Excerpt:

'Over here,' the clerk beckoned, pointing towards something in the corner, covered with blankets.
Celeste reached down towards the object, removing the blankets. 'Where did you find it?'
'Over by the entrance to the town, when I went to visit a customer. I thought it was dead, but when I went up to it, it whined; so I brought it back here. Do you think there's hope for the poor creature?'
Celeste probed a beautiful, silky red fox. It had bandages wrapped haphazardly around it and smears of blood in its fur. One of its legs was bent sickeningly backwards.
'Has she eaten anything?'
'I fed her a plum and some berries. She won't take water.'
Celeste eyed the fox thoughtfully. She reached into her sleeve and brandished a needle. 'I'm going to fix her up a bit and set that leg. Do you have any flat pieces of wood and some more bandages? I can pay...'
'No, no, that won't be necessary. But I was wondering, if maybe you could take her with you.'
Celeste's visible eye opened wide. 'Oh, it's much too dangerous – much, much too dangerous.'