Daniel’s eyes darted through the dense undergrowth, scanning for movement. At first, there was nothing—just shifting leaves and the occasional gust of wind stirring the branches. His pulse quickened. The sound had been real, but where had it come from? Then, beneath a low-hanging shrub, something small and motionless caught his eye.
A golden shape, barely visible against the damp earth. He stepped closer, lowering the stick as realization settled in. It was a puppy—frail, shivering, and curled in on itself as if trying to disappear into the ground. A weak, pitiful whimper escaped its throat.