Louisa's POV
"It's really good to have you here, Miss. We don't have any doctors in this camp." A soldier said when I was applying a tourniquet on his leg.
"So what happens when you get injured?" I asked.
The soldier looked very awkward and said, "Well, for minor injuries, we usually get self-medicated. If it's major, we'll be disqualified and sent away."
"Sent away?" I frowned.
The soldier immediately looked panicked and said, "Sorry, Miss. I shouldn't have mentioned this. I intend to talk a lot when I get nervous."
I tightened the tourniquet and said, "OK, you're ready to go."
He stood up and didn't immediately go away.
"Miss... I didn't mean to cross you... You're very kind to us. You cooked for us and helped us..." he whispered.
I looked at him and said, "Don't worry. I understand that you can't talk. You're ready to go now."
The soldier still lingered around and didn't want to go away.
He looked very upset.
I poured a cup of tea for him and said, "You can drink some chamomile tea if you like."
He took the teacup and said, "Miss, I shouldn't have told you this, but I really think you should know. All the badly wounded soldiers would be kicked into the Tatra Mountain and sacrificed to the Moon Goddess Temple."
"What?!" I was shocked. "But... They were injured. They need treatment, not being kicked away like this."
"That's all I can tell you, Miss. I really have to go now. My shift starts in five minutes. Thank you for your kindness and tea, Miss," He drank all the tea in the cup, put it on the table, and walked away.
Watching him limping away like that, I felt very upset.
"How could Lucian allow this kind of thing to happen to the soldiers?!" I mumbled to myself.
Will said while stirring the bandages in the pot, "Wolves are bad. They don't have any sympathy for the weak ones. That's just the way it is."
"Wolves are bad," Mana said.
"Very bad," Mata added.
"This is wrong! Those soldiers are real lives! They've got families and friends and everything! They can't just let them rot in mountains like that!" I felt outrageous.
"Miss, is that my turn now?" A young soldier asked, looking intimidated.
"Yes, please come here," I tried to remain calm and said.
The soldier moved reluctantly towards me.
"You can sit down," I said.
"Not really, Miss. I can't." The soldier said, looking embarrassed.
"Why?" I asked.
"Well... The thing is, I woke up this morning and saw my tail was gone. I didn't know what happened. Someone must have ripped it off or something. I couldn't remember anything. But now, well..."
"You've got a wound on my butt and you need help," I said.
Some other soldiers chuckled.
The young soldier's face looked like a ripe tomato.
"Don't laugh at him," I frowned at those soldiers. "He's in pain and he needs help. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
"You know what? I guess I'd better just walk it off," the young soldier said.
Then, he turned around and tried to walk away.
I saw the back of his pants was soaked in blood.
I stopped him and said, "Let's get into the tent, so you can have some privacy."
"Miss, it really won't be necessary..." he said.
"I insist. Let's go," I dragged him into the tent.
"Take off your pants and lie on this bed." I pointed at the camp bed on the side of the door and said.
"Miss, I don't think this is appropriate..." he said. Embarrassment lay like a cloak over his shoulders.
"If you don't get treatment, your wound will deteriorate, and you will be thrown into Tatra mountain!" I said. "You'll be rotten dead. Do you want that?"
"No, Miss. I don't want to be rotten dead," he said.
"So take off your pants and let me put some potion on your butt," I said.
The soldier scratched his head and eventually took off his pants and lay on the bed.
I quickly cleaned his wound with a clean towel and wiped some potion on his wound.
He grabbed the edge of the bed, so he didn't scream out.
Then, I heard some bustle outside.
"You can't go inside!"
It's Will's voice.
"Fuck off, vampire boy, before I rip off your wings and toss you into the trash!"
It's Lucas' voice.
Then, I saw Lucas standing at the entrance of the tent.
"Why are you in this fucking tent alone with a man and why isn't he wearing his fucking pants?!" Lucas shouted.
The soldier panicked and tried to get up, but I stopped him.
"Stay put. I'll put some bandages on your wound and you'll be ready to go," I said.
"Miss, I have to go now..." The soldier was so terrified and started to weep.
"Don't cry," I tried to comfort him in a soft voice.
Then, I lifted up my head and said angrily to Lucas, "You heartless criminal! Get out of my tent right now!"
Lucas stared at me and said, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?! This is my fucking camp and he's my fucking soldier!"
"You're in my tent and he's my patient! I'm attending to his wound before you kick him out and let him die in the middle of nowhere!" I raised my voice.
"OK, fuck, this is too much! I shouldn't have put you into this tent because you're always trying to get on my nerves. Now, I want you, your fucking friends, and your fucking playhouse hospital to move out of this fucking tent!" He shouted and tried to grab my arm.
I slapped his hand and said, "I will move out! As soon as I attend this young man's wound! You can try to stop me, but I'll set this whole tent on fire!"
Lucas was so furious that his body started to shiver.
"You..." He squeezed this word out of the gaps of his teeth.
He didn't come forward. The burnt wounds on his shoulders were still there, reminding him of last night's incident.
Then, his sight shifted towards the wounded soldier.
I looked down and saw the soldier had already passed out because of tremendous fear.
I checked his breath and found that he was still breathing.
I quickly put a bandage on the soldier's wound and sealed it carefully with some tape.
Will helped him to put on his pants and stared at Lucas with hatred.
"Will," I said, "Take this poor man out of the tent and offer him some tea."
"I won't leave you alone with this big bad wolf!" He rubbed his nose and argued.
I bent down, stroked his face, and said, "Will, I'm going to have a word with Lucas in private. You can stay outside and help the soldiers to clean their wounds. They're suffering and they need your help. I promise I'll be out and join you right away."
Will frowned and looked at me and Lucas alternatively.
Eventually, he nodded at me and said, "If you need me, I'll be outside."
Then, he dragged the bed along with the wounded soldier out of the tent.