Skywing Dragons spend most of their lives flying in the air. They hunt from the air, diving at prey from above, and land only to rest. They are some of the fastest fliers, capable of extremely high speeds. The webbing at the end of the tail acts as a rudder, allowing them to easily change direction during flight.

Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling’s wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.

Since his legs transformed into wings as a hatchling, Fiyero has longed to walk on land. He has grown bored of flying and all of its difficulties. He is judged by his peers for his want of ground, and avoids the other Skywings when possible. Only landing to sleep limits his contact with the rest of the cave. Fiyero has become isolated and lonely because most dragons land whenever they choose, while he is unable to. He will circle for hours, waiting for night, so that he may land on the ground to sleep.