Alan gently laid the cat near the fireplace, wrapping it tightly in a thick blanket. The warmth of the fire filled the room, but it seemed to do little for the cat, whose breathing remained labored and shallow.
Alan watched helplessly as the cat’s condition continued to deteriorate, its once alert eyes now barely open, flickering with the barest signs of life. The fear of losing the cat gripped him, the thought of it dying after valiantly protecting the pups was unbearable.