Firefly Chapter 21 is on the way · 7:03pm Nov 21st, 2019
With the latest chapter more than half-done, I'm currently projecting a Thanksgiving-ish release (Thursday, November 28th for the non-American readers) for when you want relief from family or are otherwise immobilized by too much turkey and trimmings.
The new chapter will contain--of course--the continuation and climax of last chapter's cliffhanger with the thestrals, and some additional perspective on the gryphon side of things. Fans of Fell Flight will be happy to know that for the first time in the story, a substantial chunk of this chapter will be told through the eyes of everybody's favorite hybrid bat-pony badass.
Teaser follows, but NOT of the cliffhanger scene! You'll understand that I'm not about to spoiler what happens there, so we'll open with something that happens before it, also narrated by Fell Flight:
EAS Loyalty
Airspace over middle Ohioat Province
120 miles north of Lake Luna on Thestralslovakian border
September 3rd, 1139 AC
1550 hours
Methinks I lasted longer than most of the battalion survivors in holding off sleep, having had plenty of experience not sleeping for days on end from my time at Outpost Omega.
But eventually, exhaustion caught up with me as well near daybreak that third morn of war, and I, too, slept long and hard when all was said and done, leaving command of Epsilon’s remaining effectives under the command of our ranking surviving platoon leader—Aves Osprey. Possessing more nocturnal habits, I went to bed at dawn and awoke to the ship’s departure middle afternoon departure, feeling it lurching and accelerating as we lifted off from Ursa base.
After a check in with the commander and ship’s Captain, who told me that with patrols set and my services not needed before our arrival, I decided ‘twas best to see to my own needs and help train the Naval troops, which we were doing in shifts on the topmost decks when they were not patrolling, eating or sleeping. Which I decided to do as soon as I ate, heading down for the galley.
‘Twas sparsely attended as ‘twas away from normal mealtimes, but methinks I did not mind. The naval troops and crew, I had noted, were very wary around me for my eyes. ‘Twas certainly a reaction I was used to, but perchance not one I appreciated at an occasion I thought I might like some company.
Seeking some sanctuary from my own dark and brooding thoughts, I spotted Sky Sentry eating by himself in a corner. He was wearing a borrowed naval uniform with his Guardspony Sergeant stripes affixed and picking at his meal—if I’d learned nothing else about Naval vessels to that point, ‘twas that their food was certainly several cuts above Outpost Epsilon fare; the double-helping of cloud creole I was balancing on a wing platter was sorely tempting me with its smell.
And yet, my hunger was forgotten as I beheld the only survivor of Outpost Delta. He looked slightly less haggard than he had the day before, perchance as a result of the Harmony-fueled song I had heard the following night—‘twould be a lie to say that I had not been touched by it or joined in the chorus, as oddly embarrassing as it felt after—but he still looked lost, even given the undeniable answer he sought.
So much so, in fact, he did not hear the clop of my hooves as I approached. “Sergeant Sentry,” I addressed him, causing him to start and look up at me, then throw a hasty salute. “May I join you?”
He looked uncertain as I returned the gesture. “If you wish, Master Sergeant,” he replied, his voice dull, perchance deciding not to say anything as he had a lower rank and no authority to deny me anyway.
“Thank you.” I nodded and sat down opposite him, sliding my platter off onto the table before affixing a fork attachment to my hoof. “Forgive me if you are tired of hearing this, but I must ask: how fare you?”
“Lost,” he told me fully, leaving me wondering how he still could be after the song, at least until he shortly explained: “I know now what I must do. But I know not how to do it. How to rediscover my warrior’s heart,” he told me, then shook his head and bowed it. “Or even that I ever had one to begin with.”
“Tis certain you did and you do,” I told him sternly, suddenly seeing a reflection of my own conflicts within him, reminding myself that whatever I had lost, ‘twas pale in comparison to him. “’Tis certain your many wounds and the conduct of the cavern battles are evidence enough of that. Methinks even the commander respects you for all you accomplished, and ‘tis no little thing,” I quickly pointed out.
He barely reacted to the compliment. “Mayhap you are right, and ‘twas a time I would have been delighted for it,” he replied dully. “But now? ‘Tis no longer important. I seek an inner fire but find only ashes. I have no desire to fight, for all those I would have fought for and beside have already fallen...”
The working title of the chapter is "Brinksponyship" and the Current word count is 5625. With 1-2 sections left to write, the final tally should be upwards of 10k again, depending. There probably will not be graphics this time, unless I find something that really needs illustrating. Thanks for now go to AJ_Afficionado and Silentwoodfire, for prereading what I've got and fleshing out the critical confrontation scene with the thestrals. Suffice it to say, all is not as it initially appears! 
I had been hoping Fell Flight's part in this would be showcased, I know she's not very popular amongst the thestrals...
Fantastic. I'll need something to relax to post-cooking marathon.