A Dangerous Animal
Lukas could feel his heartbeat in his chest as he sat in anticipation of what they had to say. To think he had kept it in his house all this time with his wife and child. He had left it alone with them while he had gone to work.
The veterinarian couldn't believe what he had brought in. When he finally told him what animal it really was, his whole world was turned upside down.
Lukas Petrauskas
Lukas Petrauskas lived in the north-eastern part of Lithuania near Drūkšiai Lake. He always loved taking long walks near the lake on his days off from work. It was cold in winter, so he always had to dress warmly.
But one day, he spotted something that would make him have to make a split-second decision.
Family
Lukas worked hard during the week as a plumber. He spent 9 hours a day making sure that he had enough money to put food on his table for his family. He had a beautiful wife, Janina, and a young daughter - Lina.
During the week, Lukas would get home and spend time with his family. But after a long week, he wanted one day to himself - Saturday.
Saturdays
Saturdays were Lukas's days to unwind. He would get a few things together and start a long trek into the wilderness. His route would take him straight by the beautiful icy lake. He found that he could finally clear his thoughts while on his walk.
But one day, he'd hear something and be met with a dilemma that would put him in danger.
Passion For Nature
Lukas loved nature. He felt calm and collected whenever he was immersed in nature. He brought along his camera to take photos of anything he found stunning. Then one morning, Lukas decided to walk with his wife for a change.
While they were walking, they noticed something different. He heard splashing and frantic howling. He sprinted over to a portion of the lake.
Stranded Animal
Once Lukas ran towards the commotion, he saw an animal struggling in the water. He had to act quickly because it looked like the animal wouldn't stay above the water for long. He dived into the freezing water and pulled it back to shore.
To him, it looked like a dog, but soon enough, he'd find out that he was terribly mistaken.
Taken Care Of It
After pulling the dog from the water, Lukas carried it back home to his family. He felt responsible for its well-being and had to make sure it recovered. He dried the animal off with a towel and fed it some of their dinner scraps.
But while Lukas took care of the animal, he had no idea what he had actually invited into his home.
Nursing It Back To Health
Over the next few weeks, the animal began to pick up weight and became much less timid, but at the same time, it started to become wilder. The animal had also grown quite a bit.
Lukas chalked it up to getting used to him and his family. But he had no idea that it had nothing to do with them. It was just in the animal's nature. By the time he realized it would be too late.
Bonding
After more than a month, Luka felt a bond with the dog. It wasn't an ordinary dog by any means, but he thought it had character. But there was still something off about the animal. He just didn't know what.
But after an incident, he would soon figure out exactly what it was when he took it to the vet.
Concern
One day when Lukas woke up, he could tell that the animal was acting strange. It wasn't as vocal as it normally would be, and then he realized what was wrong. He saw that one of his daughter's dolls was missing its head.
There was only one place it could be. He rushed the animal to the vet to make sure it could breathe. But when he arrived, the vets would be alarmed for an entirely different reason.
The Vet
Lukas could feel his heartbeat in his chest as he sat in anticipation of what they had to say. To think he had kept it in his house all this time with his wife and child. He had left it alone with them while he had gone to work.
The veterinarian couldn't believe what he had brought in. When he finally told him what animal it really was, his whole world was turned upside down.
A Wolf
The veterinarian gave the animal a physical exam to make sure it was healthy, but he could immediately tell what it was. He told Lukas that it was, in fact, a wolf. He also told him that he saved its life, but it was dangerous to keep it in his house.
No Regrets
Even though it was a risk keeping the wolf in his house, Lukas didn't regret a thing. He was happy to take a chance on an animal in need and save it from a doomed fate. He also bonded with the animal over the weeks he looked after it.
But what would happen to the wolf now?
Taken Back
Lukas was sad when he was informed that he would have to take the wolf back to the wild so it could rejoin its pack. It was cruel to keep it locked up when it needed to roam free where it was meant to be.
But that wouldn't be the last time Lukas saw the stunning animal.
Another Sighting
The wolf still entered Lukas's mind every now and then. Especially when he was on his walks, he missed his furry friend. But then, one day, while he was out walking his route, he heard a familiar howl.
He walked by the lake and saw a lone wolf staring at him in the distance. In his heart, he knew it was the same one he had saved.