Jeremy gently laid the dog near the fireplace, wrapping it tightly in a thick blanket. The warmth of the fire filled the room, but it seemed to do little for the dog, whose breathing remained labored and shallow.
Jeremy watched helplessly as the dog’s condition continued to deteriorate, its once alert eyes now barely open, flickering with the barest signs of life. The fear of losing the dog gripped him, the thought of it dying after valiantly protecting the owlets was unbearable.