One day, Erin went for a walk in the forest with her dog, Rusty. Even though it was cold, the sun was shining. Overall, it was a beautiful day. However, Erin made sure she was dressed warmly. After all, it was December, and the weather could change in unexpected ways. Suddenly, it started to snow. Erin said to her dog, "Come on, Rusty. We better head home before it gets dark." Unfortunately, the snow was falling so hard that she couldn't see where she was going. She stepped on a loose rock, and all of the sudden, she was on the ground. She managed to get up. Her loyal dog rushed to her side. She smiled and said, "I think I'm okay, Rusty." Soon, she began to notice she was running out of adrenaline. That's when she began to realize she was hurt. She felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her ankle. She must have sprained it or something. She knew she had to keep on going. She managed to make it up a hill. Exhausted and in excruciating pain, she collapsed on the top on the hill. Rusty stayed close to her to try and keep her warm. She said to herself, "I'll just rest for a while, but I'll have to get up and continue the journey home." A few moments later, she tried to get up, but her ankle was hurting, and she was unable to get up. She looked to her last hope, her dog, Rusty. She said, "Rusty, go get help." He whimpered. She said, "Please, Rusty! I could freeze to death." Reluctantly, he ran off to find help. Erin shivered while lying in the snow. She had seen Lassie, but she remembered something. Rusty wasn't Lassie! The only thing Rusty and Lassie had in common was that they were both collies. Just then, as the snow was slowing down, she saw Rusty. Her friend, Paul, was close behind. Erin had never seen a sweeter sight. Paul rushed to her and said, "Erin, your aunt and uncle are worried sick about you. They've been looking for you. They called me to help them. Are you all right?" She murmured faintly, "No, I'm not." He said, "I better get you home." She said, "I've hurt my ankle. I can't get up." He said, "I've got you." He carried her home. Along the way, they met her aunt and uncle. Her aunt said, "Erin, we've been worried sick. What happened to you?" Erin said through chattering teeth, "I think I sprained my ankle." Her uncle said, "I think we better get you to the hospital." They wrapped her in a blanket and kept the heat on high in the car to keep her warm. At the hospital, the doctor ordered an x-ray of her ankle. Luckily, it was only a mild sprain. The doctor said, "She can put pressure on it in a few days. For now, she'll have to be on crutches, and she'll need to rest it." The next day, Paul payed her a visit. He asked, "How's your ankle, Erin?" She said, "It was only a mild sprain. I can put pressure on it in a few days." He said, "I'm glad it wasn't much worse. I'm also glad I got to you when I did." She said, "Thanks for rescuing me, Paul." He said, "Don't thank me. Thank your dog. If it weren't for him, I would have never found you." She said, "But you played a part in it, too. Rusty on his own couldn't have gotten me out of the woods." Paul smiled and said, "I'm glad he found me, and I'm glad I found you in time." Erin smiled. She never realized how lucky she really was. Her ankle healed completely with time, and all was well again. Erin knew one thing she would never do again: go for a walk in the forest without a human companion.