The box bumps, the smell from inside getting worse.
"See, it's fine! Maybe not perfect condition, but still very good! Look, I'll bump my price down to 80%."
The woman behind the counter folds her arms. "It's dead, Lira."
"Noooo," says Lira. "No, I wouldn't-" a scratching noise comes from the box, and the bones of what used to be a paw try to make it through one of the air holes. "-it's. Just a bit."
The woman behind the counter raises her eyebrow. "Just a bit... dead?"
"Yeah," says Lira, trying not to sweat. "Just a little bit. You'd hardly notice." The smell intensifies again. "Just need some incense, that's all."
"Only if I also had a prayer scroll. Lira, what the shit am I supposed to do with this?"
"50%!" cries Lira, desperately. "30%!" when the woman looks over her glasses at her. "Come on, I really need this."
The woman pokes at the box, and an unearthly hiss sounds from inside. "15%. And the next thing you bring me had better be good quality. Don't make me regret this."
Lira takes the proffered bag of coins and backs out, apologizing profusely and promising the moon. The woman sighs as the door to her shop closes, and pops the lid open. The thing inside hisses again, then cautiously sniffs the offered hand. After a moment, it rubs what used to be its cheek across her knuckles, and a clattering rumble sounds from its exposed bones.
The woman looks at the thing, looks at her now-bloody fingers, and sighs. "I'm just too soft for this business," she complains to the thing.
For its part, it curls up on her desk and looks at her, one eye socket filled with green fire, then goes to sleep.
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