SilkWings

An Image of a SilkWing from A Guide to the Dragons of Pantala

SilkWings are one of the three tribes living on Pantala. They currently live in the LeafSilk Kingdom alongside the LeafWings. The SilkWings do not have a queen, instead having a governing body of SilkWings known as the SilkWing Assembly leading them and making decisions for the tribe. Before and after the Tree Wars, their queen was Queen Wasp. The last SilkWing queen was Queen Monarch. They are descendants of BeetleWings. They are characterized by their butterfly-like wings and silk spinning abilities.

Appearance

SilkWings can be any color under the sun except black, whilst their eyes can be any color. They are commonly patterned with splotches, freckles, and stripes.

SilkWings have long, plated, curved horns and iridescent plated scales like sliced gems. They have long antennae and two sets of huge butterfly-like wings, two larger wings connected near to their shoulders, and two smaller wings connected to a segment near the larger wings. They grow these wings after going through metamorphosis at the age of six. Before metamorphosis, they only have wingbuds. Much like their scales being patterned, their wings can have spots and shapes.

They have slim bodies, much like RainWings, but are much longer, and more beautiful looking.

Abilities

All SilkWings are able to spin silk from glands in their wrists after their metamorphosis. Some SilkWings have the ability to spin flamesilk, a power that allows them to spin fiery silk from their wrists. A single strand of flamesilk can last an entire moon cycle, and was previously used in lamps as a source of light. There are five types of flamesilk:

• Gold Silk does not burn or glow, and is similar to the silvery silk that non-flamesilks can make, but has a golden color instead.
• Firefly Silk gives off a small bit of light, like holding a firefly in your talons, but doesn't burn.
• Glow Silk is warm and gives off a glow like fire, but can be held by anyone.
• Blaze Silk is the flamesilk found in most lanterns, it burns like normal fire and gives off a glow like fire.
• Sun Silk is a type of flamesilk that is as bright as lightning and is hot enough to burn through stone. The only way to put it out is to drown it.

Additionally, SilkWings who are able to produce flamesilk cannot be burned by flamesilk, however they can still be harmed by regular fire.

A dragonet with one flamesilk parent has a fifty percent chance of also being a flamesilk.

SilkWings have precise internal clocks to keep them on schedule and tell them when a rainy season is coming. They are able to sense vibrations using their antennae, as well as weather.

Diet

SilkWings are vegetarian, and they have been known to eat food such as yam, okra, garbanzo beans, fruit, and honey. They also sometimes eat candy, such as honey drops, nectar, and chocolate.

Culture

Pre-Tree Wars

SilkWings are described to be natural tree dwellers, and are said to have lived in the vast forests of Pantala before the Tree Wars. Before the advent of the Tree Wars, the tribe had their own queen, Queen Monarch, before she abdicated her throne to Queen Wasp and vanished soon after. Successors to the SilkWing throne were always chosen by the SilkWing queen if they had many potential heirs.

Soon after a SilkWing's metamorphosis, it was common for them to take time off of school to explore the continent before they would decide on a job.

Post-Tree Wars

School Curriculum and Hive Professions

In the Hives, SilkWings received general education before their metamorphosis. The many key topics studied were The History of the Tree Wars, Literature and Writing, Math, Animal Studies, Physical Exercise, and Silk Studies; as well as about areas such as web structure, silk weaving, and following directions. Many of these classes were taught by HiveWings, with one exception being Silk Studies, which was taught by SilkWings. SilkWings also practiced emergency drills in school, in the case of a possible LeafWing attack on the Hive's webs.

Many of these topics taught to SilkWings were described as to purposefully make the tribe feel inferior, afraid of leaving the Hives, and to only have related to their possible future assigned careers and occupations. SilkWings were constantly told that HiveWings learn everything they do, but at a much younger age, and were also taught about dangerous animals outside, intended to scare them away from leaving the Hives.

When a SilkWing finished their schooling, they completed on-the-job-training, and began work as soon as they went through metamorphosis and grew wings. SilkWings never had choice or preference over their assigned work or job, because they were described by HiveWings as "overly sensitive" and "prone to fits of fancy." If a SilkWing was particularly skilled or proficient in their work, they were often assigned a job that was harder for them, and "troublemakers" were typically assigned the hardest jobs. Some possible jobs that a SilkWing could have been assigned include:

• Construction workers were assigned in breaking down and reshaping old treestuff for use in further repair or construction at other areas of a Hive. Having been described as hard, back-breaking work, this job was more difficult and more dangerous when compared with other professions and jobs. It was common for SilkWings who caused the most trouble in school to be assigned this job.
• Web workers were assigned to spin and repair the webs that serve as the bridges going between the Hives and as the home for all SilkWings.
• Spinners were assigned in creating artistic tapestries, with the work of the best spinners having been highly sought after among wealthy HiveWings.
• Weavers and dyers were assigned in making many different kinds of threads and cloths serving a multitude of practical or decorative purposes, such as garments, window coverings, and cleaning cloths.
• Servants worked in the establishments or residences of HiveWings, assigned in completing many different jobs by their employers, such as food preparation, dragonet care, and cleaning.
• Performers were assigned in putting on plays and concerts across many different Hives. These performances were put on for HiveWings, but some less restrictive Hives also allowed for SilkWings to watch as well. This job was seen as a dream job for some SilkWings, as it afforded them the ability to travel between many different Hives and to see more of the continent, which was generally restricted among SilkWings outside of this profession.