Young dragons that enter the service of the Iron Guard are “Swiftwings”. Unlike their parents these drakes have yet to grow their heavy scales making them perfect scouts and harassment units. While all clans make use for drakes in some capacity, it is the Iron Guard who brought them into the common space.
The difficulty in training a new swiftwing does not come from the process itself. It is the young nobles that pose the problem. Brashness and overconfidence are trademarks of the Iron Hearts and these traits are exemplified in their hatchlings. Many recruits seek out the Swiftwings for glory or just to kill time out of their estate. Breaking down the hot headedness of young dragons is the first step in the training process. Many do not understand the concept they are not the centre of the Realm and are demanded to follow instruction without excuse or whining. Surprising no one, this is where most recruits drop out. When only the serious hopefuls remain then regular flying drills begin. A swiftwing will spend most of his/her day exhausting themselves in these drills that range from combat to precision flying. Injuries are a major concern at this point in training with death a considerable risk. A drake being tackled out of the sky and unable to reorientation themselves or simply crashing into the side of a canyon are common occurrences. A swiftwing can only graduate from the program once they successfully complete the Gauntlet.