Unbelievable as it was, Wade followed. He felt foolish the moment he took that first step beyond the familiar trail—who in their right mind tailed a massive, wounded animal into the unknown? His inner voice shouted warnings of sudden attacks, of predators that could lurk behind every trunk, but the silent plea in the moose’s eyes overpowered any rational hesitation.
Thorny branches clawed at his arms, leaving shallow scratches. The dense canopy above trapped the scent of damp pine, saturating the cold air. Each painful snag of briars reminded him that he could still turn back, yet he pressed on, compelled by an instinct he couldn’t easily dismiss.