The newcomer.

It was late afternoon by the time a small white fox awoke at the bottom of a small cliff, "W-Where am I? Wh-Who am I?" The fox said to itself as it slowly started to stand up, a sudden sharp pain shot through its body as it put pressure on one of it's legs, the surprise almost caused it to collapse. it then began to limp off. He didn't know where he was planning on going but didn't make any attempt to think about it in the first place.

By late evening the fox collapsed in the front yard of a house and started to whine pathetically, the pain from his leg among other things was too much for him to continue.

Tala was sitting on the porch steps for whatever reason, with both of her parents away at the moment, for an as of yet undetermined reason, so when she heard the whining of a wounded fox, she was instantly on the scene. She crouched next to the fox now laying in her yard, not fearing it being a wild animal, and looked it over. "oh, you poor thing," she said, seeing its damaged leg.

The fox was close to passing out and didn't respond to Tala approaching him.

Tala wasn't quite sure what to do. She could try to move the fox, but that could warrant an attack. But it obviously needed medical attention. She made her decision quickly. "I'll be right back," she told the fox before going back towards the house. In a minute, she was back with her bicycle. Carefully, she transfered the wounded animal into her basket, then started riding towards the hospital.

The fox didn't even move as it was put in the basket, he was focused more on trying not to pass out.

It didn't take long to get to the veterinary hospital. Once she got there, Tala locked up her bike and carried the fox into the building.

An attendant looked when a bell chimed as the door opened, she didn't speak but instead waited to be spoken to.

Tala noticed the attendant. she approached him quickly. "I found this fox, he's been injured and needs to be looked at." she said.

Ok, I'll see if a veterinarian can come take a look at it but in the meantime I'm going to have to ask you to wait.

Tala sighed. "okay," she said, not willing to argue. She sat down in the nearest seat and set the fox on her lap. As she waited, she scratched his head. After a minute, she tried to speak telepathically to him. Hey, little guy. do you know what happened to you?

The fox just looked up at her then passed out.

Tala felt his consciousness slipping even as the fox looked up at her. She looked for the attendent, who wasn't too far away. "This fox needs attention now" she said, speaking both aloud and telepathically for emphasis.

Ma'am it's fine, I'll see it now if you'll please come over hear to the room and place the fox on the table, a doctor said as he opened up one of the nearby exam room doors.

Tala let out a breath and took the fox into the room. "Thank you," she said to the doctor as she passed him.

"Just lay it on the table and hold it in place, my insurance doesn't cover rabies." The doctor said half jokingly.

She set the fox down on the table, grumbling in her mind about the joke and how the fox was passed out and didn't need to be held down.

The Vet turned around a moment later wearing gloves and noticed the fox's leg. "Well I can probably already tell you what's wrong with it. It probably has a broken leg, femur id bet going on the swelling. I need to run some X-Ray's to be sure and might have to preform surgery if the injury is bad enough, at the very least it's going to need a cast but there could also be other complications that are overshadowed by the leg and there's the possibility the legs not actually broken and it's something else along woth worms and other diseases this animal might have. are you sure you have the money to spend on this wild animal or even if you really want too?" The vet said.

Tala glared at the man, knowing her parents could afford it, and Lupa would never object to helping a fox. "Just do what you have to do" she said.

"ok, go wait out in the lobby while I run some tests." The vet said before picking up the fox and taking him into some back rooms.

"Okay," she said, then left to go sit and wait.

It was hours later and well into the night by the time the vet cam out again with a small white fox in his arms with a red cast covering the animal's entire back right leg. "The little guy checks out no worms or anything." the vet said as he walked out to Tala.

Tala stood up and met the doctor about half-way, needing to be up and moving again. "Good," she said, "anything else I need to know?" she continued.

"Other then you have a bit of a large bill and that the fox should take it easy not really now talk to the attendant about paying for this visit and in turn part of my mortgage this month." The vet said as he handed the fox to Tala.

Tala rolled her eyes at the vet and went to speak to the attendent.

the attendant just handed Tala a form to fill out.