In the mountains, the frost was severe. The lake was almost completely covered with ice, but in one spot the water remained open. That was exactly where the wolf was struggling. He had fallen into an ice hole and couldn’t get out.
The ice beneath his paws crumbled, he slipped and fell back into the water again and again. With every minute he grew weaker. His head barely stayed above the surface, his breathing was ragged, and his soaked fur dragged him down.
An elderly woman was walking nearby, gathering firewood. She heard splashing and a strange, hoarse sound. As she came closer, she saw a huge gray wolf drowning. The animal had almost stopped fighting.
The old woman did not stop to think about fear, even though a wild and potentially dangerous animal stood before her. She quickly found a long dry branch, lay flat on the ice so it wouldn’t break beneath her, and carefully crawled toward the hole. The ice cracked under her, but she moved slowly and cautiously.
“Hold on,” she said softly, reaching the branch toward him.
At first, the wolf bared his teeth, but he had no strength left for aggression. He grabbed the branch with his front paws. The woman pulled. Her hands trembled, her back ached, but she did not let go. The ice cracked again, water splashed over the edge, and finally the wolf’s heavy body ended up on the surface.
The animal lay there, breathing heavily. One of his hind legs was twisted; it was clear it was broken. The wolf did not try to attack. He simply looked at the woman, as if he understood that she had just saved his life.
The woman was about to crawl back when she suddenly felt чужие взгляды on her.
From behind the trees, shadows slowly emerged. In the frosty air, ten pairs of eyes gleamed. It was a pack. The wolves had caught the scent of a human and were approaching, ready to attack. They did not understand that this very human had pulled their companion out of the icy water.
The elderly woman remained motionless. There was nowhere to run, and even if there had been, she would not have made it in time.
At that moment, the injured wolf struggled to his feet. He stepped in front of the woman, shielding her with his body, and growled at the pack. The growl was weak, but there was determination in it. He looked at his own kind as if making it clear that this woman was not to be touched.
The pack stopped. For several seconds, no one moved. Then one of the wolves lowered his head, and the others slowly began to retreat.
The injured wolf cast one more glance at the woman. There was no fear or anger in his eyes, only calm. After a few seconds, he turned and, limping, followed his pack.
The woman remained alone on the ice. The wind lifted the snow again, as if nothing had happened.
