Belle🐾

The first thing I remember is the silence. One day, my people were there - and then they weren’t. They drove away and left me in a place with tall houses, hard roads, and strangers who passed me by. I waited. At first, I thought they would come back. But days turned into weeks, and weeks into something longer. My belly ached often. Most people walked past me without a glance. Some looked at me with pity, but no one stopped. But then - there was him. Every evening, when the sky turned soft with orange light, a man came. His hands were gentle when he set down food and water. The sound of the bowls on the ground became my favorite sound. He never tried to catch me or force me, just let me eat in peace. Slowly, I began to wag maybe my tail when I saw him. I think he saw me as more than just a stray. It was around that time I met her - the cat. He was small, clever, and brave, with eyes that gleamed even in the dark. Soon we started sharing quiet corners together, curling up side by side when the air turned cold. She made me laugh in the way she would pounce on shadows, and she reminded me I wasn’t completely alone. He became my brother, my best friend, my reason to keep hoping. Luckily we’re both now at a place called the sanctuary. Here, I have a room that’s mine, clean water and food, and people who smile when they see me. My cat friend, Catalonian is safe too - he visits me often, and we still nap together. For the first time in a long time, I’m not waiting for someone who will never come back. Now, I’m waiting for someone new. Someone who will look into my eyes and see not a stray, not a shadow, but Belle - a dog who has been lost, who has been found, and who is ready to belong. I am waiting for my forever home. (Maybe it can even be with my best friend, Catalonian!)