Clay
Appearance
Biograpbreaking her neck. Tsunami was chained as part of this plot, as she was the only one who could stop Kestrel from killing Glory. Knowing that time was running out, Clay escaped through the underground river. Glory hid by changing her scale pattern to match the rocks and stalactites in the cave, gaining more time. Risking his life, (as MudWings are only able to hold their breath for over an hour compared to SeaWings, who have gills and can breathe underwater infinitely), Clay managed to get reasonably far down the river, but he was then covered with a substance that started to dissolve his scales (probably sulfur or sulfuric acid). He was rescued from this unfortunate fate by Tsunami, who finally succeeded in escaping with the aid of Sunny and Starflight by melting the chain links with their combined fire breath. After catching up to Clay, the two swam through the cave filled with glowworms and toxic white substances until they burst outside, emerging from the waterfall that dropped at the cave entrance. This caused the two dragonets to start flying, or trying to fly, in Tsunami's case. After Clay got over the bout of excitement caused by his first flight, he noticed that Tsunami had rapidly fallen. Upon looking closer, Clay guessed one of her wings was dislocated, and this was the reason she was unable to fly properly. He barreled into a dive and sped towards her as fast as he could. He wasn't strong enough to stop her fall, but he was able to slow her down until they crashed into trees and thudded to the grassy ground.
Clay was unsurprisingly delighted by the mud that was bordering the banks of the river they had landed beside. After convincing Tsunami he could push the dislocated bone back into its socket, a scavenger had appeared in the clearing. It was holding a sword and a burlap sack. Upon further investigation, they found the sack contained a variety of jewels, gold, and jewelry. The duo then encountered Queen Scarlet of the SkyWings, who insisted they would return to her kingdom after she had a conversation with Clay and decided they could be useful. Knowing they had to get back to their friends still trapped in the cave, they had no choice but to injure the regal SkyWing by stabbing the scavenger's sword into the vulnerable spot on her tail. They managed to quickly escape before Scarlet found them and find their cave in able to free their friends shortly afterward, but were captured by the enraged Queen Scarlet, due to the smoke signal the remaining dragonets had set so that Tsunami and Clay could find the cave and free them.
Queen Scarlet pitted different prisoners against each other in bout to strike the killing blow with his deadly frostbreath when Glory secretly shot acidic venom that dissolved his face, and Clay was victorious. Later on, he decided to hide Peril during Kestrel's trial in exchange for the knowledge of Sunny's location.
After the trial, Peril did not speak with him, and he started to get the prisoners to sing with a wire Peril accidentally burned through earlier to try and get her attention. He, Starflight, and Tsunami were taken to her room, where Peril helped them escape. With the help of Peril, Clay and his friends tried to escape, only to be betrayed by Peril herself. During this vain escape, he learned that his scales were impervious to fire.
The following day, it was Queen Scarlet's hatching day. Of course, she had horrifyingly bloody plans for her and her guest Burn's entertainment. The three confused dragonets (Starflight, Tsunami, and Clay) were taken to the balcony of the queens, on which Burn and Scarlet were seated on as well. He helplessly watched as Tsunami was forced to fight a mad SeaWing, who was later revealed to be her father and the SeaWing King Gill. After Tsunami killed him, Clay was also forced to watch Starflight and Tsunami fight scavengers and IceWings. After Starlight was rescued by Morrowseer and the other NightWings, Clay was pitted against Peril. He surprised her with his ability to fight back, and quickly pinned her, but wouldn't kill her. At that moment, Glory shot venom from her longest fangs at Burn, who shoved Scarlet in the way, and then a part of her face started to melt. They were then able to escape with Peril's help, and succeeded in rescuing Kestrel in the process, the action in which Clay and Sunny were the only supporters.
They finally managed to escape, and then they traveled to the Mud Kingdom to find Clay's parents. Clay was disappointed to find that his mother didn't care about him and sold him to the Talons of Peace in exchange for cows, but he found the group of his brothers and sisters, Reed, Marsh, Sora, Umber, and Pheasant (though one named Crane was killed in a recent battle, later found that it was Icicle who killed her) that he would have belonged with had he not been taken by the Talons of Peace. Finally, at peace with himself, Clay leaves with his friends in the search for Tsunami's parents.
For almost all of The Lost Heir, Clay was imprisoned with his friends, chained by the ankles to a cave floor. When water levels rose due to a flood, he was willing to keep his friends away from the rising water by letting them sit on his back and stack on top of each other, showing the willingness to sacrifice his life to save them although MudWings can hold their breath for up to an hour. He was soon freed by Tsunami and they together sat in a dry cave and ate fish. When Blister arrived she called him "the burly one". Clay wasn't seen later on in the book until The Summer Palace Pavilion attack by the SkyWings. Clay was seen shielding Starflight and Sunny since his scales are immune to fire, surprising many of Burn's soldiers in the process.
After the dragonets escaped from the Kingdom of Sea, they headed to the Rainforest Kingdom, where Clay was knocked out with a sleeping dart to get to the RainWing village. While Glory was being toured around by Jambu, Starflight went right on torturing Clay in his sleep by rolling a melon in front of his nose and watching for Clay's reaction. Clay reacted by sighing in a really wistful way and his tongue lolled in and out of his mouth, later stating that the food in his dream "smelled like a melon" and that it was kind of weird. Later, when Glory became imprisoned by the NightWings (which happened since she was trying out an experiment), Clay and Deathbringer came to her rescue, and Clay helped fight off the NightWing guards near the tunnel to the rainforest by throwing red-hot coals at them. He, Glory, and a RainWing dragonet named Kinkajou ended up escaping successfully, while Deathbringer stayed behind with the NightWings. Clay later kept watch by the tunnels to the Night Kingdom alongside with Starflight. After Glory becomes queen, he came running back from the tunnel to tell her that Starflight was gone and falsely guessed that Starflight went to warn the NightWings.
Clay didn't appear much in The Dark Secret because Starflight was imprisoned in the Night Kingdom for most of the tale. Starflight did try using a dreamvisitor to visit Clay in his dreams, but Clay didn't find Starflight popping into his dreams disturbing or even abnormal. He seemed to think Starlight was a part of the dream. Clay was seen to be eating or 'feasting' and was extremely pleased his siblings were there with him. However, when Starlight returned, Clay was the second dragonet of destiny to see him and was extremely pleased that Starlight has returned. When Starflight was injured by the volcanic explosion's fire, Clay sheltered him with his wings, protecting him and carrying him through the tunnel and out of danger.
Clay was first shown when he bursts out of the tunnel, shielding Starflight. Sunny mentioned that the Dragonets of Destiny may have been like the alternate dragonets if not for his kindness and support. He was not mentioned much more until Sunny returns to the Rainforest Kingdom. Clay met Sunny when he came out of the healers' hut and tackled her down, telling her how he knew that she would be alright. When the dragonets were in the stronghold, Burn ripped off the top of the box Blister sent her and pulled out a dragonbite viper. A second one jumped out and bites Burn, so she released the first viper. It headed toward Starflight, Fatespeaker, and Sunny, but Clay knocked them out of the way and got bitten instead. Black veins soon started spreading out all over his right thigh. Peril flew out of nowhere, said that "she would not let Clay die", and burned out the venom by placing her talons on the section of his leg that got bitten, removing the venom, and Clay survived, though he was left scarred and limping for the rest of his life.
It seems like Clay serves as a hall monitor for the Jade Mountain Academy, shown in how he patrols the halls and stops at least two fights. He is in charge of the Prey Center at the school, which turns out be much more chaotic than he originally expected. He also appears to be a doctor, treating injured dragonets.
When the Dragonflame Cactus exploded in the History Cave, he runs inside to help get anyone out who may have been trapped. He is unharmed again due to his fire-resistant scales. At the assembly later he talks, but Moon wasn't listening to him in her search for the dragon that caused the explosion.
Clay appears in the first part of the book. He is supposed to retrieve Peril from her cave as soon as Queen Ruby leaves. Peril follows him as he and the others fly out to face Scarlet, and promises to help Queen Ruby. When Peril asks Clay what he wants her to do, he replies that she "should make her own choices". Later in the night, during an argument with Queen Ruby about whether or not they are able to trust Peril, Starflight reveals to him that Peril is in love with Clay, and will likely kill everyone if she finds out that his feelings aren't mutual. Clay acts slightly embarrassed but then changes the subject.
Clay comes out to the landing area with Sunny to stop Darkstalker, where he asks Darkstalker if he's a monster and if reading everybody's minds is nosy. He looks embarrassed, alarmed, and confused at the same time when Darkstalker says his thoughts are very kind about "certain dragons", most likely meaning Peril, although this is yet to be confirmed. Later, Clay gathers dragons to tell them the story of Ruby's fight with Scarlet. Peril says that she talked to him, and he hugs her, pleased with her as a whole. Qibli tells Peril that Clay likes her too, but doesn't know "quite what to do about it yet."
Clay first appears in the book teaching the herbs and healing class explaining his injury. Then he helps Qibli search for a weapon to break into the Scorpion Den to save one of Clay's students, Ostrich. Clay was showing the "weapon box" (as Qibli calls it) when Qibli complains about the limited selection of weapons, and that he'd be better off cutting his own throat and hanging himself from the alley wall. Clay then asks if Qibli really needs to be armed to visit his grandfather. Straight after Clay said no to Qibli's question of having any poison, Winter appears, stating that he will not need any poison because he will be there, accompanying Qibli. After a bit of arguing, Winter spots a replica of Qibli's earring on Clay's ear. Clay then proceeds to say that they're very fashionable. Qibli attempts to persuade Winter to put one on but fails. In the epilogue, Clay and Peril talk and fly in the rain together, showing that Clay most likely returns the feelings that Peril has for him.
Personality
Clay is a sweet, protective dragon who is seen as a bigwings by most of his friends due to his selflessness and kindness. He is willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, but he will stand up for himself and his loved ones at all costs, even willing to guard them with his own life. He is very loyal, honest, and open, and he would never intentionally hurt someone's feelings. He is also very patient as well as empathetic, as shown in Moon Rising when he kindly separated Pike and Carnelian during a heated argument. He also has an adorable love for food.
Relationships
Starflight is like a brother to Clay. Clay also stated he dreams of Starflight lecturing him. He takes a mountain, Clay notices how beautiful and shiny her scales were. And in The Lost Heir, she says she had feelings for Clay and Starflight but had gotten over her crushes when she realized Clay thought of her as a sister, and Starflight was too "annoying".
e and says he would do it over and over again if he could. Clay is one of the only dragons to actually take Sunny seriously, as shown when Clay paid attention to the "weird crab" Sunny found.
Glory is also one of Clay's friends (he has no crushes on any of them, as he thinks of them as hisy Ex-Queen Scarlet. They become good friends, and Peril developed feelings for him because he was the only dragon that liked her the way she was. Queen Scarlet had only been using her for entertainment. After Clay fights Fjord, Peril brings hot mud to treat his scratches and wounds. He soon finds out that Scarlet ordered Peril not to talk to him, but she does anyway. Peril seemed jealous of the other dragonets because she wanted Clay to herself. When Peril helps the dragonets escape (but later betrays them) Clay touches her and figures out he's immune to her heat. This helps when he fights Peril against his will in the arena, leaving Peril to admit she wanted to save him after Kestrel and for him to like her more than the other dragonets. She says she does not want to kill him, and Clay says she has to. Clay and Peril's fight ends,
Students
Clay cares about the students at Jade Mountain Academy and their safety.
Family Tree
| Unnamed Dragons | Asha | Cattail | Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clay | Reed | Pheasant | Sora | Marsh | Crane | Umber | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Quotes
"I'm-uh-open to suggestions." - To Princess Tsunami when he was bitten with the dragonbite viper.
"I'll stick with friends who aren't trying to kill me, thanks." - To Peril in the SkyWing arena.
"Boring! Stop fighting with each other! Come and fight me for this treasure instead!" - To Starflight and Queen Glory during a play-acting of Queen Oasis's death in The Dragonet Prophecy (Book).
"Ow. Don't make me laugh. I think my ribs are broken." - To Tsunami in The Dragonet Prophecy.
"I'm Clay. I think I'm your son." - To Cattail when he first meets her in The Dragonet Prophecy.
"There's no point. I don't have a place here." - To Glory about the MudWing kingdom.
"I'm awake. I'm just waiting until Glory and Tsunami stop fighting. I was dreaming about sheep and buffalo and bears. They were all on the table in front of me and I had to decide which to eat first. Oh, and they all smelled like melons. That part was kind of weird." - Recovering from being tranquilized in The Hidden Kingdom.
"Are you going to eat that whole thing?" - Asking Glory about a mango.
"Can I eat this?" - Asking Mangrove about a fruit in the rainforest.
"Mishish vemmy shmewey." - About a very chewy fruit stuck in his teeth.
"Can we eat them?" - About the dolphins.
"Aww. What happened to the hippos?" - After waking up, wishing for his dream to come back to him.
"I'd like to be something more than alive. I'd like to be the kind of dragon she doesn't think I am - the kind they write prophecies about. That dragon would rescue her no matter how awful she is." - About saving Kestrel.
"Mwa ha! That's me! Intimidating! Roar!" - To Glory and Tsunami.
"Quit snarling at each other like mini Kestrels." - To Starflight and Tsunami while they were fighting.
"We're figuring it out." - To Blaze.
"You should go. Fly across the sea as fast as you can. Maybe you'll make it before the volcano really explodes." - To Morrowseer.
"Wow. No wonder I've always felt ordinary." - When Morrowseer says the Dragonets of Destiny are ordinary.
"I'd die to save you and Starflight over and over if I had to." - To Sunny after saving her, Fatespeaker, and Starflight from the dragonbite viper.
"I volunteer, I'm a world champion at sitting on my friends." - When Glory was told to sleep, and that if she didn't, she would be sat on.
"Sure. I mean I've eaten breakfast. What else do I need to do? Oooh, maybe some more breakfast. That's a good idea." - To Princess Sunny.
"Wow, everything hurts. Uh... Did I miss anything?" - After he regains consciousness and Thorn is queen.
"It'll be over soon, and then I can go have dinner." - Clay's thought when he's fighting Kestrel.
"I will not! I'll feel colder! Stop it! Go away! Argh!" - When Tsunami dumped him in the river.
"CHICKENS, GIVE UP! WE'RE GOING TO EAT YOU! THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT! STOP RUNNING AWAY NOW!" - At Jade Mountain Academy, to chickens in the Prey Center.
"Well, I know what I want my destiny to be, I want it to be sleeping and being friends with you guys forever. Oh, wait, also feasting! Lots of feasting." - When coming up with ideas for Jade Mountain Academy.
"You said stomping tails was cheating!" - While training with Kestrel in The Dragonet Prophecy (Book)
"THINK ABOUT COWS THINK ABOUT COWS THINK ABOUT COWS THINK ABOUT COWS THINK ABOUT DELICOUS FAT COWS" - When Clay meets Morrowseer.
"Peril, I'm not going to be a new Scarlet for you. You get to make your own choices now." - To Peril.
"So I guess this means no feast?" - When being shoved into a cave at the Summer Palace.
"Maybe... maybe Peril is our wings of fire." - Clay after Peril burnt the poison out of him.
"We'll have field trips! And mangoes! Mandatory mangoes." - To Sunny about Jade Mountain Academy.
"You don't need him. You have friends now. You have me." - To Peril about Chameleon.
"Hey, that stick is very heavy. You wouldn't want to get whacked with that thing. Also, we have Tsunami! And now Peril. That's better than a couple of swords." - To Qibli in Darkness of Dragons.
"This is a school, you know. Sunny and I thought perhaps an entire cave full of sharp objects might not be the best idea. We thought, maybe, hey, something that locks instead." - To Qibli about the weapons at Jade Mountain Academy.
"Peril, I'd love toThe Lost Heir and Moon Rising. He also teaches Herbs and Healing at Jade Mountain Academy.
- Clay, Tsunami, and Sunny are the only original Dragonets of Destiny who have met their mothers.
- Clay is the fifth dragon to appear in the series, the second MudWing, and the first dragonet.
- In the annotated version of The Dragonet Prophecy, Tui revealed that she had originally wanted him to have a crush on Glory, but decided that didn't work at all. [1]
- Clay knows of Peril's crush on him, and Qibli says that Clay likes her back but doesn't know how to feel about it.
- Clay never did truly believe in the powers of the NightWings.
- Clay currently has a limp in his leg resulting from Peril saving his life from a Dragonbite Viper’s venom by burning it out with her firescales.
- Clay is the second dragon known to be bitten by a Dragonbite Viper and the only dragon known to have survived the bite.
- Clay has displayed his concern for the safety of young dragonets, such as the students attending Jade Mountain Academy.
- Clay, alongside Starflight, are the only Dragonets of Destiny whose lineage past their parents is unknown.
- Clay is the only Dragonet of Destiny who doesn't have green eyes.
- The orange-brown dragonet in Moon's vision in Moon Rising may be the future dragonet of Peril and Clay; however, no clear evidence has confirmed this.
- It is very likely that Clay loves Peril just like she loves him throughout the series and knows of her love for him. This is mostly displayed during the epilogue of Darkness of Dragons in Peril's point of view, and when Peril left at the end of The Dragonet Prophecy.
- Clay is named after a real-life material of the same name, which is a stiff, sticky fine-grained earth.
- Clay is the second known dragon to have survived being burned by Peril, the others being Kestrel and Prince Winter.
- Tui has said that Clay was one of the easiest characters to write just because she adores him, and she says "affable/kindhearted/loyal/hungry is exactly my
Fa
References
| MudWings | |
|---|---|
| Queens |
Present: Moorhen |
| Royalty (Historical) |
Bayou • Copperhead • Possum • Sawgrass |
| Jade Mountain | |
| Other Dragons |
Asha • Bog • Bullfrog • Cattail • Crane • Crocodile • Gharial • Mayfly • Ochre • Pheasant • Reed • Swamp |
| Other Dragons (Historical) |
|
| Kingdom | |
| Society | |
