The forest was swallowed by a deep, chilling darkness. Beneath the gnarled branches of an ancient oak, an old man sat on the damp earth. His breath was labored, his hands shook from the cold, and his eyes brimmed with despair. His own children had brought him here and abandoned him like worthless rubbish.
For years, theyd waited for him to die. The inheritancea grand house, land, and a fortune in poundswould be theirs. But the old man refused to succumb. So they took matters into their own hands, leaving him in that lonely woodland with no food or water, hoping the wild beasts would finish the job and the police would call it a tragic accident.
Shivering against the tree, the old man flinched at every sound. The wind howled in the distance, but beneath its wail came another noisethe cry of wolves. He knew his time was near.
“Dear Lord is this truly how it ends?” he whispered, clasping his hands in prayer.
Just then, a twig snapped. Then another. Footsteps drew closer. The old man tried to stand, but his body failed him. His eyes strained through the gloom until, suddenly, a wolf emerged from the undergrowth.
The creature padded slowly onto the path. Its fur gleamed under the moonlight, eyes burning like embers. Baring its fangs, it crept nearer.
“This is the end,” the old man thought.
He shut his eyes and prayed aloud, bracing for the pain of sharp teeth. But then, something unimaginable happened.
The wolf didnt attack. It stepped closer, paused beside him then lowered its head and let out a soft whine, almost as if speaking.
Bewildered, the man reached out. To his shock, the beast didnt retreat. Instead, it allowed him to stroke its thick coat.
Then, he remembered. Decades ago, when he was strong, hed found a young wolf trapped in a hunters snare. Risking his life, hed pried open the cruel metal jaws and set it free. The wolf had fled without a glance back but it seems it never forgot.
Now, the lone predator bowed before him like a grateful servant. It crouched lower, making its message clear: climb on.
With great effort, the old man clung to the wolfs neck. The beast rose and carried him through the shadowed woods. Branches cracked beneath its paws, and the shapes of other creatures lurked nearbyyet none dared approach.
After miles, a light appeared ahead: a village. Hearing barks, people rushed out and saw the impossiblea massive wolf gently laying a frail but living man at their gates.
Once sheltered under a roof, surrounded by kind faces, the old man wept. Not from fear, but from the bitter truth: a beast had shown more humanity than his own flesh and blood.
