- "That's Fierceteeth. Don't mind her. Older sisters always think they can do whatever you're doing better than you can. I know, I've got one too. I'm Mightyclaws, by the way."
- — Mightyclaws, when he meets Starflight
Template:Charbox Mightyclaws is a male NightWing dragonet with black scales who lived in theNight Kingdom before the volcanic eruption and the NightWing Exodus into the Rainforest. His personality in The Dark Secret was calmer and more friendly than the other dragonets in the dormitory. He was attending Jade Mountain Academy as a member of the Quartz Winglet. He has been described with a round belly, lean face, sharp jawbones, and deep hollows under his eyes[1]. Moonwatcher noted that he has had enough to eat, but has not quite evened out yet. He also appears to be one of the only NightWings with siblings, like Starflight, for not many NightWings have surviving siblings due to the harsh conditions they were hatched in on the volcanic island. He has a silver earring in one ear that was enchanted by Darkstalker to allow him to touch whatever he draws and make it a real-life object.
Biography
The Dark Secret
Mightyclaws first appeared at the dorm cave where The Dark Secret began with Fierceteeth, Mindreader, and a few other unnamed dragonets. He seemed to be a bit more friendly than some of the rest of the bunch. He interrogated Starflight with the others about the outside world because he was not old enough know the NightWing secrets and keep them a secret, thus he couldn't leave the NightWing island yet. He was the first to switch loyalties over to Queen Glory while the other NightWings hesitated.
The Brightest Night
Deathbringer suggested that Mightyclaws go to the new school for dragonets at Jade Mountain in the epilogue of The Brightest Night.
Moon Rising
Moon visits Mightyclaws in the art cave of Jade Mountain Academy to ask questions about Darkstalker and the NightWings. He asks Moon why she would ask him about such a thing. He is one of the NightWings who thinks Darkstalker will come back to the NightWings seeking revenge. He appears to have some problems with trauma that he is supposed to solve by using art as a therapy, which was recommended by Starflight. He seems to dislike Moonwatcher by saying that she "will never be one of us" after showing her his painting of the volcano, but Moonwatcher once heard him think, "If my mother had any spine she'd have hidden me in the rainforest", hinting that he may not dislike her and that perhaps he envies her instead. However, he seems to dislike his mother, what with him criticizing her for not hiding his egg in the rainforest. Moon describes him as an outwardly friendly dragon with dark thoughts on the inside. In the art cave when he asks Moonwatcher why she was asking him so many questions and she responded that she thought that it would help her be "more like a NightWing", he threw his painting of the volcano on the floor to show her that it was why she would never be a true NightWing, and he furiously stormed out of the art cave.
Winter Turning
Mightyclaws makes a very brief appearance painting in the epilogue whilst Darkstalker is reading the thoughts of students across the school. He is shown to be thinking about the escaped prisoners planning a rebellion against Glory. Darkstalker mentions that the young dragonet will have to make a choice, and only one of them will end with him still being alive.
Talons of Power
Mightyclaws is shown appearing at an inconvenient time, in which Tsunami, Sunny, Starflight, and Turtle are discussing the return of Darkstalker. He panics, says he has to warn the others, and bolts out of the room. This really annoys Tsunami, as she says, "Oh great, we've had all of two days before another all-school panic, GREAT." He is later being given an enchantment on his earring by Darkstalker that gives him the ability to turn whatever he draws to become real. He hurries to the art room to test it out. He is one of the 50 or so NightWings that decided to stay with Queen Glory, another one being his mother.
Darkness of Dragons
Mightyclaws is mentioned to have been one of the few NightWings that refused an earring from Qibli and chose to keep the powers Darkstalker gave him. He currently uses those powers to draw up houses for the village in the Rainforest under Queen Glory and Deathbringer's supervision.
Personality
When Starflight first met Mightyclaws, he said that he was the nicest of the NightWing dragonets. Mightyclaws seemed to feel safe telling NightWing secrets to dragons, as is shown when he told Fatespeaker all about the collapsed part of the fortress, including when it happened and where the treasure room was located. He's mature and friendly to strangers. He had little problem with accepting a RainWing dragonet as a queen and seems to be honest and loyal.
He seems to be creative on some level. Since in Moon Rising, he painted the volcano from the NightWing Island, and Moon thought it was quite good.
Mightyclaws had a great fear of Darkstalker and seemed to fully think that he existed, while other NightWings appeared to believe him nothing but a legend.
Quotes
"That's Fierceteeth. Don't mind her. Older sisters always think they can do whatever you're doing better than you can. I know, I've got one too. I'm Mightyclaws, by the way." - to Starflight.
"You here to paint?" - to Moon in the art cave.
"This. This is why you'll never be one of us. Because everything was awful, and you escaped, and it is not fair." - to Moon, showing her his painting of the volcano.
"Don't talk about him!" - about Darkstalker to Moon when she mentioned Darkstalker.
Trivia
- In Moon Rising he is shown to be an excellent artist, painting the volcano that was on the NightWing Island before the events of The Dark Secret took place.
- As shown in the epilogue of Winter Turning, he could possibly be involved in a coup led by Fierceteeth and Strongwings in future books.
- He seems to be jealous of Moonwatcher, thinking she's not a true NightWing since she lived in the rainforest and didn't suffer on the island with them.
- Darkstalker tried to bargain Mightyclaws to come with him by giving his earring an enchantment that gives him the ability to turn whatever he draws to become real.
- Mightyclaws is one of the 50 or so NightWings who remained with Queen Glory.
- He is the second dragon shown having artistic skills, the first being Whiteout.
Gallery
References
- ↑ Moon Rising, page 111