That night, the village air was thick with the scent of pine and the distant echo of church bells. Isaac lay on the straw, staring up at the wooden beams of the stable ceiling. The darkness wrapped around him like a second skin, but he found solace in the quiet whispers of the night—a lullaby for the weary.
In the corner of the stable, the canine shadow shifted. The K9 dog, a seasoned veteran with a coat as dark as the night, had been brought to the village by a retired soldier. Fierce and loyal, the dog had seen battlefields and had learned to protect and serve. Now, it watched over Isaac with eyes that understood pain and injustice.