'Riptide' is an adult male SeaWing who was introduced in The Lost Heir. He
formerly served as a border guard of the Kingdom of the Sea and is
currently the leader of the Talons of Peace. He is the son of Webs and
is currently in a long-distance relationship with Tsunami.

## Description

Riptide was mentioned several times to have dark blue horns and metallic
sky-blue scales, that are several shades paler than Tsunami's. He has a
pale underbelly and dark blue eyes that are nearly black. He is large,
fully grown, and well-built, with sharp, hooked claws and a massive
tail. He has several scars, including an old bite mark on his tail, claw
scars along his underbelly, and slashes across his snout. He is quite
handsome, with a friendly-looking face.

## Personality

Riptide is strong, brave, sheepish, dignified, wry, and secretive. He
once stated that he would never be able to boss anyone into doing what
he wants, and he is a good actor. Even after being imprisoned by Queen
Coral, he was courageously determined to protect his home with his life.
Despite being punished for his father's actions, Riptide is still
respectful toward the royal family, yet fearful, avoiding conflict with
them. He is intelligent, observant, helpful, calm, and open-minded. He
prefers hearing the hard truth rather than easy lies. Although he is
loyal, he also respects the independence of others.

## Biography

left
Pre-Series
When Riptide was two
years old, Webs fled in the middle of a battle and later returned in
secret to the Deep Palace to steal Tsunami's egg from the Deep
Palace#Royal Hatchery|Royal Hatchery for the The Dragonet Prophecy. Webs quickly became infamous for his
treachery throughout the SeaWing tribe and consequently created an
unfortunate situation for his son Riptide, who was also unfairly
believed to be a traitor at heart because of his father's crimes. Queen
Coral in particular hated the young SeaWing, and assigned him to the
lowest of duties: guarding the border of SeaWing territory, as far away
from the palaces and SeaWing civilization as possible. Despite the bad
rumors, Riptide always wanted to know his father and eventually joined
the Talons of Peace in hopes of seeing Webs again. The Talons would only
ever tell Riptide that his father was safe, even though Riptide passed
them important information about the SeaWings for years, likely ending
when the War of SandWing Succession|war did.

-----

### The Dragonet Prophecy

left The Lost Heir

Riptide was on patrol duty in the Kingdom of the Sea. After he briefly
spoke with Nautilus in Aquatic, Tsunami revealed herself to Riptide and
he fled, but accidentally smacked into the side of a passing whale.
After she pinned him down, Riptide flashed his scales at Tsunami, saying
something in Aquatic, and Tsunami responded by flashing some of her
scales. Then, Riptide lunged at her. Tsunami, thinking that Riptide was
trying to attack her, swam to the surface after slashing her claws
across his snout. It was then revealed that when Tsunami flashed her
scales to show Riptide she was also a SeaWing, she had unknowingly
flashed that she liked him in Aquatic, saying: "Hey, sparkling teeth, I
totally love three of your claws but not the others, and I wish your
snout was a herring so I could eat it, and also your wings sound like
sharks snoring." After learning about her inability to speak and
understand Aquatic, he became suspicious, but noticed Tsunami's sad
expression and assumed that she was not lying about being a real
SeaWing. Clay flew over, but Riptide, attempting to protect Tsunami from
Clay, threw Tsunami down into the water, which Clay thought was hostile.
After seeing Clay, he attacked him (as MudWings and SeaWings were
enemies during the war), getting into a fight with Clay, but Tsunami
angrily separated them and explained that they were the dragonets of
destiny; Riptide ceased his attack after her intervention. Clay realized
that Riptide was not trying to hurt Tsunami as he protested, confused.

After blindfolding Clay and Sunny, Riptide reluctantly agreed to take
Tsunami and her friends to the Summer Palace as Tsunami pointed out what
her mother's reaction would be if he did not bring her back. They were
confronted by the advance guard, although Tsunami eventually convinced
Shark to let them through. After they entered the tunnel that led to the
palace, Riptide removed Clay and Sunny's blindfolds and led them forward
with glowing scales. After their arrival, Riptide told Tsunami a summary
of the palace's architecture and history and took the dragonets of
destiny to the top pavilion, where they could wait for Queen Coral to
return from the Deep Palace. After Queen Coral and Anemone arrived,
Riptide went back to guard duty under the queen's annoyed orders, while
also revealing to Tsunami that he was Webs's son, much to her surprise.

As Tsunami and several other SeaWings swam to an island near the Summer
Palace to investigate a dead SkyWing (who was later revealed to be
Kestrel), Tsunami saw Riptide following her from a distance, and they
waved to one another.

Later, as Tsunami was resting outside the Summer Palace in a cave near
the sea, Riptide approached her. Riptide expressed that he would like
Tsunami to tell him about Webs, and although Tsunami listed several good
things about her former guardian, Riptide asked to hear about his
father's flaws as well, insisting that it would be okay. Riptide also
taught Tsunami a small portion of Aquatic, including the phrases
'squid-brain' and 'I will protect,' as well as how to indicate different
types of danger. After Tsunami realized her friends may be in danger
from Shark and his guards, she quickly left for the Summer Palace.

The following day, Webs had been found at the Summer Palace and Coral
decided she wanted to execute him for his crimes. Soon after, Riptide
was found sneaking around outside the palace as well. Coral accused
Riptide of working with his father and threw them both in prison,
despite Tsunami's protests. With the help of Blister, Coral was
convinced that Webs was the assassin that had been killing off her heirs
for years, and she wanted her last egg (which was being guarded by
Tsunami) to be put back into the royal hatchery. However, Tsunami was
convinced that Webs was not the assassin, and the egg was still in
danger. She made a deal that if she caught the assassin, she had to let
Riptide go. Queen Coral, thinking that she already had the assassins,
agreed.

Later, Blister tricked Queen Coral into putting the dragonets in her
prison, where Riptide and Webs were as well. Anemone, Tsunami's younger
sister, slipped away from her mother and freed the dragonets. The
dragonets then released Riptide and Webs from their cage and then
prepared to leave. Riptide then revealed to Tsunami that he had joined
the Talons of Peace to learn more about his father, though they told him
nothing. Tsunami was mad at Riptide for lying to her, but at the same
moment, the SeaWing palace was attacked by the SkyWings and the
MudWings, who had followed Webs to the Summer Palace. The dragonets and
Webs escaped, but Riptide stayed to fight against Burn's alliance.
Tsunami was not sure she had forgiven Riptide for lying to her, but she
did hope to see him again.

left The Brightest Night

Riptide was seen when Sunny, Tsunami, and Ochre went to the
Talons of Peace's camp. There, he explained a few of the significant
members of the Talons of Peace, such as Flame's mother, Avalanche. He
was also present at SandWing stronghold|Burn's stronghold during the
meeting of the SandWing sisters and helped hold Clay down while Peril
burns the venom from the dragonbite viper out of Clay's leg.

-----

### The Jade Mountain Prophecy

left Moon Rising

Riptide was mentioned by Webs in the Jade Winglet|Jade and Gold
Winglets' history class as "the leader of whatever the Talons of Peace
are becoming."

left Winter Turning

Riptide was seen when Qibli, Winter, Kinkajou, and Moonwatcher were
looking for somebody in the Talons of Peace who could point them to a
spot in the Sky Kingdom, as he was the leader of the Talons of Peace
ever since Nautilus stepped down. Moonwatcher had a sketch of the
mountain she saw when Icicle was Dreamvisitor|dreamvisited by Scarlet to
show to any SkyWings that may help them find Hailstorm. He got Avalanche
and Pyrite, two Talons, to help them to look for it. He then asked if
Tsunami had a message for him, and was happy to find out that she
thought about him a lot from Moon, but he did not want to contact her
until she contacted him first.

left Escaping Peril

Riptide was mentioned when Peril and Turtle were found by the Talons of
Peace, as Turtle asked where Tsunami was. Nautilus said she went with
Riptide and his group.

left
Darkness of Dragons
In the epilogue,
Kinkajou briefly mentioned that Riptide had said Winter was "skulking
around the forest somewhere."

-----

### The Lost Continent Prophecy

left
The Dangerous Gift
Riptide was first
seen when the Pantalan dragons arrived at Sanctuary. Tsunami and him
awkwardly tried to hug each other. He told Tsunami that he was glad to
see her and that he had been hoping to show her all of the changes they
had made to Sanctuary, but he trailed off when he noticed the new
arrivals with shock. He later stated that they could stay there for a
few nights while they figured it all out. He later left with Tsunami to
choose the messengers to call each of the queens to Sanctuary for a
meeting.

Riptide was later shown backing Tsunami up when Sundew claimed that they
had all been hiding their Animus magic|magic from the Pantalan dragons —
he confirmed that animus magic was very rare and only a few dragons
possessed the power. He announced that the queens were arriving, and he
was later seen in the council.

## Relationships

### Tsunami

Riptide is supportive of Tsunami, and he is physically affectionate
toward her. Riptide's whole face lit up when Tsunami was mentioned, and
Moonwatcher said that Tsunami thinks of Riptide all the time, and wants
to hear from him. She makes him nervous, but she genuinely likes him and
hoped to see him again after their initial meeting. She likes having him
around her, and although her first instinct was to yell at him for lying
about the identity of his father, he looks at her without any
expectation of her becoming queen or any judgement about her murder of
Gill; he only sees her as a dragon whom he likes very much. After she
reassured him physically, Tsunami felt something tingle in the air
between them. He helped her to forget about Gill's death for a while,
and he took her front talons in his before they parted. He told her to
be careful and that he would be close, if she needed him. Tsunami
considered him to be someone that she could trust, but after discovering
that he had lied to her about his affiliation with the Talons of Peace,
her trust was broken in him, and she wondered if she could believe
anything he said. After he apologized to her, she was unsure about her
forgiveness toward him, but she still wanted a chance to decide. She
wanted him to survive the War of SandWing Succession, and she wanted to
meet him again after it was over. They are currently in a long-distance
relationship.

## Quotes

I said, 'What are you doing out here?' and you said — You said,
'Hey, sparkling teeth, I totally love three of your claws but not the
others, and I wish your nose was a herring so I could eat it, and also
your wings sound like sharks snoring.
to Tsunami
The Lost Heir
35

-----

You don't look guilty. You look sad. And I imagine that those
would be hard to fake. So where did you come from, and what's wrong with
you?
to Tsunami The Lost Heir

37

-----

The MudWings are our enemies. If you don't know that, then
you'd better leave the Bay of a Thousand Scales before Queen Coral's
army finds you and does what they always do to traitors.
to
Tsunami The Lost Heir
39

-----

Not really. He ran away during a battle when I was only two
years old. But I've been hearing about his treachery my whole life.
[…] I really can't believe he never took you to the ocean in all
that time.
about Webs The Lost Heir (book)|The Lost
Heir
43

-----

It's not how I usually introduce myself. It makes dragons see
me a certain way. I'm sorry, I should have told you. I was hoping you
might, um — I'd like to know more about him.
to Tsunami,
about Webs The Lost Heir
128

-----

It's all right. You can tell me the truth. I want to hear the
bad stuff, too. It's good for me.
to Tsunami, about Webs

The Lost Heir
129

-----

A squid-brain. My new favorite insult, thanks to you.
to Tsunami The Lost Heir
130

-----

I stayed close to make sure you and the other dragonets were
safe. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you the truth. I didn't think you'd
trust me if you knew.
to Tsunami, after telling her the truth
about being in the Talons of Peace The Lost Heir (book)|The Lost
Heir
278

## Trivia

  - Tsunami likes Riptide's name and thinks it sounds fierce and scary,
    like hers.