Monsters Have Voices

Chapter 1:

Eli O'Nile stomped through the damp, mossy forest, complaining loudly. Their jet-black hair, streaked with light blue, was cropped, and they had a grey hoodie on, with ripped jeans and and navy-blue flip-flops.

"I can't believe we have to do patrol duty today of all days! I was in the middle of reading The Moments We Share! And then Chiron comes up and says, 'Hey, Eli! You're on patrol duty today because you were out of bed after hours!' I was getting a freaking glass of water!" Kat, Eli's friend sped up until she fell in line with them.

"I mean, I don't know. Maybe we'll find something interesting."

"Interesting?! Nothing interesting ever happens!" Eli fumed. Kat rolled her eyes.

"I mean, we never know. We could find a new nymph, or a monster, or--" Kat stopped short, throwing out her arm. Eli stopped. She motioned to keep quiet, pointing at something lying against a log.

It was a person, maybe 15, with short, messy, bright bubble-gum pink hair that stuck up all over their head.A white hoodie was tied around their waist, revealing a rainbow t-shirt. Their jean shorts and sneakers were covered in mud. A monster lay curled in a ball next to them. A griffin. 

"A griffin," Kat said breathlessly.

The griffin opened its eyes, a golden yellow. Eli withdrew a celestial bronze dagger from their belt. Kat grabbed her bow, knocking an imperial gold arrow. The griffin let out a low growl. The person stirred sleepily. 

"W-What is it, boy?" They yawned, sitting up. Upon seeing Eli and Kat, weapons at the ready, they froze. The person stood up slowly, putting a hand on the griffin's beak. "Look, I don't want any trouble," they stuttered, pulling a hammer from their belt and gripping it  tightly with sweaty hands.

"Neither do we," Eli growled. "We don't want that thing near our camp."

"He's not a thing," the person said, clearly offended. "It's a griffin. A male griffin. And his name is Snowball." Snowball the male griffin threw out his chest proudly.

"How'd you manage to tame it, er, him? You must've known him for years," Kat said, lowering her bow.

"Oh no, we became friends yesterday," they said happily. "Isn't that right, Snowball?" Snowball purred. They stroked his beak lovingly.

"Yesterday?" Eli said incredulously. They reluctantly put their dagger back in their belt. "Okay, we need to take you Chiron."

"Oh yeah," Kat agreed. "Do you mind coming with us?"

"I guess not. We're going to your camp, right?" The person's hand remained on Snowball's feathery neck.

"Yep," Eli said. "But, erm, your griffin has to remain outside the borders."

"No way! Where I go, Snowball goes!" They exclaimed. Snowball pawed the ground, agitated.

"Erm, here. He can come in camp, but you have to promise us you can control him. I'm Kat, by the way, and this is Eli." She pointed to Eli.

"Cool. I'm Clove, Clove Allendale."