Falling into the Beast World

Chapter 3: Would you like some tea?

Harvey's POV:

Since I was young, I have always been fascinated with the wonders of healing. I never liked fighting with my brothers or really cared about getting stronger. I rather follow the ape healer while he checked on the females or any injured beastman and studied to become smarter in the ways of healing. I wanted to be a healer. I wanted to help others.

As a healer, I was paid in many things, food, herbs, furs, and even emeralds. I didn't really care if I was paid or not. It wasn't about the repayment; it was about helping others with the knowledge I possess. So, as my brothers went to be strong worthy beastman with one or more stripes, I still have not received my first stripe. My father beast has basically written me off as defective and no longer tries to convenience me to train and hunt. My mother didn't care about one or another, her only worries were about the next emerald. It wasn't long after I passed my 25th winter that I moved on from my birth village. I headed for the beast city where I furthered my training as a healer and surprisingly made connections with a few powerful families. The leopard family was one. The youngest prince was very reckless, so I was called upon many times for my talents.

It wasn't long before that idiotic prince messed up again and was banished from the city and was ordered to go to a leopard dominated village named Camel Hump Valley. I have heard that the strongest beast was a single striped and they had recently lost their only healer to old age. I thought this could be a good change for me, so I volunteered to go with the prince and help him settle in. The queen was grateful and if the queen was happy then the king was too.

So, after only two years in the Beast city, I was now the only healer of a small village about half a days' worth travel away. The village accepted me with open arms, and I was given a good-sized hut to use as a home and a place of healing. There were only about 7 females in the village and many males. The prince was a two striped beast, so he was sought after by half the females, which caused all the males to dislike him. But the prince did not want anything to do with the females, in his words:

"These females are too ugly to be with me the Leopard prince, beloved son of the Leopard queen." He scoffed at me when I asked why he won't settle down to start a family. "I deserve a worthy female as my mate, One as beautiful as my mother." All I gather from that statement was that the prince was a mama's boy.

Time passed and with three months before winter, the salt trading company from the beast city arrived. They were going to stop on the way back to village to help with a feral that some of the males I have caught scent of near the river that runs around two thirds of the village perimeter. However, on the way to us, they were attacked by rootless beasts. I helped heal the injured beast and suggested to the leader of the company to stay to completely heal before making the trek home.

The leader was a strong tetra marked tiger beastman named Winston. He was silent but good company to talk to too. He too was not mated due to a scar that ran down his face. He told me that he received the scar when he protected his niece from a feral. His reward was rejection and ridicule. I honestly don't get females sometimes, what does a scar have to do with his strength or character. I shake my head at the ignorance.

On the second day of their stay the leader headed out to do a perimeter sweep to see if he could catch the scent of the rumored feral residing in our waters. As he was staying in my hut during his stay, I asked him to hunt for tonight's meal and went off to do my rounds.

A little bit after the sun highest peak, I finished my rounds given two females were in heat and their males did not want me to check their health till they were done mating. Understandable. I made my way home planning to go through my supply to see if I need to make another gathering trip. As I was about halfway done with my supply count, I heard a set of familiar footsteps rushing towards my hut. It was Winston, but why would he be running, unless he was injured! I got up to meet him at the entrance ready to help if needed.