Rain pitter-pattered on the thatched roof of the Medicine Cat den. It was a light, half-hearted drizzle, consistent enough to run down the sides of their den forming a natural mote at the base. Rainsky loved days like this. It would probably be a cruel joke if he didn’t.
His silver pelt was twice its usual volume with the humidity in the air, thick and insistent. He gave it a cursory shake as he shuffled about inside the den. Around him were several piles of dried herbs. Their sweet and tangy arbor filled the den at all times, making it a somewhat ill-suited location for this test. But one could argue the increased difficulty was a good thing.
“Alright Venompaw! I’m ready, come on it. And watch your step.”
He called out. His apprentice was just around the corner, out of sight. Rainsky offered caution because Venompaw was blindfolded, a broad leaf wrapped over his eyes and tied in the back by its own stringy split ends. The idea was to identify herbs by smell alone. He was always proud of how his apprentice performed, but par of him wished he could stay a young kitten forever.
Venompaw wasn't really sure why the leaf around their eyes was necessary, but they had agreed to play along for their mentor's sake. The silver tom had seemed rather pleased at himself for coming up with the idea, after all, and honestly, the dark apprentice didn't really mind their current sightlessness. The darkness was rather peaceful.
Their ears perked up when their name was called, and they obediently followed their mentor's voice. Even blindfolded, Venompaw moved like a shadow, gracefully gliding through the medicine den unhindered. They knew the den like the back of their paw, after all. They found their way to Rainysky and sat down before him, ready for instruction. "I'm ready to begin," they mewled, tail flicking gently as they waited for permission to begin their test.
They'd heard other apprentices fret over tests their mentors gave them, but Venompaw wasn't worried. Unlike the warrior apprentices, They were always around this aspect of their duties, so they had faith in their knowledge and the time they'd spent studying.
When Rainysky gave the word, the dark tabby lowered his nose to the first pile of herbs.