Theo clutched Elise’s arm as the lace finally tore. She pulled him free, holding him tight. Shadow stepped back, tail thrashing, eyes glowing with decision. The rifles above shifted uneasily, sights trained. Elise turned upward, screaming again, “Not a shot! He saved him. He saved us both!”
For a suspended heartbeat, no one moved. The storm drowned the silence, punctuated only by Theo’s sobs. Shadow lowered his head, chuffing softly, a sound Elise knew from his bottle-fed days. It was farewell disguised as recognition. Then he turned, melting into the curtain of trees, vanishing into darkness.