The flashlight illuminated the kittens huddled together, fragile but alive, saved by the warmth of a dog who had refused to leave. The image seared itself into Tina’s memory: devotion, against all odds, in a ditch by the road. She couldn’t look away.
The animal control worker moved quickly now, gently lifting the kittens into a padded carrier. Their cries rose briefly, soft mewls filling the night air. The dog whined but didn’t resist, eyes following every movement as though entrusting his charges to safer hands.