The sun cast long shadows across the ground, illuminating the dust kicked up by their paws. Desertrain had been busy training her children—Styx, Cerberus, and Hades— and though they were only eight moons old, they had already outgrown her. She watched as her son, Cerberus, lunged towards her, his movements still predictable and unrefined. With fluid grace, she sidestepped his attack and launched herself at him, knocking him off balance and pinning him to the ground, claws poised at his throat.
Frigid, ice blue eyes glinted in the fading light as she leaned in close, her whiskers twitching. Cerberus was strong, there was no doubt about that, but he lacked finesse. “So much potential,” she tilted her head mockingly, and despite the harshness of her gaze, there was a hint of pride in her voice, “But your eyes give your attacks away,” she quickly released him, giving him space to catch his breath.
Cerberus rubbed his throat with a paw before standing up, his ears flattened against his skull. He nodded in understanding. His mother had taught them that weakness meant death, and in a world as cruel and unforgiving as theirs, he’d have no chance of survival if he didn’t learn to fight properly. Taking a deep breath, he circled her warily, amber eyes following her every movement.
Desertrain mirrored him, crouching low to the ground, her tail swishing back and forth. "Remember, you must be swift, merciless, and above all else, cunning. Your enemy won't wait for you to catch up,” she instructed him, her voice low.
Once he saw an opening, he sprinted towards her. However, his eyes widened, as he did not expect his mother to wait until the last moment to dodge his attack. With a quick twist of her body, she sent the young tom tumbling to the ground, his momentum carrying him past her. "Life is brutal, Cerberus. It will chew you up and spit you out if you're not strong enough to fight back,” she lunged at him again, her claws unsheathed. This time, her attack was a blur of motion, a whirlwind of claws and teeth. She could feel his strength, his potential, and she knew that with the right training, he could become a formidable warrior, but for now, he was still young, still learning— and it was her job to push him, to mold him into the cat he was meant to be.
Cerberus barely managed to dodge in time, feeling the rush of wind as she passed by. He growled low in his throat, frustration evident in his amber eyes before he slashed at her, claws unsheathed and teeth bared.
Desertrain’s small stature belied her lethal grace, as she darted and weaved around her son, always staying one step ahead. "Oh? You’re getting faster," she complimented him, grinning. "Put that anger to good use and come at me again," she urged, a challenging glint in her eyes.
He retreated a few steps back before taking her on again. This time, his movements were more focused. He lunged at Desertrain, putting all his strength and speed into the attack, and managed to land a glancing blow, his claws grazing her flank.
When Cerberus's paw connected with her shoulder, albeit lightly, she winced and rolled away, coming up in a crouch. "Much, much better," she purred, a hint of warmth in her tone.
