Warriors: Trials That Whisper - The River's Monster

Prologue

⚠⚠⚠ ((TRIGGER WARNINGS: BLOOD, VIOLENCE, ANIMAL DEATH, VOMITING)) READ AT OWN DISCRETION! ⚠⚠⚠

"Wake up already!"

A harsh paw to Pondfish's side woke her up at once. Blearily, the dark ginger shape and bright golden eyes of Flamethistle came to focus, and she yawned. "Is it time alrea-"

There was a surprising tug on her scruff as teeth set into it, and she let out a quiet gasp and Flamethistle dragged her out of her nest and hauled her to her paws like a sluggish apprentice late for dawn patrol. "Enough snoring, Pondfish," the ginger tom growled. "We're all waiting for you so we can begin!"

Pondfish stumbled as she found her footing, glaring at Flamethistle sleepily before she set her eyes on the makeshift patrol: Marshblaze, Quietsong, Blizzardstorm, Tumbleclaw, and...was that her son Finpaw at the rear? "Flamethistle!" Pondfish snarled, the fur along her spine lifting as the patrol leader took the front and began lapping a forepaw in slow, smoothing licks. "Finpaw shouldn't be part of this, he's just an apprentice!"

"But almost a warrior!" Finpaw dashed over to his mother, standing straight with his tail high, the tip flicking assertively. "Minnow-hearted Bluebellpaw wouldn't come; Hazelflower is too soft of a mentor, which is to be expected of a medicine cat." The young tom's expression became smug, butting in as Pondfish opened her jaws to scold him. "Flamethistle has always told me that the life of a warrior is tough, and only the worthiest cats become senior warriors like him. He wants me to be front and center of the action!"

Flamethistle let out an arrogant mrrrow of laughter as he swiped his tongue over his other forepaw. Finpaw had clearly expressed what he was about to toss up as an excuse as to why the apprentice should come.

"Absolutely not," Her blood roaring in her ears with a maternal rage, she began to roughly nose her son away from the selected cats. "Go back to the apprentice's den and get your sorry little tail to sleep. This is no task for an apprentice, at least your sister has some sense!"

Flamethistle thrust his way between mother and son, which made Pondfish's paws throb in rage. "Pondfish, you're being hysterical," There was an edge in his mew, yet he tried to keep it milk-smooth and direct. Pondfish wanted to rake her claws across his snobbish muzzle as he continued. "Finpaw is my apprentice, remember? I've been training him to be fierce and quick on his paws, always ready for anything-"

"I don't care if a StarClan cat was his mentor," Pondfish growled, her claws itching. "There is no way I'm going to let my kit go to combat with whatever that-that thing is-"

"But Flamethistle has prepared me for this battle!" Finpaw's voice was rising to a whining yowl, his ears pinned back against his head. "I want to be part of this patrol and fight the beast, so you need to stop treating me like a kit-!"

Within one of the dens, a cat snorted harshly. The seven cats fell silent for a moment,  the sound making Finpaw recoil. A grunt followed, then another snore rejoined several others. After a brief silence, Pondfish shoved Flamethistle aside and angled herself in front of Finpaw, stiff-legged. "You may be his mentor," she snarled. "But I am his mother, he is not partaking in this." When Finpaw curled his lips and growl, she whipped around with a new blaze of anger flashing through her pelt. "Go. Back."

Finpaw's eyes flickered from a moment, but his teeth were still bared. Pondfish knew her son wouldn't harm her, no matter how angry he was; he was growing into a strong tom, but he knew better than to attack his own mother. 

"Go, Finpaw."

To Pondfish's surprise, Flamethistle seemed to have changed his tone. When she whipped around to look at him, his face was neutral. His amber eyes flicked as well as he padded slowly towards Finpaw, towering over him for a moment. Finpaw drew back with wide eyes for a for a heartbeat, then his own face became one of equitable obedience. Without a word, Finpaw turned tail and slunk back into the apprentice's den. Pondfish could hear the rustling of his nest as he settled in to lay down.