Jay
The young cat's muzzle rose to sniff the air as he trotted quietly out of his den. Summer was approaching quickly which was a huge relief after the long winter. Summer meant warmer weather, warmer weather meant more mice and voles running around in the grass and thus more food for Jay. For a few months now they would find food easily enough not to worry too much about it, and not have to constantly be hunting for their next meal. The free time it would give would be used well as Jay had finally started to find plants again, both new and old species, which allowed him to continue his studies over them.
But it seemed the earthy scent of his den mixed with the sweet aroma of growing flowers and the night's rain weren't the only scent floating around in the air, and after a few more sniffs to make sure he wasn't mistaken, Jay's head lowered and body stiffened, ears perking up in alertness. Blood. Dried or fresh, he wasn't sure, but the metallic smell was impossible to miss. His den was well hidden behind and under bushes, but Jay knew his own scent (or he, for that matter) wasn't masked by anything. Quickly, like a blue and grey shadow, the scrawny cat slipped away, hiding in undergrowth and bushes, behind trees and leaves.
And he waited. But the cat he spotted wasn't large and scary with a muzzle covered in blood, but rather one his age, covered in a number of different wounds. Jay decided then - perhaps against better judgment - to leave his hiding spot. This was the second time he had found a cat who could use some aid from herbs, even if this one wasn't passed out, and
could theoretically scratch him to death, if it so pleased. But Jay was in a desperate search for another test subject, and the strange curiosity driving him seemed to have taken the wheel again, pushing away all that carefulness was.
"You seem hurt."
@
~WallyDarling~