With a grunt of effort, George pushed himself back to his feet. His legs trembled beneath him, but he forced them to keep moving. He had to find Thunder. He had to bring him home. It didn’t matter how much farther he had to run, he was not going home alone.
The night air was colder now, the temperature dropping as the hours passed. George’s breath came in ragged clouds, his heart thudding painfully in his chest. The only sounds were his own labored breathing and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot.