Daniel crouched, his heart clenching at the sight. The pup barely reacted to his presence. Its fur was damp, its body shivering like a leaf. He reached out carefully, fingers brushing against its tiny frame. A feverish heat radiated from its skin. Daniel frowned, his mind racing. What was a puppy doing out here, alone in the middle of the forest? There were no nearby cabins, no signs of a campsite. He had seen stray dogs before, but this pup was different. Its features were unusually delicate.
Its fur thicker and silkier than most breeds he recognized, almost as if it wasn’t meant for the wild. And then there were its eyes—a pale, almost unnatural shade of blue, cloudy with exhaustion. Something about it felt off. A whimper escaped its lips again. The pup was in terrible condition and needed immediate help.