A woman saw a German Shepherd dragging a heavy sack… What she found inside made her hair stand on end….

The others, a bit unsteadily but still, followed him. Emily smiled. Now they were safe.

Several more months passed. The puppies grew up, and each of them found their own home. Emily carefully selected people she could trust with these babies.

She made sure they would go to kind hands, where they would be loved and cared for. Hope stayed with her. One evening, when Emily was sitting on the porch, Hope approached and laid her head on her lap.

Her eyes expressed calm and gratitude. She was no longer afraid. She knew she had a home now.

Emily stroked her head and quietly said, «We saved each other, right?» The dog wagged her tail softly, as if confirming her words. At that moment, Emily realized that sometimes the most unexpected encounters can change lives.

Not just one, but several at once. Emily couldn’t stop thinking about how hard this dog fought for her puppies. Even when her body was exhausted, even when every muscle must have burned with fatigue, she didn’t give up.

Hope. That’s exactly what she should be called. Emily sat on the floor, watching as the dog carefully licked her babies, checking each one.

The puppies, now a bit warmer, began to show more life. Their weak bodies moved a little, and they whined softly, pressing against each other. «You saved them,» whispered Emily, addressing the dog.

Hope raised her head and looked at her. That gaze was so deep that Emily felt something tighten inside her. Gratitude was in those eyes.

But that wasn’t all. There was still fear. Emily frowned.

Something was wrong. Hope looked away and pressed against her babies again. She felt safe here, but worry still didn’t leave her…

Emily ran her hand through her fur, thinking. Everything seemed too strange. Why were these puppies abandoned? Why was Hope alone? Emily suddenly realized she didn’t know the whole story.

But one thing she knew for sure. This dog couldn’t stay on the street. Several days passed.

Emily took care of the puppies. Fed them. Warmed them.

Checked their breathing. Held them to her heart so they could hear its beat, like they once heard their mother’s. Hope didn’t leave them, but now, as she relaxed a bit, it became clear how exhausted she was.

She ate greedily, as if she hadn’t known a normal meal for a long time. Emily watched her, wondering what she had been through. But something bothered her.

Sometimes at night, Hope would get up, go to the door, and start listening. Emily noticed this. One such night, she woke up to her quiet whining.

«What’s wrong, girl?» she whispered. Hope didn’t move. She stared at the window.

Emily got up and approached closer. It was dark outside, but when she peered, her heart skipped a beat. There, in the distance, among the trees, someone was there.

A figure, barely visible in the night. Emily felt chills run down her skin. Hope growled softly…