[File:SandTransparent.png|center|600x600px|SandWing](File:SandTransparent.png%7Ccenter%7C600x600px%7CSandWing)
by Joy Ang 'SandWings', also known as 'sand dragons' or 'desert dragons'
to humans, are a Pyrrhian dragons|dragon tribe who dwell in the Kingdom
of Sand, a vast desert along the west coast and near the center of
Pyrrhia. They are currently ruled by Queen Thorn.

Stone, Rose, and Heath were the main cause of the War of SandWing
Succession, as the three warring princesses were vying for control of
their tribe. Each princess had different allies — Blister was allied
with the SeaWings and NightWings, and formerly the MudWings. Burn was
allied with the SkyWings and later the MudWings, and Blaze was allied
with the IceWings and most of the SandWings. After the eighteen year
long war ended, these alliances disintegrated and the SandWings joined
as one to serve the new queen.

## Description

[File:SandTail.png|thumb|300px|A](File:SandTail.png%7Cthumb%7C300px%7CA)
SandWing tail barb from The Lost Heir (graphic novel), by Mike Holmes
SandWings are partly based on scorpions. They have pale yellow, pale
gold, white-gold, or light yellow-brown scales that blend in with the
desert sand. They have obsidian-black eyes, a spike on the top of their
nose and below their ear, and a black forked tongue. They have short,
curved horns and a sail or ridge going from the top of their snout to
about three fourths down their tails, which have a scorpion-like stinger
at the end. Their tail barb is typically dark in color. <File:Sandwing>
egg book one.jpg|thumb|SandWing egg SandWings may have different
patterns on their scales and wings, including black diamond patterns,
brown speckled markings, freckles, and triangle patterns on a dragon's
wings.

## Diet

SandWings are light eaters. They eat animals from the desert, such as
camels and lizards, and may cook or prepare much of their food. Date
cookies, dried figs, biscuits, dried dates and fruit, bread, and roasted
lizards and camels are prepared in the SandWing palace's kitchen. They
also consume coffee, camel and cinnamon milk. SandWings are willing to
eat fruit and vegetables, though they are scarce in the desert.
SandWings in Vulture's compound also eat scavengers, smelly cheese,
cinnamon, coconut, smoked ham, lemons, dried fish, and ducks. SandWings
of Six-Claws' time baked date soufflé and made camel shish kebab. They
also drank cactus cider and agave nectar in flagons. General Sandstorm
would drink cinnamon milk. Their diet is also noted to consist of
antelope, cactus, desert rodents, small birds, honey, berries, and
tortillas.

## Abilities

SandWings have scales that radiate warmth and they are capable of
breathing fire. They can camouflage with sand, can sustain themselves on
very little food and water, and have sharp hearing and smell. They are
naturally adapted to desert conditions, better at handling heat and a
lack of water than any other dragon tribe, but can still be affected by
desert conditions. They are built for long flights across the desert
without stopping, and they are able to go for days with very little
food.

<File:Blister> tail barb GN.png|thumb|Blister using her tail barb on
Webs from The Lost Heir (graphic novel), by Mike HolmesSandWings have
venomous barbed tails, similar to scorpion tails. Their venom can kill a
full-grown dragon, with how long the death takes depending on how close
to the heart the wound is. SandWings do not develop their tail-barb
venom until they are around three years old, and as young dragonets,
they have a smaller barb that has not fully developed. The cure for
SandWing venom is brightsting cactus.

#### Animus magic

The SandWing tribe has animus magic, though little is known about their
animus dragons or spells they have cast. One notable animus-touched
object is the Eye of Onyx, enchanted to reduce any SandWing who tries
for the throne into dust, if she is not worthy to be queen. Jerboa and
Jerboa III are the only known animus SandWings.

## Society

[File:ScorpionDenGN2.png|thumb|Merchants](File:ScorpionDenGN2.png%7Cthumb%7CMerchants)
and assassins in the Scorpion Den from The Brightest Night (graphic
novel), by Mike HolmesThe SandWings' kingdom is vast and empty, as many
choose to live in towns by oases. Occasionally, some would live and roam
around on their own. Living alone helped them avoid conflicts. Many
SandWings work as merchants or assassins, especially in the Scorpion
Den. They celebrate full moon festivals, and are a surprisingly musical
tribe. Duties between civilians can range between garden keeping,
kitchen work, teaching, army duties. and patrols such as harvesting
brightsting cacti, hunting desert foxes, and destroying dragonbite viper
dens. According to Fierceteeth, Thorn becoming the new SandWing queen is
quite controversial within the Kingdom of Sand. Most citizens are,
however, quite loyal towards their queen.

SandWing dragonets are taught to hold their tails in a certain way to
prevent accidents. Young dragons spend a lot of time practicing how to
be aware of their tails and everyone else's, and much bandaging and
antidote-administering is required for various accidents. Dragonets who
live in the palace learn basic things in the wingery until the age of
two.

Even in times of general peace, SandWings still had minor skirmishes
with IceWings and SkyWings.

They also have a reputation among other tribes as sneaky outlaws and are
stereotyped as sly and underhanded. Winter once described them to be
"nearly as untrustworthy as NightWings, but half as smart and twice as
likely to betray you for gold and treasure."

SandWings keep armadillos, coyotes, and snakes as pets.

## Names

SandWings are often named after the desert — both features or
characteristics of the land (such as Oasis and Horizon) and local flora
and fauna (such as Meerkat and Agave). Fire and heat-related names are
also common (such as Burn, Smolder, Kindle, and Char), and SandWings may
be named after physical attributes (such as Six-Claws) and colors (such as Tawny).

Click :Category:SandWings|here for a list of known SandWings.

#### Animus dragons

  - Jerboa
  - Jerboa III

#### Students at Jade Mountain

  - Arid
  - Onyx (formerly)   - Ostrich
  - Pronghorn
  - Qibli

## Trivia

  - Though poor in the time of Darkstalker,
    SandWings may have looted the lost city of night after the
    NightWings fled.
  - SandWings had earplugs.
  - Most SandWings are claustrophobic.
  - SandWings have caravans.
  - SandWings play games with tiny bones.