They were about to give up, ready to accept the crushing reality that some stories don’t end with a happy reunion. But then there was the dog.

A scruffy golden retriever named Max, a rescue with a past as mysterious as the forest itself, had been a part of the volunteer team from the start. He belonged to Sarah, a local who had dedicated every spare moment to the search. Max had always been a good dog, with a nose for adventure and an uncanny ability to sense when someone was in need. Yet even Sarah had begun to lose faith, unable to ignore the creeping sense of futility.