For Pyotr Andreyevich, sleep was impossible that night: his radiculitis had resurfaced and it sent shooting pains all over. He did everything he could, but it only worked with the ointment from his neighbor Agafya Vasilyevna. Only because of her help could he manage to move a little.
His pain was less by morning, helping him get up from bed. When he got to the window, he wasn’t surprised to see dark skies because his radiculitis always predicted bad weather. The forest paths were quickly getting washed away by the heavy rain outside.
After stepping away, the forester gave Kamal a bowl of fresh water. Exactly a year ago, the dog was found close to death by the roadside after escaping the forest. Because of a fight with a predator, the dog’s paw was badly injured which made it hard for the dog to move.
Pyotr Andreevich saw to it, healed Kamal and now Kamal is not only his companion but also a dear friend.
It turned out that the dog was well-trained: it easily found animals, understood all its owner asked for and became his only company in the forever stretching forests. He lived alone for many years before selling his house.
Rybakov’s wife Maria Leonidovna died from a heart attack ten years earlier and his daughter Nadya now lives far from their family. She constantly yearned for an escape to the city and the chance to live well. After she turned eighteen, she walked out of her house, leaving her parents and never returned.
She became engaged to a wealthy partner, but the marriage was not lasting.
Following that, another string of happenings appeared: fresh marriages, breakups, becoming pregnant and having abortions… Nadya did not know what was meant for her, so she pursued every opportunity. Although they did not have much wealth, Pyotr Andreyevich and his wife tried to help their daughter financially.
Often, Maria Leonidovna cried over her daughter’s situation which broke her heart. Even though her daughter received an urgent telegram, she did not appear at the funeral after her mother died. No message, no phone call came from her. Pyotr Andreyevich felt very hurt and did not try to get in touch again. Still, he was alone in his small home, yet hunting was something he loved and enjoyed.
He emphasized that he was appointed to help through a social assistance fund for those in need of direction. Funds were used to help orphans, the homeless and those leaving prison, assisting them to rebuild their lives. For this reason, they spent their time as wards under the supervision of careful residents involved in beneficial work. Now, it was Pyotr Andreyevich’s job to perform. His pension would be increased for participating in the initiative.
Being alone for so long, Pyotr Andreyevich quickly agreed: Timur appeared honest and truly interested in him.
Things were not easy for them at the start of their joint venture. Pyotr Andreyevich realized that Timur was unsociable and didn’t rush to pry with any inquiries. Eventually, the forester let the new man take on some tasks. Timur gradually became more comfortable and made his position clear. Kamal also allowed the visitor – the dog knew the person was good. They spent lots of time together, slept next to each other and took walks together.
One winter morning, the officers headed into the neighborhood on their usual patrol. It was then that we heard Kamal barking very loudly. As they ran to the sound, the men froze when they saw the young she-wolf was caught in a trap. She had been trying to survive for a long period before she passed away.
“Damn Makarov!” Pyotr Andreevich grumbled as he spoke. Many animals were caught and killed by the poacher’s traps in the forest.
Dmitry Makarov was a local poacher with no limits to his outrages. People in the forest began to suffer greatly from his traps.
Timur, remain far from us. Somehow, she possesses the ability to attack her enemies. Keep quiet, Kamal,” the forester told him.
Pyotr Andreyevich got close to the she-wolf, calmed her and set her paw free from the trap. Even though the animal resisted only quietly, it could not do much to escape.
After discovering two sturdy pine branches, the forester put the she-wolf on them, picked her up and headed for home since help was needed. Doctor Miroiev and her team started the treatment after Agafya Vasilyevna introduced her famous ointment. They decided to rename their pet and then started helping her recover. The animal adjusted to its surroundings very fast: it stayed calm, did not try to bite and after some time Pyotr Andreyevich could touch it and feed it directly from his hands.
It was not until winter was over that Rama left the huntsman. As soon as the she-wolf started to make noise and complain, Pyotr Andreevich knew he should release her.
Timur stated that she should not start exercise just yet to ensure her leg gets stronger.
Time has come for her to be called. At this time of year, the female is restless because she is ready to mate, the forester shared.
Two weeks after that, an incident took place in the village. Makarov was also the poacher who lost his daughter, Veronica. About three years before, she moved from the village, found employment in the city and met a rich man. On rare times, she told her mother that she would soon marry a wealthy man.
Recently, however, Veronica came back home with a baby on the way. As soon as he found out about the child, he threw her out. The groom’s parents did not know anything about their son’s relationships – they had something else in mind for him.
He lost control when he saw his daughter about to become a mother. Chasing her with a shovel, he ran after her. Because the girl was so afraid, she ran away and was not seen again. The search for her became a big operation. It was getting very cold, so everyone worked hard to help the unfortunate girl survive. Pyotr Andreyevich, Timur and Kamal were among those who helped us search.
The gang kept exploring the forest, but could find nothing. Suddenly, at the beginning of twilight, Rama, their old she-wolf child, appeared between them. She observed Pyotr Andreyevich, then dashed off, looking back every so often to see if they were following.
The huntsman knew immediately what was going on.
“Charge after her!” cried Andrey, so Timur and he went after the wolf.
They heard a sharp, uneasy scream as they sped toward the river. Veronica was fighting to get out of the ice hole, but she couldn’t succeed. Timur was quick: he got a big stick, went out onto the thin ice and gently moved towards her, giving her the stick he had made. Veronica held on to the stick as tight as she could, allowing Timur to drag her somewhere safer. The officer took his jacket off, wrapped the shivering girl in it, then carried her to the ambulance that was nearby.
The girl was rushed to the hospital, while Makarov was taken by police to answer questions. Because of Veronica’s condition, Timur couldn’t help but often ask her mother for updates. She let him know everything was alright with their daughter and that she would be going home shortly.
Two days after leaving, Timur missed his wife so much that he went to the hospital. He returned bringing Veronica along.
Could we keep Veronica with us for a while, Pyotr Andreyevich? He was asking, “Where will she stay?”
In the end, Makarov had been set free – Veronica’s mother talked Veronica out of filing charges against her father, saying he was only temporarily out of his mind. Makarov acted as if the blowup had never happened after the girl agreed, so they did not talk about it.
Pyotr Andreyevich allowed Veronica into his house with kind invitations. On the opposite, the same night, Ivan decided to go see Makarov. Once the gamekeeper met the poacher, he confidently told him that he knew everything: all the set traps, the poaching and the sale of wild animal meat to restaurants. He urged Makarov to stay away from Veronica and stop trying to intimidate her or the police could learn everything. All the poacher could say was a contemptuous smile.
It wasn’t long before Timur and Veronica became friends. They were always together in their spare time and Pyotr Andreyevich knew right away that marriage was on the horizon. As a result, Veronica had her baby girl in the spring and shortly after, Timur proposed to her. For Pyotr Andreyevich, it was a special stroke of luck: his isolated house was now filled with laughter, chatter and happiness from everyone’s presence.
Yet fate showed Makarov something he did not expect. During a hunt, he was so determined to catch the wolf that he ended up in one of his traps from last month. A sharp pain went through his leg and he realized he couldn’t move. Though he tried to escape for many hours, he could not succeed. Before turning around, he picked up familiar footsteps.
It was Pyotr Andreyevich making his regular check of the area. After seeing the man trapped, the ranger immediately helped: he released him from the trap and carried him home, where he called the ambulance. The event left a strong mark on Makarov’s mind. He visited every part of the forest, removed all his traps and never used them again. Eventually, he visited Pyotr Andreyevich and sought his forgiveness in an honest way. Thanks to that understanding, he was also able to meet his granddaughter and fix things he had done in the past. Makarov has undergone a change and the forestry industry went on as usual.
