Discription: No fault or misdoing of hers would ever stop Dylan from caring.

Dolly couldn’t decide which wound hurt more: the one on her paw or the one on her pride.

As Dylan silently put away the bottle of antiseptic that he applied moments ago, her only consolation was that no one else was there to witness the aftermath of her latest escapade, gone very wrong.

But had it not been for Dylan’s interference, who knows how more tragic would things have gone.

Her step-brother said nothing. Focused on his task, he grabbed bandages from the first-aid kit he had brought and began wrapping them around her right paw. Not a trace of emotion in his expression.

‘I told you this would happen.’ She was waiting for him to say at any second. ‘Why don’t you ever listen to me?’ He would scorn at her. ‘That’s what you get for being stupid.’ His imaginary voice kept ringing in her ears. Any moment now. He would utter those words for real.

Dolly braced herself. She was in no condition, physical or mental, to defend her actions. She had no reason to.

“If mom and dad ask”, he finally said, “you slipped into a crack.”

Dolly looked up at her brother, utterly...