Yes. I wrote it down. Somewhere.

Of Wing & Claw

Defiance CH 114: The Worst Lie Was The Truth

The library gives away knowledge slowly - and Glimmer has to face that she is just as fallible as her mother. But Kesi perseveres in trying to convince her goddess, her princess' lost friend, that visiting Halfmoon should be part of her future.

Of Wing & Claw

Defiance CH 112: Seeing Through the Storm

Casta and Kesi found Glimmer, Bow, Adora, and Scorpia waiting in the rain. Yet <em>another</em> storm assails the surface. And Kesi <em>finally</em> finds herself face to face with the women is both the culmination and proof of prophecy - of faith made manifest in a world at war. And the woman who her princess is in love with. That was the easy part. The hard part will be somehow convincing her she is more than 'just Adora.' And that Catra is waiting for her - and desperately needs Adora to come home to Halfmoon

So. This week is the two year anniversary of posting Defiance. Back then, I didn't even know it was going to be a series. Now...well, y'all know.

So it's exciting for me to post this chapter today. Adora is meeting Kesi - her first real contact with someone from Halfmoon. Someone with knowledge of Catra. Someone who can tell her all of the things that will be so very hard for her to believe. You might be surprised how long it took me to write the summary for this chapter. (Then again, you might not.)

Two years. 104 weeks. Over a million words. Over a hundred chapters. And so many side stories. With more to come!

Today, a bit of fanart. A reader (CanadianBear) commissioned some amazing fanart of Adora from ilikeyoucatradora. (Instagram | Tumblr | bsky | Patreon)

Two stories? In one day? ...sometimes.

They grew up in the same creepy orphanage together - until they didn't. Adora visited Catra in jail every week - until she didn't. They had promised as long as they had each other, they could survive anything. Adora vanished and Catra had to build a new life for herself. Until she came back, telling her story over vlogs. Now, Catra wants to find the truth and find her friend. Reconnecting on the roads of Etheria was hard enough, but criminal conspiracies and a religious wars complicate everything. Because the only person who seems to know the truth is Adora - and she's trying to run away from it all. Trucker Catra/Van life Adora  vs. organized crime, cults, and magic not enough people believe in.

The 2026 She-Ra Big Bang! Exciting times, y'all.

Of Wing & Claw started with the 2024 Big Bang. Can you believe it's been two years since then?

This is an idea that's been floating in my head since I first started reading Catradora AUs. It's going to be a slow-moving story. Today is two chapters, because it's the Big Bang - but after this, expect an update once a month or so.

Of Wing & Claw

Defiance CH 111: Broken Chains

The royal family of Halfmoon is bound by duty. Bound by honor. Bound by their link to the RuneStone. But to survive the coming terrors, they must be bound only to each other - and shatter the chains that bind them to those who want the power they never asked for.

This will be the last Halfmoon chapter for a bit. Next week, we head back to the Bright Moon crew as they meet up with Castaspella and Kesi - and whoever else those two decided to bring with them. They'll be travelling in style, heading to Bow's childhood home - the hidden library that might just have some of the answers they need.

Howdy!

So I don't often do standalone posts talking about Defiance or my plans for the story. It's been going strong for almost two years at this point and I think y'all know I both have plans and am going to keep putting out chapters at the same pace.

Most of y'all know this is a runaway fic. It's the second time in my decades as a writer/fanfiction writer that I've had a story run away from me like this. The world building, the characters, the things that the 2018 She-Ra gave me are such a dense, fertile place to dig into story.

So here we are. What was supposed to a 90k (just a month of writing) for the 2024 Big Bang has turned into a years long adventure that I have loved every minute of. But the original plan for the reunion has been scrapped to bring it closer in.

But I'm writing a story that fits into my two favorite genres (planetary romance and space opera) and I am loving the long form writing.

Of Wing & Claw

Defiance CH 110: The Vault of the Old Ones

Catra and Akrash visit the Temple to search for clues about the Whispered Promise. People tag along, both invited and not. The answers they get could change Halfmoon forever - or cause a quiet civil war.

One or two more chapters in Halfmoon. Plots are being revealed. Then on to Kesi meeting Adora. And, of course, a bit of fanart for the road. Catra and Adora - one of my readers (Dragonwithnohands) commissioned this from @jukraft

Of Wing & Claw

Defiance CH 109: Political Priorities

Halfmoon politics has higher stakes for Cara than ever - people want answers about the trip to Snows and to try to force her into a marriage. As the political priorities of the restorationists become more and more clear, the options Catra has seem to shrink.

Two or three more chapters. Big changes coming. And a few - revelations. Then, we are on the long-awaited meeting between Adora and Kesi.

Of Wing & Claw

Defiance CH 108: You're What?

Catra keeps being faced with revelations. Just how long was she gone, anyway? But her goal is to make the high priestess reveal secrets - even if she has to irritate everyone in Halfmoon to do it.

We are diving deeper into the politics and perils of Halfmoon - we'll be here for a bit before we go visit Adora on her way to the library. The Of Wing & Claw discord server gave me an idea for that one I think I might actually do. So...blame them! (At least as much as you blame me.)

That particular idea is a few chapters off, though. We are setting some stages, building some bridges, burning some bridges, and getting ready to cause chaos and calamity in upcoming chapters. This may be the longest I'll go without a fight scene. (Violent fic is violent.)

Of Wing & Claw

Defiance CH 107: Waking

Catra wakes up and discovers that things have changed in Halfmoon - people are moving against her. New enemies and old enemies alike are waiting for her. Even weak and hurt as she is...they might not be ready for her.

Not much in the way of notes here. We'll be in Halfmoon for a few weeks, I think. Then the Horde for a chapter. Then the library. Then Halfmoon again. Then - well, you'll see. This is a fun chapter, but I expect a lot of comments on a certain character.

He was always meant to be divisive. An ass. And not exactly a friend. Nor an enemy. (At least, as he sees it.) I think I have achieved my goal.

Of Wing & Claw

Defiance CH 105: Ceremonies & Celebrations

Glimmer wants to make plans and head off to their next mission. (Or just finally meet Bow's dads.) Perfuma wants to throw a party and celebrate their victory! (Adora would like her doctor to stop worrying so much.) The party is so much more than Glimmer expected. But at least she got everyone to agree to a schedule. ...Right?

This chapter is a breather - and a bit of set up. Some world lore. And - naked people. Which is to say, that if social and/or casual nudity is any kind of a discomfort or trigger for you, skipping this week is okay. I'll make sure when we next return to the Heroes of the Rebellion that you have more than enough information to go on.

Oh. And. Long chapter is long. Sorry? I didn't plan on the chapter being long, much less as long as it is. And while I would normally split it into two weeks, I chose not to because of how close we are to the reunion. If the chapter is too long, tell me in the comments, and I'll cut other chapters that are near this length in the future. Next week, we return to Halfmoon, where we will be for several weeks. There will (hopefully) be another side story this weekend, too.

Defiance | CH 103: Interlude | The Voice of the Rebellion III

The Voice of the Rebellion speaks from wherever the rebellion takes a stand. The Voice of the Rebellion cannot be silenced. The Voice of the Rebellion cannot be found. The Voice of the Rebellion is the voice of us all.

Defiance | CH 104: The Brave, Stupid Thing Heroes Do

Plumeria fights. Bright Moon fights with Plumeria. But is it enough? The Horde has poured resources into the First Forest to corrupt, to poison, to choke the life of Etheria from it's oldest bastion of food. Will the magic and might of arms be enough to save them? Or will they fall doing one last brave, stupid, heroic thing?

So, not a lot of notes tonight. Long chapter is long. I <em>could</em> have ended with the second scene, I suppose, but I wanted to give y'all the third scene this week and end Plumeria next week. Next week's chapter will be fun. A breather. A victory party! (Well, okay, nothing violent I can remember.)

The Horde has taken Snows. Plumeria is in danger. And Hordak is focused on one of his personal projects - one which Shadow Weaver's new apprentice might have given her a chance to discover the truth of. Bright Moon is under the shadow of dark cultists and Horde victories, but they have a plan - one part desperation, one part cunning, and one part preparation for their next steps.

Today, a new threat makes themselves known. As if Etheria needed another! Secrets are revealed and the stage is set for many things in the future. Then back to Halfmoon next week. Not <i>that</i> chapters left until we start the path to the reunion. Well, okay, more than you want, but less than you're afraid of.

But there is new Defiance music! Check out Frosta's Theme.

In addition: as was recently announced, Paganaidd has written canon stories for Defiance and those stories are being added to the Of Wing & Claw series.

Of Wing & Claw

Defiance CH 101: I Told You So

Like mother, like daughter. Sometimes, you just have to let people know you were right. After all, they earned it, right?

This chapter is fun. It's a bridge chapter, a transition chapter...and a bit of revelation for you. Next week - the Horde. Then back to Halfmoon!

Of Wing & Claw

Defiance CH 100: Schisms

Kesi goes to Bright Moon to tell the queen and her court of the fall of Snows - and faces down the Duke of Shadows, a figure from her nightmares. Not all is at seems, and there are secrets Etheria has held for generations that she must dare Angella to seek out.

One. Hundred. Chapters. Over nine-hundred thousand words. Defiance will break one million words by the end of the calendar year. It is the second-longest fic in the Adora/Catra tag - which is something I never imagined would happen.

The series is already over one million words.

Thank you. All of you. For the support, for the investment in this story, and for sticking with me so long. As we head into the end of arc 2, and the reunion - which is both closer than you know and further away than you'd like - a few things to announce here.

Check out CH 32: Through the Dark - the amazing music video by June Holoubek and art by Miss Mithiin.

Way back in CH 33: Family, I introduced Leonard the Silverfin - who makes his triumphant first appearance in Defiance. But if you want to read more about Leonard, you can check out Cold by Paganaidd. She has written a few side stories for Of Wing & Claw - and these stories are canon to this universe. They were written with lots of input from me, but she has captured the essence of the characters and a true vision of what Ariel and Akrash went through on their journeys to becoming the sorcerers we meet in Defiance.

Speaking of Akrash! The indomitable Miss Mithiin has created some new Akrash artwork for us! Akrash teaching Isha to read! (Or teaching her a spell to walk on the ceiling. He'll never tell and we will find out the hard way.) tp9829 commissioned this piece and shared it with us on the Of Wing & Claw server.

You may have noticed I posted about an hour earlier than normal. That's because I started writing this story March 5, 2024. Today is two years since I wrote the first words of this story, and posting Chapter One Hundred on the exact date feels right.

Oh yes. This update is - longer than normal. I said a double-length and I may or may not have meant more than that.