Vinewood (June Palette Contest 2021)

~This character belongs to Some Person and is for the June Palette Contest, theft of any kind is unpog~
V I N E W O O D 	V I N E W O O D
 	
Background Information	Background Information
Creator 	Some Person
Main Attribute 	Justice
Elemental Attribute 	Fire
Theme Animal 	Python
Theme Color 	Forest Green
Theme Song 	
Alignment 	Lawful Evil
Character Information 	Character Information
Age 	98
Gender 	
Orientation 	
Occupation 	General
Tribe 	LeafWing
Goal 	Bring justice and honor to all
Residence 	PoisonWing Village
Likes 	Trees, freedom, fighting
Dislikes 	HiveWings, bugs, Wasp
Powers and abilities 	Strong Leafspeak
Quote 	"It's for the greater good."
Appearance
Vinewood was described to be a dark green LeafWing with deep brown splotches all across her wings and webbing. Her underbelly was said to be a lighter green while she had a much darker green as the colour of her webs. She had dark brown eyes that gave all who looked into them a shiver.
Vinewood was a tall LeafWing, almost towering over Sequoia. She had little accessories on her body except for a small pouch on her wrist that held the ashes of the Towering Dream. She always had a grumpy look on her face and rarely smiled unless she was hearing something good happening in the Tree Wars on the LeafWings side. She has a heavily torn tail leaf.
Personality
Vinewood was stubborn, aggressive, confident, and commanding. She values her military and her armed forces over peace and general safety, believing that the weak will eventually die out and let the strong walk proudly. She also values her skill in fighting, thinking that she should use her claws and powers as opposed to her words. Vinewood however did seem to have a bit of a softer side, especially to her family and Sequoia before the split. She didn't see Belladonna as a weapon and more of her daughter, though she still expected Belladonna to keep the PoisonWings strong late in life. Despite this seemingly softer side, she is still fearsome and generally reckless. She is very hard to convince otherwise as she believes in her morals. She wholeheartedly believes in letting the sick, crippled, and young die or be left behind in order to get her goal.
Vinewood believes in a world where the LeafWings walk freely beside SilkWings and HiveWings, much like Sequoia; however the main difference is how they get that way. She founded the PoisonWings to prove to Sequoia that violence is needed at times and that to deny certain actions is to be weak. She was proud of her organization and fought for her belief until the day she died.
History
Vinewood grew up deep in the Poison Jungle like most other LeafWings during this time. she lived in the LeafWing village and had a fairly normal childhood being the daughter of some very respected royal guards, even if they did have a weird irrational hatred of the HiveWings. She did have a couple friends though, one of which being Princess Sequoia herself. Sequoia and Vinewood did argue a bit at times, but cared deeply about one another as children. They would play with each other, watch the moons rise and fall, and generally had a good time. 
Vinewood enrolled herself in the military at a young age (five), and while she did succeed she wasn't allowed to actually fight due to still being under eight years old. She showed most proficiency in more offensive tactics, though she did sorely lack in the defense department. 
It was around this time as well when she showed her true desires, to make the LeafWings the most powerful tribe. She considered them and their abilities to connect with nature to be more superiors to the 'freaks' that were the SilkWings and HiveWings. While she worshiped Clearsight, like most other dragons on Pantala, she was really just jealous of the HiveWings and SilkWings being closer related to her and therefore the 'BeetleWing bloodline being tainted by godlike blood'. 
She wasn't alone in this ideology however, most LeafWings agreed with her since they believed that the BeetleWings originally were 'unholy' due to the sheer amount of powers they had and now that they split into two tribes they feared that they would be taken over by them. 
Around this time, both Vinewood and Sequoia were growing older and older. Queen Nightshade had passed away due to Green Cough when Vinewood was twenty and Sequoia ascended to the throne as the queen at eighteen. The royal general served under Sequoia for a year before having a stroke and dying, despite the efforts of the medics. Now seemingly out to get a new royal general, Sequoia chose Vinewood; mostly due to her strength in battle and her previous friendship with them.
Since all tribes lived peacefully, there wasn't much for fighting. Vinewood was getting exhausted since all she was really doing all day was training dragons for when a battle could happen. She liked being closer to Sequoia, but it wasn't really too interesting. Monarch and Cochineal, while both equally stupid and powerful, didn't try to spark up any sorts of war or chaos. Vinewood liked the peace, but she wanted just a little bit of action.
Fortunately, just a few years later she got her wish.
Cochineal died and the eldest daughter, Wasp, ascended to the throne. While the dragons all across Pantala were mourning this death, Wasp began to... Do something no queen has ever done before. It wasn't very uncommon to see the SilkWings and HiveWings cutting down very few trees to let the sun come in better, but Wasp was doing something unthinkable. She was having her subjects cut down more and more trees, creating a clearing.
Vinewood expressed her worries to Sequoia, saying that she needs her permission to send more troops there and stop the deforestation, but Sequoia was hesitant, believing that Wasp maybe was trying to help the HiveWings in a way; bringing up the idea that HiveWings may need more sun. Vinewood was having none of it and sent her troops anyways behind Sequoia's back.
A few months passed and the HiveWings were still deforesting the Poison Jungle, already had cut down a good chunk of the forest. Sequoia was now clearly realizing Wasp wasn't doing this for no real reason and called a summit. There, Wasp finally had a chance to speak to them. She explained that why she was doing it was because the Book of Clearsight told her to, and that Clearsight also wrote that HiveWings will rule over and the SilkWings and LeafWings step down to let her take over and rule.
While Monarch agreed to step down, most likely out of fear, Sequoia was more hesitant and asked to read the book first. Wasp refused and Vinewood began to shout of accusations to Wasp, saying that she was lying and harming the trees for her own selfish gain. An argument between Vinewood and Wasp was sparked and ended with Sequoia forcing one of her guards to have her knocked out. 
When Vinewood awoke Sequoia was furious at both Vinewood and Wasp. The two had an argument and Vinewood was pretty intimidated when Sequoia got mad. It was at this moment where Sequoia really showed her true colours, she was scared, angry, and confused as to why Wasp was cutting down the trees and blamed Vinewood for making everything worse. Eventually, both made up after spending some time apart and alone.
Around this time as well Vinewood met another guard, Baneberry. Baneberry was the guard who knocked Vinewood out, so despite a rocky beginning they began to get along. Baneberry had an excitable personality, but was really sweet and kind under all of it. He was energetic, nice, and just the rock that kept Vinewood sane during this time.
However, stuff still wasn't going very well for the LeafWings. The HiveWings had more of them and were more powerful, and not to mention Wasp's most prized warrior; Dragonfly. Vinewood swore on her life that all who saw Dragonfly would die the next second if she wanted to kill them. Vinewood helped Sequoia send out the troops to try and protect the trees, but all efforts proved fruitless. 
Except for one. A local hermit by the name of Hawthorn came up to Vinewood and explained that he had discovered a new type of plant that he hypothesized would be able to let him control her. While hesitant, Vinewood accepted and went to the next peace summit with a bit of the plant and sprinkled it in Wasp's dish. This sent Wasp into a frenzy however, even though Vinewood had cut it up so precisely that there was no way she should've detected it. Then, Wasp began to laugh maniacally. Sequoia and Vinewood left the summit early due to being weirded out by Wasp's sudden mood change.
Sequoia almost instantly began to press Vinewood for answers, which Vinewood all denied. Vinewood lied and said that perhaps Wasp had finally lost it and now is the time to finally begin the war. While Sequoia agreed, it wasn't until a few peace summits later when Sequoia finally gave in.
The Tree Wars had begun.
Vinewood sent out countless amounts of troops to the battle fields, which proved to be more of a loss than a win. Dragonfly was a complete monster out in the war, able to strike down the most powerful of dragons. This war lasted for a six months until Sequoia began to show signs of paranoia. Vinewood persisted, insisting that when Dragonfly would die that they would win.
Dragonfly did not in fact die.
They were dying, if anything. The tribe was dying. Sequoia wished to back off and to try and make peace with them, but Vinewood insisted that it was far too late for that and Wasp was going to kill them anyways. This resulted in a massive fight, one where Sequoia herself scratched and nearly ripped off the entirety of Vinewood's tail leaf. The end result was Vinewood quitting and gathering her troops who wanted to keep fighting to retreat, creating the PoisonWings. The last words Vinewood said to Sequoia were "Until Wasp dies will I never, ever have my troops near you again". 
The Tree Wars had ended, not with a bang, but rather a whimper on the side of the LeafWings.
Vinewood retreated over to a more wild part of what was left of the Poison Jungle with her troops and almost instantly got to work. Calling herself 'Commander Vinewood' instead of 'General Vinewood', Vinewood had left her past behind in order to thrive in the future; a future where the LeafWings would stand tall over the HiveWings and rule. The PoisonWing's mission was to kill Wasp and to reclaim Pantala in the name of the true leaders.
Baneberry and Vinewood eventually convinced a child, a heir to the PoisonWings in case both Vinewood and Baneberry were to die. They named the child Belladonna, starting the trend of naming the next generation after deadly plants. Belladonna and Baneberry had a very close relationship, but Vinewood didn't have as much time to connect with her daughter due to the duties of being the Commander. Vinewood did love her daughter though and wished she could spend more time with her.
One day, Vinewood conducted a plan where she, Baneberry, and a few other members of the PoisonWings would go over and scout out the new savanna. However, this was the day that one of the worst events in Vinewood's life would happen. As they exited the savanna, they explored a bit before moving over to one of the many Hives. They were suddenly attacked by some HiveWing guards and in this ambush, Baneberry was stabbed in the chest by one of the guard's stinger claws and died. Vinewood then forced the plants to grow and tie down the guards, holding them down. She then noticed... Something. Back when the Tree Wars happened Vinewood had heard reports that the HiveWings had weird eyes, but Vinewood had seen them now in all of her glow. They were white and emotionless, showing no signs of life.
It didn't matter to Vinewood anyways. She wanted her revenge. She killed the guards and retreated back to the Jungle, dragging alone Baneberry's body with her. Vinewood was heartbroken. Her love had died and she felt more alone than ever. Belladonna also felt equally as broken, but to Vinewood it seemed as though she was just getting colder and more hostile. Vinewood would occasionally scold Belladonna on this behavior, but it didn't help.
After a couple decades Belladonna was now grown up. Vinewood watched from the side as she fell in love with a dragon named Hemlock and smiled as they seemed to be deeply in love. It seemed as though the PoisonWings were peaceful for a bit as Vinewood had laid off of the attacks and plans for a bit in a rare moment of empathy for her troops.
However, like most things it didn't last long. Vinewood was old now and nearing the end of her life. She didn't want to die, not now and not here. She knew that Wasp still wasn't dead from recent scoutings, but wanted to do something. She could feel her body withering away like a leaf, the common sign of a LeafWing about to die of old age. Her scales were getting more washed out and dull as her body worsened. She felt like she was nearing the end of her life.
She didn't want her legacy to die like this however. At this point she was bed-bound as her legs were too weak to support her. Her wings were falling apart, dying just like a normal leaf. She called in Belladonna for a private meeting, feeling as though she had little to live for anyways. This, was their final conversation.
"Commander Vinewood?"
"Belladonna... My daughter..."
"I have heard you've requested my presence."
"I did... I did indeed."
"So? Spit it out? What do you need?"
"Heh... You haven't changed a bit... Listen, while in this bed I've been... Thinking. You know, back before the Tree Wars happened, Wasp used the book to sway Monarch over to her side and almost won over Sequoia. I want you-- [cough] You to steal that book. I want you to show it to Sequoia..."
"May I ask a question?"
"Yes, of course [wheeze]."
"Why?"
"I want you to... See the words of the goddess herself. I want her to see it too... Belladonna, I want you to get it."
"I understand, Commander Vinewood."
"Please, Belladonna... Call me... Mother."
"Understood, mother."
"Belladonna... I... I l--"
And then, silence. Vinewood had felt the last essence of her soul wither away as she drew her final breath, finally at last dying. Just like the Tree Wars, just like how she feared she would die, Vinewood went out not with a bang,
But a whimper. A last whimper to try and tell her own daughter that she loved her. Those words now lost forever, never to be recovered again.
Relationships
Sequoia (Negative):
While both had a lot of precious memories as dragonets, their relationship soured as the years went on. Their conflicting world views became more apparent when the Tree Wars began and eventually leading to them splitting up the LeafWings.
Baneberry (Positive):
Before he died, Baneberry and Vinewood obviously had a great relationship. Both would talk to each other, laugh, and have fun. Being her wife as well strengthened their relationship. After he died, Vinewood promised to get revenge no matter what.
Belladonna (Positive / Neutral):
Belladonna and Vinewood, while not the closest, still had a good relationship. They couldn't quite talk very much, but each one respected one another. Belladonna showed this by honoring her mother by completing her dying wish.
Hemlock (Neutral):
Hemlock and Vinewood didn't quite interact as much as he wished for them too, but both still had a decent relationship.
Wasp (Negative): 
Take four guesses as to why both dragons hated each other. Vinewood despised Wasp for ruining Pantala. She hated her guts for everything she did. Vinewood wanted to destroy Wasp and everything she loved as a way of revenge and payback for her brutalizing everything Vinewood loved.
Trivia
*Vinewood did have feelings for Sequoia
*Vinewood considered changing her name at one point, but decided to keep it
*Vinewood has been noted to be a bit of an insomniac
*
Category:LeafWings
Category:Females
Category:Characters
Category:LGBT+
Category:Status (Leader)
Category:Deceased
Category:Content (SomePerson9000000)