Erin and her mom are outcasts from their village, her mom a foriegner and Erin by virtue of being related. Her mother's duty is to protect the animals that they breed for war- but soething goes terribly wrong. A disease wipes them out, and Erin's mother is put to death by the law of the land. Erin, left with no one to take care of her, is set out into the world.

There, she meets friends, discovers creatures she would care for more than the Touda, and wants to be the best healer for them in the world. As a student, she is drawn into the politics that swirl around her and the war that is going on. The kingdom isn't as peaceful as it may seem, and she and the creatures she tends are at risk of being pawns.

For a children's show, this shows an amazing amount of depth to the story, wholly likeable and realistic characters, and truly stands out as a great show.

Violence/Gore: Erin's mom is killed- you see her being stabbed in silhouette, and then disappearing under the water. Another person is stabbed, but you don't see it actually occuring. Erin ends up having her hand bitten off, but the actual bite isn't shown, nor is the aftermath. War injuries are shown with red on the shirt and bandages.

Potential Theological Problems: Erin's mom and guardian show up in one of Erin's dreams after their deaths, and reassure her that she's doing well, and that they are doing well.

Other Problematic Themes: There are one or two uses of the 'd-word' after the person is gravely injured.