Modern World Medicine

Set found himself in the center of the city, beastmen and women leaping back from his path as he followed behind Iro. This was not how he had planned to enter civilization for the first time. He had never discussed it with Shuule, as she was so against it, but he had been preparing. They would come with their belongings, with him in formal dress, with his legs, and of course, most importantly, they would have been mated.

Instead, as if holding up the age old tradition, he was simply a feral among men, everyone fearful that he would launch himself at them, and they weren't sure if they should attack him first. He was barely holding it together, and when they got to the doorway where he could smell Shuule and he wasn't allowed to enter, all he wanted to do was smash the building to the ground. He knew it, his instincts flared. They were stealing her. They would steal her and kill him. They would take her and cast him off. Better they all be dead, Shuule was dead anyway. His eyes dilated as they locked into the snarling leopard taking up the entirety of the doorway - they were all dead, she was dead, he may as well be dead, it-

"JUST SHIFT, I SWEAR BOTH OF YOU," there was a screech from inside the house, and silence fell over the snake, the leopard, and the gathered crowd. Set narrowed his green eyes once more on Iro, but kept his mouth shut. Iro hissed, but shifted into his human form, Set following after. Both now nude and staring daggers at each other, Iro took one downward glance before huffing and turning to the door.

"You all really are freaks," he mumbled, before entering.

Harvey had already begun cleaning the wound with the hot salt water, not even looking towards the two men that had entered. He had untied the tourniquet, and raised an eyebrow. He still had his doubts this feral was actually accepted by the fox female, however, the tie being made with snakeskin meant he had tried to save her in good faith.

"Put clothes on," he demanded, his back still towards them. Off to the side of the entrance was a rack of skirts of various sizes, specifically for this reason.

The cleaning process was a mess. Old, dark blood and dirt drenched the stone floor as he soaked cotton and then saturated the wound. He needed to clean it, but he also couldn't scrub, as he didn't want to open up the blood clotting that was saving her from dying of blood loss.

Finally, after several minutes of silence, the three males started grimly at the girl. Harvey looked over at the snake, unable to decide if he was naturally as pale as he looked, or if he was stricken with shock and worry.

"Without Iro adding in his thoughts," Harvey said through his teeth, "Tell me what happened." Even though Harvey only looked a few years older than him, he had known the boy since before his conception, and also knew his attitude well.

Set was also keenly aware of Iro's attitude already, and stood silently, clenching his fists, Ukko side eyeing him in confusion.

"Actually Iro, just leave please," Harvey demanded.

The young leopard exploded. "WHAT? I didn't do anything! I helped save her! I SAVED THE DAY, this idiot would have killed all the eagles if I hadn't come to the rescue!"

"Yes, thank you. Now go to your mate," snapped the elder leopard. He knew the only reason Iro wanted to stay was to gloat, and to dominate the snake, and as an unmated male as well, Harvey had little interest in keeping him around.

Iro growled and pinned his ears flat to his skull, but after exchanging furious glances between the three other males, he ripped his skirt off, tossed it in a ball, and trotted off as his leopard. There was still a crowd of curious onlookers outside, but he dispersed them with a threatening roar.

With a sigh, Set glanced at the silver haired male, but it was clear he wasn't going to leave.

"She was out ..... and a rootless leopard attacked her. It was only a moment. I was only a moment behind." To stop himself from trembling, Set had clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms.

The doctor stared at the snake male, inspecting him. He looked young, though like himself, that didn't make much of a difference, but there wasn't age old wisdom behind his eyes, so his age was probably True. Three striped, he still seemed somewhat unsure of himself, his long black hair hanging over his face, the red streaks in the front obscuring his eyes that weren't just filled with anger, but fear. Even if the girl had been stolen from her village, the man clearly was brokenhearted, so as the leopard swatted a fly away from the girl's arm, he started to give instructions.

"I need this wound to dry, but I cannot pat it. I will fan it, and you two need to clean up the floor." Without hesitation, both young men grabbed heavy rags, wiping the stone floor clean of the blood and water.

Once her arm was dry, Harvey had Ukko the eagle hand him the honey and green herb paste, Which he packed the wound with.

"The honey helps heal the wound," he explained as he saw the skeptical look on the snake's face. As he saw those green eyes narrow, he pointedly went on. "Your mother taught me. There was a lot in her world that we couldn't replicate here, but the only reason this girl has a chance to live is because of the knowledge Bai Qingqing left us."

"Snow," Set corrected.

Neither the doctor or set noticed the goofy smile that crossed Ukko's face. "So you really are one of Curtis's kids? Hey, that's pretty cool - y'all don't show your faces around here, we even have a statue of your dead dad, I mean -"

"He's not dead," growled Harvey, ears pinned as he saturated the wound with paste.

They just.... vanished. As she came, she returned, and her mates followed," he said listlessly. He, too, had loved Qingqing, but as always, it was unrequited. Besides, he had a different purpose, the leopard decided eventually. If a human girl was going to drop into their world, there had to have been a reason, and one of the things she left behind was all the simple knowledge from her world, that had changed theirs. As one of her loyal followers, Harvey soaked up all the information that he could from her, and while he had attempted to teach all the practices to other beastmen, few cared to listen. The male's lack of interest had, for now, granted him the possibility of eternal life; the Tiger King had decided it was easier to give the doctor green crystals to extend his youth, rather than demand another male have the same passion for caregiving.

"Thank you for your help, Ukko," Harvey continued calmly. "You may leave now, but you may return tomorrow." He turned to the snake male, who's eye's had not left the girl.

"Set," the snake said.

"Set," Harvey continued, "You can stay here. I am not going to dress the wound, but if we leave it open, we need to keep flies off it. I trust you can stay up through the night."