“Do you think he keeps coming back because this was his home?” Ethan asked.
“Maybe,” Maggie replied, unsettled by the idea that the dog might have a purpose.
That purpose became clear when the husky began acting strangely, pacing at the edge of the yard, whining and staring into the woods behind the house. He seemed to be urging them to follow.
“Mom, I think he wants to show us something!” Ethan said, eager to explore.
Maggie hesitated, but something in the dog’s urgency convinced her to follow. They ventured into the woods, where, after twenty minutes, CJ stopped in a small clearing. There, trapped in a hunter’s snare, was a pregnant fox, weak and struggling.
“Oh my God,” Maggie whispered, rushing to free her. Ethan gently stroked the fox’s fur as they worked together to loosen the trap. With CJ’s guidance, they managed to save the fox and rushed her to the vet.
The fox survived surgery, and when she woke, her cries stopped as soon as she locked eyes with Maggie.
“She knows you helped her,” the vet said, amazed at the fox’s calm.
Maggie and Ethan brought the fox, named Vixen, back home. Vixen gave birth to four kits, allowing Maggie and Ethan to witness the miracle of new life. A few days later, they built a den in the woods and, guided by Vixen, helped the fox family settle into their new home. But Vixen didn’t disappear. Every weekend, they visited the forest, and Vixen always greeted them with her playful kits in tow.
CJ, the husky, had become a cherished member of their family. Maggie realized that the husky had brought more than companionship—he had brought healing and connection.
One day, as they walked back from the forest, Ethan asked, “Do you think CJ was meant to find us?”
Maggie smiled down at her son and their loyal husky. “I don’t think he found us, Ethan. I think we were meant to find each other.”