Wings are mostly carnivores and eat animals that live on the savanna, like zebras, wildebeest, gazelle, lions, and more. Hive'Wings also eat candy (like honey drops, nectar, etc.). The Hive'Wings on the cover for The Hive Queen showed a shop selling whole sharks, leading to believe that sharks or other marine life may be part of the HiveWing diet. Another shop on the cover seems to be selling mounds of herbs in baskets. Cricket states that they do not like to eat most reptiles, as HiveWings believe they may be related. This is similar to the way SeaWings avoid consuming dolphins, as Queen Coral believes they are related to dragons. Blue mentions that Queen Wasp eats only predators.

Abilities

According to the Pantala dragon guide, the HiveWings' powers can vary from dragon to dragon, though many (like Cricket) do not have any powers. These abilities are genetic and can be passed down. Deadly stingers extending from their wrists, venom or a paralyzing toxin in claws or teeth, stingers on wingtips, boiling acid that can be shot from a stinger on their tail, and emanating a horrible stench said to smell like dead rotting things pickled in sulfur, are a few examples; however, there are more. Swordtail describes the paralyzing toxin as "fire burning every nerve in your body. When it wears off, all you want to do is run or fly or even blink, but you can't move." A dragon paralyzed by HiveWing venom can be unparalyzed when given a strong stimulant.

Queen Wasp, the current HiveWing queen, can also control the minds of any HiveWing whom she has injected with a certain plant (later found to be the Breath of Evil in The Poison Jungle). This plant is kept in her off-limits, personal greenhouse garden. Hive'Wings are said to have completely white eyes when under the mind-control and move in eerie unison. Katydid describes the feeling as having an unstoppable urge to do what the Queen makes them, similar to being hypnotized (even if is against their personal morals).

Names

The Hive'Wings are named after a variety of insects. Dragons from the tribe can be named after different species of bee and wasp, but also any other insects that aren't related to SilkWings, like ants, beetles, weevils, crickets, praying mantis, and more.

They can also be named after types of worms (such as Earthworm and Bloodworm). It is unknown if this is intentional, or just Tui mistaking worms for insects. There is also one arachnid (specifically the whip scorpion) name, being Vinegaroon.

Click here for a list of known HiveWings.

Trivia

• This tribe is the most powerful of all the tribes on Pantala, possibly because of their wide variety of natural weapons and because they are in control of Silk'Wings and killed off most of the Leaf'Wings.
• Hive'Wings and Silk'Wings always know what time it is and can predict the upcoming weather through a "precise internal clock."
• Hive'Wings are one of the two tribes known to wear glasses. The first character shown to ever wear them is Thoughtful, a NightWing. There are three mentioned Hive'Wings with glasses; Cricket, Lady Scarab, and Malachite.
• The HiveWings use flamesilk as a source of light and heat for themselves and the SilkWings.
• In The Lost Continent, Blue wonders if "Hive'Wings don't have to blink" when he sees Hive'Wing guards staring down through the glass ceiling in the Flame-silk Factory. It is unknown if Hive'Wings possess that ability.
• It is mentioned by Swordtail that HiveWings have poor night vision, though it's possible he was being derogatory because he also described them as "lazy" in the same sentence.
• Hive'Wings seem to be quite sophisticated in building and schooling. Pyrrhian schools do not have such a selection of objects and rooms. Their Hives and the structures inside them are more architecturally ingenious than Pyrrhian structures.

Gallery

• 
  A typical HiveWing (colored), by Joy Ang
• 
  A typical HiveWing (lineart), by Joy Ang

References

__NOWYSIWYG__