The evidence in my garden suggested a ruthless invader – demolished plants, dug-up roots, and half-eaten vegetables. I imagined a greedy raccoon or mischievous squirrel. The reality, when I finally discovered it, left me humbled and in tears.
It began with Runa’s strange behavior. My normally energetic shepherd had become withdrawn after losing her last litter. When she started disappearing for hours, I assumed she was mourning in solitude. Then one rainy afternoon, I followed her to the old toolshed and witnessed something miraculous.
There, nestled in a bed of shredded burlap, were three orphaned bunnies – alive only because Runa had been sharing her body heat with them. Nearby lay their mother, her final act of love evident in the trail of nibbled vegetables leading to this makeshift nest. My “garden thief” had been a desperate parent, and my grieving dog had become an unexpected foster mother.
