As Sapphire was outside, she jumped around in the water puddles, splashing water everywhere, as she giggled and squealed in joy.

But her playtime was cut short when she suddenly heard someone crying coming from a nearby forest.

Just like any other child, she got curious and went to investigate.

As she moved aside a few bushes and tree branches, the crying grew a bit more louder, giving Sapphire the message that she was really close.

When she arrived at where the crying was coming from, she gasped in shock, seeing a young little werehog in tears as it's mother was lying on her side badly injured and panting heavily in pain.

The wounds on the mother were really deep, indicating that she's not gonna live much longer.

As Sapphire slowly approached the young werehog and it's mother, the mother growled at Sapphire before she wrapped her tail around the young werehog in protection.

Sapphire putted both of her hands up before backing away a bit.

"It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you or your child. You can trust me. I promise you that I don't have anything on me that'd hurt you..." Sapphire says to the mother gently while remaining calm.

The mother hesitated for a moment but then lowered her defenses, seeing that the human was a child too judging by her scent.

She letted Sapphire approach her as the mother moved her tail away from the young werehog.

"What happened to you?" Sapphire asked the werehog's mother.

The mother whimpered in pain a little before she turned her head to a nearby sign that was hanging on the tree.

Sapphire turned her head to look before noticing the sign.

"Werehog Season" is what the sign read in big bold words. And beneath those words showed a picture of a hunter, hiding behind a lot of bushes, while aiming his gun at a clueless werehog.

"Oh no! Someone shot you?! That's terrible! Why would someone do something so cruel to you and your kind?" Sapphire went as she looked back at the mother, feeling upset.

The young werehog putted it's tiny paws on the mother, giving Sapphire the message about the mother's fur.

"They're hunting you just because they only care about using you for fur coats?" Sapphire questioned.

The mother nodded.

"Is there anything I can do in your last wishes before your passing?" Sapphire asked.

The mother wasn't sure what her last wishes are until she remembered her child.

She looked over at her child before telling it what it should do.

The child wasn't okay with what it's mother was instructing it to do but listened to her anyways before looking at Sapphire.

The mother looked at Sapphire too before nudging the child gently towards her.

"You want me to take the child in?" Sapphire says as she looked at the mother.

The mother nodded before she pulled something out from her fur and gave it to the child.

Sapphire knelt down before gesturing the young werehog to come to her after retrieving something the mother has given to the little werehog.

Then it went over to Sapphire before leaping into her arms.

"I don't know what else to say...but...Thank you for trusting me with your child." Sapphire says as she looked at the mother and smiled a tiny bit as she rested her free hand on the mother's muzzle.

"I'll do whatever I can to protect it and raise it well...Along with helping it out."

The mother smiled back at Sapphire as tears appeared in her eyes and ran down to the sides of her face.

Then the mother closed her eyes and letted out her last breath before her body relaxed and she no longer moved anymore.

The young werehog began whimpering a little before it started crying again.