To Love a Healer

Chapter 1

The small hospital camp was bustling with activity. Healers hurried to and fro, carrying bandages and medicines. The tents were packed with patients waiting to be tended. New patients were constantly being brought in on stretchers from the battlefield.

Two older men entered the camp carrying a stretcher. A teenage girl lay on it, her eyes closed. Her hair was stained an even darker brown than usual with blood that streamed steadily from a gash on her forehead.

Behind them, a black panther with green eyes limped into the camp. His eyes were fixed on the stretcher with an expression that seemed to be worry.

The men entered one of the tents and set the stretcher down. Then one of them left and the other went to talk to one of the healers.

"She's really bad." He said quietly, "Jan is going to be the only one capable of saving her." The healer nodded.

"Jan's down that end," She said, pointing to the far end of the tent, "I'll do what I can for her if you'll let him know." The man nodded and hurried down to the other end of the tent.

Kneeling next to one of the patients was a red haired boy. He had his hands pressed on the woman's forehead, and his eyes were closed. As the man approached, the boy shuddered and a large cut opened up on his neck. At the same time, an identical wound on the woman's neck closed up, leaving no signs that the injury had been there.

As the boy stood, he caught sight of the man.

"We've got another one for you to take a look at, Jan." the man said.

"Alright. Where are they?" Jan asked, pressing a hand to the fresh wound on his neck.

"She's down the other end." The man replied, "There's a panther standing next to her."

"Should be easy enough to find." Jan said, smiling slightly, "I'll be there as soon as I get a bandage for this." The man nodded and put a hand on Jan's shoulder.

"You be careful Jan." he said, "Don't do more than you can handle." Jan nodded, then he walked off, signaling for one of the healers.