At dawn, we quickly packed up what was left of our camp, the dog still watching the trees. He hopped into the car as if he belonged with us. A vet check later confirmed he wasn’t chipped, and he’d likely been fending for himself for a while. We named him Lucky — both because he found us and because he may have saved our lives.
Now, Lucky sleeps by the door, keeping watch as if always guarding us from danger. Sometimes, I catch him looking out the window, alert as ever, reminding me of that night in the woods. As for camping? “Let’s just say,” I told the kids, “our next family adventure will involve a sturdy cabin…with locks.”Lucky was a reminder that sometimes, the best family members are the ones who come to us unexpectedly.
