Peril

Peril is a young adult SkyWing and the main protagonist of Escaping Peril. She was formerly Ex-Queen Scarlet's champion in the SkyWing Arena. She has a rare and deadly condition known as firescales, allowing her to burn anything by just touching it. The only known dragon that can’t be burned by Peril’s firescales is Clay, who was hatched from a blood red MudWing egg and therefore has fireproof scales. Peril's mother, Kestrel, tried to flee the Sky Kingdom with her dragonets, Peril and her brother, but was forced to kill Peril's twin brother, who was born with little fire. She had then tried to escape with Peril, but was burned so badly that she had to drop her and flee. After the events of The Brightest Night, Peril was banished from the Sky Kingdom by Queen Ruby. During Escaping Peril, she saved Ruby's son, Prince Cliff, and was pardoned and welcomed into Ruby’s palace.

She has romantic feelings for Clay, and it is known that he likes her as a friend and enjoys her company, the only Dragonet of Destiny to do so. In the epilogue of Darkness of Dragons, he seems to have fallen for her when he accepted her offer to fly in the rain with her. Peril is a young adult SkyWing and the main protagonist of Escaping Peril. She was formerly Ex-Queen Scarlet's champion in the SkyWing Arena. She has a rare and deadly condition known as firescales, allowing her to burn anything by just touching it. The only known dragon that can’t be burned by Peril’s firescales is Clay, who was hatched from a blood red MudWing egg and therefore has fireproof scales. Peril's mother, Kestrel, tried to flee the Sky Kingdom with her dragonets, Peril and her brother, but was forced to kill Peril's twin brother, who was born with little fire. She had then tried to escape with Peril, but was burned so badly that she had to drop her and flee. After the events of The Brightest Night, Peril was banished from the Sky Kingdom by Queen Ruby. During Escaping Peril, she saved Ruby's son, Prince Cliff, and was pardoned and welcomed into Ruby’s palace.

She has romantic feelings for Clay, and it is known that he likes her as a friend and enjoys her company, the only Dragonet of Destiny to do so. In the epilogue of Darkness of Dragons, he seems to have fallen for her when he accepted her offer to fly in the rain with her.

Appearance
Peril has unusual, bright red and metallic-orange-copper-colored scales with smoke rising from them (due to her firescales), and has bright golden veins running through her glimmering red and copper-orange wings. She has eagle-sharp, eerie, startling sky-blue eyes of which no other SkyWing has, like two small blue flames blazing, or like "someone had bundled up the sky and immersed it in fire until it burned from the inside" as described by Princess Ruby. She was also noted to have a long tail and sharp, small, white teeth, as well as full sized horns. In the Graphic Novel, she bursts into flames when excited or angry.

Personality
Contrary to her first appearance in The Dragonet Prophecy, Peril's real personality showed itself in Escaping Peril as being hilarious, unapologetic, bold and fierce, and annoyed as Ex-Queen Scarlet shaped her this way. After she met Prince Turtle, she was finally able to express herself to someone other than Clay. At first, she doubted Turtle's desire to be her friend, but by the end of Escaping Peril, she was sure he wanted to be her friend, as he had come to see if she was all right after Queen Turmaline and Ex-Queen Scarlet's gladiator battle. After she had ripped off the necklace enchanted by her father, Peril realized that she could have a chance at being liked with her firescales - but without Scarlet. From the moment since she saved Clay's life in The Brightest Night, Peril has tried her hardest to be the best dragon she can be, not killing anybody, though she wants to.

She is not a cold-blooded killer, as she is believed to be by many dragons, but just a dragon who saw killing as her purpose. She believed that it was what she was born to do as this is what Scarlet convinced her to believe and that she couldn't do anything else. When she was offered the chance to go with the other dragonets, she replied that she shouldn't be able to go with them until she has figured out how to make her own destiny. She is shown to be sympathetic and caring at times, particularly to Clay, showing that she's not the psychotic killer that she appears to be. Peril is also rather possessive and clingy, even going as far as betraying the dragonets to Queen Scarlet in exchange for being able to keep Clay.

In The Dragonet Prophecy, Peril is quite cheery and upbeat and is shown to be strangely enthusiastic about fighting in the arena and killing other dragons, probably because she was raised to do so and was never told it was wrong. After the fight with Horizon, she doesn't seem to have much of a problem with the fact that the SandWing had violently killed himself by burning himself with her scales, beside the fact that it had been "poor form" for Horizon to commit suicide instead of fighting back.

By the events of The Brightest Night, and in the second series, she is noticeably more gloomy and brooding. Peril seems to be guilty and views herself as a monster because of what she did in the arena and feels that it is her responsibility to find Scarlet to protect Clay and do anything to please him. In Moon Rising, Moonwatcher sees inside her head; to her, it is an inferno and is too hard to read. The flames did, however, subside when Clay was near her, enabling Moon to feel Peril's strong love for him.

In Escaping Peril, which Peril was the protagonist of, she appears awkward, moody, restless, and brooding. She makes many sarcastic and/or awkward comments around Turtle, the dragon she meets at the Jade Mountain Academy. She tries to not sound like a murderer and often repeats things to try to make her sound less creepy. Unfortunately for her, this usually has the opposite effect and ends up scaring others. She sometimes becomes annoyed and angry, like around Winter. Around the rest of the Jade Winglet, she is defensive. When she gets the necklace that her father, Chameleon, made, she is very happy and joyful. The necklace, containing a scrap of Darkstalker's scroll in it, is enchanted to keep her completely loyal to Ex-Queen Scarlet and erases her memories of Clay, and it also removes her firescales condition. After Ex-Queen Scarlet is dead, she is shown to be much more caring and calm. Throughout most of the book, she wonders what Clay would think, but eventually decides she should do what she thinks is right. Because of that, it seems she idolizes Clay, thinking everything he does is right.

Abilities
Peril's talons and scales are so hot that they can burn through almost anything, including all forms of fire-resistant metal, such as the wires used to hold prisoners in Scarlet's arena. She can burn Clay, but it's extremely difficult and he heals from it fast as he was hatched from a blood red egg and has fire resistant scales, though he isn't completely fireproof. This is proved in The Brightest Night when Peril was shown to be able to burn Clay; however, she had to stab her talons into his leg and through his fire-resistant scales to do so.

It is confirmed that Peril also has other average SkyWing abilities, such as flight skills and fire-breathing.

Ex-Queen Scarlet
Growing up in the Sky Palace, Peril saw Queen Scarlet as a mother figure; Scarlet made Peril the arena champion, cared for her and gave the orphaned dragonet a place to live. Despite this, the queen often lied to and misled Peril, such as about the fact that she must eat special black rocks to survive with her condition and about the circumstances of her abandonment. It is more likely she was merely using Peril for her twisted idea of entertainment, and in reality had no motherly feelings for her. When Peril finds out the truth about her mother, she feels betrayed by Queen Scarlet and turns against her, and destroys the painting of Queen Scarlet on the wall in her room.

However, in The Brightest Night, Peril frees Scarlet from Burn's tower - although somewhat unwillingly. After Scarlet disappears, Peril also goes off to look for her, indicating that she still might care about the ex-queen to a degree of some sort.

In Escaping Peril, she is placed under an enchantment to be loyal to her. Despite this, she overcomes it, showing loyalty to Ruby instead.

Clay
Peril is in love with Clay. He was the only dragon Peril feels she can speak to, and she even goes so far as to bring him mud to heal his wounds and (a bit charred) food when he's Queen Scarlet's prisoner. Clay is the only known dragon that can come in contact with Peril without becoming burned. Peril quickly becomes defensive and eventually extremely possessive of Clay, going so far as to betraying him, Tsunami, and Starflight to Queen Scarlet just for the sake of keeping him with her. Peril also later saves Clay from a dragonbite viper bite by burning the venom out of his leg, towards the end of The Brightest Night.

So far, it would appear that Clay returns Peril's feelings, because he is very affectionate towards her. He has so far demonstrated that he is a very honest dragon, and the feelings he has shown for Peril are most likely genuine. He also sees her other side - the conflicted, lonely dragon who just wants a family and friends. In Talons of Power, Qibli tells Peril that Clay likes her but doesn't quite know what to do about it yet. In Moon Rising, Moonwatcher had a vision involving an orange-brown dragonet "she had never seen before" in it along with adult versions of Clay and Starflight. This dragonet is very likely the offspring of Peril and Clay, as Peril has a very unique coppery-orange color due to her abilities. This dragonet has likely inherited Peril's copper-orange color mixed with Clay's mud-brown color.

Starflight
Peril is unable to speak to Starflight in his cell because he is too nervous. Later, Starflight comes up with a plan involving Peril moving the black rocks to help them escape. Peril doesn't seem to mind the idea of being lectured by Starflight, unlike most other dragons. In the future that Darkstalker shows Moonwatcher in Moon Rising, Clay mentioned how boring Starflight is to the students at Jade Mountain Academy, hoping he'll make them fall asleep so they will stop asking Clay questions.

Tsunami
Tsunami refuses to speak to Peril while in her cell. She doesn't trust her, mainly because of the SkyWing's relationship with Clay. She thinks Peril is a psychotic murderer and trusts her even less after she betrays them to Queen Scarlet. When Clay suggested Peril could come along with the dragonets, Tsunami replied, "Over my charred, dead body." However, she was grateful to Peril for saving Clay from the dragonbite viper's venom in The Brightest Night.

Tsunami also was quick to suspect Peril of planting the dragonflame cactus bomb in Moon Rising, though Sunny pointed out that this was impossible, due to her not being able to touch the cactus without it exploding because of her firescales.

Kestrel
Peril is shocked when she learns the truth about her mother. At Kestrel's trial, Peril asks Queen Scarlet for the Champion's Shield, meaning if she wins the battle, her mother will be released. Despite this, Peril deeply dislikes her mother. When Kestrel asks to speak with her, Peril says, "You killed my brother. You left me here. And it's your fault my friend is dead. I might not want you dead, but I don't want to know you." Peril was, however, devastated upon learning of Kestrel's death.

Turtle
Turtle is her traveling companion in Escaping Peril. They seem to have platonic feelings, and he trusts her with his secret of being animus. When she was with Queen Scarlet, he followed her to try and save her. Peril traveled with Turtle to Possibility because Turtle wanted to check on his friends and Peril wanted to look for Scarlet. By the time they reached Possibility, Turtle was referring to Peril as his friend. Throughout Escaping Peril she wonders whether or not to like him, to be his friend, and whether or not he was using her. Eventually, she starts trusting him and they become good friends. Turtle is one of the few characters able to make a positive relationship with Peril. Turtle and Peril both have unusual and dangerous powers, which also helped with their friendship. They ended up almost having a sibling relationship. It is likely Turtle can now touch her because he enchanted his scales to be invulnerable and as hard as diamonds.

Osprey
For the longest time before Peril met the Dragonets of Destiny, Osprey was her only friend and dragon that would talk to her like a normal dragon.

Quotes
''"I'm your friend! You don't need them!" - ''To Clay

''"That's it?" ''- To Sunny

''"I'm not, well... It's not fair! The others can have any dragon! I only want you!" - ''To Clay

"I had this whole plan. Where I saved you after her and you liked me most of all." - To Clay

''"I guess I didn't need you. I turned out all right without you." ''- To Kestrel

"Don't feel sorry for me. I am'' dangerous. That's, like, the whole entire point of me." ''- To Sunny

"I can't help you. I have to rescue Scarlet while everyone is distracted with that battle outside." - To Sunny

''"You can't die! I won't let you!" ''- To Clay

''"Yes. I'm Queen Scarlet's notorious death monster." - ''To Turtle

''"My only friend is old and always tells the same stories. But you're blazing." ''- To Clay

"Moose?" - When first meeting Turtle in Escaping Peril

''"NO. Horrifying amounts of no. That was one hundred percent disgusting." - ''To Turtle after trying raw fish

"''Stop dying and listen to me!" - To Winter shortly after she runs into him in Escaping Peril''

''"I'm not glaring. This is my FACE." - To Turtle in Escaping Peril''

''"I'll miss your boring face. Not a lot, but a little." - To Turtle when he's leaving in Talons of Power''

''"Ack! Stop! Buckets of gizzards! Go OUT already!" - Peril trying to stomp out a fire in Talons of Power''

''"Bye! Don't wish me luck because I don't need it and who cares!" - Peril in Talons of Power''

"''Fine! Fine, normal, great, weird, totally fine, why, what did you hear?" - Peril to Qibli in Talons of Power''

"You can go stuff a mountain goat up your nose, SandWing! Horns first!' - To Qibli

''"A RainWing. Seriously. My father is a RainWing. Is this a joke?" - ''To Scarlet and Chameleon

Trivia

 * In The Dragonet Prophecy, Peril uses "blazing" as a substitute for "awesome". She has noticeably stopped doing this by the time she reappears in The Brightest Night.
 * According to Kestrel, Peril hatched a year before the Dragonets of Destiny, who were all six years old, therefore she is a year older. Dragons are considered adults at age eight, therefore Peril could now be regarded as an adult SkyWing instead of a dragonet as of the Second Arc.
 * Peril is said to have a unique scale and eye color that no other known SkyWing has. This is likely a trait of firescales SkyWings.
 * It was confirmed by Tui T. Sutherland that dragons born with too little fire, such as Peril's brother, are a pale, sickly-looking orange or red.
 * Winter confirmed that IceWing frostbreath does not affect her. Peril said that it just made the area numb for a few minutes.
 * It has been confirmed by Moon that Peril's mind is difficult to read because of her fire, shielding Peril from the outside and inside.
 * In Winter Turning when Darkstalker tried to see her possible futures, he said that it was like "following a map through a forest fire".
 * Peril is possibly referenced in the Jade Mountain prophecy as "the talons of power and fire".
 * Peril is capable of eating food raw as long as it doesn't touch her outer scales.
 * Peril has a different name category from most, if not all other SkyWings as they are often named after birds, reddish colors, and fire-related words. In her case, Peril was named after how dangerous she is.
 * Water does not counteract Peril's scales, as when her tail slipped into a pool, she boiled the two fish swimming in it. However, that could have just been because of the small size of the pool, as fish that bumped against her while she was swimming in a river were unharmed.
 * Peril is shown to like her prey burned instead of raw, as shown in Escaping Peril when Turtle tries to feed her a raw fish.
 * Peril can be hurt by a dragonflame cactus. This was confirmed in Escaping Peril when she accidentally set one off while in Possibility. The needles burnt off after a few minutes, but caused her severe pain.
 * Peril is technically a hybrid and half RainWing, because Soar the SkyWing is her father, and Soar is really the RainWing Chameleon (though he was a full Skywing via Darkstalker's scroll, meaning that Peril is not in fact a hybrid).
 * The book where she is the main character (Escaping Peril) is the second shortest book in the series so far, having only 288 pages.
 * It is stated by Moonwatcher how Peril has presumed fire in her mind; however, after the main events of Escaping Peril, Moonwatcher states that the amount of fire in her mind is much less.
 * In Tui's original draft of The Dragonet Prophecy, Peril and her twin brother were the SkyWing dragonets for the prophecy.
 * Tui had originally intended to kill Peril, but fan outcry caused her to change this and later give her a book of her own.
 * She seems to be resistant to animus magic, as shown by how quickly Chameleon's enchantment broke down relative to other dragons such as Ruby.
 * In the graphic novel, it is shown that Peril didn't completely burn Kestrel like she did to some of the other dragons she touched, so it is possible that firescales are weaker when the dragon first hatches.