The rain fell in unrelenting sheets, drenching the leaf-strewn forest floor and weaving a glistening veil over the ancient trees. The pines swayed gently in the wind, their boughs heavy with water, creating a symphony of dripping echoes. In this damp, gray world where shadows danced wildly, two dogs prowled with instincts honed to a razor's edge.
Max, the Belgian Shepherd, shook off the rain as he stepped into a clearing, his thick, sable coat