I thought it was a miracle — that it had decided not to harm us. But then, I suddenly heard footsteps coming from the forest, and another figure appeared in front of me. At first, I couldn’t tell who it was. The shadow was tall and mysterious… and then our eyes met — human eyes.

It was a man. He stepped out of the trees so suddenly that I jumped. He was holding a torch, its light illuminating his face — it looked familiar, but I couldn’t remember from where. The dog growled, but didn’t run to him. The man moved calmly, without sudden gestures, approaching carefully.

— Don’t be afraid, — he said in a low, soothing voice. — I’ll help you get out of here.

At that moment, it seemed the wolves had sensed something unusual. They didn’t run, nor did they attack — they just stood, watching us. And then something incredible happened: one of the wolves, the largest one, approached the man and… sat at his feet, pressing close to him, as if recognizing him as their leader.

I stood there, breathless. The dog cautiously sniffed the man, then looked at me as if asking: “Can we trust him?” I nodded, unable to speak. The man raised his hand, and the wolves stepped back a few paces, as if his gesture held some strange power.

— We must move quickly, — he said. — The forest is dangerous now, but there is a safe path.

We walked along a narrow forest path, and everything around us felt strange: the trees thickened, the darkness deepened, and the sounds of the forest seemed to hint that someone was watching us. Suddenly, the man stopped and pointed with his hand.

— Look, there’s your father.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. My father was sitting by a fallen tree, trembling, but safe, and my basket of mushrooms lay beside him. I ran to him and hugged him so tightly that I felt both his fear and an overwhelming relief at the same time.

— How…? — I began, but my father only shook his head.

The man smiled, then vanished just as suddenly as he had appeared. We stood there, looking around, and the wolves gradually disappeared into the twilight, as if they had never been there at all.

That day, I understood one thing: in the forest, you are never truly alone. There are forces that humans cannot see, capable of protecting you even where hope seems lost. The dog never left my side on the way home, and I knew I would never forget that day — the day when fear, despair, and a miracle merged into one unforgettable story.