Growing Stronger Together
Over the following weeks, the pups gained weight and strength. One limped from an old fracture, another had trouble eating, but the sanctuary’s expert team worked around the clock. They played, slept, and grew—each with strange traits not quite canine, not quite ursine. They howled at dusk and growled when startled.
The bear remained nearby, her presence soothing them. She never showed aggression, only concern. Hana visited every few days, sitting quietly while the creatures napped in a pile or wrestled with clumsy joy. One pup had taken to sleeping near the glass where the bear always waited. Their bond never faded.