Can I go inside?” Lily asked, turning to a nearby handler.

The volunteer hesitated, glancing at Ranger’s still-tense form. But there was something in Lily’s request that was hard to deny — a quiet strength that promised understanding.

“Okay,” the handler said reluctantly, unlocking the kennel door with caution. “But be careful.”

Lily maneuvered her wheelchair to the entrance and paused. She extended her hand, palm open, towards the cautious dog. Ranger sniffed the air, his body quivering with uncertainty. Slowly, he took a step back, then another. The space between them seemed to pulse with a tangible energy, a tenuous thread of trust being woven.