I was out hiking in the wilderness when I heard a faint cry coming from a nearby pit. It was hard to see inside, but as I approached, I could hear the cry more clearly. My heart broke at the sound of the pitiful wailing, and I knew I had to do something to help.

I carefully approached the edge of the pit and peered down. It was dark, but I could make out the figure of a small dog, huddled in a corner, whimpering softly. He looked up at me with sad, pleading eyes, and my heart went out to him.

I knew that I couldn’t just leave him there, so I tried to figure out how to get him out. The pit was deep, and the sides were steep and slippery. I didn’t have any ropes or equipment to help me, but I was determined to save him.

I looked around and spotted a nearby fallen tree branch. It was long and sturdy, and I realized it could be the perfect tool to help me rescue the dog. I dragged it over to the pit and carefully lowered one end down to the dog.

He sniffed at it tentatively, and then took a small step towards it. Encouraged, I kept lowering the branch until it was close enough for him to grab hold of it. He wrapped his tiny paws around it, and with a bit of effort, I managed to pull him up and out of the pit.

The dog was skinny and covered in dirt and mud, but he was alive. He licked my hand gratefully and snuggled up to me, as if to say thank you. I knew I had made the right decision to try and save him, and it filled me with joy to see him safe and sound.

I took him back to my cabin, where I fed him and cleaned him up. He was a little shy at first, but he quickly warmed up to me, and we became inseparable. I named him Lucky, for obvious reasons, and he became my constant companion.

Years went by, and Lucky grew old and grey. He had been my faithful friend and companion through thick and thin, and I knew that he had been worth every effort I had put into saving him that day.

As I sat beside him in his final moments, tears streamed down my face, and my heart broke once again. But I knew that I had given him the best life possible, and that he had known true love and compassion in his time with me.

As he breathed his last, I whispered to him, “You were worth it, my dear Lucky. You were always worth it.”