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The Poison Jungle
The Poison Jungle cover
Cover artistJoy Ang
PublishedJuly 30, 2019
Page count336
ISBN9781338214512 (hardcover) 9781338214529 (paperback)
Preceded byThe Hive Queen
Followed byThe Dangerous Gift
Chapter Index
Prologue1234567891011121314151617181920212223Epilogue

The Poison Jungle is the thirteenth novel in the Wings of Fire novel series and is the third book in arc three. It features Sundew as the main protagonist.

Blurb[edit | edit source]

The New York Times bestselling series continues with a thrilling revelation -- brand-new tribes of dragons! Some secrets are deadly. It's no secret that Sundew wants to destroy the HiveWings. It's her life's mission to exact revenge on the tribe that tried to wipe out the LeafWings and ripped every tree from the surface of Pantala.Every tree, that is, except the wild and dangerous Poison Jungle, where the surviving LeafWings have been hiding since the war. Hiding, plotting, and waiting for a dragon like Sundew, who is uniquely qualified to bring down the Hives.There are dark secrets in the jungle, though -- some that Sundew is keeping, and some that she's only just beginning to discover. And now that a new war is upon them, Sundew and her friends must unearth the oldest secret in the jungle -- even if what they find has the power to destroy them all.

Plot[edit | edit source]

Prologue[edit | edit source]

Set before the burning of Bloodworm Hive, the prologue depicted Bryony, Hemlock, Pokeweed, and Grayling meeting behind a greenhouse at midnight, finalizing their plan to burn the hive. They discussed the SilkWings’ fate, expressing concern but choosing to proceed. Grayling thanked Bryony for fighting for the SilkWings, yet she felt guilty, knowing their motive was revenge against the HiveWings, not concern for the SilkWings.

Roots and Sprouts[edit | edit source]

Sundew led Blue, Bumblebee, Cricket and Swordtail through the perilous Poison Jungle to the LeafWing village, confirming its dangers and Queen Wasp’s failed attempts to burn it, which killed her expedition dragons. Despite their hesitance, Sundew insisted they proceed, warning not to touch untested plants. Swordtail ignored her, sniffing a Venus dragon-trap that swallowed him.

Sundew, frustrated, explained struggling worsened the trap and its resistance to claws risked trapping rescuers. Blue’s flamesilk ignited the plant; Sundew used bromeliad water and leafspeak-grown chokecherry berries to douse the fire, with Cricket’s aid. They freed Swordtail from the dead plant, and Sundew reiterated the jungle’s dangers. Cricket’s question forced Sundew to admit her leafspeak.

Near the village, Sundew saved Mandrake from a panther with a thorn bush, revealing herself to him, Wolfsbane, and Nettle. She vouched for Blue, Cricket, and Swordtail, though Wolfsbane and Nettle left to report to Belladonna. Mandrake, her fiancé, stayed, surprising Cricket. At the village, Blue was crushed to learn his flamesilk burned the hive, and Belladonna’s harshness made Blue and Cricket doubt Sundew.

That night, Sundew met Willow at the SapWing village, sharing Wasp’s mind-control plant. Queen Sequoia led them to her village, where Sundew explained. Willow introduced rescued SeaWings Tsunami, Turtle, and Swordtail’s sister, Io, who came for Luna, stranded on Pyrrhia. Belladonna arrived with Cricket and Swordtail, reuniting him with Io. As Sequoia and Belladonna debated, Sequoia asked, “Heard of the Legend of the Hive?”

Tendrils and Teeth[edit | edit source]

Queen Sequoia shared the ancient legend of Pantala’s early days, when dragons faced nightly attacks from swarms of insects, moving as if guided by a single mind. After many losses, the dragons learned that cutting back the breath of evil, a vine blanketing the continent, made areas safer. Over time, they cleared most of the plant from Pantala. After the tale, Sequoia tasked Cricket, Willow, and Sundew with finding Hawthorn, a LeafWing guarding the remaining breath of evil in the jungle’s most perilous region. Belladonna instructed Sundew to include Nettle and Mandrake alongside her chosen companions. Their journey led them through treacherous obstacles, forcing them to cross a lake by flight. All made it across except Sundew and Bumblebee, who lagged behind. As Sundew neared the other side, Bumblebee screamed and landed on her face, blinding her and causing her to be ensnared by a sundew plant. After some effort, Sundew lured a massive tsetse fly to distract the plant, allowing them to escape and continue toward the Den of Vipers. There, they encountered dragonbite vipers surrounding them, motionless but alive, their eyes fixed on the group. As they neared their goal, the vipers suddenly moved, trapping them. Hawthorn revealed himself, controlling the snakes, and invited them for tea.

During their conversation, Hawthorn admitted he had given the breath of evil to Queen Wasp, leading to his exile. He revealed he had developed an antidote, which he called the heart of salvation. They persuaded Hawthorn to join them to deliver the antidote to the approaching HiveWing army, and he agreed, on the condition that he could bring a few snakes and his prized carving—the seed of the breath of evil.

Leaves in a Storm[edit | edit source]

Nettle, Sundew, and Cricket left Bumblebee with Tsunami, taking the heart of salvation antidote to the LeafWing camp. They planned with Queen Sequoia and Belladonna to spread it among HiveWings using Blue’s flamesilk fumes, which he permitted if no dragons were harmed.

Sundew told Mandrake she wouldn’t marry him; he understood. They tried growing more antidote, but Sundew’s leafspeak met resistance, and the root turned into the breath of evil, disguised as the antidote. Mandrake’s fire ignited it despite Sundew’s warning.

Hawthorn appeared across the river, holding a viper to Willow’s neck, with vines trapping Sundew, Mandrake, and Cricket. The breath of evil spoke through Hawthorn, urging compliance. Cricket distracted him while Sundew’s leafspeak made a sundew consume the viper and Hawthorn. As he attacked Cricket, Willow killed him with a thorn.

They cut the vines and warned the village of the othermind. Queen Hazel found a hidden Pyrrhia route map in the Book of Clearsight. Io got a copy to save SilkWings, and Sundew requested Hemlock, Bryony, and Pokeweed join. A guard reported Wasp’s army burning the jungle.

Hazel ordered evacuation, Mandrake leading PoisonWings. Willow asked why Sundew delegated, and Sundew confessed anger and refusal to flee the othermind. Willow, also angry, said not all dragons deserved rage. They affirmed their love, and Willow urged escape to protect Sundew’s leafspeak. They joined the LeafWings to Pyrrhia, Sundew vowing to return and end the othermind.

Epilogue[edit | edit source]

Jerboa met Snowfall south of the Great Ice Cliff, where Snowfall scolded her tardiness. Jerboa noted Queen Glacier’s similar habit, seeing Snowfall flinch and wondering about her empathy. Snowfall urged Jerboa to enchant the Cliff to surround the Ice Kingdom, fearing invasion by Pantalan dragons fleeing the othermind, spotted by a scout. Jerboa suggested they needed help, not attack, and refused. Snowfall regretted not knowing of Jerboa’s power earlier. Jerboa said she wasn’t her animus and that animus magic had failed continent-wide, demonstrating with a stick enchanted to turn things green, which failed. Snowfall, enraged, called her useless and flew off, leaving Jerboa satisfied.

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