SandWings

SandWings are pale, sand-colored, fire-breathing dragons with venomous barbs on their tails that live in the deserts of Pyrrhia, primarily in the Kingdom of Sand. Originally, they were ruled by Queen Oasis; however, she was murdered by three scavengers who sought after her treasure. Following her death, the tribe split between the three heirs for the throne: Blaze, Blister, and Burn. Blaze, the youngest, had the support of most of the SandWings along with an alliance with the IceWings. Blister, the middle sibling, was allied with the SeaWings and secretly, the NightWings, unknown to any of the other tribes or queens. Blister was also allied with MudWings, but later, the MudWings went to Burn's side because Deathbringer murdered Commander Tempest with what looked like a MudWing weapon. Burn, the oldest sister, was allied with the SkyWings and MudWings. None of the queens allied with RainWings because of the common belief they were very lethargic.

After the war ended, Queen Thorn was chosen as the SandWing queen by her daughter, Sunny, and the other Dragonets of Destiny. Burn and Blister died, while Blaze "bowed to a fate stronger and higher", as seen when she was bowing to the new Queen Thorn. Burn died from a Dragonbite Viper and Blister, furious about not becoming queen, was electrocuted and burnt to ashes from trying to take the Eye of Onyx from Thorn.

Description

File:Sand Palette.png

SandWing color palette

SandWings are long-necked and anatomically and biologically built to survive in the desert. They have pale yellow, pale gold, light sandy-colored, white-gold, light yellow-brown, or off-white scales that blend in with the desert sand. Some SandWings , like Queen Thorn and Qibli, have been described with brown speckles on their wings and snouts. They also have a ridge going from their head to the tip of their tails, forked black tongues, glittering black eyes, and they are armed with venomous, scorpion-like barbs on the end of their tails. They can breathe fire and emit moderate heat from their scales.

Click here for a list of SandWings.

Abilities

The two main SandWing defenses are their ability to breathe fire and poison other dragons with their venomous barbed tails, which they use by stabbing their enemies' hearts, backs, and skulls (presumably other places as well).

The venom in a SandWing's barb acts like scorpion venom. This venom may possibly target blood cells or white blood cells to let bacteria to set in, as Webs' wound, inflicted by Blister, turned black and became infected, with the darkness spreading gradually. The venom sac which carries the venom is most likely located right under the barb. The venom's lethality depends on the dosage. A full dose can kill almost instantly, while a smaller dose kills slowly. Regardless of amount, it can be countered by juice from a specific cactus (supposedly named Brightsting Cactus, as the vendors in The Brightest Night call it) that grows commonly outside Burn's (now Queen Thorn's) stronghold, and is shown to be sold in the Scorpion Den.

They are also able to survive extended periods of time without water and can bury themselves in the desert sand to camouflage themselves, usually against enemies and for protection.

Queens

Queen Oasis once oversaw the Kingdom of Sand, yet none of the heirs challenged her to death. The queen was murdered by one scavenger in a group with three in total, who then took the SandWing Treasure, and the rest of Pyrrhia erupted in war along with alliances of the three successors. No one had been able to claim the throne for eighteen years, because whoever held the Eye of Onyx would take the place as the queen. The Eye of Onyx was hidden in Queen Oasis' jaws, buried with her in her grave. Flower the scavenger, owned by Smolder the SandWing, put it in her jaw. Glory described it as "like Queen Oasis was still hanging on to the SandWing throne".

Blister killed Burn with a package containing a Dragonbite Viper and challenged Blaze to the throne, but she exploded into a pile of black ashes when she snatched the enchanted Eye of Onyx away from Thorn, who Sunny declared as queen. Blaze survived, but not as a queen, and as the prophecy says: "Of three queens who blister and blaze and burn, two shall die and one shall learn - If she bows to a fate that is stronger and higher, she'll have the power of the wings of fire." Blaze now needs to accept her new queen, Queen Thorn.

Blister had planned to kill Queen Oasis with the three scavengers, so Blister technically started the war.

As of Moon Rising, Queen Thorn rules the SandWings peacefully. At the end of Escaping Peril, Qibli said he thought Thorn deserved to live forever.

Known SandWings

Trivia

SandWings have a venomous barb on the tip of their tail that is extremely deadly and can easily kill unless treated with special Brightsting Cactus juice.
SandWings have heightened hearing, according to The Brightest Night. Take it from Sunny, though a hybrid, is said to have the best hearing of the Dragonets of Destiny.
SandWing venom blackens the wound it creates.
SandWings do not need to eat much, and therefore are very light eaters.
According to Moon Rising, SandWings are a musical tribe.
SandWings do not develop their tail-barbs until they're older.(This may also be true of other tribe abilities as well.)
SandWing dragonets quickly learn how to avoid stabbing any dragon with their poisonous barb by accident.