Silkwings

**SilkWings** are one of the three tribes that reside on Pantala, the other two tribes being HiveWings and LeafWings. They have colorful wings like butterflies' and can produce silk from glands on their wrists.

Some SilkWings are hatched with a special power known as flamesilk, allowing them to produce a type of flaming silk that can be used to create glass and flamesilk lanterns, however, they can only produce flamesilk after their metamorphosis. The last SilkWing queen was Queen Monarch at the time of the Tree Wars, and the tribe was ruled by Queen Wasp after the Tree Wars until the ending of *The Flames of Hope,* where a group known as the SilkWing Assembly currently governs them. Their current territory is the LeafSilk Kingdom, which they share with the LeafWings and some HiveWings. They are descended from the BeetleWings.

## Description

SilkWings have gem-like scales and have small spines running down their back to the tip of their tails. Their scales appear to be somewhat iridescent, similar to NightWing scales. Like RainWings, they have slim bodies and curved horns that are almost identical in shape, but much longer and thinner. There is also a set of antennae on the brow above the eyes. A ridge above their eyes runs over their horns, giving SilkWings a plated appearance.

SilkWings are hatched without any wings. When they turn about 6 years old, they will undergo a Metamorphosis. After a few days, they will come out of the cocoon with their wings. SilkWings have two pairs of wings, one pair smaller than the other, with membranes that have rounded edges. SilkWings have butterfly-like wings, which appear similar to butterfly or moth wings in shape. Their wings also can have spots and other patterns on them. The bigger pair of wings appear to have four digits that the membrane is stretched between. The smaller pair of wings are attached slightly below the larger pair and have two digits. According to Tui on the Wings of Fire Forums, SilkWing wings are just as strong as any dragon's wings, rather than weak like an insect's wings. In some cases, as shown on the back cover of *The Lost Continent*, SilkWings can have the "tail-streamers" that swallowtail butterflies do on their lower, smaller wings.

SilkWings can be any color under the sun except black, such as olive green, aquamarine, lavender, indigo, amber, orange, dark purple, peach, gray, and red. They sometimes have darker accent colors on their scales. The wing's membranes appear to be different colors too, as well as certain segments between the digits being a different color than the rest of the wings.

## Diet

SilkWings are vegetarians. Their diet includes yams, honey, okra, garbanzo beans, kale, kumquats, fruits, and persimmons. They also enjoy honey drops and nectar as a form of sweet candy.

## Abilities

SilkWings can use their antennae to sense vibrations in the air, and are able to predict the weather. At six years old, SilkWings undergo Metamorphosis. They enter a cocoon for about three days, emerging with two pairs of wings and silk glands in their wrists. Metamorphosis is preceded by aching wing buds, experiencing a nervous and fuzzy feeling, and itchy silk glands. Swordtail notes that SilkWings are great climbers. They have a precise internal clock to keep their days on schedule and warn them when the rainy season is coming. This clock needs a little while to adjust when a SilkWing travels a long distance.

Some SilkWings have the ability to produce flamesilk. Flamesilk is used by the HiveWings to create glass and illuminate inside of the hives, though different types can be made for different purposes, including a type that emits heat and does not burn the holder. Flamesilk dragons cannot be burned by flamesilk, but they are not immune to regular fire. This ability is genetic, and if one parent is a flamesilk, their offspring have a fifty percent chance of being flamesilk as well. Cricket notes that flamesilk is expensive, and that a single strand can last a whole moon cycle.

According to Luna, there are five types of flamesilk.

1. **Gold Silk:** Gold Silk just like regular silk, only it shimmers with a golden color. It doesn't glow or burn.
2. **Firefly Silk:** Firefly Silk gives off a little bit of light, "like holding a firefly in your talons", but it doesn't burn.
3. **Glow Silk:** Glow Silk feels a little warm and glows brighter, closer to normal fire, but it doesn't hurt.
4. **Blaze Silk:** Blaze Silk can burn and hurt non-flamesilk dragons. Luna thinks that blaze silk is the kind found in most lanterns.
5. **Sun Silk:** It is extremely bright and so hot it can burn through stone. Luna says to put it out, you must drown it in water. Luna can only make a little bit at a time.

Click here for a list of all known flamesilks.

## Society

SilkWings were separated by the HiveWings ever since Queen Wasp took over their tribe. They did not have a voice in the Hives' government system, and under Wasp's rule, SilkWings were second class citizens and servants who have almost no rights compared to HiveWings.

Examples of a regular SilkWing's occupation would include: construction workers, like Swordtail, hive drones (servants) like Silverspot, web workers, like Burnet, and other low-ranked jobs, like stall owners or weavers. It has been mentioned that the most disobedient SilkWings were typically assigned construction work given that it is considered to be very unpleasant. LeafWings are taught that SilkWings are not allowed to go to school, though this is not the case. SilkWings attended school much like HiveWings do, and were assigned emergency drills as a practice to protect themselves in case a web was falling or if they had to get to a Hive quickly for safety. They also learned about silk weaving, web structure, the history of the Tree Wars, and especially following directions.

SilkWings were not allowed to divorce, and were assigned partners by Wasp and her sisters, rather than having an ability to choose their own.

SilkWings were branded on their right palm at a very young age. The SilkWing's initial on their palm is a big letter, while their parent's initials are smaller letters, forming a triangle shape.

SilkWings were also cuffed at a young age. These wrist cuffs had their school and other personal information inscribed on it so they could be identified at checkpoints. All cuffs could inject toxin into the wrist to make dragons fall asleep. Bands can be cut off by using flamesilk.

After the events of *The Flames of Hope*, the SilkWings allied with the LeafWings to create a new Pantalan Kingdom - the LeafSilk Kingdom. This Kingdom is ruled by the Assembly, a council of two hundred dragons.

## Names

SilkWings are named after different species of butterfly or moth, like Admiral and Fritillary.

Click here for a list of known SilkWings.

## Trivia

* According to the Pantalan Dragon Guide, SilkWings are stereotyped as being beautiful, passive, and gentle.
* It was hinted that the LeafWings and SilkWings who fled from Pantala were not the first to arrive on Pyrrhia, as a SilkWing without wings was displayed in the Weirdling Tower.
* As of the ending of *The Flames of Hope*, the SilkWings are the only tribe in both Pyrrhia and Pantala that are not ruled by any queen but rather a governing body of multiple SilkWings. Whether or not they will choose a new queen in the future is undetermined at this time.
* Due to their vegetarianism, they have no problem believing that creatures like humans are clever and should not be eaten. They feel similarly about other animals like wildebeest, lobsters, and meerkats.