[File:SkyTransparent.png|centre|thumb|600x600px](File:SkyTransparent.png%7Ccentre%7Cthumb%7C600x600px)
'SkyWings', also known as 'mountain dragons, sky dragons,' or 'fire
dragons' to humans, are a Pyrrhian dragons|dragon tribe residing in the
mountains on the "wing" of Pyrrhia. They are currently ruled by Queen
Ruby.

The SkyWings were originally allied with Burn and later on, the MudWings
during the War of SandWing Succession. This alliance was upheld by both
Ex-Queen Scarlet and her daughter, Queen Ruby.

## Description

SkyWings are based on traditional Western dragons. They have red,
crimson, orange, or yellow scales. SkyWings typically have yellow,
orange, or amber eyes, though Peril and Sky are exceptions, due to their
conditions. SkyWing scales are "jewel-hard." They also have the largest
wings of any tribe, and long, curved horns on their heads. Most SkyWing
snouts are thin and long, with a nose-spike, and an extra horn on their
jaw. SkyWing eggs are pale red, orange, or red-gold.

Most known SkyWings have stereotypically been portrayed as
short-tempered, militaristic, grumpy, mean, and fond of violence. Clay
noted that "the SkyWing soldiers looked underfed and they needed rest,"
and an unnamed MudWing in the Talons of Peace made a joke about how all
SkyWings were either red and grumpy or orange and grumpy.

## Diet

SkyWings are shown to eat scavengers, mountain goats, chicken, foxes,
deer, bobcats, cows, pigs, sheep, and rodents. They have been described
to eat roasted seagulls. SkyWings also grow their own crops. Their diet
is also noted to consist of cougars, squirrels, rabbits, and birds of
prey.

## Abilities

SkyWings are the fastest fliers of any dragon tribe due to their
enormous wings and endurance, and they are built for flying longer
distances because of their stamina. SkyWing dragonets also learn to fly
at a fairly young age. They are capable of breathing fire and are
considered powerful fighters.[1] They can see farther and have better
cold resistance than most tribes, excluding IceWings.

According to Morrowseer, SkyWings, like NightWings, can hold their fire
until it is at maximum temperature.

A SkyWing dragonet in a twin egg may develop a condition known as
firescales. This is when a dragon has "too much fire," causing their
scales to be incredibly hot to the touch, and anything flammable to
touch their scales will burn almost instantly. Dragons with firescales
cannot burn flammable objects inside their mouth. Firescales are much
hotter than the average dragon's fire, and cannot be harmed by IceWing
frostbreath. In addition, any rain that comes into contact with a
firescales dragon will immediately evaporate into steam. Firescales may
occur when one twin "sucks the fire" out of the other, leaving the
non-firescales twin fireless and much sicklier. Due to the dangerous
nature of this condition, SkyWing law demands the killing of dragonets
hatched with firescales by dropping them off of tall mountains.

Firescales dragons are immune to frostbreath and are often difficult to
injure due to weapons melting or burning before or on contact.
Frostbreath causes temporary numbness to firescales dragons when they
are hit. Hope states that she had not seen a firescales dragon in a long
time, implying that there might have been a dragon with firescales in
her time.File:Blazing_Peril3.png|thumb|Peril using her firescales to protect Kestrel in The Dragonet Prophecy (graphic novel)|The Dragonet
Prophecy

#### Animus magic

SkyWings had animus magic during or prior to Darkstalker, but they would kill any animus dragonets because
they are too "dangerous" to live just like firescales. They have not had
an animus dragon in centuries.

## Society

SkyWings are regarded as grumpy and aggressive by other tribes; under
Scarlet's rule, many citizens appeared thin and grumpy. They seem to
value entertainment a great deal, as they enjoyed gladiatorial combat in
the SkyWing palace#SkyWing Arena|SkyWing Arena during the war. SkyWings
have orchestras who perform music during celebrations. SkyWings dance,
sing, and clap wings at parties.

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

They do not tolerate dangerous differences in the Sky Kingdom|kingdom.
As such, they killed their animus dragons and firescales dragonets as
soon as they were discovered. SkyWings also kill dragons for having too
little fire. They had a test for all SkyWing dragons as soon as they are
able to speak in order to test for animus magic. They would sit the
SkyWing in front of a small fire and have them tell it to go out. If the
fire went out, they would kill the dragonet.

Most SkyWing dragonets are raised in a wingery. The wingery is a place
for young dragonets to grow and play. As SkyWings learn flight early in
their lives, the wingery contains a place for dragonets to practice.

Most SkyWing families are fairly loose. Not all dragons seek partners,
instead they may register themselves in a breeding program to be paired
up by the queen. SkyWing weddings are quiet, and involve the two dragons
saying ritual words while flying with each other above the clouds and
then registering themselves in an ancestry scroll. During Scarlet's
reign, weddings involved fights in the arena.

SkyWings have a traditional, ceremonial burial system, which consists of
wrapping a deceased dragon's body in white cloth or silk and offering it
to the sky for seven days before being burned. This allows the dragon's
spirit to fly free, reincarnating into a SkyWing instead of a dragon
from any other tribe. The ceremony may have been stopped during the war,
but it carried on in Ruby's rule. A cave near the peak of Jade Mountain
is a notable location where SkyWings have held this ceremony.

Before Queen Firestorm, there was an old tradition called the Clash of
Claws Tournament that the SkyWings would hold every seven years.
SkyWings from across the kingdom would come to the palace to compete in
a weeklong competition to prove themselves to the queen, tribe, and
kingdom. If they won, they were granted glory, fame, and a seat at the
queen's table of advisors. There were seven challenges that were done
over the seven days of the tournament.

List of the Clash of Claws challenges
'Flame':
Competitors compare intensity, precision, and heat of their fire.

'Endurance': Competitors fly to the tallest mountain in the kingdom to
collect a token and race back to the palace to test their speed,
stamina, and resistance to the cold.

'Strength': Competitors fly as high as possible while carrying a heavy
boulder, then throw the boulder as far as they can.

'Cunning': Competitors go through elaborate mazes with secret rooms full
of treasure that they must acquire while avoiding snares and other
traps.

'Guile': Competitors race to find a scavenger and bring them back to the
palace alive and unharmed.

'Wit': Competitors must correctly answer a series of riddles crafted by
the queen and her advisors.

'Speed': Competitors fly in a race to determine who is the fastest in
the tribe.

#### Arena

The SkyWing Arena was originally used for parades, art shows, dance
performances, and beauty contests before Queen Scarlet converted it into
a gladiatorial arena where war prisoners would fight to the death for
her entertainment. SkyWings, MudWings, and SandWings all attended these
events as an audience and would throw gemstones to the fighters. The
prisoners were chained to tall pillars, forming a ring around the arena,
with their wings clamped and wires connecting them to one another.

If a dragon reached a certain number of victories, they would be set
free. No prisoners were actually released in accordance with this
clause, as they would be sent to fight Peril, Ex-Queen Scarlet's
"Champion" before reaching the necessary amount.

After her ascension to the throne, Queen Ruby turned the arena into a
hospital for all the dragons wounded in the War of the SandWing
Succession.

## Names

SkyWings can be named after mountain-dwelling creatures or birds (such
as Kestrel, Osprey, and Hawk), features of the landscape (such as Cliff,
Canyon, and Sunset), gemstones or minerals (such as Ruby and Garnet),
actions during flight (such as Tailwind and Soar), shades of red and
orange (such as Vermilion and Scarlet), and generic fire-related words
(such as Firestorm and Flame).

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

### Students at Jade Mountain

  - Carnelian (formerly; deceased)
  - Flame (formerly; currently working with healers in the Sky Kingdom)
  - Garnet
  - Peregrine
  - Peril
  - Thrush
  - Unnamed characters#SkyWings|An unnamed male SkyWing

## Trivia

  - A SkyWing's hearing is said to be sharper when they are flying.
  - SkyWings were described as "the friendly tribe" in the era of
    Darkstalker, but this may have been sarcasm.
  - SkyWings make a particular hissing noise before breathing fire. This
    same hissing noise can be used as a threat of anger, as shown by
    Kestrel, or a respectful noise as shown by the spectators at Queen
    Scarlet's arena.
  - Winter, when wearing the Pyrite mask, described SkyWings as "freer
    than any other tribe, more loyal to one another, and more
    independent."
  - SkyWings prefer to live high among the peaks in their kingdom,
    instead of down lower.