She paused, watching the herd settling into a gentle rest circle. “You should be proud of them,” Navarro added. “They saved people today. A lot of them.” Maria nodded slowly, emotion tightening her throat. “I will never doubt them again.”
Sunlight broke through the clouds, washing the enclosure in warm gold. The elephants relaxed completely—ears loose, bodies calm, rumbling softly to one another. Not afraid. Not warning. At peace. And as Maria watched them, a quiet realization rooted itself deeply: