They pulled him from the flames… but it was that look that truly saved him.

His paws were dirty,
his body was trembling,
his fur smelled of smoke…
but his eyes still shone.

And when he held him in his arms,
when he was finally safe,
this cat didn’t meow, didn’t move, didn’t run away.
He simply looked at him.

A look that didn’t ask for help…
but for calm.
For love.

A promise:

“Tell me it’s over… tell me I’m really safe now.”

And this firefighter, without saying a word, stroked him as if he could speak to his soul.
As if he knew that this little creature needed more than oxygen:
he needed to feel loved