Beauty, Beasts and Balance

Part Four

"This can't be happening." She groaned.

Harvey placed a comforting hand on her knee from his kneeling position at her feet. With a quiet and coaxing voice, he spoke to her. "I understand that you don't want to be here. But your health is my priority. Will you let me treat you first and then you can tell us about those things you mentioned?"

Parker glared at Harvey's hand until the healer removed it, "He might be a no-stripe but he knows what he's doing." He admitted begrudgingly.  "Any mates you have will find you eventually so just sit still and let Harvey fix you." He ordered

Caitlin knew he likely meant mates as in significant others and not 'friends'. She tried not to focus on why it was plural. It might be safer if she continued to let them think someone was coming for her. Or would it be better to tell the truth so they had a better understanding of how to help her? And what about their version of medicine? Should she let them do what they wanted or did she undermine the healer and take her health into her own hands?

"I want to put honey on your wounds to close them. Is that alright?" inquired the soft voice of Harvey the healer.

Caitlin opened one eye and looked down her body at him. Appearing to genuinely want to help her, he scooped out a spoonful of the golden liquid from a stone jar to show her. She put her head back down and covered her reddened eyes again.

"Fine." She answered. Honey was a natural antibacterial, though she didn't think it would be sticky enough to keep the wounds closed. It was better than the million other things holistic treatments might include. "Do you have enough for my hands too?" She asked and unclenched her fists so he could see the deep scratches she'd gotten from the rough tree bark. They were stinging as though she had thousands of splinters.

The males swiftly grabbed one wrist each, inadvertently pulling her up into a sitting position. "Say something sooner stupid! Take off your furs. What if you have other injuries you didn't mention!" Parker, angry that he hadn't noticed the wounds earlier, chastised her for never having pointed them out and reached for the bottom of her sweater.

She wanted to smack at his hands but he held one and Harvey still held the other. Parker lifted the front of her hoodie and scanned her skin. Her belly and chest were as clear as they had been when he'd seen them before but now he noticed the various shades of purple reaching around her left hip and ribs. He followed the flow of bruising to her side and back to find them a mottled mess of colors.

"You're injured here too!" Parker burst in frustration.

Harvey released his gentle grip on her wrist so he could also look around her side. Parker pulled the rest of the hoodie over her head and tossed it onto the stone floor. The cell phone in the pocket made a loud crack sound. Caitlin glared daggers at the younger man but didn't have the strength to resist.

"It looks like the worst wound is still the bite. Let me treat that one first and then we can take care of the other ones." Harvey said after having examined her upper body.

"I can help. Just tell me what to do." Commanded Parker. Though his tone was serious, his expression had lightened with each markless patch of skin he saw. Maybe she didn't have any mates after all.

Harvey nodded, accepting the help. "Then Parker, please lick her hands. We need to clean them and get any splinters out before we put honey on them."

Caitlin flinched away as Parker reached for her hands again. She frowned at him and held her hands close to her chest.

Harvey misunderstanding her disgust as fear of pain said, "It might sting a little, but cleaning the wounds will help them heal."

"Are you..." She started, looking from Parker to Harvey and their ears that had moved forward to focus on her. "Are you really leopards?"