Ethan exhaled a shaky laugh, shoulders slumping in relief. The older pup barked, tail wagging furiously, and the vet smiled. “Looks like he understands too.” They kept the injured dog on the table for observation, wrapped in a warm towel, hooked to an IV line. The other pup settled beside Ethan’s feet, finally calm, but its eyes never left the table.
The vet turned to Ethan. “He’ll need rest and care for a few days,” she said. “But he’s strong. Thanks to you and that little guardian of his.” Ethan smiled tiredly. “He wouldn’t let anyone near him. We couldn’t have moved him without his help.”