Instead it was two tiny puppies, their coats matted and wet against the cold. They peered up at him with wide, fluttering eyes, their small, round bodies trembling slightly. Alan’s heart swelled with both relief and wonder.
Gently, Alan scooped the puppies into a warm blanket, cradling them against his chest. He hurried inside, mindful of their delicate state, and set them down in a cozy box near the fireplace, where the warmth would help revive them.
His thoughts quickly returned to the poor cat. Alan returned to the shed, his breath fogging in the bitter cold. The cat lay slumped on the floor, eyes half-closed and body still, its earlier resolve now replaced with utter exhaustion.
Alan’s pulse quickened; the cat had clearly given everything it had to protect the pups, and now it lay on the brink of collapse. He knelt beside the cat, his hands trembling as he gently checked for signs of life. The cat’s breathing was shallow, its body weak and unresponsive.