The Starry Sky

14- Under the Canyon's Shadow

"I think there's someone down there!" Katie exclaimed.

Gray approached the cliff, "Hello! Can anyone hear us?", he shouted.

Gray's voice echoed through the vast expanse of the Grand Canyon, resonating off the walls. For a moment, there was only the sound of the rain and the distant thunder. Then, a weak reply reached their ears.

"Help! Down here!"

Katie's eyes widened : "I heard something, I'm sure!" she said, worried. "We have to get down there and help them, fast!"

Gray nodded, his heart is racing. They couldn't waste any more time. With a quick glance around, he spotted a narrow, curving path that seemed to lead down deep into the canyon. It seem dangerous, but they had faced challenges before, and they know they have to get down.

"Follow me," Gray said, carefully stepping on the slippery trail. The rain had made the path muddy and unstable, so he had to be cautious with every step, one wrong step and it's all over. Katie, who was more agile, followed closely. She moved gracefully despite the challenging terrain, easily hopping over rocks and avoiding puddles. The tall canyon walls rose above them, creating a feeling of confinement.

The voice grew louder as they descended deeper into the canyon. They could now see someone, another wolf, on a small ledge on the canyon wall. The rain soaked them to the bone, and they looked exhausted and frightened.

Gray and Katie, their hearts pounding with a mix of relief and deep concern, finally reached near the narrow ledge. There, they found him, his fur is drenched and shivering violently, their body so cold that it seemed like he was frozen in place, unable to make even the slightest movement.

"We're here to help," Gray reassured him. "Just hold on."

With Katie's help, Gray carefully extended his paw to the trembling wolf. The ground beneath them, already wet and unstable from the rain, suddenly began to crack.

"Quick! Give me your paws!" Gray urgently exclaimed.

In a hurry, Gray and Katie acted quickly. Together, they pulled the stranded wolf back from the edge. A split second after, the weakened platform broke apart and fell into the darkness below.

All three of them rested on the safer ground, taking deep breaths and understanding how bad the situation could had got. The saved wolf, still in shock, looked down below but couldn't even see the bottom of the chasm. The only presence was the infinite, menacing darkness that seemed to expand endlessly beneath them.

"Thank you," he said weakly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I thought I was done for."

Gray nodded, are you ok? how did you end up here?

The saved wolf, who introduced himself as Jack, slowly regained his composure as they sat there, safe and sound on the ledge. He recounted his harrowing tale of how he had slipped while exploring the canyon, ending up stranded on the narrow ledge, injured, with no way to climb back up.  Jack had bright red eyes that really stood out. His fur was rough and had earthy colors, showing he'd been through a lot in the wild. 

"We're just glad we heard you. The Grand Canyon can be a dangerous place, especially in this bad weather." Katie said

Jack nodded. "You're right. I've learned my lesson the hard way. I'll definitely be more careful next time."

"Are you injured?" Gray asked, concerned.

Jack winced slightly. "Yeah, I twisted my ankle when I slipped. It's not too bad, but it's kinda hard for me to move."

Gray and Katie exchanged a look. "We can't leave you here" Katie said "We'll help you get back up to safety."

Gray nodded "You can also pass the night with us at the tree hole, its not very far from here."

With great effort and teamwork, they carefully made their way back up the narrow path, being extra cautious with Jack's injured ankle. It was a challenging climb, but their determination and unity made it possible. After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached the top of the canyon.

Breathing heavily and covered in mud, they all collapsed onto the solid ground, relieved to be out of harm's way. Jack's ankle was sore, but he knew that it could have been a lot worse.

Once they had rested for a while, they made their way back to the tree hole. As they reached the tree hole and settled in, Jack looked at Gray and Katie with a heartfelt expression. "I'll never forget what you two did for me today," he said. "really, you two saved my life, I can't imagine what could happen to me if you guys weren't there. Thank you!"

Gray smiled, his fur still wet from the rain. "It's what we do," he replied. "Helping those in need is what truly matters."

Little did they know, this was the beginning of an extraordinary friendship, one that would evolve into an unbreakable bond between the three of them, one that is stronger than anything.