Maybe he wasn’t dangerous. The creature was looking at me again. The fire in its eyes had been replaced with the reflection of the moon and the soothing twinkle of the stars.

I crouched down on my knees and held out my hand. He stopped for a moment but then ducked its head under my hand making my fingers lace through its long soft fur. He then walked across me bushing his body along mine. His warmth washed over me it felt like a blessing to my cold numb body.

He circled around before sitting at my side; his head was tilted toward the sky, proud and strong. I looked at him with my hands to my chest debating my next move. He must have known what I was thinking because he turned his head to look at me with this look that said its okay, go ahead.

I reached out, scratched behind his ear then threw my arms around him in a hug. I laid my head on his shoulder listening to the surrounding frozen woods and in no time at all his warmth had soothed me to sleep.