The Dragonet Prophecy

The Dragonet Prophecy is the first in the Wings of Fire series about the fantastical land of Pyrrhia. The first arc of the series includes five novels. Each of the dragonets of destiny is a protagonist in the different novels. Wings of Fire includes two more arcs, several short stories, two standalone prequels, and graphic novel adaptations that feature other characters within the same fictional setting.

Tui Sutherland is the Venezuelan-American author of Wings of Fire and many others for children. She writes under the pen names Heather Williams and Tamara Summers. She also shares the pen name Erin Hunter, author of the Warriors series, with two other writers.

This study guide refers to the Scholastic paperback edition first printed in 2013. The characters in this novel show cruelty toward physical differences and includes  graphic, but not gory, depictions of dragons killing each other along with two humans.

Plot Summary

Pyrrhia is a fictional land occupied by seven dragon tribes and their well-defined kingdoms. The nation is at war, divided into factions based on loyalty to three SandWing sisters who are fighting over who should be queen. A prophecy from the NightWings suggests five dragonets born on the brightest night will end the war in Pyrrhia. The war will have been going on for 20 years by the time the dragonets are predicted to step forward into their roles.

Clay, Tsunami, Sunny, Glory, and Starflight are those dragonets, affectionately called the dragonets of destiny by those who believe in them. They hail from different tribes in Pyrrhia. Clay, a MudWing dragonet, is the protagonist in The Dragonet Prophecy. He is anxious about his role in the prophecy and keeping his friends safe from harm as they go about fulfilling their foreseen destiny. Clay and his fellow dragonets were born together, raised together, and trained together in a cave under a mountain in the SkyWing Kingdom. The dragonets were placed in the care of several dragons working for the Talons of Peace. Their minders, or guardians, must prepare them to fulfill the prophecy.

Part 1, “Under the Mountain,” opens six years into the dragonets’ training. They live with their guardians under the mountain. The guardians are varying degrees of cruel and distant, and the dragonets have become restless to leave and fulfill the prophecy on their own terms. Morrowseer, the NightWing dragon who wrote the prophecy, visits the dragonets, and commands the guardians to kill Glory, the RainWing who wasn’t a part of the prophecy. When the dragonets overhear this plan, they plan to save Glory’s life. After escaping, they plan to travel the world to complete their training, find their families, and fulfill the prophecy. Clay and Tsunami, the SeaWing dragonet, run afoul of Queen Scarlet of the SkyWings. She captures the dragonets and their most cruel minder, Kestrel. As prisoners, Queen Scarlet expects them to fight to the death in her arena.

Part 2, “In the SkyWing Kingdom,” follows Clay as he makes friends with the Queen’s deadly champion Peril and tries to keep himself and his friends alive. Despite being separated by a great distance and chained up in the sky, the dragonets find ways to help each other stay alive. Through his developing friendship with Peril, Clay learns what kind of leader he is, what kind of dragon he is, and why being himself is the most important thing he can do to fulfill the prophecy. The dragonets escape the Sky Kingdom and head for the Mud Kingdom in search of their destiny and Clay’s family.

In Part 3, “An Egg the Color of Dragon Blood,” Clay visits the Mud Kingdom and reunites with his mother and siblings. He learns things about his MudWing identity that help him dissolve all nervousness about his destiny and go forward with confidence.